Apologies for the upload hiatus Savvy Expats! We're going to be pumping out a lot of content in the coming weeks so please leave your personal suggestions under this thread :)
Please!!! Review the private schools in BGC🎓✏️📚 We have to submit applications for our 2 Highschool schools. We are moving by the start of the 2023-2024 school year!!!!
I really like living in Makati. I enjoy the Chinese and Korean and Japanese expats. They are kind and generous. I don't just love the Western lifestyle, but the great Asian guys you can meet here as well who live a great Asian lifestyle. I think I live on much less than what you say you need, but it's because I bought a cute condo here and I also live 50% of my time in provinces eating local cuisine.
$3000 if an expat stay or live in BGC or Taguig. But that's only a tiny portion of the vast land of the Philippine, outside of BGC or Taguig an expat can still live a western lifestyle in other areas on a much much cheaper lifestyle, $2000 or less, in such places as Subic bay or Clark City, Davao City, Cebu, Dumaguete, Baguio City ,etc.
Hi Evan, Good video. I also like BGC and how easy it can be to not even realize your in the Philippines when there. Don't get me wrong I love the Philippines, the people, food and culture. I guess sometimes it's nice to also feel like I'm back home and BGC allows me to do that. So it's a nice change when I go there. The costs are definitely higher but with that comes all the conveniences. Maybe one day I will have a condo there. However, I also like Mandaluyong and SM Light with the mall downstairs and mega mall and ShangriLa mall very close. The weekends in Greenfield district park with the foods and music. I truly think theres a place for all westerners to find thier happiness in the Philippines. Makati and BGC are top notch for sure and appeal to many westerners. Keep up the great videos.
I lived in ilocos Norte in a 2 bedroom house on a nice lot behind a bamboo huts creek. Rent was $67 a month. Cigarettes were $1 a pack. Total monthly expenses including weekly trips to Palawan was less than $600 per month.
Have you considered picking a condo building and showing the difference in pricing between a one bedroom and a four bedroom in the same building, then maybe picking an older building more on the outskirts of BGC and doing the same again? That might help guide some expectations!
Having spent my life avoiding living in the larger cities around the world, I don't think I could handle such a "Western Life Style". I'm planning on retiring to the Philippines to get away from the big city type areas. Simple but with the major necessities easy to travel to, if needed, is just fine for relaxing and resting up between my other travels. Otherwise, city life would be a notable cost increase and still a bargain for most expats! Looking forward to your other content (I really liked the one covering the ares with more temperate climate). Stay safe.
If I have that type of money in my retirement I wouldn't need to leave the United States . A 1500 to 2000 dollar a month pension should be more than enough to live well . BGC is just a large compound and once you're outside of it you're in the normal life . You can get a nice place in cavite and westernize it with all the amenities for relatively cheap. A 300 sqm compound with a 7 ft security wall around it can be turned into a very nice place with an average size house of 100 sqm and a 30 sqm garage/shop .the rest of the property can be fruit trees and a garden with an area for chickens in the back of the compound. So at 5k a month you can have this all done in a year and retire in style. Of course you need to be married with an iron clad prenuptial agreement that balances out the property ownership issue and division of assets if a separation occurs.
@@ericpowell4350 perhaps but inflation is cyclical and rises and falls as we have seen. The current administrations tax and spend philosophy is un sustainable and the true powers that be will be turning it around soon. I know one thing and that staying in the states right now is a downhill slide for retirees who only have their pension and can't work to subsidies it .
@@jerbysanto only way is to put in under a 60/40 corporate where majority owner is Filipino but that’s too much trouble. Otherwise almost impossible to own land even if your married to a Filipina it’s only under their name
One retirement lifestyle option you can do with this level of budget is to combine city and countryside life. I'm 65 years old retiree living in Cebu City. I live in a condo attached to a first class mall (300 shops which basically caters for my shopping and dining needs) with four hospitals nearby for healthcare. I also maintain a house in an island to get away from city life when I need a change in scenery (nature, farm, white beach, and fishing).
I lived there for a few months staying at the raffles in makati for $4500 a month and spent about $2000 a month on food/entertainment/shopping. Sometimes I’ll check out and try other hotels or Airbnb in places like Gremacy. I was living Great.
Having the same kind of life in China is actually more expensive than most median sized cities in US...excluding the health insurance and the labor cost to fix/reno stuffs. Don't know if this is the same in the Philippines. The main difference is labor and service cost.
Of course! This is sometimes the case in the Philippines for certain goods and services. It's because getting western quality things come at a premium here (as it is in China.)
The biggest reason for Chinese cities being too overpriced is because of Property bubbles all over China. I have been to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau multiple times. Except for Housing and Property expenses, everything else is very reasonable in China. Too me it makes Zero sense apartments In Beijing, Shanghai or Shenzhen costs more than in Los Angeles, Seoul, SF, Chicago or most American cities while average Americans make over 3 times more salary then average Chinese. Most Chinese make less then $30K per year, while most Americans make over $100K in LA, SF, and NY CITY. China in the midst of biggest global property bubble collapse since Japanese Housing collapse of 1990. It will get very ugly in China next 5 years. I really do feel sorry for average Chinese, who has to suffer because of mismanagement of CCP, XI JINPING and corrupt local officials inflating land prices last 30 years. China had awesome Goldilocks period from 1979 to 2020. Now, XI JINPING can’t stop the collapse of 70 trillion dollars Property bubble in China. I recommend sell your overpriced properties in China ASAP and buy cheap properties in Manila asap
Good morning my friend. Very nice video and very good information too. Coming from Hawaii, Philippines seems very overwhelming. Hawaii is so small compared to the Philippines. I personally never lived in the mainland US. I did visit relatives in California and Oregon. I definitely need to visit BGC soon. Your videos are a great help in making me want to go to the Philippines. It appears to be a lot safer there and cleaner. Thank you always for your time.
