Live in the Philippines

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How much money do you need to live in the Philippines?

Money Matters / by

Updated for 2018

How Much Do You Need to Live in the Philippines?

Probably the most often asked question from people who are thinking about living in the Philippines is this – How much money do I need to have a good life there?

Well, to be honest, there is no single answer that can be right for every person.  “Living good” is a different concept for every person, and what is a good life for one person may be a life of poverty for another.  However, just because the amount varies depending on your lifestyle doesn’t mean that we can’t talk about general amounts that would be required to live here.

The least amount of money that I would say a single person could live on and have a comfortable life is maybe about $1,000 per month or so.  For a couple, maybe $1,200 to $1,500.  Now, I have heard of westerners living here on $200 to $300 per month, but for most of us that would not be too comfortable.  Those who live on that kind of budget live the way that local Filipinos live – in a nipa hut, eating native Filipino food (mostly rice and vegetables), just an existance as opposed to a life.  At $200 per month you aren’t going to spend time in Malls, go to Movies, go out for entertainment and such.  Even at $1,000 you won’t be doing a lot of this kind of thing.

Now, if you can do $1,500 to $1,800 per month for a single person, maybe $2,000 for a couple, you can live a fairly nice life.  You can rent a decent house, eat a fairly good diet with plenty of meat and such, go out for some entertainment, maybe do a little travel around the Philippines too!  You can also get a maid to stay in and take care of cleaning and chores, maybe a little cooking too.  For this kind of budget, you won’t have to take care of much yourself in the way of work, you can hire it out.

If you want to live a swanky lifestyle (nothing wrong with it… I tend to live a pretty darn good life myself), for a budget of $3,000 to $4,000 you can live in style.  Nice house, a car, a couple of maids and somebody to wash your clothes.  You won’t be wanting for anything.  I am not ashamed to admit that I personally fit into this category.  I have myself, my wife, 1 kid and 1 niece living with me.  I guess we get by on maybe $3,000 per month.  I guess it would be said that we don’t really want for anything.  If there is something that I want or need, I buy it, and it doesn’t break the budget.  A few weeks ago our refrigerator was getting rather old and worn out, so we bought a new one.  Even with that expense, I will still live within my budget for the month.  If I want a new computer or laptop, I buy one.  So, I would say that for the standards of many back in the States, my lifestyle is probably excessive.  But, why not?

Some examples of things that you might wonder about when it comes to pricing (US Dollar prices):

Movie Tickets:  $3 for seating in the premium section of the theater
Grilled Chicken:  $4 for a whole chicken
Can of Coke or other Soft Drink:  60 Cents
Kilo of Fresh Tuna:  $8 (that’s about $3.50 per pound)
Kilo of Porterhouse Steak:  $10 (this is for the premium steaks… $5 per pound)
Kilo of fresh Potatoes:  $2.10
Kilo of fresh Mangoes:  $2.30
Kilo of Durian fruit:  $1.40 during this time of year when it is “in season”

If you feel like eating out, you can have a decent dinner or lunch for $5 to $8.  If you want “premium” western food, you might spend up to $10 to eat out in a nice restaurant (per person).  Here in Davao, for $10 to $15 you can go to a 5 Star Hotel, eat their buffet with maybe 50 different food choices, eat all you can including all courses.  Food is cheap.  Some other things are expensive here.  But, overall, you can live well on a much lower budget than you would in the States.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. You lucky fella! I've got the money…but my mother would have a heartache….having to be so far way from her grandchildren.

      • Just realized post was from a year ago.

        Manila is a huge area. From the poverty areas to the expat enclaves. Range from 15k a month for cheap 1 room apartment in fringe area but still ok to well over 200k for Forbes for a house. Food, utilities, internet, etc will roughly be same as elsewhere in Phiippines. Just have more access to bigger malls and hospitals.

    • I am 64..my mom pasted last oct.4th..she and I had a better relationship through letters, almost daily phone calls and the holiday visits than we did when I was down the street

  2. Hi Craig – My mom was the same way when I moved here. But, what it came down to was that I have to do what is good for my family, and moving here was the choice. My mom came to accept it, and now she comes to visit here regularly. She has come to like it here!

    • I am a disabled veteran and I get 1586 usd a month. And to live in ozamis city, mindanao. The wife she says that is close to lavish very comfortable. I have visited twice, loved it. But that will be ok, right? Not much on drinking, movies, rather a homebody.

      • Hi Richard – $1586 is certainly not going to provide you with a lavish lifestyle, but it is enough to live here. It is on the low end, though. When people ask me how much they need to live here, I always advise that they need a minimum of $1500.

      • Bob iam disable veteran, I get 836.00 a month from Va, I also get ssi check from which is 1,081 dollors, I get total 1,917 dollars is that enough to live there

  3. Hi Bob,

    Regarding the renting of a house there how much should I expect to pay. At first we wanted to buy one but I like your Idea since we never know what can happen so I think renting will be better for now anyway

  4. Hi Patrice – You must be enjoying the site! This is your second day in a row to leave a comment! I like that! 😉

    Of course, renting a house can have a large price range, it just depends on what you want to spend. I have a friend who lives in a smaller 2 bedroom house (which is near the beach) and he is only paying about $150 per month. On the other hand, I have a very large house (about 4000 square feet) right in the city, and I pay around $600 per month. I need a larger house, because I work here at home, and have some employees that work in my business too, so we have more people here. I have a big family too, which adds to the need. If it's just you and your wife, I would say that for $100 to $300 you can rent a nice place. These prices would not apply in Manila, but should be OK for the rest of the country.

  5. Bob
    i'm interested in retiring to digos city where my girlfriend lives amwondering if you can give me any information about costs safety housing and if there areany links for this city that i could goto for further research. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated
    sincerely don huff

    • Don – I have lived in Digos for 7 plus years. Bob is correct – it can be boring but the upside is it is not expensive and housing is cheap even compared to Davao. I’m Vince Di Pasqua, USCG retired and a senior citizen.

  6. Hi Don – Nice to meet you! Digos is about an hour south of Davao City (where I live). I have passed through Digos many times, it's a nice little place. It is safe there, and living is inexpensive. You can rent a decent place to live for $150 to $300, I'd say. As a matter of fact, I have an American friend who just built some Apartments in Digos, but I am not sure of the price or if any units are available.

    I would say, though, that if it were me making the choice, I'd probably choose to live in Davao City rather than Digos. You will find that there is really not much to do in Digos and you may get bored. Whereas, in Davao you will never run out of places to go or things to do. Of course, being an hour away, you can always come to Davao when you feel the need, though.

    I am sorry, I don't know any good websites for Digos. If you have questions about the place, I would be happy to answer for you, though.

    • MY wife and I would love to move to davo city. What are all the requirements to gey dual citizenship? we would love to come visit and have you show us around for safety housing etc?

      • Hi Harry – If you need somebody to help you see the area and such, we would be happy to do so, and help with questions.

        If you want to move to the Philippines, there are many things to find out about, and to do in preparation for the move. I have come up with a series of electronic books that will provide you with all of the information that you will need to make the move easy and smooth. There are a total of 31 eBooks in the set, you can find out about each title at my website: How to Move to the Philippines. http://HowToMoveToThePhilippines.com

        I have a special deal that I want to let you know about, though. The books are $7.99 each, but that can add up if you want the whole set. Because of that, I have a special package that includes all of the books, 31 titles in all. You can get the entire package, which I call the PH Pro Package, for just $49. I can offer you the PH Pro package for a special discount price of $10 off for the next 24 hours though. When you are buying the books, just use this coupon code during the checkout: Move2PH10 Keep in mind, though, this coupon code is only valid for the next 24 hours for your purchase.

        You can find the PH Pro package here:
        http://howtomovetothephilippines.com/landing/ph-pro-all-in-package/

        I really believe that this package of books will give you all the information you need to make it a successful move. If you have other questions that you don’t find answered in the books, though, you can e-mail me any time for a personal response to your question.

  7. Thank you so much for providing and honest and informative site. I have lived in the Philippines for four years and have lived in Davao for one year. This is the first site I have found that someone can rely on the information you provide. I get so angry when I read where people can retire to the Philippines and live like a King on $200 a month. I recently saw a post on Yahoo Information site where a guy from the States ask could he live in the Philippines for one year on $100 a month. I was amazed at the number of expatriates claiming to be living in the Philippines telling him that he could live well. I felt I had to reply and was amazed the answer he chose as the best answer was one where he could live great in Cebu, enjoy movies, restaurants and a few nights a month in a hotel for $100 a month. I enjoyed reading your material and thankful I found the site. I do have a question. I am looking to move and want a townhouse 2 bedroom (smaller place) since I am single. I saw some picture of places located near your home and would like to know how to get in touch with the owners.

    • I went to Cebu in may of this yr. for 10 days and i spent 600.00 dollars for a hotel which wasnt a cheap one,food(eating out) and going shopping in the mall and i even went to the black market area to buy stuff there . Im engaged to a lady over there and i am trying to get her over here, but ive been looking on moving over there so that is why im looking at what the cost would be for me to move over there and live the comfortable life. I wont need maid or cooks.

  8. Hi Thomas – thanks for your comment, and the nice things you said. You know, the funny thing is that a lot of people (ex pats) who live here are proud for living on very little. It's like they think it makes them better, the less they live on. I don't go for that. I can afford to live a super lifestyle, and I do! I have no qualms about it.

    Regarding some of the places I have photographed near my place, there is one that is like a 3 or 4 bedroom apartment, and it's around P15,000 per month or so – three stories. It's pretty big. The other is a new apartment building, but they are only one room studio apartments (just one room, not a separate bedroom, kitchen, etc) and they are around P5,000 per month. These are located in Marfori Heights Subdivision, if that helps any. I don't have contact details for the landlords, though. Sorry about that.

    Good luck to you!

  9. hi bob, Iam spanish about to move to davao for work and surfing the net come up with your site.
    I was precisely looking for a fair information about the costs of living in there and got amused by your information.
    I will be around at 4000 USD and with no extra cost since will live in a hotel for the next month.
    Having lived in spain most of the time I was in mexico for 3 years and live was not that easy (in terms of costs)
    but I have got a question I think it is important How about security, can I fell free to go for a walk in davao at any time?
    and on the other hand, Although I speak english I´d like to know if it is still possible to chat in spanish somewhere ?
    cheers !!!

  10. Hi Miguel – You mean that you will be spending about $4k per month? That is a huge amount of money here! Of course, if you are living in a hotel, that can add up quickly.

