Over the last year or more, I have written a lot of times on this site how prices in the Philippines have been going up quickly, how the Philippines is so much less affordable than it used to be. Feyma has said it too. Other writers on this site have echoed the thought that the Philippines is becoming more expensive to live in as the days go by.
It happened that a few days ago, I was doing some work on this site. As part of what I was doing, I was reviewing some articles from the past archives, and I happened upon an article that itemized a number of items, and what they cost to purchase. The article was entitled “How much is it to buy _____” and was originally published on February 7, 2007, about 2 1/2 years ago. The title kind of intrigued me, so I decided to go back and refresh my memory, and it was an article listing a number of items, and how much the purchase price was at that time.
Out of curiosity, I started wondering what the difference in price was now, compared to 2 1/2 years ago. I knew that prices were up, but just wanted to verify how much. So, I made a list of the items in the article, and I sent one of my nieces out to find out what the prices were today. Below, you will find a chart listing the items, their 2007 price, their 2009 price, and the percentage change in the past 2+ years. Are you ready for the results?
Everyday Philippine Price Comparison
| Item | 2007 Price | 2009 Price | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage | P25/Kilo | P60/Kilo | +140% |
| Cucumbers | P27/Kilo | P50/Kilo | +85% |
| White Onions | P50/Kilo | P80/Kilo | +60% |
| Whole Garlic | P55/kilo | P100/Kilo | +82% |
| Carrots | P45/Kilo | P60/Kilo | +33% |
| Frozen French Fries | P109/2 Kg Bag | P180/2 Kg Bag | +65% |
| Pork Roast | P125/Kilo | P205/Kilo | +64% |
| Sliced Chicken (Pieces) | P100/Kilo | P134/Kilo | +34% |
| Ground Pork | P115/Kilo | P160/Kilo | +39% |
| Pork Chops | P95/Kilo | P160/Kilo | +68% |
| Beef Roast | P145/Kilo | P320/Kilo | +145% |
| Tilapia Fish | P90/Kilo | P170/Kilo | +89% |
| Bed Pillow | P119/2 Pillows | P299/1 Pillow | +502% |
| Clothes Iron | P299 w/free Ironing Board | P579 no free Ironing Board | +93% |
| Toilet Paper 2 Ply | P420/48 rolls | P580/48 rolls | +38% |
| Emperador Brandy 750ml | P60 | P67 | +12% |
| Carton of Winston Cigarettes (10 Pks.) | P185 | P207 | +12% |
What do you think about this? I’ll be honest, even though I knew how prices had gone way up, I was rather surprised at how much they have gone up! And, these are all common household items that are used every day, or at least regularly.
OK, the only items that have not had significant inflation are the two “vice” items, cigarettes and Brandy. Not counting those two, the lowest price increase has been 33% in 2+ years, all the way up to a whopping 500% increase! A number of items are in the +100% range. Again, this is in about 2 1/2 years.
What do you think? Is the Philippines still “the cheap place” to retire? A month or two ago, I had put a Poll on the site, asking why people were interested in living here. By far, the number one response was because of the low cost of living! If prices have gone up 33 to 500% in 2.5 years, what will the prices be like 5 years from now? How about in 10 years?
Will a nice life still be possible in the Philippines a decade from now? The only way it will still be possible is if something changes. What will change?
Now, I know for sure, the first thing people will think, and possibly say in the comments is that “prices have gone up here too!” Well, yes, prices go up everywhere in the world over time. However, prices have not increased at this rate in the USA, or other developed parts of the world. In fact, in the past year, much of the developed world has experienced deflation, or prices going lower!
On top of this, in this time of economic decline in much of the world, many of us are earning less money than we did a year or two ago. If this trend continues, will you still be able to afford the “cheap living” in the Philippines?
What do you think? Does this information make you think twice, or does it alter your retirement plans? Me? I’m here to stay. I also know, though, that this is something to be watched, and plans must be made. Business must be altered in some way to earn more income instead of less. It’s the only intelligent thing to do.