Hi Norman. Yes, BGC is a lot cleaner and safer than most other parts of the Philippines. For first time expats like yourself, I highly recommend setting up home base here 👍
Tuli, Another great video. I am a low maintenance retired American male. I live in Malate and love the area. I have nearly everything l need within walking distance to my condo. Malate is very westernized. I am not a real beach person. I enjoy dining out often. I love movies and some shopping but l am definitely not a shopaholic. I can live decently on about $1000 to $1200 USA dollars a month, but my condo is fully paid for and l have no rent. My power bill is about p3000 a month. My water bill is about p300 a month. Eating out is cheap and l do my own laundry and hang the laundry in our drying room. I walk a lot but taxies are very cheap. I have owned a car in the province, but l would never dare drive in Manila. Internet is cheap and cable is also very cheap. If l need more of the adventures of Manila, it is just a short and expensive taxi ride away. I also love the province. In Marinduque l can also live very cheaply. The Head of the House of Representatives,(Alan Vallasco) is from the next town or so over ours in the province. His father, Presbitero, is a former Philippine Supreme Court Justice and is now the recently reelected Governor of the single province island. The province of Marinduque is often considered the HEART of the archipelago. I have the best of both worlds available to me. If l want to spend more than $1200, l can avail of even more of the island's treasures. I believe that $3000 a month could provide for all of our needs and almost all of our wants. The islands of paradise offer a very lost cost for everyday living. Thank you for sharing a very interesting video. Stay well and be blessed.
Most American expats(retirees) I think would prefer living in a quiet suburban environment. Even though BGC got all the amenities. I prefer to drive to the place where I want to go, whether eating out western or local food or doing something else to keep me entertained while I am retired.
Tu, Thank you for your awesome videos. I really love you videos on education and American lifestyles. I also love your focus on safety. Thank you for this and many other videos. Stay well! How about a video on drug stores. Many expats are on a large number of maintenance medications. Be blessed...
Honestly, I have a hard time spending $5k per month in So Cal as I don’t have a mortgage. Can’t imagine trying to spend that kind of money in Philippines.
I am retired military officer living in Orange County, California. I have previously visited Manila and Boracay over 25 years ago while serving as young military officer. I still have a kid attending USC in LA as Junior and would love to move out of USA after my kid graduate from the university. I have multiple pensions and streams of income from military, VA, SSA and dividends and rental properties that adds up to $27,000 per month. Where do you recommend to live in Manila that provides similar standard of living as Orange County CALIFORNIA. But safety of my family is paramount. We currently spend over $18,000 per month in California on living expenses. Which isn’t unusual for people in OC where rent prices are over $5000 monthly in for 5 bedroom single family homes. I would like to keep spending down to under $6k to $7K per month if I decide to live in Manila or Cebu
It is good you highlighted reality but i would like to have the best of both worlds. Enjoying the East & West kind of way, not only the budget part but actually living life. No intention to duplicate back home here but a quality lifestyle and enjoying the local atmosphere as well. Cheers
Finally ! Even if this post vlog is a year old it is spot on today 2024 I always said BGC was and still is oversold by UA-camrs and missing key facts Evan now nails it to the realistic point. Thank you And to add money values as a Canadian my 1K is PHP 40K. You as a US expat 1K is PHP 56K and to those of you spread out all across the pond your 1000 Euro is PHP 61K So if you are working where you are 3K is the cost of living. Noted 👍 But if you are retired coming to enjoy retirement while the income is coming from a pension or 2, you have some fun monies, then thats another dimension. Your 3K can be downsized a bit only if you want. Cheers 👍
BGC is beautiful, but too Western for me. If you don't leave BGC you would think you were in downtown Chicago (ok, maybe not:) ), but it's much more "safe and sterile". I like Makati because it is a combo of both the West and Asia. But the traffic sucks! :) I also like Malaysia a lot. If you get a chance have your family fly into Singapore and take a bus to Melacca, KL, Penang. It is easy to take local buses and just get off to spend a couple days in each town/city. Almost everyone speaks English. The food is amazing. And it's a cheap vacay...
Agree totally. I came here to escape the anodine, copycat CBDs and downtowns of cities that look pretty much the same everywhere. That's why I live in a Dumaguete seafront apartment. All the western lifestyle, but interacting with the locals - and at half the price.
The two most upscale locations in the Philippines seem to be very likely BGC and Makati, and they are right next to each other, so I will live there! 👍 But I am interested in hearing more about Cebu City and Mactan Newtown. Also more about Clark Freeport (Clark Global City). 🛐😁
Great video Evan. You make some great points. I guess it all depends on how Western you want to get. Some people can live a simple life and eat the local foods. But I think most people from the US needs Western foods and amenities. Either way, it's getting more expensive everywhere.
