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Cheap

LOL mugtech and I agree for us is under half the cost compared to Australia and we live just as well if not better.

To Cheryl, the OP and thanks for the annual update.

Renting or purchasing depends on where you want to land and of course budget, how long is a piece of string? We own so never think about those costs but when we lived in Manila and rented a 3 bed condo it was cheap, like AU 600 per month, that was 13/4 years ago so not relative.

Food costs the same, depends on your budget and desires. Public transport is cheap as chips, what country can you jump on an A/C bus and travel for 7 hours for under P700 or US 12 bucks?

Saying all this we still manage to spend P 100/120K per month, no power bill, own everything, we do drink and smoke like burning tyres but over all less than half the cost compared to Australia.

We retired here so the better half was closer to family and works well for us.

Municipal rates/property tax here is about P 4.4K or AU 120 per year for absolute beachfront while Australia? Perish the thought would be at least AU 10K per year for a similar property. Phone, internet, Netflix and gas around P 3.5K per month. A 6 day a week livein caretaker that does everything from digging, painting, mopping floors, washing and folding, cooking on occasion, cleaning up all the dog droppings,,,,,,, the list goes on and a self starter and motivated, P 9.6K per month, we pay his PhilHealth, food and personal needs so maybe P 11/12K per month for a machine that doesn't stop for say AU 320 per month. We pay him well and he looks after us.

No Kids but 2 large Labradors that like us eat very well and with vet fees I would allow P 8K per month,,,,,, bit like kids I suppose,,,,,, until university.

Car and 2 bikes maybe P 700 per month, car insurance around P 1.5 K per month, Fuel for all maybe P 2K per month.

Leasure activities? We have the beach, 2 dogs and peripherals, no real cost.

We only have PhilHealth, For me P 17K per year, our caretaker and Ben P 6K per year each, all else self funded, I have posted on these cost before in other threads.

Groceries again depends on individual needs but for 3 of us and 2 large dogs I suppose we spend P 40K per month at the supermarkets, wet market, vegetable vendors and sari stores per month, Chuck on top of that alcohol and cigarettes but we won't go there.

As mugtech suggests, cheap especially compared to western countries.

Cheers, Steve.   

if you want to live like western countries in NCR/metro Manila for be a bit confortable the place is Expansive and your budget will be at least 35k pesos. but if you can find a room in barangay will down to 20k but for a simple life as eat and sleep.

now if you wanna have a bit fun life,i nto say to party every day buèt to hangout twice a week and to eat outside lunch and dinner would be 50k month average.

For le and i m simple a budget of 60k would be ok for a confotable condo 25-35sqm and good food + average hangout

the people who will said you can live there for 200-300$ month are the one who lie or never go to Manila.

i live there for 15 years and it made u understand why life are hard for Filipino in thaty area with an average low salary of 13-17k

after if you go to live in a city in province that is not tourist one,you can live simple with 20k and good with 30-35k

If u go for Holidays only and to enjoy count a budget of 20k/week

@Corsica Sia

I would only offer my opinion to your figures having also lived in Manila for a year 12/14 years ago the rent @ 25K, the power bill @ 4 to 5K per month, food water and peripherals 20K per month, taxis, tricycles, jeepneys, MRT, PNR etc. 2K per month. Eating out 10 to 20K per month, entertainment 5 to 10K per month, our budget was 80K per month and that was 14 years ago.

Here for 6 years in La Union with no rent, home owners, an SUV and 2 bikes, no power bills as we are stand alone with solar our monthly budget is about P 110 to 120K but that includes a fulltime caretaker/employee 6 days a week.

People saying they live on US 2 or 3 hundred bucks per month is cods wallop and even US 1K per month is a stretch and probably an interesting existence.

While only my opinion the Philippines is not as cheap as many think and should have a base figure of US 2K  or AU 3K plus to live a comfortable life here per month.

The Philippines is a choice whether costs/family/culture and for some escape. You want cheap there are plenty of other countries.

End of the day we live very comfortably here in PH for half the cost of Australia and I have a very happy better half living a half hour drive from family.

As a single man? I would be still living in Oz.

Cheers, Steve.