    In Davao, you probably won't have a chance to use your Spanish, unless you happen to hook up with an ex-pat from Spain or Mexico, or some other Latin American country. If you take a trip to Zamboanga City, you can speak there with Filipinos who speak a derivative of Spanish. It's not a perfect match, but you will be able to understand each other.

    Have fun on your trip!

    • Bob one point you have overlooked. If one is thinking of moving here I would agree $1500 would be the bare minimum for a retired couple to live here in somewhat comfort. If one is has limited savings or is without medical insurance and relying solely on a pension, a major illness could possibly prove fatal. Sadly I have seen foreigners in this situation before..

      • I would not say I “overlooked it”. I would say that I intended the article to be more of a general guideline. I have lots of articles about health costs and such, that was not the intention of my current update. Thanks.

  13. Hi Bob
    i`m from norway
    I live in Norway and Thailand but want to travel to Phillepphine and stay there for some time..maby 6 month first..
    i`m retiered and got 145 000 pesos pr month.and have saving abaut 30 mil peso…
    can interest and 145000 pesos make me live in a big house in phillepphine..and a nice car.

    Thanks to you bob..

  15. Great site — Thank You.. I will be in Davao the 1st part of May. Meeting my future wife Ann. She lives in Quezon and Valencia — Valencia she has a resteraunt there and Her copy internet cafe shop is in Quezon and that is where her parents live.
    Keep up the good work, I love the site.

  16. Bob,
    Where would you recommend me to stay in Davao – nice place but not too spendy ? She wants us to take her family for a day or so at a resort there.

  17. Hello Bob-
    I am a Middle aged- ( Late 40's) White American. What is the Gay Lifestyle Like in the Phillipines. I am considering retiring on around $1100.00 USD/ mnth.
    If you dont know, Where can I investigate this?
    Thanks,
    Taylor
    KANSAS, USA

  18. Hi Taylor – I am straight, and thus don't know a whole lot about the gay scene here. However, John Grant, one of our writers here on LiP is Gay. I will e-mail him and have him give you a response. He is in Thailand right now, though, so it maybe be several days before he can reply to you.

  19. Hi Taylor I am writing from Bangkok

    I urge you to write to my e mail with any specific questions or concerns and to check out my website http://www.gayinthephilippines.com for a general idea of the culture.

    The rules for living here be it straight or gay are mainly the same.

    I can assure you money disappears very quickly and just like my straight single friends it can be easy to fall into a honey trap.

    I have found little if any problem with being accepted as a gay man here from the locals, infact sometimes it makes you feel like a celebrity.

    One of the biggest problems you may find is the ability to stay here without marry a Filipino, as at the moment despite it being friendly towards well behaved gay guys, there are no plans for any civil weddings.

    Your budget is realistic for survival but set up costs will cause you problems upfront.

    Let me know where you are thinking of going and I may be able to help further.

    Regards JOHN and MIGS hiding in Bangkok

  20. Hello i was just wondering how hard would it be for me to live in the Philippines, I would like to live Liloan Cebu I have step family who live in their. I make something like $800 a month on S.S.D. I also have something like 100.000 Cash in the bank from a lawsute. I'm 39 years old Im not married and i have no kids. Im not the kind of guy who is a big spender and i dont like to show off im just a simple man. I just want to live a simple life and start a small family, I think you know what im trying to say. I have a step mother 3 brothers and 2 sisters from the philippines who have been living in the USA for over 10 years. So im familiar with the culture and the way the people from the philippines work to tell you the truth i get along better with them then most people from the US 🙂 So what do you think can i make this work financially or not? Thanks for your time Christopher

  21. Hi Christopher – Take your $100k, invest it nicely to throw you some extra income, and on the SSD you can live a decent life here! Just don't let that $100k slip away from you! Good luck!

  22. hi there, i live in dubai these days, i have a girlfriend out there living negos occident, sipalay we are thinking of getting married next year and for that i need to buy a house could u please help me to know abt the how much will it take to buy a little house which is sufficiet for just two of us.

  23. Hi LUCKY – I suppose it depends on what kind of house you want to buy. I've seen nipa huts that you can likely buy for $500, and I've seen mansions that would cost you $5 Million. Your tastes and those of others are likely different. Since I have never met you before, and have no idea what you would like to have, I really have no way of answering your question.

  24. Hi Dan – Casa Leticia is OK, nothing wrong with it. It's nothing outstanding, but it's not bottom of the barrel either. Marco Polo is first class all the way, rivaling hotels around the world. If you can get a special on Marco Polo bringing it anywhere near the price of Casa Leticia, then you should switch. If it is much more expensive, probably stick with Casa Leticia.

    There is a ton that you can do in Davao. I don't know much about you, so it's hard to make a recommendation. I mean, do you have kids? How old? That would determine what kinds of activities would be good. Some suggestions: Visit Samal Island, Crocodile Farm, Butterfly House, go Golfing at Palos Verdes, Hiking at Mount Apo, visit the Philippine Eagle reserve, Malagos Gardens, Eden Nature Park, etc. There are plenty of things to keep you very busy here.

  25. Hi Bob
    great site finally i get the right answers.im 48 years old the economy in the state is awful.my father retired there 4 5 yrs ago he has since passed.ill be moving there in oct.not sure where im going to go.i have bout 350000 in bank plus 401 k and roth at 59 lost alot in the market but if i can make 3.5 4.0 percent interest i figure i can have budget 1500 a month then wen 67 get the ssi.my roth is only worth 20 now and 401 is 50k .im an avid golfer what i ned to no other than manila is there any provinces with golf course and if so can i afford to play golf a few times a week.im single too and i may have some additional income on top of that i maybe go out 3 times a week to drink i would assume if i was there.is my golfing plans out of my budget or is it possible.thanks for a great site honest answers here other sites the expats say 15 2000 a month tight but in there same breath they say they live on 700 with family.its almost like the dont want you coming there.thanks again mike

  26. thanks bob.i plan on living in the philippines for 9 months at a time 9 there 3 here.i can keep extending my 59 day thing right.when i was there last time i went to philippine embassy and got 6 month visa am i missing something.thanks mike

  27. Hi Bob,
    Just wanna ask If you know any wheelchair apartments/house/condo around Gensan/Digos/Davao,that's wheelchair accessible,like in the USA.It's quite very hard to find one,with atleast 28inch door clearance including the bathrooms.Not higher than Php30,000.If you know some,please email me,thank you very much.
    God bless.

  29. Bob
    thanks for all the info, I am about 5 months from retirement from the Military, I am age 43 and will have about $2300 to live on, I am single but have a Filippna girl friend here in japan, she is 39 and her kids are grown and off to colledge, so I am trying hard to convince her in to going back to the PI and live like a queen, but thus far I have had no luck, she has been in Japan for longer then she was in PI, so it is really hard for me to convince her life would be good for us in PI, I think the whole family thing and how every one comes out and wants money really turns her off from go back to Manila, so moving to Davao might be the answer, far enough from the family but still close, well any ways thanks for the info bob

  31. hi bob …i do enjoy your website…this is a great service you provide here …i am planning to come there in early 2010..and i do prefer south mendanao..as i have done much research in the past year..i am 66 and my soc. security is approx $1000usd per month ..and i own a large property here in virginia i may sell or rent to augment my life style there ….i do prefer digos over davao..based on my desire for a laid back life there …my needs are simple…good food…creature comfort with air conditioning and dsl hookup…the love of a good woman and peace of mind…perhaps i will find all those things in digos…my brother has been married to filipina for 25 years now and filipina women seem like jewels compared to spoiled/greedy american women ..hehe…i am grateful for what i learn on your site here…peace@wellness to you and your big family

  32. "…my needs are simple…good food…creature comfort with air conditioning and dsl hookup…the love of a good woman and peace of mind…perhaps i will find all those things in digos…my brother has been married to filipina for 25 years now and filipina women seem like jewels compared to spoiled/greedy american women…" – John Messer

    Come on, John, go easy on American women, will ya? There are American women expats here, and I'd be very interested to hear about what they have to say about what you said about them. In the discussion forum, I mean. Perhaps American Lola or Queenie Bee could start the thread.

    As someone already pointed out in this very informative site, it's not American women versus Filipinas, it's the culture. Something tells me about your post that you have had unpleasant relationships with American women, but you can't just lump them all together as all "bad" because of your personal experience. There are still plenty of "good" American women out there ready for the taking, it just depends on how you are as a husband, friend, and lover, I wonder if you ever thought about that. In the American culture, it's a two-way street. They'll give you back what you give to them. You can interpret that in any way you want, and it all boils down to mutual respect. You cat around and they will cat around; treat them like dogs, you will be worse than a dog.

    Filipinas on the other hand, because of the culture in which they were brought up, have a higher tolerance for misery than do American women, I think. Call it Mother Theresa complex. They will stay with you until death you do part. 🙂

    As for me, I have been happily married to a Palestinian woman for many years, but I will never say that Palestinian women make better wives than Filipinas or American women. Yes, my eyes will stray at the sight of a gorgeous American woman every now and then, but at the end of the day, my wife is still the woman for me.

  33. hi bob
    my husband and i are looking of retiring in phils im from baggao cagayan thinkin about living in tuguegarao ,,my question is $2,000 a month enought, he gets 2 retirement he's retired cop and also a retired usmc he gets a total of $4000 that's after $1500 to his ex wife ,, want to spend only $2000 budget monthly can that also be enought in angeles city my other option place to live. i have to be away from my family far enought is good for financial reason if you know what i mean' lol'

    thank's lisa

  34. hi bob
    i forgot to tell you that i live in the us for 22 yrs so im as much as no clue of where i should live so my husband and i are almost the same my hubby never been in the phil so i rely on my family on my big move this sept and also i have 3 dogs to go with
    lisa

  35. Hi John Messer – I'm glad that you enjoy the site. I work hard on it, and it's always good to hear when people enjoy it.

    I am sure you can find what you are looking for in Digos, or any other number of towns of that size.

    Hey, don't go too hard on all American women….. they are individuals, and not all are the same! 😉

    • I will have about 1,874,770.81 Pesos. Is that enough for me to invest in a couple lots and maybe make money of them while I live there? I have a wife and child from Manila. I’m in the Army and I’m getting out on a medical. Not sure how much its going to be but it should get me around 700 a month.

  36. Hi liza – Baggao, Cagayan… is that in the Cagayan Valley, or Cagayan de Oro? I'm not familiar with the place.

    Yeah, you can enjoy a nice retirement on $2k per month, as long as you don't use it to support extended family. With that amount you can live in AC if you are frugal.