I haven't kept track, but I will give you an example. My favorite cheese was $2.75 a brick, and now it's $4.00 a brick. That goes along with just about everything at the grocery store. The fault was fuel cost last year, but fuel has dropped drastically from $4.00 to $2.75, but food hasn't come down accordingly. It is a global economy, and sooner, or later the Phils will reflect everything else. I am betting in a decade it will still be a good bargain to live in the Phils, and the geography won't change much!……i2f
bob–most of the things i use here in fla are about double or even more than 2 years ago when the house crunch hit the rent and groceries here went up–housing -electric, water, deposits, all went up –some of them almost double –with housing lagging at 10 to 25 percent increase–if you shop careful you can find a few things on sale at about pre-housing collapse –in my area here i see more and more empty houses–2 years ago there was not an empty house to be found –now there are 5 empty houses within a block where i live–and every trip around town i see more empty ones–the phills are still a beacon of hope to me
Holy crow Bob..thats an eye opener!! Hope you review this again in 12 months, hopefully things will have changed for the better…or you may have to change your LiP to LiV (Live in Vietnam !!!)
Hi Bob – It's interesting, but still not enough reason for me to give up my dream/adventure! 😉
I look around and see those with much less than we have paying the same prices (or negotiated as close as possible) and they still have the spirit to carry on. If we ever get to that point, I hope I have that spirit.
Maligayang Pasko!
kamusta bob
ahhhh i am surprised to see that much increse in alot of products.the only thing this will change for me retiring there is i will want to farm and grow alot of my own foods and try to be less relient on grocery stores and such.hmmm bob mabe you need to start a big garden yourself.it would cut cost alot for sure.i think alot of filipinos grown thier own food just to survive.just think if your poor and cant afford even the little things we need in life.i say lower the prices for the average filipino.everyone needs to eat properly.i do remember not to long ago you was saying philippines wasent having a recession like most other countrys.hmmmmm mabe the recession is starting there soon as well with inflated prices.
salamat bob
Morning Bob,
No rice on the list? The price of rice here in Australia has doubled in that time. At least the true essential (alcohol) has remained rather steady!
Prices in the U.S. feel like they have gone up. If you listen to the government though they reported today that inflation for the past year was at "0" percent. They also are not giving Social Security payments and other government pensions a raise for this year. (COLA) I consider myself fortunate in that I did receive a raise this year-not much but about 1500 USD for the school year. We usually see about 2000 USD per year in our step and salary increase. They did raise our medical insurance premiums, etc… Housing prices are down considerably in the U.S. but I notice that in the Philippines they seem to be going up. That is one I don't understand at all. Cars have gotten cheaper with rebates and tax incentives. I just know I need to keep myself out of debt and to keep saving as much each month as possible. We still plan on moving when the time is right. Now if things get ugly there we will have to re-consider.
When I was in Jacksonville Florida a few weeks ago I took a gander at food prices in the circulars for Food Lion, Publix and Winn Dixie so I can offer some comparison to what you have here…
Cabbage $1.69/lb or P178/kilo
Cucumbers $.99/lb or P106/kilo
Onions $.89/lb or P94/kilo
Garlic heads $.49/lb or P52/kilo
Carrots $1.19/lb or P126/kilo
Pork Roast $1.99/lb *ON SALE* or P210/kilo
Chicken parts $.99/lb *ON SALE* or P106/kilo
Ground Pork $2.49/lb or P263/kilo
Pork Chops thick cut $2.19/lb or P231/kilo
Beef Roast $4.99/lb *ON SALE* or P527/kilo
Tilapia $3.99/lb or P421/kilo
Bottle of inexpensive brandy $19.99 or P960
Carton Of Cigarettes $57 or P2,736
That's what I can remember off the top of my head, of course everything is relative, the beef over here is not as good as in the states and most meats in the states are poison from factory farming practices. For me it is still cheaper to live here in the Philippines as my low rent and low electric costs offset the increase in food prices.