I can stay off western food for the most part as Im asian american so I can adapt easily to the foods in the PH. But amenities yeah more towards western standards. Are u korean by chance? That surname is usually a korean one
$5000 per month is perfectly doable if you're a retired career federal worker because not only do you have a nice federal pension, but there's also thrift savings and social security added in.
I didn’t know Bacolod is one of the cities you would recommend for expats to live in. Could you do a video on Bacolod City? One of the things I like about the Philippines is the Filipino people are family oriented, kind of like how the USA was in the 50s. I also find it seems like a lot of the Filipino people are humble people. That is refreshing to me. I am here in the State of Iowa and it is nice but some people can be rude
Jon, iloilo city is better than bacolod, I hear. They are fairly close. Investigate both.....I come from the South. I can tell you even we are getting frazzled by awful Biden, inflation, divisive weirdos, etc. American niceness is eroding into a pile of stress.
It's much, much cheaper there. I can live very well on 2700 a month, with a lot of extras. When I spend 3,000 I'm the King.. I don't understand those who say 1,000 like a King. You can live but not great.
Thanks for insight for BGC and Makati. I am just starting to look around at cities where I would like to move to. If you could dive deeper into Cebu and the other 2 cities that would fantastic and most appreciated. Later on if you do the same for Cavite City (by the coast), Dumaguete and Palawan this would be great also. I know that I am asking for a ton of information. If you can't do this, could you refer me to a video on these? Thank you
Wow. Amazing. I just returned home (Atlanta) from two weeks in the Philippines. Btw, I liked in Chicago 14 months working on a project. Chicago is incredible, but too cold. Cebu was the first stop. I worked remotely for few days with no connectivity issues I could not work around. I hit some tourist spots, I hit the malls and I then visited non tourist areas. Then to Cagayan de Oro with friends for a different feel. I enjoyed Cagayan de Oro quite a bit. We had an awesome lechon festival. Then on to Manila. I too enjoyed Manila and the surrounding areas. Cebu feels right for me. I am in the early stages of planning the expat experience. I don't see myself retiring in the US. Being a software nerd, working remotely makes it little easier for me. Next time, I will stay for at least a month to get a better feel. Your videos are of great value. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Great video! I never really considered the Philippines since I’ve heard from many that it’s not so safe. Because of the safety issue I was primarily looking at Thailand and Taiwan. I wonder how the Philippines compares.
Having lived in Thailand and the Phils, no question at all that the Phils is a much more dangerous place. Tons of guns all over, desperate people. Taiwan would be better than both the others, but not as affordable and China looms. Check out Bali, it is quite liveable.
Depends what you mean by SAFE On the roads way overcrowded no rules or what there is few obey. If you crime murder etc USA is far worse. I would not feel safe many places in USA! Lived un Philippines many Years.
Thanks for helping me combat the $1500/mo claims. I'm finding rent is that much in in cities like Subic. Don't forget about inflation effects too. Costs could double in 10 years or so. That may mean eating more coconut and fish 😆
Agree with you Alan. I live near Subic. In my own owned home (no rent) $2k or Peso 100k Good live style. For peace of mind you need very big cash reserves to pay hospital when needed, self insured. Good heath insurance very expensive as we get older, cheaper ones low payment limit. Not worth having.
Understandable Jonathan. Again, your budget will depend on your personal lifestyle. If your settling down for the first in a city like BGC, $5k / month is nothing out of the ordinary.
Everyone is different , i got back here in Feb. my budget is $4700 a month so far i only made my budget last month. I own my own condo and do not drink. I spend my money on travel.
So what do you think is reasonable budget with utilities and rent for a 1 bedroom in BGC? I keepnseeing video for $700 a month rent and $400 utilities. I I live very simply and don't do much. So I was thinking $2000 a month would sufice
Yeah $3K a month in the Philippines while trying to live a Western lifestyle is the minimum especially if you have not sort out your housing expenses, that right there is the biggest cost you'll have per month. So, I just bought a house near Manila to get rid of that and although I won't collect SS yet till another 3yrs, I will carry over my US business while in the Philippines to help me with my budget, so I don't go broke (LOL). I have two kids in college and my wife so it's manageable for now. Otherwise, it would be a different story without $$ coming in while retiring in P.I.
I live a high quality life style here in Philippines. I live in the province and go to Makati when I want the western life style. I live like an American in the province with al the modern items you need. When I choose to come to city we go to 5 starts hotels and enjoy all the things the city offer. but living in province we owe our own home. have no bills except utilities. So our money goes way faster because we save more. we prefer doing it this way. Living in BGC is just like living in a big city in the USA. And if thats what you want why not just stay in your home country. granted it is cheaper here but like you said not dirt cheap. Not many foreigners have a 5K monthly budget. But I think you are right on with that amount to live well here in city.
@@packohub1145 sorry but I would eat my kwek kwek and get fat. I’m retired with good net monthly income. I don’t need to start a business and stress. All I want is a simple life in the country with at least 20 acres.
You can live comfortably with that retirement of yours in the US, as well. I'm a filipina currently residing in a small town in Georgia, 2 hours away from Atlanta. I loved it here. I love the country and laid back lifestyle. People around our small town owned acres and acres of land. I'd love to live part of our time in the US and the other half in the Philippines :) .