  37. Hello Bob,

    I really like reading through your blog. I retire from the military in 6 years and plan on buying a house in cash when I get there. My estimated retirement fund will be around $2400. My finance is from Ozamis City the province of Misamis Occidental. My plan is to move my furniture as I have dual voltage household items and do not want to buy anything new. Do you have information on shipping my household items. Also I like the information you gave on http://www.myus.com for mail from the states. I want to buy a house with cash because the only bills i want is just the water, lights, phone etc and no rent haha. Because my future wife will have family from that area is a good or bad idea to be that close to her family, because I hate going on vacation to visit my family because they always think I have money andend up spending more on them then myself. I come from a military family so I moved around alot as a kid and still move around today so I have no problem living in a new culture. I really love embracing new cultures because I believe you learn more and you get to see the world. A few years ago I went on vacation to Costa Rica and was sold on the idea of living in another country and the fact that my money went a long way in Costa Rica. With my current life style I will have to find a job that pays me $35 an hour when I enter the job market as a 39 year old. With my retirement pension from the military. Im also a network administrator so would it be hard for me to find employment to keep me busy so I want get lazy and bored. You know just some thing to do while I’m in retirement and enjoying life. is there any racism there because i’m an african american, just want a heads up. Also should I ship my car or give it to my mother or try to sell it, I want to keep my baby because its a caddy and I love it. So I know I’m looking at aleast $10000-$15000 lump sum expense to move but i’m looking forward to it. My goal is to have 100000 saved by the time I retire i’m have way there. My goal is to have the house built by private contractor instead of going through a realtor. The good thing is what ever the inflation is in the us I will get a raise on my pension every year so that is a good thing for me. My fiance lives in Portugal where I currently live so we have been together for 16 months but I’m in no hurry to get married again. I also loved your blog about chosing your circle of friends which I agree with, I do not need americans to be friends. I find that when you have friends that is from the country you live in you get to see things and learn more about the culture and make life long friends with people. I have friends that are 20 years older then me because I have something in common with that person. Well I rambled on long enough. looking forward to reading your reply.

    A Friend a few time zones away,
    Chris

    • Hi Chris – When we moved here in 2000, we basically shipped (nearly) everything we owned. So, it can certainly be done, although I don’t really have any recommendations on who to use, it’s been too long since I did it.

      On buying a house, I strongly recommend renting for a couple of years first, so that you can really decide if you have found the place that is right for you. I have seen a lot of expats get burned by building or buying a house when they first come here. Watch out. Living near the family can also create some serious problems. Notice that Feyma and I live about 2 hours from her family. 😆

      Forget about finding a job here, it ain’t gonna happen. Start a business of your own, you’ll be much better off that way.

      I don’t think you need to be worried about racism here.

      Sell the car. The import duty is 100% of the new value of the car. You paid $30,000 for it (for example)? Then you will pay $30,000 to import it.

      Good luck to you, Chris.

      • Hello Bob,

        Thanks for the fast reply. Yeah I know living near the family might cause problems. I don’t want to live in the big cities. maybe the biggest I would go is Davao or Cebu City. I’m still sold on the idea of owning my home custom build. I plan on staying there a month before I retire to look around the area’s that I have a desire to live, and to see what type of access to the american embassy and other goods I might need is available. I guess if I get bored I can always take a contracting gig somewhere for a year of employment if I have any endeavours I might want to try. To be under the age of 50 and semi-retired you are doing good for yourself and your family, which is what I want and not have to struggle. Well the area I live in I plan on being a person of the communtiy like yourself I do not need the gated housing. I wouldn’t mind getting involved in the christmas program that you and the wife have going on. Well if I decided to sell my household goods and just keep my electronics how much would it be to buy furniture for at least 3 bedrooms? everybody has different needs so I will say the cost from low to high end.

        your friend from another time zone,
        chris

        • Hi Chris – Hmm… I am confused, to be honest. You said that you don’t want to live in “the big cities” – but you said you would go for Davao or Cebu. Davao is the second largest City in the Philippines, and Cebu City is the third largest in the country. Hmm?? These are indeed big cities.

          Staying here a month will not help you decide if you are here in the right place where you should build a custom house. If you ever want to move, being able to sell that house will be next to impossible. All I can say is good luck to you, I think you are approaching the move entirely incorrectly. I’ve seen many others do exactly what you are saying, and it ended badly in each case.

          Good luck to you.

          • Hello Bob,

            Sorry to Confuse you maybe I’m thinking in city size as back in the U.S. thats why I’m doing my homework 6 years in advance. The fianace wants to live near her family but I’m not 100% sold on that idea yet. I know I do not want to live in Manila. I was saying that I want to live somewhere that is not to far to the embassy in case I have to get paperwork. I know that I will move there when I’m done and will be on a set income. I guess my reasoning is that I can visit any place in the country when I want, I just didn’t want to give someone else rent money, because I have read through your blogs about having problems with landlords. What I meant about living in those cities I meant living in the countryside and being close enough to travel to city within 30 to 45 minutes to be able to get goods etc… I have 6 years to move so of course any advice from someone that has been there before me is appreaticated. I just don’t want to move around every 2 years. Well when I decide to get married I will make a trip to the Philippines and maybe we can meet in person so you can give your honest opinion in person and can see where I’m truely coming from.

            Friend A Few Time Zones Away,
            Chris

              • Hi again Bob,

                You are correct. I have went to Costa Rica and that is where I had been preparing to retire until I met my future wife and she sold me on the Philippines I can not sell the idea of her moving to Costa Rica so I guess I’m the one making the sacifrice on that end. That is why I’m doing my homework and getting as much information and informed opinions as possible to make the move go easy as possible. Since I’ve been to Costa Rica before while I was there I talked with expats that moved there and opened up business that was geared towards the tourist so they always had a source of income. Plus in Costa Rica they except the us dollar as a form of currency also. You have a fast turn around on answering questions so I value the advice you have given me so far. I have been all over europe and i’m convinced this is not a place to retire unless your pension is around 80 to 90K USD a year. Cost of living here is somewhat higher then the us.

                Chris

        • Personally, I don’t think it’s a good investment. There are way too many units on the market, and the market is already oversold in my opinion. Of course, any investment is your choice, I could be wrong, or maybe I’m right, there’s no way to know for sure. Good luck to you.

  38. Hey Mindanao Bob,
    I’ve been visiting Phils for about 6yrs now, have a few retired military friends that live in Manila, Angeles and Subic area..
    Have been thinking about moving to Phils for a few years now, and was wondering how much it would cost, so your post was definitely a good one to read..
    I’m 36 now, engineer at IBM, single no kids..
    Have been saving up to make the move.. I will fall into the 1500-2000 (US) monthly category..
    Was wondering why you choose Davao over Cebu, Samar, Manila areas.???

  39. Hello Bob

    my name is Jamie and I’m writing from the channel islands in Britain. My question to you:

    My fiancée is a Filipino lady who has just gone back to Davao to finish her ‘experience’ needed to register as a nurse here in the Uk. They require 12 months post qual experience and she only has 5 months. She will gain her 7 months in Davao.

    I am planning on going to Davao in may & I would like to stay with her for 5 months. Will
    £5000 be enough for me to live their?

    Basically she lives with her two sisters & cousin. The rent is £150 per month which they pay for. However I could pay this so we are looking at £850 per month (British pounds). Do you think this is fine to live on for that period of time?

    Many thanks,

    Jamie

    • Hi Jamie – How much you need depends on your lifestyle. Many Filipinos live on only $100 or so per month. I am sure you can make it on £5000, but it depends on your lifestyle. Enjoy your stay in the Philippines.

  40. Hi Bob

    Firstly fantastic site and thank you for your time and advice, it’s really good to see people still give up some of their time to help others.

    I am a regular visitor to the Philippines as I am married to a Filipina and loving it, we are both looking to move there as we have had enough of being expats in the middle east and wish to come back to a bit of paradise. I would like to know in your opinion what would be a great business to buy or start up that could give us a good income to sustain a decent lifestyle in the Philippines.
    Both my wife and I are very switched on and could handle just about anything but just having trouble working out what would work over there.

    Any help would be much appreciated.

  41. Dear Bob,
    Thank you for your useful site and helpful coments. My family and I are looking for a 2 year adventure in the philipines. I would like to know first if there will be any opportunity for me to start up a business (I am in marketing so I do not have any particular trade). Seconldy would like to get a rough idea about the expenses that I shall for see pertaining the following:
    1- School fees (In an american school if any)
    2- University fees (in an american affiliated university if any)
    3- Housing and utility for a nice villa facing the beach
    4- A Maid
    5- A cook
    6- A driver
    7- A Toyota Camry or Honda Accord new model
    8- Someone to Pamper me (just kidding on this one!)

    Many thanks Bob!
    Joe

    • Hi Joe – You cannot legally own a business in the Philippines unless you are Filipino. If your wife is Filipina you could put it in her name. Since I don’t know your nationality, I could not answer your question directly.

      The prices for the things you are asking… you also did not give me enough information to be able to answer. The difference in price depending on where you will be living is huge. Manila would be the most expensive, with other cities being far less.

      School fees? What kind of school, elementary, high school? “American affiliated” not sure what this means exactly. If you are talking about an International School, it is VERY expensive, I mean thousands of dollars per year. You can do a good local private school for $1,500 per year or so (if we are talking hs).

      On the rest of your requests… well, I really need to know where we are talking about.

  42. Hello ,
    My name is john and I am trying to find a place to live in an asain country I was in the military in japan for four years and I love the asian culture and simple lifestyle. I was wondering I make about $845 a month to live on I don’t need much since I grew up poor in the US but I would like to live comfortably until I meet someone. If you could give me some insight it would be much appreciated. Thanks

    • Hi John – How much you need to live a good life depends on your lifestyle. Personally, I would need a lot more than $845, but I have a big family.

  43. Hi bob,

    I was wondering if you could give me your view on the best way of transfering your capital in euros to the philippines and convert it to pesos. So far, I have seen a couple of options, which all turn to be ridiculously expensive.

    1. ATM withdrawals, nowadays they charge 200 pesos for withdrawing 10,000 pesos at metrobank. Taken into account the exchange rate differential, total costs can add up to 5%.

    2. Xoom, since I´m not american, I am obliged to pay with my credit card, therefore costs will also add up to 10% to transfer any amount and convert to pesos. Western union is even worse on this, with fees sometimes reaching as high as 20% of the total amount.