Yes, the cost of everything has gone up, and we foreigners can usually manage in spite of that. I feel so bad for the local people whose wages have not gone up, even though the prices have, or if they have gone up, nothing close to matching the cost of living. Many people are just eating mami noodles with rice or corn grits… We are seeing more poor kids with reddish hair, the sign of a lack of protein in the diet. Those who live on farms out in the country side have it so much better than those in the cities because they can grow food to feed their families.
This is just a reminder that however pinched we may feel as the prices go up, we still are very wealthy compared to the majority of the people we see every day.
The price of some rice (imported) in retail stores is up … but the "people's rice" (NFA) rice, what the majority of people buy is not an economic quantity but a political tool. Rice in the Philippines is massively government controlled/subsidized and prices are set by the government. Australia, where rice is a commercial agricultural product, has had several extremely bad rice growing years, so it's very natural that the price of rice there has gone up … supply and demand and all that school subject stuff, but here rice is more of a currency than a commercial product. Example, it's still the economic standard to price farm labor, farmland rental, equipment use and such by the 'sack of rice'.
The last time I was in Walmart I noticed some significant price increases on things I buy regularly there, one item in particular was the " house brand " grape juice which is now so close in price to the " Name Brand " price I bought the Name Brand. I used to visit my local Walmart about once a month but intentionally stayed away from the place for a few months. Not that there is anything I find wrong with the place but it seems difficult for me to get in and out of there without spending $100 because of what seem to be good prices LOL.
On some items I priced in The Philippines when I was there, the prices were similar to what they would be here keeping all things equal. I made these observations in retail establishments where the prices are posted. These were things like PC and accessories, Household Appliances etc. Things involving labor however seemed to have a significantly lower cost in The Philippines is one common denominator that I came up with.
Good article Bob and I wonder if it would be worthwhile to try and establish a " benchmark List " of commonly purchased items to add to the ones you already show, for future comparisons.
I am currently in Minnesota, contemplating my annual visit (3 months) to the Philippines. Except for rent, I can honestly say we spend less here in Minnesota and get higher quality products than while in the Philippines. We buy most products on sale (I rarely see sale prices in the Philippines). My electric bill is cheaper here with more items plugged in and running. While in the Philippines last year, we noticed that our money did not go very far, and with Bob's chart, I can now see why. I do not know what prices are like in the rest of the USA, but in the Twin City area of Minnesota, I can say that with competition and the abundance of stores, prices are actually lower here than in the Philippines. When we visit the Philippines it is not for the lower cost of living, but to visit with relatives and have a good time. We expect to spend as if we are on vacation and budget accordingly. I could not live in the Philippines full time, for a wide variety of reasons.
This is one of the most contentious areas I go through continually with talking with other Americans. We are rich. Everyone who is reading this article is, in comparison to the majority of people in the world who go to sleep (not to bed, they don't own one) hungry as a way of life. When I see pictures on American TV the first thing that always surprises me is how fat everyone is .. then I look at my own waistline and realize how fat I am too. I am blessed, favored and prospered, for sure … but many have no concept of how to count their blessings.
My dear wife Mita laughed out loud the other day. She was reading an article from the US about a doctor running a free clinic who had had to change operating hours to only certain days per week. The doc said, you can tell from a distance when the clinic is open by the number of cars in the parking lot.
The concept of being 'poor' and yet driving to a clinic is just so incongruous. If you have a car, and gas to drive to a clinic, you are way, way, way far from 'poor'. I mean far as in light years.
Hello Bob, I wish you had included one of the most expensive household items–toiletries. Aside from the TP, I wonder how much is the the tooth paste, shampoo (an essential item!), bath soap, laundry soap, dish soap..
Hello Bob, you bring a very impt point–the significant low labor cost. We all know here that if labor is cheap, it means that a worker brings home little money too. This little money is used to purchase household items which maybe cheap to dollar earners. A gallon of ice cream maybe $6. only to a dollar earner but to minimum wage earner, that may mean his day's work. They still have to pay for their fare, round-trip. So there goes the gallon of ice cream.