I've watched sooo many of these types of videos and so far, NONE of them talk about kids. Many retirees move to PI and become step-daddies. My experience ( my wife has 4 kids) it will cost a hell-of-a-lot more than 5k per month what with the cost of school, school projects, clothing, meidcal, etc. My wife and I have been married going on 13 years. We've raised her 4 kids to become good people and members of society and now, we're raising a granddaughter as well so the cycle starts all over again. I'm not begrudging the facts, but I'm 71 and still working. Can you do a video regarding ex-pats with "surprises?"
Suggestions? Hmm how about moving to the Philippines with a family? Your always showing one bedroom condos or studio apartments, what about 3 to 4 bedroom homes around BGC? Just a suggestion, great videos by the way 👍🏾🇵🇭
No offense but for $5K/mo I'd rather live in the US. The thing with top tier US cities is the suburbs/surrounding cities are actually more preferable and cheaper than the city itself, so you can find great deals 10-30 minutes away. You really only drive into the city for concerts/shopping/sports/eating once in a while. 5K/mo is a very comfortable lifestyle in those places in the US, of which there are MANY to choose from. - WW
Your $5K can be used in the US to hire a full time maid and driver and massages in high end Spas at a cost of $30 per session? And what about property taxes? In the Philippines property tax is the cost of a dinner plus Tip in the US.
I am thinking of moving there and from what I can tell $1500 will be enough to live a comfortable life and if I can make 2k a month I will have extra. Do you think this is true?
Awesome again!!!!! Bro, you have been in BGC for a minute now what schools do you recommend for us with small k-12 families? Again, doing awesome! love the channel! Super helpful!
Yeah sure if you’re an expat around your age you would need 3k to 5k and live in the city. If you’re a retiree, why the heck would leave the US for example and move to the Philippines and live in the city? Retiring means slowing down and therefore they would like to live in the smaller city. Your title should have mentioned ideal budget for very young expats living a western lifestyle in the Philippines
Hi, great video! Could you dive deeper into Cebu City? I'm a single father to a 5 year old who will be starting kindergarten in August. Would be nice to see a difference between public and private schools, downtown Cebu compared to living on the beach, how much on average the differences will cost, is there a happy medium, etc. This could even apply to BGC and Makati if you think it would be a good idea to add those too. Maybe make a video for single parents of young children 5 years old and up. Thanks!
private schools are usually in 20k-50k pesos per semester. depending on how prestigeous the school. international schools cost more, maybe 100k? dont know since my pocket wont let me even bother researching 😂😂 and lastly public is free (but still have some fees but not much). downtown cebu in the ITpark area, would be roughly 80% of what BGC budget is.. cebu is very bad in terms of traffic though.. roads are too small. even national roads outside the city. but if youre staying in the bubble of IT park, i guess that wont be much of a problem.
Yes!!! I’m begging for a video in private schools as well. Evan doesn’t seem to be reading comments this far down. I hope we can get more people to comment about requesting a private school review.
Good day to all Fyi I just found mercer listing for 2022 Of most / least expensive cities in world Manila was ranked 122 Montreal and Athens 125 and 126 And Kuala Lumpur number 181 Hong Kong #1 most expensive And Ankara #227 least expensive And Kuala Lumpur is much cleaner and lower crime
@@TheSavvyExpat You guys are right on , i am at $4,700 and loving life here , travel all over the place and enjoy this beautiful country filled with wonderful people.
I liked your video. And as I read some comments below I see there's some disagreement but there's one thing we can all agree on, is the more money you have, the better you can live. When I get there, I will travel and live in many places. Like a month here a month there. So I'm bringing as much money as I can. Mucho dinero. !!! Lol !!! 🤑🤑🤑
Evan, Great Video as Always and to speak to us who don't live on Social Security. I'm on $15-25k month in California, so when I spend $5-10K / month when I am in the Philippines and get 10X the service, no problem. I love the Philippines!!!!!! Massage every day, driver to take me everywhere, people say hello and not worried about getting my head blown off with a gun. Please keep telling us how to live the good life in the Philippines. Not how to live in a hole in the ground for $800/month. You are a God send to everyone as many people think I can live in the Philippines for $800 / month. Bunch of BS. I saw an expat who listened to that garbage met a Filipina and now is screwed because of all the misinformation of those low-life click bait bloggers gave.
Try Makati Diamond hotel in Makati when you land first night. I couldn't find one thing wrong with this hotel :). It's right across the street from Greenbelt Mall. Definitely a nice decompression from long flight. I've usually stayed in Makati. Next trip in December, I'm booking a month stay in BGC. Love your content.
So I'm looking for a month vacation, so for me and my wife (flight not included) I can ball out with 5000$ usd per person? I have 9 kids ages 0-14 I will budget as if they are adults so am I more then good 5000 per person?
my net is over 6k however I plan on spending a lot less I have a nice place in Eastwood with a big kitchen it is only around 1300. And that is fine for me. I am coming to Manila to save money because the US is so expensive to rent atm. I was going to go to Latin America however there has been a lot of push back against digital nomads. And manila is used to people coming there from all over it's a global business center.