    3. Bank transfers from europe to metrobank, also reach about 5 to 10 % fees.

    Isn´´t there really another cheaper way to transfer yoru capital to the philippines without losing 5 to 10% of your total capital due to converting costs. I appreciate your help and time.

    I´m looking forward to hear from you.

    Kind Regards,

    Stephanie
    Netherlands

    • Hello Stephanie – I use ATM withdrawals at HSBC. You can get up to P40k in a single transaction, and there is no P200 fee as other banks charge.

      • Hi Bob- thank’s for your suggestion, that’s indeed one of the major advantages if you live in Davao, Cebu or Manila. However, when you are residing in Butuan like me, then I guess you’re stuck with local atm’s with heavy fees.

        • Hi Stephanie – You asked for help, I was just offering the best way I know of. Since I didn’t know where you lived, I gave my best answer.

          • It’s most appreciated Bob. I read somewhere you make use of checks and local exchange spots too, is that right? That might be an alternative option.

            • I used to write a check and deposit it to my Philippine account, but it’s been 10 years or so since I did that. I rarely have dollars these days, so I have no need for local exchange spots either.

  44. My wife and I may retire 3 years early this Dec. If we do we will have a combined annual pension income of about 100k if we wait the 3 extra years it will be 114k per year. We want out asap and have been thinking about living in the Philippines where it appears we would live well on 100k per year. It’s a matter of taking the plunge and doing it.

    • Hi Todd – If I were in your shoes, I’d go for the early retirement. An extra 14k per year is not worth 3 more years of work when your retirement income level is already at 100K. That’s my view anyway. Take that plunge, my friend!

  45. Hello I just got back from cebu, I had a lot of fun
    Was even thinking about moving there , I have about $170,000
    Saved up , $1100.00 in social security in 8 years
    I guess $170,000 would last me about 10 years maybe
    I’m taking some online lessons with a guy that lives in car car
    Maybe I could learn how to make some money online
    The girl I met there is way way to young , she was ex bar worker
    Fun but immature , not the best c,hoice , but I do care for her
    Not sure but it is temting to leave dead end job here
    And enjoy myself , not sure if its possiable
    Great site ,

  46. Hello MindanaoBob if it’s possible can i have your email or some other way i can communicate with you? I’d like to talk to u about a business plan i have, and i like to take it to Philippines and i want your opinion on it. Thanks

    • Hello esai – If you look at the top of the website, every page on the site, there is a link that says “Contact Us.” Just use that and anything you send will come directly to me.

  47. hello my frn….i want to move to Philippines so soon I’m not from there but i will stay there for lifetime coz my house there, my wife there and my baby girl also…
    i have 1 million peso as my saving…do you think i can make a good business and let my little family have a good life whit me???
    do you think i will have a good life style of life there by my amount ???
    best regards 🙂

    • Hi wail – To be honest, P1M is not a lot of money. You can get a start and do a business, but better make a go of it and run it wisely, because with that amount you may not get many stabs at it.

  48. Hello Bob
    Really enjoying this site, it’s encouraged me to get serious about moving to the Philippines. This is my situation. I am 58 yrs old and a few years ago inherited a few hundred thousand dollars, after taxes and debts I still had around 200,000. I’ve not always been the most financially sensible in my life but have been motivated to be more fiscally wise by this windfall. I’ve continued to work and saved a bit more but feel I’m ready to make a change.
    A friend advised me to sign on with an investment firm he’s been with for 15 yrs. He’s averaged 6% return through the markets ups and downs, which isn’t great but by today’s standards not too bad. I’ve been in it a couple of yrs and it’s been averaging 8% which I know that can change quickly but I’ll be happy I can consistenly do the 6%. I figure that gives me a little over a thousand a month to live on. Plus I have a 401(k) with around 30,000. With a bit more saved I’ll have a total around 250,000. I’ll keep 200K in investments, my 401(k) in reserve and around 20K in cash. I’m planning on applying for SS in a few yrs. which should supply me another 800 per month.
    I took a trip through SE Asia last year and had a great time, especially in the Philippines. I got a sense of what it might cost to live there and since I’m fine with a modest lifestyle think I could be reasonably comfortable with what I have.
    I just have one question. Is it enough to afford a girlfriend? I’m divorced and have been dating but not really satisfied with the women I’ve met. It’s not hard to meet available women in my age group but finding one physically attractive can be difficult. When I realized I could meet interested much younger and sexier women in the Philippines it made me feel even more unsatisfied. However, I understand that these young ladies are under a lot of pressure to help out with their families and will expect a certain amount of “assistance”. I’m not going to go crazy and blow all my money, I do have some sense, but don’t have a problem with budgeting a certain amount to “help”. Do you think I have enough money to make this work?
    I feel like I should put in 5 more years of work but I’m not getting any younger and could drop dead of stroke or heart attack and since I can’t take it with me. Why wait? Any encouragement or cautionary advice would be helpful. thanks.

  49. Hi Bob, Love your website and stories. My wife and I are Pilipino she’s a nurse and i am a truck driver owner operator. I’ve been here in the US since 86′ working, marrried with 3 kids. Two are done and are working they both have good paying jobs with no debt at all. Thanks to there parents. I still have one more to go before retiring back home to my beautiful Davao City.
    I been telling my wife about this, if we sell everything right now we could live in the Philippines comfortably. I have calculated it the way you said for $3,000 thousand a month with a house and lot already in davao is a great life. That’s about a 30 years of good life living in the Philippines comfortably if we only sell the house and cars not including our invesment and 401K. But she’s scared all the negative things that goes in her mind what if we get sick how expensive it is. People be asking money if you dont help they give you hell. But me i’m ready right now i want live and retire early while i still can i,m only 56 my wife is 57. Am i right Bob, what do you think?

    • Hi Emmy – I think that both you and your wife are right. You have a good sum of money, and $3k/month gives you enough to live a nice life here. But, if you get caught up with giving too much money away to those who ask, and they will ask, you may run short. I am a big believer in doing what you want to do, and not waiting until you are too old to enjoy it. But, as your wife says, saying now is not always an easy thing to do.

      Good luck, Emmy.

  50. Gday Bob I am a fit 70 year old looking to move to the Philippines to be with a woman whom I will marry if it works out OK.
    I have an Aussie pension of $1100 PM, and nothing in the bank here, only a house which if I sell it I will clear $70000 AU.
    Bob I am living by myself and I am very lonely and the woman whom I will be with is a 44 year old Filipino, with just one niece who will live with us.
    We have known one another for six months now and I spent three weeks with her last October in the Philippines.
    I am looking to go back and spend three months there with her to be sure,as I have no life here anyway.
    Bob she suggests we live in Bohol or Camiguin and her and her niece will do some sort of business together whilst I go fishing everyday. ( Kidding )
    Bob I really need your advice on this one because at my time of life it is a big move for me.
    I have nothing to keep me here, ie family etc. but I need a bit of encouragement either way of what to do.
    Maybe in my situation there maybe other locations which would be more suitable for us to live.
    Will await your advice,
    Many thanks David.

    • Hi David – I would say that if you came here with $70k and $1100 per month, you should be OK. But, be careful with your money! It is easy to be wasteful, and blow it. I did it, so I know. Bohol and Camiguin are nice, but both are remote, and it may be difficult to get items that you want or need. If you feel like you will need products from your homeland, then those are probably not good places for you, because you will only be able to get your hands on Filipino products. If you need those home products and a less rural setting, you might look at Cebu or Davao for a residence.

      Good luck to you.

  51. Hello Bob. My partner and I are playing with the idea of retiring (semi) in the Philippines in the area of Puerto Galera as we have fallen in love with this area on our trips there. How/what do we need to be able to stay in the Philippines in the way of Visa/citizenship? I heard the only way to stay permanently is to marry a local or purchase a business and employ a certain number of locals – is this true?
    Hope you can shed some light.
    cheers form OZ x

  52. hi bob, i have a U.S citizen boyfriend and he wants me to go visit him to his place .

    but since it is difficult for me to go there because of a lot paper works to prepare and no sufficient money to pay for those., i wanted him to go here instead.. my boyfriend is having a hard time of deciding because of he has a work there, has a house and pets, he really don’t want to leave those..what is the best solution he can do with that?

    and bob i am eager to know if is it possible for him to bring me to his place the moment he’s here in the Philippines? and what should we do to bring me there so easy and affordable?
    and if ever you have suggestions of strategies or remedies to have an easy way out here in the Philippines, will you please tell me..we will very glad to know..

    will wait for a quick response,
    kay

    • Hi Kay – I see no way that you could currently go to the USA, so your boyfriend’s only choice would be to come here and visit you. If you don’t have enough money to pay the visa costs, there is no way that you have enough assets to satisfy the requirements for being issued a visa.

      No, if your boyfriend comes to visit, there is no way that you can immediately accompany him back to the States.

      I know of two ways that you can get to the States, Kay:

      1. Marry your boyfriend. He will apply for a Spousal Visa. It will take 1 to 2 years for everything to be completed before you can go to the States.
      2. Become engaged to your boyfriend. He will apply for a Fiancee Visa. It will take 8 to 14 months or so for everything to be completed and you can go to the States. You must marry within 90 days (I believe that number is correct), or return to the Philippines.

      Good luck.

      • thank you so much for the reply bob.. your website really can help people!!
        thanks for the suggestions,
        or is it a better idea to convinced him to stay here for months while we are preparing for leaving?so that we’ll leave together..

        and how much is the possible costs for all of that,including plane rates, visas, passport..whatsoever..?

        and bob what if we get married here in the Philippines,you think it will be the easy way out?and do you think it is much more less of paper works to prepare? and what are those to prepare?

        thank you so much!
        will wait for your reply ,
        kay

        • Hi Kay – I am sorry, I don’t know what the travel costs would be, it just depends. I would recommend that you boyfriend shop around and find the best deals. As for how long he should stay, it is just a personal choice. Since you said he has work, perhaps he could get only a couple of weeks of vacation time.

          You can get married in the US or the Philippines, the paperwork is about the same amount. It’s just a personal choice for the two of you to make.

          Good luck.

  53. hi bob,

    1. thank you for your blog. very helpful

    2. My question… I am austrian citizen my wife is filipina, we are living in the states now but we are thinking about moving to Iloilo, can you give me some advice about the paperwork i will need for my visa. or if i will need a visa at all , since my wife is a filipine citizen ?! any advice will be appreciated .

    thanks vinny ..

    • Hello Vinny – You are most welcome for the site, I’m glad you find it helpful!