I am convinced that it is cheaper here in the US. A bus ride here can get me 4 baluts! In the Phil, the bus ride is already equivalent to one balut. True, if you get the peso equivalent of items, they might end more expensive in the US but that's not a good benchmark.
The true benchmark should be how much does an individual is paid for his labor. In the US, an ordinary worker may be able to buy a decent pair of pants, the cost of which is only an hour of his pay. In the Phi, let's assume the worker earns P500 for his 8 hr of work. I doubt if there's a decent pair of pants there that cost only for 62.50 or the equivalent of his hourly rate.
Hi Bob,
Are the wages going up there also? The law of supply and demand dictates that the prices will rise if there is demand for them. If the wages are not going up, the prices will reach a point where they become unaffordable for the common worker, at which point the wage price sprial will stop. Of course, all bets are off if there is an increase in the money supply; sometimes refered to as inflation.
Hello everyone, I quess I would be in a very good position to answer about this article, as I moved here about 2 years ago and had only a slight idea what prices where here beforehand, I am living in the Metro Manila area with my wife (yes I met on the internet) where most say it is more expensive.. But upon arriving here I found it very inexpensive to live here compared to the U S. That includes most everything I want and need… The only thing I really miss here is good quality beef.. You have to go to a 5 star restraunt and pay $50.00 for a good steak.. I can live and eat very good on $900.00 a month that includes my extension every 2 months and a leftover payment I have of $50.00.. I eat alot of meats, vegetables and what ever I choose… I can tell you if you can accept a different culture which consists of wonderful people and can choose to live where you can see how the poor exists happily there should be no problem. Of course you can live in a beautiful ocean front home and be away from the real Philipphines and you will need $3000.00 a month.. I live in a 3 bedroom townhouse, 3 baths, living, dining room, 2 TV's and its a nice quiet neighborhood, with cable,internet,phone,water, electricity I pay about $400.00 per month. The neighbors and us we cook and share are foods sometimes, and even go shopping together. We order food from the local restraunts delivered for about $5.00..(This is a 1/4 pounder, excellent! french fries and drink from Mc Donalds for 2)…(or a chicken dinner for 2).. I pay about $2.50 a pound (1/2 kilo) for Pork Chops that are as good as any in the USA… We Bar BQ the Ribs,, there about the same price… There is no way you could live in the USA and live the way I do here…Period!! It just depends on your character makeup and of what kind of person you are if you can live here. I am a people person and always have been,,,, so I did not give it a second thought. I have found that all people in the world are good, It's just that government and radicals get in the way of the majority of us… If you have traveled any you know what I mean, Bob,, he's always saying how wonderful the people are…And he is indeed right…I am happy here no reason not to be, Yes its a different world here but a good one, and you can truly live much cheaper here than the runaway USA. Toothpaste, shampoo, dish soap, bath soap, laundry soap, the same as any where else……
Hi Bob- Wow, the poor people in R.P, must be really struggling with such high price rises, as I cant imagine wages have kept pace with the rising prices. Also Bob when I watched your house tour video, I was shocked at the house prices where you are in Davao. I'm glad I took the opportunity to buy a couple of blocks of land, out in the provinces, as they have almost tripled in value in just a few years.
Can you put a price on paradise?….I guess so!
When I first moved to the province about two years ago the price of a lechon manok ( roasted chicken ) was 105 piso and the local saleslady was getting anywhere between 90 and 130 piso per day. It didn't take me long to realise that life in the Pines is not as cheap as us aliens think. Yes, products are cheap in the Pines compared to what we earn overseas, I was earning 34,000 piso a week as a salesman. I doubt very much if a sales person gets anywhere near that here in the Pines.
Before we flew to Bangkok a few weeks ago, we were shocked to see the price of a roasted chook in Manila at 250 pesos,LOL.
Now the price is at 145 pesos per chook in the province and wages are pretty much the same as they were 2 years ago.
Hi Bob,
While the consumer price index increased from 2007 to 2009 as you have shown above, please consider exchange rate movements. In 2007 was 46.14 to a dollar while current level is 48.00. This will make the equation somewhat even for expats in the Philippines.