A US salary of $100,000 after taxes is around $6,000/month. If you're saving for retirement then take home would be about $5000 per month maybe a little more. In the Phillipines what would be the equivalent of a $100,000 US salary?
Can’t wait to move back to Samal island. Im looking at 4-5 yrs. & hoping it pans out right. I just want to live life and not worry about a mortgage or bills
I like your videos, Evan, but your terminology is sometimes misleading. What you describe here is not a Western lifestyle; it's a LUXURY lifestyle. Barely anybody lives like that in the US or Western Europe. You can live a somewhat Western life in the Philippines for much less than $3000, even in big cities. It also depends on how well you handle your money and where you shop. Many offers in the Philippines are of terrible value these days. They charge prices like in the West but can't deliver remotely the same quality. The best value proposition of countries like the Philippines is: that you get about 80% of the Western quality for a fraction of the price. If someone has $3000 to $5000 per month to burn, other countries are likely better value! Even some in the West.
Try staying in Hawaii where rent is $3k alone the philippines is a steal for $3k/month. What Evan is listing is market prices of what the demand pays. You probably have never been to the ph so your just going on opinion
Unless they have very special reasons to do so, people who can afford to spend $5000 a month in retirement don't aspire to lead a western lifestyle in the Philippines. They can do that in the west easily and comfortably. People who move to cheaper countries in retirement want to live cheaply unless they have family or other interests in the Philippines that draw them there in the first place
Love your vids. Newish sub here. I have a question(s) vaccination, do I need to enter? I heard a guy only needed to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days then was cleared after being fine. Any truth to that you may know? Thanks!
I haven't been updated with the recent immigration rules but from what it seems things are less strict nowadays. I believe you don't need a vaccination card anymore to enter.
@@TheSavvyExpat Wow. Please update us on that! does this depend which airport you land at? Well, please update when you know, it means a lot. Thank you!
@@TheSavvyExpat i just got back to the us. spent one month in the province 4 hours north of manila. all i needed was a vax card and the one health pass. no problems.
I'm retired with $3,800 a month in pension. My home is paid for and I have a 2022 truck paid for. I can live just as well here as I can they're the only difference is I'm missing the ocean lol. My hangup with moving somewhere like this for retirement is not being able to own my home. If I could buy a house in the Philippines I'd leave next month lol.
Is this Ideal Western Budget between $3000-$5000.00 you are talking about is referred to only 1 Person or can it be for multiple individuals like a family of 4?
Hey, Do me a favor? I'm in a wheelchair spinal injury not age. Anyway will you please do a video on wheelchair accessibility in BGC and other cities in the Philippines. Sidewalk cutouts. Condo and restaurant accessibility ? Are there wheelchair taxis?
sidewalks in bgc are comparable to major cities in the west. so yes. you will get by no problem, but sadly i havent heard of any wheelchair taxis. i do however saw an e-wheelchair running at maybe 15mph. now if you go out in the BGC/makati area... sidewalks do sometimes disappear(some will have an extention of their house on the road), or a bunch of illegally park vehicles will block the sidewalks which will force you to go down the road. that being said, as chaotic the drivers in manila are. i dont think anyone would ran you over if you are on the road. unless its really an accident (loss of brake or something)
I live very well on $5,000 a month. But avoid condos in cebu city, they are overpriced shoeboxes. My wife and I bought a 3 bedroom 2 bath house in Tungkil. Large, with every amenity. I am the only foreigner in my subdivision. I try to avoid other expats.
How's the air quality in BGC and Makati? I'm in Singapore this week and it draws a stark contrast to the air quality of Cebu, where I've been living for years. I'm looking for a higher standard of living and my budget is effectively unlimited. So I'm looking to move to Manila.
its good its like living in US unlike other cities in Metro Manila i used to work in BGC about a month ago its like Singapore very clean very safe it was a bit weird for me to think this is still the Philippines
@@miked884 that’s really great to hear, Mike. I just returned to Cebu having gone there for my visa run (I’ve been staying on tourist visas). In August I’ll shoot up to Manila to find a condo to rent. Must have parking, must have split-type aircon, must he in a clear-air district. Was considering Alabang as it’s fatter outside the city but if BGC air is good I’d rather choose to be there.
For one person, US$3,000 a month is a lot in the Philippines, if one has an average or a moderate Western lifestyle, and much more if you reside in the provinces. Before retirement, I was told to gather as much money as I could because of one's potential expenses, but now that I am retired, I found out that it does not really require oodles of money, to enjoy a quality life.😀
I agree whole heartedly. $3,000 is HUGE in the provincial cities. I have that budget and then some. But I own my apartment and reckon with that (so no rent) I could live easy on $1500. In fact, i dont think i spend more than that. Ah, the provincial prices. You get a Western lifestyle with HALF the amount you need to spend in those big 'sophisticated' connurbations.
Uber-true indeed. Living a good life in the Philippines does not really require one to spend an arm and a leg each month. Such a life - and am not complaining either. 🤩
Great video, your saying 5000.00 for two? Would that be 2500.00 for one? 1 bedroom, nice in a very nice condo , say 1000 a month. Can you eat well, travel some buy some nice cloths? On 3000.00 a month for one?
I think I would agree with you on the price. I also think the longer you live there, you'll find cheaper options. We now find ourselves craving street food and bread shops rather than "nicer" restaurants. Next trip, we are staying in pasig. They have some NICE places for DIRT cheap! Btw, we went spiral buffet. it was terrible. dont waste your money. the food is not fresh.