      If your wife is a Philippine Citizen, I would recommend that you get a 13(a) Resident Visa. If your wife is an Austrian or US Citizen and has given up her Philippine Citizenship then you qualify for a 13(g) Resident Visa.

      For a full wrap-up of all that is needed for either of those visas, check this article.

  54. hello bob, i have family living in Sual Pangasinan. We have already built a house free and clear. I would have my pension of about 31,000USD per year. plus investments that I wouldhold on for my daughters college expenses. we live on a farm which we plant rice three times a year and have other animals for our subsistence. I am so tired of the rat rice back in USA. what do you think I am 47 years old and want to start living.

    • Hi mikem – It sounds to me like you are well prepared for a move to the Philippines. With the pension you have and savings, I believe you can live a decent life here! Congratulations!

  55. Hi my fiance lives in angeles city, philippines and I was wanting to live there for a bit till we got the visa done. we have been together for ahile . i was wondering how much would i need to budget to live there. i can allocate up to 3,000 per month in all expenses probably up to 4,000 per month. i want to live a great livestyle. let me know

  56. Dear Mr. Bob, I need some help, I met this Filipina woman on a this great dating site over a year ago and we have fallen a deep love, I have known her entire family now for over a year and I as well as my girlfriend want to get married and later start a family. I will be staying at her place so I can save money from renting a place until I can deal with all the fees of getting a permanent residence. My question is what do I truly need to live there forever and how much usd should I bring with me. We want to live simple, not like all materialistic like. I was told I needed $10,000 usd to start a family, I have been trying to find out if this is true. Her family is really wanting to meet me in person. What do I need to bring as far as paperwork, I live about 200 miles now where I am now in the USA away from any big city so all I can really get here is my birth certificate, ss card and ID, as far ass anything dealing with the us embassy, I will have to deal with that when I get in Imus, Cavite where she lives. What do I need in all.

  57. Hi Bob, I’m interested in working and living in Bohol, next to Cebu. My girlfriend lives there and has no interest in living in the states because it’s so beautiful there. I’m a senior satellite engineer and have a great job here making in the 6 figures but I’ve been through 3 divorces and seen war upfront in Afghanistan and feel burned out and would love to move and work on a exotic island like Bohol. I’ve searched the internet for a job opening but nothing in the Phillipines. Is there other websites for a person with my skills to look for job openings around Cebu or Bohol and would I have to speak and write Tagalog? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

    Rob

    • Hi Rob,

      If you are interested in living in the Philippines, but you need a source of income, getting a job here is generally not the way to go. Firstly, most companies are not looking to hire foreigners. Secondly, you probably won’t want to work for the kind of wages offered here, usually only a few dollars per day.

      To help out people like you, I have written a book called “49 Ways to earn a living in the Philippines” and I cover ideas of all sorts on how you can earn a good living while living in the Philippines. I have been earning my living here since 2000, and I earn more money now than when I lived in the States. So, I know that I can help you do that too!

      To check out the book, go to:
      http://expatisland.com/49-ways-to-make-a-living-in-the-philippines/

      As a special offer to you, I am going to offer you $10 off the book, but the offer is good for only the next 24 hours. During checkout, just enter the coupon code – 10discountToday – and the book will be $10 off the regular price. But, remember, the discount expires after 24 hours.

      Check it out today, I am sure that this is what you are looking for, if you want to live in the Philippines!

      • I don’t keep statistics. I get a lot of positive feedback from people, though. I would say that those who apply my ideas experience success.

  59. I have 2 questions when talking about retiring to philippines.

    1st If you are US Citizen and get Social Security can you continue to get social security while living in Philippines.

    2nd Where can you find special airline deals and what would you consider an expensve flight and a cheap flight what cost range.

    • Hi Terry, the answer to your first question is yes, you will still be able to collect your social security payments. On your question about fligts, I would suggest that you simply shop around for the best deal.

  60. hey bob–

    i’m 36 with a net worth of a half a million dollars. considering investments gains as well as inflation. with a simple life can i retire na?

  61. Hi! I liked reading your blog. Born and lived in Davao but I am currently working abroad. It’s nice you get to appreciate the place and write about it too. Thumbs up!

  62. G`day Bob I really need your advice mate. I am an seventy year old Australian looking to move to the Philippines to live with my fiancee whom I have known for some time now. She is much younger than me and I would not want to bring her to my country as the people here are too judgmental, ( I am sure you understand what I am talking about) so I have decided to move to the Philippines to be with her.
    My question to you Bob is that I will have $1100 au per month for both of us to live on but I am undecided whether to live in Bohol or Dumagette on this amount of money.
    Would you be good enough to give me your opinion on which place would be the best one to live in…I am a fit seventy but would like to have a hospital close by in case of emergency .
    Also we don’t need the night life just a nice place to live that is safe and clean.
    Down the track I will sell my house here if everything works out OK so future finance will not be a problem, but short term maybe.
    Thank you Bob.
    David.

    • Hello David – Really, I don’t think it matters which location you choose, based on the amount of money. You can live cheaply pretty much anywhere in the Philippines if you choose to do so. The amount of money you are talking about should be sufficient for a life here, but nothing fancy. You are, in my opinion, at the bottom end of where you need to be. If you could supplement your income to some extent, that would make your life in the Philippines a lot more flexible.

      Good luck to you.

  63. hi bob, i was thinking of moving there, my gf lives there. we dont have to live big just comfortable and do some things on weekends. how much do we need monthly for rent and food. and if i came with 20000 cash could we purchase some small apartment for monthly income?

    • Hi allan – Sorry, but there is no way what you could buy an an apartment building for $20,000, that is just not nearly enough. Even just a single apartment unit would not be found for that price.

      Good luck to you.

      • Bob, thank you so much for reinstating the date and time when comments are posted. It’s an element of a posted comment that should always be present because it contributes a great deal to relevancy and reading pleasure. Without the date and time, a comment can be confusing to read, particularly in recycled articles when comments old and new are indistinguishable from one another.

  64. Hello my question is I have about 70k saved up with no monthly income do you think that will be enough to start a small business and a decent life in the PI.

    Thanks Allen

    • The short answer is no. Your $70K may not even cover the expenses associated with securing the permanent residence status you’ll need even before you can start down the difficult road to satisfying the requirements to do business in the Philippines.

      I’ve lived more than 20 years in the Philippines …. continuously for the past ten …. and though there are provisions for it, I have yet to learn of a foreign owner of a legally registered single proprietorship company. I suspect the people with the capital and knowledge to do this probably choose to do it in more business friendly environments.

      Should you want to know more about starting business in the Philippines, you’ll find a good primer at http://www.boi.gov.ph/pdf/primer.pdf

  65. I’d like to live/work in the Philippines. Is there an employment board for Americans seeking an opportunity? I have a BSBA from the University of Central Florida supported by 10 years in the marketing (motor sports) industry.

    Any information is greatly appreciated.

    • Hi Josh – If you are interested in living in the Philippines, but you need a source of income, getting a job here is generally not the way to go. Firstly, most companies are not looking to hire foreigners. Secondly, you probably won’t want to work for the kind of wages offered here, usually only a few dollars per day.

      To help out people like you, I have written a book called “49 Ways to earn a living in the Philippines” and I cover ideas of all sorts on how you can earn a good living while living in the Philippines. I have been earning my living here since 2000, and I earn more money now than when I lived in the States. So, I know that I can help you do that too!

      To check out the book, go to:
      http://expatisland.com/49-ways-to-make-a-living-in-the-philippines/

      As a special offer to you, I am going to offer you $10 off the book, but the offer is good for only the next 24 hours. During checkout, just enter the coupon code – 10discountToday – and the book will be $10 off the regular price. But, remember, the discount expires after 24 hours.

      Check it out today, I am sure that this is what you are looking for, if you want to live in the Philippines!

  66. Bob I am hoping for some info on beach living around Dipolog. What would be best for me is a really simple place on the beach. Ispent 3 months traveling through there in the late 60s I know things have changed but I am still hoping to find that same type of place. Back then those kind of palaces were 3-5$ of course I expect to pay more now. But what I am looking for is simple,quite,private, no AC is mandatory! Other than sending my gf on an expedition (she lives in Dipolog) any suggestions?

    • Hi John – I have been to Dipolog a few times, but just passing through mostly, so I really don’t have any info on the price of rentals there and such. Sorry. Sending your girlfriend to scout things out is probably the best solution.

  67. Hi Bob, I just found your web site, I have read a lot of the post so I have a good idea on how to find things..My Wife and i will be traveling to the Philippines @ the end of march to celebrate our 30th anniversary , we have not been home in over 30 yrs. so we are very nervous for traveling there. I am a disabled Navy vet and have my disability income , my wife has at least 5 more years left before retirement.Because of the economy here in the U.S. i would like to see what is available for us there.we will be traveling to Palawan, while we are there, i would like to maximize our stay and see what is available,for opportunities.My wife has a cousin there, and can help us a little bit. I am a Plumbing and heating and air conditioning contractor for over 25 years but now i am disabled due to a construction accident. So its time to put my feet up for awhile ,you know what I mean? what would you think be a good side business? we have talked a little bit about a B&B OR A PIG FARM, BIG SPECTRUM. With a pig farm i would be able to help some needy people ..Can you point me in the right direction?
    thanks keith

    • Hi Keith – I wish you the very best in your quest to find what is right for you – both living wise and business wise. No need to be nervous about coming here for a visit!

      As far as what kind of business you should pursue, only you can decide what is right for you. However, my suggestion would be to not even think about that until you have been here in the Philippines for a couple of years. You said yourself that you have not been in the Philippines for 30+ years, and that makes it practically a totally new place to you. Because of that, you need to familiarize yourself with the place and determine what businesses are needed here before you start putting something in the works.

      Good luck!

  68. Hey
    Love your blog my wife and i have about $600,000 and will be able to draw social security in a few years, but no pension would we be able to make it and live comfortable for about 4 years. and can we actual aquire a home or can we even be considered a resident

    • Hi Michael – Glad you like the site. With the type of nest egg that you are sitting on, I don’t think you will have any problem in being comfortable until your SS kicks in. Should not be a problem at all.