While for us locals, we will just buy more brandy as that's what we can afford 🙂
Cheers!
Hi James – Nice to hear from you. Yes, I know that prices go up, no doubt on that. I am kind of surprised when you say that housing has gone up in the States, though, as everything I hear on the news is the opposite – I always hear that housing prices have fallen through the floor. Since I'm not there, though, I'll take your word for it.
Thanks for visiting, james!
Hi AussieLee – Long time! No, rice was not on the original list, and I only priced the same items I priced before, so no rice. Rice, though, after a huge price spike, has recovered to a much more "normal" level. I don't drink, so the alcohol is not a necessity for me! 😀
Hi AmericanLola – I agree, I feel really bad for the local folks, they must really be suffering!
Hi Bob – Thanks for your comment. I agree that a lot of items here are priced very similarly to what you pay in the States. US farming is among the most efficient in the world, and keep food prices low in the USA.
Hi Lloyd – What you say about spending less and getting higher quality goods is something I have heard from many friends who are back in the US after living here for a fairly long term. They always tell me that the Philippines is no longer the cheap place to live, as it used to be.
Electricity here is among the highest in the world!
Hi hudson – Wages are not really going up. Problem is that your statement does not ring true about "a point at which the wage price spiral will stop." The problem is that most families here are not so dependent on wages earned here, but on OFW remittances! So the Filipinos overseas have to work harder and harder, keep less money for themselves, and send more home. Mama in the province needs to send more family overseas to supplement income here. The brain drain spirals out of control!
Hi lenny2000 – If you could see the price changes I've seen in nearly a decade here, I think you'd be quite surprised. I agree that things are still affordable, but when things increase by 100% per year, it doesn't take long for things to get way out of balance.
I am very happy, though, that you are enjoying your life in Manila!
Hi Boss – Yep, prices going up, most salaries are stagnant. It's hard for that to be sustainable without major problems!
Hi manny – Dollar/Peso exchange is no part of this equation. That would make the comparison apples and oranges. This is an apple/apple comparison. Price in Pesos 2+ years ago compared to now. If I want to make the comparison that you are mentioning, I can compare to 4 years ago or so when the Peso was 56 to the dollar…. that would make the price inflation MUCH worse!
One thing that is cheaper is garlic, but as they say the proof is in the pudding. The garlic I get in Florida is horribly bitter compared the stuff I get here. Also keep in mind fruits and vegetables in Davao are for the most part locally grown where in the states it's imported from Guatemala mostly these days. As far as I can figure Pork and Poultry here are still raised on farms whereas in the states "factory farming" has held sway for decades. Anyone who ventures to Salisbury, Md. and sees the Purdue farms will be put off chicken for months. The factory farmed stuff is pumped with antibiotics and growth hormones. I figure the stuff raised in the Philippines is as close to "organic" as it gets. Anyhow yes inflation is rampant everywhere, makes me thankful I got a 7.5% pay rise this year.
Wow! Now i'm not wondering why even if i have doubled my remittances to my family, they still were never able to save!
Here in Dubai prices has gone up also. It's only the real estate industry that crashed but everything seems to be how it was, food prices going up and the fact that the metro train is operating now, they also increased the fare on on all public conveyances except taxis.
Bob, I really am interested in this subject, and while I haven't written for awhile, I wanted to add my comment. It is really hard for me to believe that it is more expensive to live in the Philippines than the U.S. I don't know where you can rent a place as big and nice as your's in the U.S. for $700 a month! Also, in Illinois, you go to the Doctor, they see you for 5-10 minutes, and it's $100 or more. Lasik eye surgery costs about $4000, but one of my brother-in laws had it done last year in Cebu for $800! I think the basic health care in Davao is much better. So, overall I know you can live much cheaper in the Philippines. Plus the quality of life is better. I know that the social and moral standards are better. I could go on and on, but the U.S. has some really bad problems. It isn't just the economy. All you have to do, is watch the news. Actually, for my family, it isn't just about economics. Plus you don't have heating bills, and you never need a snowshovel!