@@roninbushito it was garbage. seriously. the quality of food was terrible: cheese was exposed to air for a long time, cakes weren't even moist, their meats were half cooked and they re-cook it when i got there. if you like that kind of stuff though, you're right-it is sarap LOL 😂
@@MultiPasswordman that sucks isnt the spiral buffet 3k pesos? I don't chance street food as food poisoning is rampant and there is no oversight on food safety many vendors operate with no license. Im fine with max of manila, gerry's grill or kuya J. Good thing about BGC is that it has tons of food options. Kanos have a different immune system to filipinos we arent used to the flora they are used to. The street food must be really toxic if a filipina I knew got food poisoning and for a filipino to get that the food must have been really spoiled as they can handle those things.
@@roninbushito Spiral buffet was 4k. We were very disappointed. If you want a nice ambiance and to dress fancy, its perfect. We went there specifically for the food and were so disappointed. Literally, the beef and lamb were pre-cooked; therefore, when they cooked it for us, it was cooked 2x and not good. The desserts were nothing special. The korean food was good though! The ube ice cream was great too! Regarding street food, we go to certain spots. We don't find random vendors because then you are definitely chancing it! We ask around and make sure vendors have a good reputation before we eat their food. Of all the food we ate, the simple mom & pop restaurants were the best. All provided fresh food. The local bakeries sold freshly made bread. I'd rather go there for not only better tasting food but a cheaper price!
@@MultiPasswordman 4k damn it went up 1k. thats pricey even for western standards. I enjoyed it and my friends enjoyed maybe u went on a bad day. yeah u definitely have to ask around on what is a reputable street vendor but a filipina should know that if u ask them.
I'm still hoping to see a video from you guys about how much pocket money a tourist needs on a given day. I don't want to be the guy walking around with a wad waiting to get robbed, but nor do I want to be the guy who's going to the ATM six times a day cuz I'm not taking out enough money each time. I'm talking about covering things like a cafe breakfast, street food for lunch, a decent sit-down dinner, catching a few cabs over the course of the day, and maybe taking in an attraction such as a water park, museum, or the like.
Yes but typically slim pickings. You can send a large box to you for about $110. When i find myself needing something that i can not find i have my daughter do some shopping and send me a box. Right now she is loading a box with some Grey Poupon , some shorts certain brand i like, bowling balls and will think of other things to fill the box in the next few weeks. So you can get what you want with a little effort.
Hardly, and if do find them, much pricier. Just remember a large size in the Philippines means a medium or close to it. The sizes are typically for Asians just the reverse in the USA.
Some people have different preferences. The benefit of living a western lifestyle here is getting the comforts one would have back at home, while still having access to what the Philippines is known for - the beaches, waterfalls, mountains. Etc.
@@CCoburn3 some people just prefer different lifestyles. I know a lot of people that don't want to retire in the province because there's nothing to do out there. Many of my supporters living in BGC are already retired. They like having access to the same brands, restaurants, stores, and healthcare that we have in the states.
@@roninbushito I agree that you wouldn’t want to live like a castaway. But why live in the Philippines if you want to pretend you’re in New York? Live decently, but enjoy the culture and people. Embrace the happy medium.
Good afternoon. It really bothers me how you used “Western” lifestyle as a synonym for a luxurious lifestyle. And please know the Bonifacio Global City or “BGC”as you say is not a city, it is a lifestyle and financial district in Taguig City.
Im blessed enough to have about a $7000 per month retirement when I retire at 62,Im currently 53 and in very good health.I plan to just travel until I can no longer do that.Id love to live in the PI for maybe 3 months at a time as say a home base while traveling around Europe and other parts of the world.I have very simple needs and live below my means now.Is it easy to fly back and forth to the PI and to find condo's for 3 month stints or am I better off just buying a condo ?
I've considered buying a condo in the Philippines but I thought if i'm going to stay 3-4 months at a time in the Philippines during the winter season why do I need to buy a condo? Just rent - save youself the headaches of maintenance and unnecessary condo fees.
Most of the visas I keep seeing require US citizens to be at least 50 years old or pay a crazy lump sum. Is there another way to live there fulltime without paying a 20K lump sum?
@Shephard Gross .You can live here on a tourist visa, 1st month is free then 1st extension is 29 days, that would be 59 days, then after that you are require to get an ACR (Alien certificate of registration) card good for 1 year. Anyway you can stay in The Philippines up to 3 years (without leaving the country, but after 3 years you have to leave for 24 hours) by extending your visa for 2 months at a time max for under 60 years old (60+ is every 6 months). So the cost estimate to about 380-400 USD per year for your tourist visa extension and ACR card upkeep. Another way is to marry to a Filipina and get spouse visa ( not recommended until you been here awhile and know what you are getting in to). Or if you are 50+ and get a lifetime pension of at least 800USD your Visa deposit is only 10K USD. ,.,.,. I'm Actually qualify for SRRV Expanded courtesy which require me to have at least 1K USD pension per month A DD214 with Honorable discharge (US Military). So my cost would be 2,900 USD (SRRV 1 time fee is 1,400 USD and deposit of 1,500 USD). That's good for life time stay in Philippines.