  69. Thanks bob for info. I’m hoping to retire there i have married a filipino,
    [wife ,woman normal thinking ,I’m normal thinking male] IM wanting a nipper hut farm lot to grow eat on the cheep.
    eat fish,maybe open a coffee shop ,,my wife is a filipino cook and masseur,any idea were be a good place , to go, i hoping in july 2013 to go over there to start some thing to establish land etc

  70. Thanks bob for info. I’m hoping to retire there i have married a filipino,
    [wife ,woman normal thinking ,I’m normal thinking male] IM wanting a nipper hut farm lot to grow eat on the cheep.
    eat fish,maybe open a coffee shop ,,my wife is a filipino cook and masseur,any idea were be a good place , to go, i hoping in july 2013 to go over there to start some thing to establish land etc

  71. Hello Bob,

    I have been reading your blogs for several years now. I have been intrigued with the idea of moving to the PI for some time now. I have been to the PI 4 times so far: Angeles City, Quezon City, most of Manila, Boracay, Batangas and that is really about it. I will retire from the military in 3 1/2 years now and currently reside in WA. I have an idea that the earliest I could move to the PI would be 2020 as that is when my kids from my first marriage will be grown up and I would have no more obligations to pay CS to my EX (bad situation). I am remarried to a pinay who is from Manila also. At the time I could move to PI, I would be 42 years old. I would still be young enough to work in the states if I had to. I was wondering if you think it is a wise decision to move there at this young of an age. I have some medical conditions that I received in the military, heart issue (prinz metal angina), sleep apnea, GERD. I know they built a VA clinic in Manila as well in case I needed to restock on my daily meds. I am guessing between my retirement check and disability, I am looking at between $2100 to $2888 after taxes and the rating I will get from the VA. I told my wife that I am not fond of Manila and she understands that even if she is not 100% thrilled since her family lives there now. It is just so expensive and smoggy there for me to live. She said she has some aunts and uncles that live in Leyte and that we could live there. I just want to be fairly close to the ocean and also to nightlife when I desire, as well as living in a safe enough area….seems pretty demanding huh? Anyways, I was just trying to get your take on my situation and see what you think. I asked my wife and all she says is “yes, sounds good” but she really doesn’t understand what it would be like for a foreigner. I have lived in many different countries so it doesn’t phase me, I just want to be sure. Thanks a bunch–Tony

    • Hi Anthony – Nice to hear from you!

      I was 38 when I moved to the Philippines, so I certainly would not fault you for thinking of doing so at 42.

      As far as money goes, the amounts you mention that you get is plenty, at least at this time. Of course, nobody knows how low the US Dollar will go, so that could change things.

      I am not sure that there is so much nightlife in Leyte, but I could be wrong on that. Personally, I would not consider having family there as a reason to move there, to be honest.

      I think you are on the right path, though, and you have plenty of time to consider and investigate exactly where you want to settle. Good luck to you.

      • Thanks for the response. It felt good to see you answer my questions. I honestly have seen a lot of good things about Cebu and it seems like it would be cheaper than Manila of course. I am definitely not basing my decision on my wife’s family but we want to be somewhat close in case of an emergency. I would like to ask you more questions in the future as they come up.

        Thanks again,
        Anthony

  72. I am retired and seriously thinking of moving back to Philippines. I’m also a us citizen. What are my options?I would like to live with my family, sisters and her adult children. I am seriously thinking of buying their rental home and renovate to accomodate myself staying with them, I like to know if there’s going to be a problem as far as I am no longer a pilipino citizen.. Could you like give my some pointers here. Thanks so much, greatly appreciated.

    • Hi Maria – Simply apply for Philippine Dual Citizenship, you will then be a Philippine and US citizen and can stay in either country as long as you wish, and any time you wish.

  73. hi couple of questions Bob.

    Medical care is it possible to buy full cove for a reasonable ammount?

    The area Gensan (not far from you) is it Friendly in the meaning your not going to get mugged..or hassel.. walking about.

    Would guess a budget of around $1500 a month would that give a reasonable lifestyle?

    Best times/worst time for that area.

    thanks for your time effort.

    kind regards

    Stan

    • Hi Stan – Yes, you can buy medical coverage. Is it reasonable? Depends on what the definition of reasonable is. I feel that it is.

      I used to live in GenSan. I do not believe you will have any troubles there.

      Yes, $1,500 per month should be an adequate budget.

      Good luck!

    • Hi stan,
      yes i agree with Mr bob, living in the philippines is a fortune, living in a small amount of money feel you like a king specially mindanao which manny pacquiao came from..you can own a property here and invest as well.

      Goodluck!

  74. cost of living / I am an American married to a philippina and I build a 2 bed 1 bath on 8 hectors ( 20 ac ) I have less than 10,000.00 us dollars invested ( 400,000.00 php )

    I have a piggery ( 20 ) sows and some cows, chickens / my electric is less than 15 dollars a month ( 600.00 php ) it cost about 50.00 dollars a month ( 2,000.00 php ) to live including food ( I do eat well but from the animals of my farm ) now to go out yes I can cost 100 dollars or so ( 4,000.00 php give or take ) the far produces around 30,000.00 dollars a year ( 1,200,ooo.oo php ) and I have 3 people that work for me ( cost around 75 dollars a week for 5 days work 3 men right around 4,000.00 dollars a year ( 120,000.00 php ) so as you can see you can live quit well in the philippines / Now I could move to the city if I wanted to but it is so beautiful here in the mountains close to Digos city cool nights and worm days / rains allot but I do not mind I go to Davao to shop and entertainment when I find it necessary ( my wife is 25 years younger than me so some times I just need a rest so I take here to Davao lol )

    well just my story good luck to all

  75. hi bob…thanks for having a useful site like this….it has given me lots of ideas…..let me ask this if you dont mind…..i have a gf im comming over to visit in june….im just a simple truckdriver from alabama and was wondering for a 10 day trip there about how much is normal for a person to spend if they are just enjoying themselves and not planning on doing everything in the country from what i have planned i hope to get a place in tagaytay for about 3 nights at Pina Colina Resort which is about 60 usa dollars a night…..so that might let you know that im not a big spender……thanks and any info you could share would be great

    • Hi Bill – I hope you have a great trip! I would say that in addition to hotel costs, a tourist should probably expect to spend around $100 per day. It could be more depending on what kinds of things they want to do.

      BTW… $60 per night for a hotel outside of Manila IS a big spender! Seriously.

      Enjoy!

      • thanks for the reply…..i dont acually plan to do much in the form of vacation type stuff….the main reason im comming over is to meet a special woman ive been talking to for the last 3 years…..we plan to spend some days in tagaytay and to go to her home town so i can meet her family…..its in the town of Buug…..the only thing i can say about it is its on a island south of Manila….she told me that it can be kind of dangerious there lately that some people are being kidnapped and held for ransom…..have you heard anything about this?of course she said her family would be around so i dont really have anything to worry about….haha……..also about the room in tagaytay ive been searching the web for about 2 months now (off and on) for a bed and breakfast and 60 a night is not lowest…..but its not really high either..alot of the places are much more expensive..do you have any oppinions on what would be a better way to find a cheaper place in tagaytay?…..we would at least like to have a place with a kitchenette in it …..when ever i can i prefer to cook and so does she ……its like a hobby i guess for both of us ….but i still plan on trying the local food out as well while im there….i do thank you for the advice you have given me and if you dont mind if you can understand my thought process id like to be able to ask you more questions when they come to me…..thanks again

        • oh and the city of Buug is on Zamboanga Sibugay….have you heard if this might be a bad place for a american to visit?

          • Hi Bill – Zamboanga Sibugay is not a place you should probably be going to. You said that the family said that you don’t have to worry because the family will be around. Is the family heavily armed? The people that cause havoc on that area are the Abu Sayyaf group, which is part of Al Qaeda. They don’t play around. They behead people. Maybe her family can stop that, but I doubt it. Try to set it up so that you will meet in Davao or Cebu instead of going to Zamboanga Sibugay.

  76. Hey Hey.
    I just wanted to write and ask, are you sure these prices are accurate? I’ve just googled up and down the rental and leasing costs in your area and I can’t find a halfway decent looking place (and I live in a 2br in the states for $600/m to give an idea), for anything less than 900/m there.

    It seems like it’d actually cost more to live there than it does here, have things recently changed?. If not can you give me more accurate and up to date rental information or websites.

    Thank You!

    • Hi Jay – If you have a look, you will notice that the article was written in 2006, so of course prices have risen in 7 years. However, I have written lots of more recent articles on this topic too.

      • Hi Bob -I’m a filipina living here in france I really like website because you helping a lot of people not only foreigner but also filipino’s who live outside the country.i just want to know if eastern samar is a good place to invest because i have a big land near the beach my husband wants to do a ressort in there do you think it’s no dangerous for the foreigners.
        Thanks and keep up the good job!

        • Hi Lucy – Thanks for supporting my site, I’m glad that you like it. I don’t think that Eastern Samar is dangerous for foreigners, so you should not have a problem there. Any land on a nice beach would have good potential, I think. So, if you build a nice resort, and you promote it properly, you might just have a winner!

        • Hi
          I travel extensively in Samar working mostly for the a certain organisation with headquarters in Brussels.East Samar is relatively safe. There is some N.P.A. activity but its not directed against foreigners. Of more concern would be the lack of good medical facilities, the hospital in Barongan is to cottage hospital standards only and the nearest proper medical facilities are Tacloban on Leyte.
          Borongan has an Airport and there are regular turboprop flights to and from Manila but the roads are truly a nightmare.
          Check out the resorts Cloud Nine and Pirates Cove they operate successfully in East Samar.
          The surfing and the game fishing are great the only drawback being that tourists or indeed any Kanos are a rarity in East Samar so there is very limited passing trade.
          Check out Samar news.com for local news . I would also suggest that you contact Jun from Treksplore in Catbalogan .Message him through his you tube channel
          Good luck take care and brush up on the Waray-Waray

  77. PAYING RENTAL EXPENSES
    I’m planning a retirement – on GB state pension of £10k, approx 680000 pesos – next year to the west coast of Luzon, possibly Zambales.
    I see from realty sites some landlords want ‘one month up front’, others need more but many ask for post-dated cheques. I’ve only got an electronic bank and don’t use cheques. Would Philippino landlords accept regular BACS bank payments or what is your best plan?

    • Hi Ken – To be honest, I don’t know what a “BACS” bank payment is. Is it a British thing? You can pay with cash too for your rent. Many people as for PDC (Post Dated Checks), but you can probably negotiate that request away.