Well Bob,
Maybe you will have to change the title of your book? RETIRE LIKE A PRINCE instead of a King?……:0……i2f
Rey, That is what I meant. I know that for the Filipinos food s expensive. That is why when we go there, that is what we spend the most money on, FOOD! My wife has some business ventures there already, so we have some work for our family. The ones that work hard, reap the benefits. When I get there, I don't plan to work hard, or at all,ha, ha!
Brandy at 67 pesos is no bargain when you factor in the medical cost later on.
For 15 years I’ve always heard about the Peso to the USD and just give it no attention. When I transfer money from the US, I wait and shop for the best rate. Why? Because it’s just plain smart to do so.
The vendor in the market has no idea that my wife is living off USD, as all she carries are pesos. Yes the price at the market is going up. There is nothing I can do about it, except buy smarter and wiser. I remember 23 Pesos to the USD, and it was still cheaper to live here!
Garlic being cheaper is good, brspiritus… at least you can keep the aswangs away with it! 😉
Hi james – Yeah, I kind of figured that, but I had heard that rent was cheaper too. But, like I say, I have no first hand information on it, though.
Hi Rey – Funny how that words, don't you think? Even with double the remittance, still a struggle to survive. I really do feel for Filipino families trying to get by.
Bob;
One up-man-ship? My first trip here in the early 70's it was 8 peso to the USD, and beer at a Sari-Sare was 40 centavos. Can you buy anything now for 50 centavos?
Hi Rey,
I came across an inspiring article from Bo Sanchez on this issue, he truthfully said in one of his talks to HK OFW's :"I scolded them, "When you left the Philippines, you told your kids, 'Anak, two years of separation lang 'to. After two years, Mommy will have saved enough and will go home and we'll be together again.' But after two years, you go home and you haven't saved. Because you repainted the house. Because there's a new TV set in the living room and a new gas range in the kitchen. Because the kids have new designer rubber shoes." Then he go on "I told them, "It's not enough to just save. You need to know where to put your money. Because savings accounts at 1% and time deposits at 5% won't do. Inflation – which is at 7% – will simply eat them up."
Simple living and wisdom, I'm trying to learn from this site from the point of view of our friends.
Brspiritus
You make a good point about American meat being all hybrid and pumped full of growth stimulants. I forget the exact numbers on chicken but 20 years ago it took 4 lbs of feed to put a pound of gain on a pig now with the hybrid pigs they are down to 2.8 pounds of feed to a pound of gain. 20 years ago 125 bushels an acre was considered a good corn crop were I grew up. Now farmers are disappointed if the yield I less than 200 bushels an acre. While this has help immensely in keeping food prices down in the US the taste and nutritional value has suffered. Nobody notices here because they have not tasted anything raised the old way anymore. But for my wife who moved to the US in 2004 she says the hybrid vegetables do not taste as good as back in the Philippines.
American Lola pointed out something I've observed and inferred. People from the provinces who are living very simple lives subsisting by growing their own food, trading for other goods or services (exchanges that do not involve currency) are by our standards living in poverty. But to me it is just simple living in a clean environment without the traps of marketing and materialism found in the urban areas. Of course it's hard work making your own food and fixing rather than buying new things.
I've met a few of the masses who used all their savings to go to the city (Manila). What they find is higher cost of living, few jobs and too many people with the same dream, and no money to get back to the province. The lure (false perception) of a better material life in the city resulted in exchanging simple yet sustainable living for filth and poverty. Add to the this the vast differences in living conditions between the wealthy and the poor (just look out over Makati from a balcony or take a ride over to Taguig's new and old parts) and my advice to all from the provinces — STAY THERE!!
When I move to Philippines I will be going semi-native in the provinces….and I can hardly wait!!!