Hi Savy! When you say $5,000.00 is that for a single family or a family of 3? We are thinking about moving there I would like to be close to the gyms and colleges for my daughter. What do u think.
Given that most Filipino families live with income lower than that, a family of 3 could definitely live comfortably with $5,000 USD. Rent is about $2,000+ USD and the remaining money could be spent on whatever you want. It would actually be better if you could purchase your own condominium, (foreigners are not allowed to own land in the Philippines, so purchasing a house isn't an option). The best way to know if BGC is for you is to go on holiday, try renting condominium units, eat out in restaurants... this should give you an idea about the city.
I have been to Pi my wife is from there but have not been to the cities just the military base. Buying a condominium would be great but don’t think I would get a great resale value when it’s time to leave. I appreciate the quick reply how do I email u guys.
@@Gem1421 Definitely buy pre-selling condominiums they are cheaper... I think I've seen condominium units appreciate in price from (3 Million Php) to (5 Million Php).
The problem with this video is the target audience is Americans that live in L.A., New York, Chicago and those lifestyles. That comparison eliminates 80% of the Americans and their lifestyle. Most Americans would have difficulty with a 2000+ rent or mortgage even though that would be expected in cities like L.A, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, New York City. Your comparisons with those lifestyles seem right on target for those communities but is not representative of the majority of America. It also appears that the recommendations you have made are the highest and most expensive areas in the Philippines which eliminates so many other opportunities that avail very positive relocations. I like many of your videos but it sometimes makes me question the scope of your target audience which is narrow sometimes.
His videos are aimed at the 1%. I don't mind it, I find too many bloggers are trying to convince Americans that $1000 a month is easy to live on. If you eat the local food and don't date too much it is doable, but this blogger is rolling in the cheese so he vlogs what he is used to.
I see what you're getting at David. Being that I'm from Chicago, a very expensive city, and now living in BGC, also an expensive city by Philippine standards, I'm speaking on what I have personally experienced. By all means, I can make more videos catering towards more affordable cities that require lower budgets (there are many here in the Philippines), but then again, in this video I was referring to living the top standard of western living which the three cities I mentioned happen to provide.
@@TheSavvyExpat Thanks for the response. All considered, I find your site quite often to be very informative and helpful so keep making more. I also recognize the extra effort you put in with conversions from metric system to square footage in a lot of your videos. That shows a consideration for your audience. Appreciated.
Apologies for the upload hiatus Savvy Expats! We're going to be pumping out a lot of content in the coming weeks so please leave your personal suggestions under this thread :)
Please!!! Review the private schools in BGC🎓✏️📚 We have to submit applications for our 2 Highschool schools. We are moving by the start of the 2023-2024 school year!!!!
@@KelisinHD Hi Kel I'll make a vid on that
@@TheSavvyExpat Thank you so much!!! Our move greatly hinges on which school they attend.
What about Clark Freeport Zone could you do a video on it ,,, From what I can tell looks very nice
Ur full of crap!
I really like living in Makati. I enjoy the Chinese and Korean and Japanese expats. They are kind and generous. I don't just love the Western lifestyle, but the great Asian guys you can meet here as well who live a great Asian lifestyle. I think I live on much less than what you say you need, but it's because I bought a cute condo here and I also live 50% of my time in provinces eating local cuisine.
I despise the Chinese they are trying to take over ph! I’m Asian American
$3000 if an expat stay or live in BGC or Taguig. But that's only a tiny portion of the vast land of the Philippine, outside of BGC or Taguig an expat can still live a western lifestyle in other areas on a much much cheaper lifestyle, $2000 or less, in such places as Subic bay or Clark City, Davao City, Cebu, Dumaguete, Baguio City ,etc.
Hi Evan, Good video. I also like BGC and how easy it can be to not even realize your in the Philippines when there. Don't get me wrong I love the Philippines, the people, food and culture. I guess sometimes it's nice to also feel like I'm back home and BGC allows me to do that. So it's a nice change when I go there. The costs are definitely higher but with that comes all the conveniences. Maybe one day I will have a condo there. However, I also like Mandaluyong and SM Light with the mall downstairs and mega mall and ShangriLa mall very close. The weekends in Greenfield district park with the foods and music. I truly think theres a place for all westerners to find thier happiness in the Philippines. Makati and BGC are top notch for sure and appeal to many westerners. Keep up the great videos.
I lived in ilocos Norte in a 2 bedroom house on a nice lot behind a bamboo huts creek. Rent was $67 a month. Cigarettes were $1 a pack. Total monthly expenses including weekly trips to Palawan was less than $600 per month.
Have you considered picking a condo building and showing the difference in pricing between a one bedroom and a four bedroom in the same building, then maybe picking an older building more on the outskirts of BGC and doing the same again? That might help guide some expectations!
Having spent my life avoiding living in the larger cities around the world, I don't think I could handle such a "Western Life Style". I'm planning on retiring to the Philippines to get away from the big city type areas. Simple but with the major necessities easy to travel to, if needed, is just fine for relaxing and resting up between my other travels. Otherwise, city life would be a notable cost increase and still a bargain for most expats! Looking forward to your other content (I really liked the one covering the ares with more temperate climate). Stay safe.