    • Hi Ken
      The B.A.C.S. system is a British system and will not be able to transfer your pension to you.
      There are lots of money transfer companies in the U.K. who will transfer your money for you.
      Most are located in the Earls court area of London but I would recommend that you take a look at the Rapid Remit service from the Philippine National Bank. Google them up as P.N.B. Europe PLC. They have an arrangement with Barclay’s whereby you can transfer your funds to their Barclay account and it will be transferred to the Philippines for you.You can also transfer it directly through P.N.B. with a debit card.
      You would need to set up your accounts beforehand and it may involve sending them a copy of your passport. The service at the moment costs £7 for the first $1000 and the exchange rates are pretty good.
      The exchange rates for Sterling do tend to swing wildly a few years ago I was getting peso 110 to the pound and a few years before that the exchange rate was peso 40 to the pound. There is no reciprocal health arrangements with the Philippines ie no E111 and £1000 a month is cutting things to the bone especially if your renting. I do not know about Zambales but in provincial cities in Eastern Visayas long term lets run at about P4000 a month., that for an acceptable studio or one bed apartment. Yes its common practice to ask for a month up front and a month in advance as deposit.
      Take care and do think carefully before you make the move

      • Thanks Corjo,
        I’m going out there next March to look around and make a decision. My filipina partner there is working so can supplement things. I know my income won’t be a fortune but everywhere on this site for $1,200 seems ok. I have no family with me so small is beautiful!

    • Hi Matthew – Right up at the top of this page there is a link that says “Contact Us”. By clicking on that, you can always get in touch with me.

      How can I assist you? What things are you talking about?

      Take care.

  79. Well here we are. My wife and I retire in May of 2014 with a joint pension pretax income of $115,000. US per year with 2% annual cost of living increases. I have lifetime blue shield preferred PPO but I am not sure if that would mean anything in the Philippines. We have about $120,000 in savings and own a home in Palm Springs. What lifestyle could we expect on that income.

    • Hi Tom – Unfortunately, the Blue Shield will likely be of no value to you in the Philippines. However, you can ask them and see what they will say. Another thing is that if you have any major medical needs, you could travel back to the USA to take advantage of the coverage.

      As far as the money goes, you will have absolutely no financial concerns when you are here. $115k per year will provide you everything you need or even want here.

  80. Many thanks, this is by far the most useful and informative site I have found regarding retirement in the Philippines.

    I retire next June and plan to rent out my home in the UK for extra income. I will have a monthly income of approximately $4,800 US so that should (according to your information) provide me with a good standard of living.

    My research is by no means complete but it is something I have dreamed about for many years.

    Many thanks once again

    Kenny

  81. Hi Bob,
    Thank you for a great website 😉
    I live in Thailand, but is tired of life here, with visaruns all the time. Life is more easy in Ph.
    BUT, i am retired and get 2100usd per month. Is it possible to life there on my budget?
    I am single, maybe getting a girlfriend later, i dont drink, and drive a rented scooter, and wish to live in a small house, or a 2 bedroom apartment. I like western food, but can also eat local food, .. I am like a normal expat i guess..
    What do you think.. Is 2100usd per month enough for everything..?

    Thank you

  82. Hello bob my name is Axel and I live in Orlando florida usa I have been facinated with the phillippines for over 5 years.I am hispanic and love asian women.is it easy to meet women in cebu?I own a pressure washing business which I will hand over to my brother to run because I want to move out there my share from the business is between $2000-$4000 a month plus I will take with me $100,000 to start out.Now with all that being said is it true that you have to marry a woman out there to start a business or purchase a house?And if so can I buy or rent a condo until I marry which I have every intention of doing.And my last question is will the $100,000 be enough to buy a condo there,if not how much would renting one run me.By the way your website rocks!!!

    • Axel, thanks, I am glad you like my site.

      Is it easy to meet women here? Absolutely! It is kind of like being a rock star or a basketball star. You will be surprised what a hot commodity you will be.

      Your money will be plenty to buy a nice condo, don’t worry.

  83. Hi Bob,

    I’ve visited the philippines 3 times in the last few years. My first time there I met my fiance. After visiting her and her family a couple of times we talked about her moving here to the states with me. After a few months she later decided that she wants to stay there with her family and friends and wants me to move there instead. The only problem is, I don’t really have the income to move there but her and her family says that’s no problem. They live in a big house there, which I stayed at during my visits, and they have a couple of very wealthy relatives who live in australia and usually helps them with financial needs and emergencies. I myself work at a production plant and have very little college experience. I also don’t have much funds left in the bank, especially after paying for those expensive flights. It’s really difficult for me to save any money right now at all because of all my bills I pay every month. I would really appreciate your help!

    • If you are interested in living in the Philippines, but you need a source of income, getting a job here is generally not the way to go. Firstly, most companies are not looking to hire foreigners. Secondly, you probably won’t want to work for the kind of wages offered here, usually only a few dollars per day.

      To help out people like you, I have written a book called “49 Ways to earn a living in the Philippines” and I cover ideas of all sorts on how you can earn a good living while living in the Philippines. I have been earning my living here since 2000, and I earn more money now than when I lived in the States. So, I know that I can help you do that too!

      To check out the book, go to:
      http://expatisland.com/49-ways-to-make-a-living/

      As a special offer to you, I am going to offer you $10 off the book, but the offer is good for only the next 24 hours. During checkout, just enter the coupon code – 10discountToday – and the book will be $10 off the regular price. But, remember, the discount expires after 24 hours.

      Check it out today, I am sure that this is what you are looking for, if you want to live in the Philippines!

  84. your site is very informative..thank you for what you provide us in here..i will be coming home soon to PI as a retiree. i’m 42 with a wife and a daughter who is in high school by the time we get there. i’m just glad i stumble on your site because it just made it more clear to me that it is indeed possible to live a simple lifestyle at around $2,200 a month.my only question is will this amount still work out if we decided to stay in manila instead of a province in luzon? i want to send my daughter to school in manila and my wife want to stay as close to my daughter and her family.

  85. Hi,
    I’m looking to move to P.I. in the near future. I’m a disabled Vet hoping to live there with my fiance I met some years ago while still in. I have a steady income of about 800 a month and I also have a business which i can run from any location in the world. My main question is, in today’s economy if worst came to worst would 800 dollars be enough to live off of each month for me, my soon to be spouse, and our baby girl? I’m also thinking about going to school while I’m there using my G,I, bill to help increase my income while i get my business running smoothly. I have some many questions not sure if you can answer them all or if this is a good place for them all. What would you consider is the best area to live in, not really too far from everything but not in the middle of manila where i’m sure things will be a bit more expensive. I would like to move this summer maybe a bit earlier depending on what semester i want to go to school. i dont mind roughing it 6 months to catch the next semester if i have too.

    • In my opinion it is not enough. Can it be done? Sure it can. But, one illness or other type of problem could leave you in a real bad position.

  86. My wife and and are looking at coming to the Philippines and eventually retiring. What is the outlook on employment for an IT InfoSec professional (Master’s degree and my wife has two Master’s degrees, one in healthcare management and the other in education. We know we can’t buy land there because we are both US citizens although her mother is a natural Filipino citizen. We would like to live in Cebu area. We would like to find out all of the ins and outs of moving there. We noticed that you have a a series of books on the subject of moving to the Philippines. What is your current pricing for this package? Any help is greatly appreciated.

    • Hi August,

      If you buy all of the books separately they are $254, but I have a special deal called the PH Pro Package. This package deal gets you all of the books in the entire series for $49. There are 31 different books in all. You can get all of the information here on this special package deal:
      http://expatisland.com/ph-pro-all-in-package-2/

      Please let m eknow if you have any questions I would be happy to help.

  87. Hi im moving near manila in December and taking over my family business but thinking of trying to find a job. Im in the British Army at the moment but leaving to move to the philippines. Any ideas on jobs available? Thanks

    • Hi Alan,

      If you are interested in living in the Philippines, but you need a source of income, getting a job here is generally not the way to go. Firstly, most companies are not looking to hire foreigners. Secondly, you probably won’t want to work for the kind of wages offered here, usually only a few dollars per day.

      To help out people like you, I have written a book called “49 Ways to earn a living in the Philippines” and I cover ideas of all sorts on how you can earn a good living while living in the Philippines. I have been earning my living here since 2000, and I earn more money now than when I lived in the States. So, I know that I can help you do that too!

      To check out the book, go to:
      http://expatisland.com/49-ways-to-make-a-living/

      As a special offer to you, I am going to offer you $10 off the book, but the offer is good for only the next 24 hours. During checkout, just enter the coupon code – 10discountToday – and the book will be $10 off the regular price. But, remember, the discount expires after 24 hours.

      Check it out today, I am sure that this is what you are looking for, if you want to live in the Philippines!

  89. Hey can a disabled veteran that is bring in $2,000 – $3,000 USD a month good enough for living there, and isn’t there like 2 VA hospitals out there where if needed any medical needs can go there.

  90. hello bob
    my name is donald,
    im 24 and im retired from the army from getting hurt, I make about 1600 a month for the rest of my life and I want to move to the Philippines 🙂 I was thinking manila because of the new VA hospital there, I just dont know how I would get a place to stay once I first get there, or even no my way around how should I even start on my move?

    • Hi Donald – You can make it in the Philippines on $1600 per month. Making it in Manila on that amount, though, will be quite tight.

      As far as I know, there is no VA hospital in Manila, just a clinic, which I would not qualify as a hospital. I am not sure if they can even take overnight patients or not.

      If you want to move to the Philippines, there are many things to find out about, and to do in preparation for the move. I have come up with a series of electronic books that will provide you with all of the information that you will need to make the move easy and smooth. There are a total of 31 eBooks in the set, you can find out about each title at my website: How to Move to the Philippines. http://HowToMoveToThePhilippines.com

      I have a special deal that I want to let you know about, though. The books are $7.99 each, but that can add up if you want the whole set. Because of that, I have a special package that includes all of the books, 31 titles in all. You can get the entire package, which I call the PH Pro Package, for just $49. I can offer you the PH Pro package for a special discount price of $10 off for the next 24 hours though. When you are buying the books, just use this coupon code during the checkout: Move2PH10 Keep in mind, though, this coupon code is only valid for the next 24 hours for your purchase.

      You can find the PH Pro package here:
      http://expatisland.com/how-to-move-to-the-philippines-ph-pro-all-in-package/

      I really believe that this package of books will give you all the information you need to make it a successful move. If you have other questions that you don’t find answered in the books, though, you can e-mail me any time for a personal response to your question.

  91. Hi Bob

    I’ve been trawling through some of the older posts due to lunchtime boredom. You give a list of items on this post and the costs, would it be possible to update the list with costs for todays exchange rates etc?

    It is very useful information but I have no doubt that the prices have changed in the 8 and a bit years since the original post was written.

    Cheers

    AJ UK

    PS – apologies if you have already done this and i haven’t trawled far enough yet.