Hi Jon – I would tend to agree with everything you say. Except that I have no desire to go native, or even "semi-native". 😉
Hi Bob
I read your artical. and then reread it. Then I got the paper here, and looked at the prices here in one store, yes it much cheaper in the P I. I dont care what is said, it will always be cheaper to live in the P I. It is has been my belief that not paying rent leaves you with a lot extra money no matter where you are.
Kenney
I'm here to stay Bob getting a small business started now so thing will even out in the long run …Phil n Jess
Hi Kenney – I don't believe it is possible to say that it will "always" be cheaper to live here. I agree it is cheaper now. Back in the 50's and 60's even into the 70's, though, living in Japan was dirt cheap, just like the Philippines has been. It is now one of the most expensive places in the world. So to say "always" is simply unsupportable. Who knows, in 20 or 50 years the Philippines could be more expensive than the USA.
So Bob, w/ all these prices skyrocketing in the Phils, that means i still have to work for a few more yrs (another 2-3 yrs, maybe) before i can go home for good since my mother also depended on my remittances OH MY GOODNESS!!!I'm still lucky though since i never rent a house and i'm going to have my pension cover soon so i guess i'm safe ……but i'm really saddened to all my countrymen who only live on their extra income, how they're going to survived specially if they have lot's of children…tsk!tsk!tsk! I HOPE THE GOV'T PUSH THE 1 CHILD POLICY AND I'M ALL FOR IT….
Hi All,
Yes, it's kind of scary for sure, and most of all for the local people earning local money. On the other hand, I'd sure love to be paying those kind of prices here in the UK. Our household food budget has changed from £70 to £100 per week in the last two years…and that's for more or less exactly the same things.
The bottom line is that supply and demand plays a significant part in this equation too. As soon as the demand drops off the product either disappears from the shelves, or the retailer finds a way to buy/sell it cheaper. I think this kind of showed itself to an extent in your trip to Cebu a few months ago too, where you noticed that many things were available in the shops that you couldn't see in Davao. That's also what's behind the "no shipment" thing frequently heard in shops too. To a degree that translates to "little customer pressure to order it". (Those tinly little sachets of shampoo too…little demand for big bottles)! It will certainly be interesting to watch how things pan out over the long term, but I do feel for the people who can't afford. And also for the people who never could afford, the Kalagan tribe for example, who live mainly from root vegetables, rice long since having been way out of their reach.
Interesting
No condition will remain the same forever.
From the late 1970's to the early nineties hundreds of thousands of people moved to Spain from the UK. Many of these people were recently retired and were motivated to make the move by the abundant sunshine and more importantly, by the vastly cheaper way of living.
This situation has turned around completely and many of these people are now struggling to make ends meet in Spain with small state pensions from the UK. Sadly the vast majority are unable to move back to the UK as house prices have shot up in the last thirty years or so. This situation is currently getting a lot of media attention in the UK. It is safe to say that the vast majority of these people from the the UK were from the working class. It is also safe to say that most of them have a grim future.
Perhaps the advice I am giving here is "never say never".
Best
Jody
Hi Stevo, definitely that's where most of the money goes, food. I told my wife never ever to scrimp with foods on my kids, but then again, even she herself cannot live without all those in between snacks and yeah, jolibee. 😀
Hello Bob, For me, my desire to live in the Philippines is not really about lower cost of living. I love the more laid back atmosphere and higher moral standards than in the States. Even though Dagupan is a city, the pace is slower. More friendly. And there is nothing like waking up with a rooster outside the window. Can’t have that here with zoning laws. With the cost of living rising we will just make sure we have a good secure business.
Hi David – My desire to live in the Philippines is not about cost of living either.
Bob,
Good article & you can see it's had a great many reponses.
Visited the Philippines for the 1st time last October & took away some pro's & con's.To me personal security & the filipino way off life mean the Philipines are a place I would recommend to anyone to visit. The tourist marketing people though need shot as the rest off Asia sells itself far better.
Even though I don't think I will retire their I still enjoy your site very much.
Feel sorry for the people on local wages with that level off inflation.Hopefully prices will come back down, but historically that never seems to happen.
Will expats just retire somehwere else like central america?
Michael