    • Hi AJ – To be honest, I have gotten where I don’t really like doing those “cost of living” posts. I don’t feel they are so constructive. Too many variables and such.

      However… you are in luck! Tune in tomorrow, Feyma has just such an article scheduled for publication tomorrow!

  92. Hi Bob, I am planning to retired at 62 (I live Miami, Fl) in two and half years, my SS payment would be $1100, I am divorce, I been checking locations overseas, which city in the Philippines would you recommend? and presently what is the exchange rate?
    Thanks
    Arturo

  93. Hi Bob,

    I’m from the UK and am looking to move to Davao to retire I have just turned 48yrs and looking to move to Toril and was wondering how much I would need to live reasonable well, I was thinking of buying a property say a 3 bed house as I would be selling my house from the UK and would have around £80,000.00 to retire on plus my pension. any info you could provide would be most benifical many thanks for your time.

    • Hi Kevin,

      Thanks for stopping by. That is the classic question that every person asks.. how much does it cost to live there! That is also the question that really does not have an exact answer.

      My advice is always that you need $1,500 to enjoy a decent life here. Can you live in less? Of course, there are Filipinos living on a fraction of that amount, so it is certainly possible. Or, you might need much more than that if you want to live a life of luxury. But, if you have around $1,500 you should be able to be comfortable on that.

  94. Aloha. My wife and I lived in Cebu for 3 years but I had to return to Hawaii for medical reasons. My wife is from Ormoc, Leyte. we both are ready to return to Cebu. How hard will it be to relocate again. I am an expat. living on a fixed income. But we should be able to pull off something that will sustain us. How are the rentals, property sales, peso, and utilities? I can’t wait to move back…

  95. Hello,
    Im planning to retire early at 50, my pension would be $1100. I already have my moms house on leyte that she gave me. You think I can get by. Or should I wait til Im 55 to retire and get over 2k. I really want to retire early tho lol.

  96. Hola,
    Kamusta ka. First I can’t believe you have been helping so many people for so long Bob. Wow! Kudos to you my good Sir. Ok Bob I plan on visiting my nobya for 30 days in General Santos in February. After I pay approx $1,719 (including VAT) for a “4 Star” hotel will $3,500 be enough to have a good time (food, drinks, entertainment, mall, etc.) there? Ang pamilya niyo live in Gensan so I’m sure some of my dinner meals will be sa bahay niyo. I have been to Cebu before for a week 2 years ago. So, after paying for a nice hotel will $3,500 be enough for a good time with my nobya for 30 days? Once again you are the “Knees Bees” Bob ??! Maramig salamat in advance

  97. Hi Bob,

    I am relocating to Phillipines from India for my new job, wanted to know how much salary should i negotiate for living the life with my 1kid and wife. Also how is the public transport and stuff like that?

    • I really don’t know what your job is, so no way to know what you should negotiate. I guess my advice would be to negotiate for the highest salary possible!

      Public transportation in the Philippines is quite good in my view.

  98. Hi Bob what kind of businesses good there within 200k dollars I am bb from Switzerland origin Africa. I am 31 years old .

  99. Hi Bob
    like to know how much will cost me to buy a unit in the Philippines my girlfriend lives in philippines
    Not too sure the buy unit or house my girlfriend said to me it’s up to me but not too sure which one

    • Hi Joe – When you say you want to know how much it will cost for a “unit” – well, many things can be called a “unit” but I am guessing you are asking about a condo. If my guess is wrong, please clarify your question.

      I have seen condo units for a low end of P2.5M going up to P15M or more. I would say that the minimum one that I would consider is around P6M or so.

  100. Great site I hope things turn around here so I have moe money to live there!! Lots of honest useful help on this site!!!
    Cheers
    Randy

    • Hi Randy – I have been trying to reply to the emails you have sent me privately, but Shaw (your internet provider) keeps bouncing my emails. Please check your inbox, I think the last one may have gotten through.

  102. Hi Bob,
    I am relocating to Phillipines from India for my new job(I got a job as a Quality Assurance Lead in IT Software firm), wanted to know how much salary should i negotiate for living the life with my wife. Also how much money needed for me per month for every expenditure.

  103. Hi can anyone tell me what 3000.00 a month would afford living in Manila an the areas near by.Thanks.

  107. My problem about retiring to the Philippines is different from everybody’s, because it has absolutely nothing to do with money. Money is a non-issue. I am dual, I know the culture, and speak the language. I inherited an income-generating boarding house in Manila located in the vicinity of a busy, sprawling university campus in Sta. Mesa. I also have a house in the province. I am drawing a monthly pension from the U.S. government, receiving social security, and VA benefits, totaling close to 9K USD net per month. I have no debts. As much as I want to retire to the Philippines, I can’t, because my non-Filipino wife does not want to live in the Philippines, only on short vacations (30 days) AND staying only in 5-star hotels in Makati or the BGC. Try as I might, I have been unable to convince her that it is more fun in the Philippines. Advices are welcome, but please don’t tell me to retire to the Philippines alone. Because I love her, wherever I go, she goes.

    • It has to be a joint decision. If your wife is not into it… I think vacations have to suffice. Maybe she would agree to a “snowbirding” type lifestyle?

      • It would be a dream come true, if she would agree to a “snowbirding lifestyle”, Bob. I can’t remember how many times I have discussed the matter with her, but she wouldn’t budge. That would be too long for her to be in the Philippines, she says. LOL I’ve been retired since 2005, and I’m still here in the States. It’s not that I don’t like living in the States, it’s just that I feel that I have already seen it all and there’s nothing more for me to see and experience here in the States. I would like to go back and experience Filipino culture once again, an experience in life that was interrupted when we moved to the States when I was 15.

        • I can understand that kind of feeling. I suppose that we all get that bug. Feyma and I have been in the Philippines for more than 18 years now. With Aaron having traveled to the USA every year for the past 3 or 4 years, and Feyma on her second consecutive year, we have been getting a little bug to move back. I don’t think we will do it, but we are often tempted, something that never used to happen before.

  108. Bob:
    You will need as much as you need to live the lifestyle you want.No more no less, the amount is different for each one of us..

  109. I’ve lived here for about five years…in the provinces you can live well on the Australian pension which atm equals about 70000 pesos per month…a local teacher gets 20000 a month

  110. Great article! Thoughts on living on 1.5 mil pesos a year in Makati as a single guy with no car if condo was completely paid off? I wouldn’t need a driver, maid, cook, etc.

  111. Bob, I think your numbers look good and pretty much agree with what I wrote several months ago. FYI, It looks like the wife and I will be back to Cebu in April.

  112. Lol…….$200.00?????
    Does that include air con in the rent???
    Yea~ I’m sure someone could get by on that but rather dangerous I would think? Filipino’s have no problem with that as they’re resilience
    And resources can be plenty along with ingenuity!
    It’s great to have back up and although it’s not what makes us happy~ it certainly doesn’t hurt!!!!! Blessings my friend~P

  113. Bob,

    Let me preface my comment by stating that we built a house and oversaw the building of it ourselves.

    My wife and I live quite comfortably on about a $1ooo a month. That includes movies, eating out, an occasional trip, running our split system inverter AC when needed, satellite TV and internet.
    Some groceries are bought at a Robinson’s market near our home and fresh veggies, local grown coffee and fruits, etc. are purchased at the local open air market or smaller vendors near our home.

    We chose to build because we knew where we wanted to be and the choice has proved to be a good one for us. If we would have paid rent in a house as comfortable as ours, in 7 1/2 years the rent would have paid for the house. Using the calculation: $450 a month x 12mths for 7 1/2 years. Obviously the land is in my wife’s name with the house in both our names. This leaves something for her in case of my demise and also something to pass on to her and her wonderful family who ask us for nothing. I understand that all expats may not be able to afford to build and must include that in their monthly budget.

    Just my two cents.

    TeeJay

  115. Accurate article. It should help a lot of people who aren’t sure how much they need to live here.

    Rusty

  116. Hello Bob…I lived in Philippines for a year but came back last year back to usa..I know your not going to believe me but I lived good on about $750.00 a month..I tell people back home here that my money always lasted the whole month and never had money problems. Now that I’m back in USA I’m broke after one week and struggling to make it through the month..I’m going back to Philippines for good in January..just wish I could figure out the health thing in Philippines so I wouldn’t have to come back at all….

  117. Another thought, for Americans, they might be most interested in the cost of housekeepers. I know in the Manila area, the minimum is about $65 a month. But if you want someone fluent in English for easy communication, you might need to double that, especially in the rich Makati area.

  118. Hello I want to move to Davao. I am retired and 56 years old. I make $3000 a month on retirement. I know I will need expat health insurance. Are the medical facilities good? And how do I get my retirement check sent to me there. I was told if I am not married to a Filipino I cant open a bank account. Is that true? I have been looking at condo for rent in Davao very affordable

  119. Hey guys i recently met a nice girl online and yes she is legit i am going to move overthere in the next few months to be with her and her daughter whom is only 2 lets say i wanted a small 2 bedroom apmt nothing fancy and the basic normal grocerys a month im not looking for large lifestyle just basic married couple life. Will i be ok if im careful on1,100 a month

  120. Bob, I’m considering on changing locations and leaning towards the Philippines. I use to rent in Davao fifteen years ago. I’m retired military and my monthly income is $4200.00 a month. Is that enough for a good existence in Davao? I love the night life so I’ll be doing quite a bit of that. What your take on an expat with a $4200.00 a month income in Davao?

  121. I own a home in Batangas (we never lived in) and my retirement income should be 31,000 US Dollars annually and I have 100,000 us dollars in savings will me & my wife live ok and still be able to travel twice a year to the US?

  123. I’m retired Military, I get about 3600 a month. I would like to live in Bacolod, will this be enough for a family of 5?

  124. I’m retired Military, is 3600 a month enough for a family of 5 to live comfortable in Bacolod

  125. You can rent a nice apartment in Manila to Cebu between 6 and 10000 pesos a month or less than $200 a month

  126. My Filipino fiance lives in Manila and she has little or no income I get $750 Social Security can I relocate to the Philippines and be her husband?

  127. Are you required to have a large amount of money in an account to remain a us citizen but live in the phillipines?

    • Mostly, that is a fallacy that is all over the internet. only if you get a retirement visa do you have to put a deposit of money. in other cases, no, no requirement to put money down. since I don’t know much about you, really I don’t know anything about you, I really don’t know what type of Visa you would want to get.

  128. Thanks for all the info…I get 1600.00 a month V.A. AND SS. Sounds like I will be ok in the Philippines.