If I have that type of money in my retirement I wouldn't need to leave the United States . A 1500 to 2000 dollar a month pension should be more than enough to live well . BGC is just a large compound and once you're outside of it you're in the normal life . You can get a nice place in cavite and westernize it with all the amenities for relatively cheap. A 300 sqm compound with a 7 ft security wall around it can be turned into a very nice place with an average size house of 100 sqm and a 30 sqm garage/shop .the rest of the property can be fruit trees and a garden with an area for chickens in the back of the compound. So at 5k a month you can have this all done in a year and retire in style. Of course you need to be married with an iron clad prenuptial agreement that balances out the property ownership issue and division of assets if a separation occurs.
Bro, what are talking about? Inflation would destroy that.
@@ericpowell4350 perhaps but inflation is cyclical and rises and falls as we have seen. The current administrations tax and spend philosophy is un sustainable and the true powers that be will be turning it around soon. I know one thing and that staying in the states right now is a downhill slide for retirees who only have their pension and can't work to subsidies it .
I choose to just remain, Single
How can you do prenuptial agreement when non-citizens can't own land. That might work if the property is a condo.
@@jerbysanto only way is to put in under a 60/40 corporate where majority owner is Filipino but that’s too much trouble. Otherwise almost impossible to own land even if your married to a Filipina it’s only under their name
Loved this one Evan. Great information! Thanks for sharing. This will be a downloaded UA-cam for me to reference later
One retirement lifestyle option you can do with this level of budget is to combine city and countryside life. I'm 65 years old retiree living in Cebu City. I live in a condo attached to a first class mall (300 shops which basically caters for my shopping and dining needs) with four hospitals nearby for healthcare. I also maintain a house in an island to get away from city life when I need a change in scenery (nature, farm, white beach, and fishing).
I lived there for a few months staying at the raffles in makati for $4500 a month and spent about $2000 a month on food/entertainment/shopping. Sometimes I’ll check out and try other hotels or Airbnb in places like Gremacy. I was living Great.
Having the same kind of life in China is actually more expensive than most median sized cities in US...excluding the health insurance and the labor cost to fix/reno stuffs. Don't know if this is the same in the Philippines. The main difference is labor and service cost.
Of course! This is sometimes the case in the Philippines for certain goods and services. It's because getting western quality things come at a premium here (as it is in China.)
The biggest reason for Chinese cities being too overpriced is because of Property bubbles all over China. I have been to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau multiple times.
Except for Housing and Property expenses, everything else is very reasonable in China. Too me it makes Zero sense apartments In Beijing, Shanghai or Shenzhen costs more than in Los Angeles, Seoul, SF, Chicago or most American cities while average Americans make over 3 times more salary then average Chinese. Most Chinese make less then $30K per year, while most Americans make over $100K in LA, SF, and NY CITY.
China in the midst of biggest global property bubble collapse since Japanese Housing collapse of 1990. It will get very ugly in China next 5 years.
I really do feel sorry for average Chinese, who has to suffer because of mismanagement of CCP, XI JINPING and corrupt local officials inflating land prices last 30 years.
China had awesome Goldilocks period from 1979 to 2020. Now, XI JINPING can’t stop the collapse of 70 trillion dollars Property bubble in China.
I recommend sell your overpriced properties in China ASAP and buy cheap properties in Manila asap
Good morning my friend. Very nice video and very good information too. Coming from Hawaii, Philippines seems very overwhelming. Hawaii is so small compared to the Philippines. I personally never lived in the mainland US. I did visit relatives in California and Oregon. I definitely need to visit BGC soon. Your videos are a great help in making me want to go to the Philippines. It appears to be a lot safer there and cleaner. Thank you always for your time.
Hi Norman. Yes, BGC is a lot cleaner and safer than most other parts of the Philippines. For first time expats like yourself, I highly recommend setting up home base here 👍
Tuli,
Another great video. I am a low maintenance retired American male. I live in Malate and love the area. I have nearly everything l need within walking distance to my condo. Malate is very westernized. I am not a real beach person. I enjoy dining out often. I love movies and some shopping but l am definitely not a shopaholic. I can live decently on about $1000 to $1200 USA dollars a month, but my condo is fully paid for and l have no rent. My power bill is about p3000 a month. My water bill is about p300 a month. Eating out is cheap and l do my own laundry and hang the laundry in our drying room. I walk a lot but taxies are very cheap. I have owned a car in the province, but l would never dare drive in Manila. Internet is cheap and cable is also very cheap. If l need more of the adventures of Manila, it is just a short and expensive taxi ride away. I also love the province. In Marinduque l can also live very cheaply. The Head of the House of Representatives,(Alan Vallasco) is from the next town or so over ours in the province. His father, Presbitero, is a former Philippine Supreme Court Justice and is now the recently reelected Governor of the single province island. The province of Marinduque is often considered the HEART of the archipelago. I have the best of both worlds available to me. If l want to spend more than $1200, l can avail of even more of the island's treasures. I believe that $3000 a month could provide for all of our needs and almost all of our wants.
The islands of paradise offer a very lost cost for everyday living. Thank you for sharing a very interesting video. Stay well and be blessed.
You just need to go there
Good info i appreciate it very much dude 😎💪🏾
Gotchu man!!
Most American expats(retirees) I think would prefer living in a quiet suburban environment. Even though BGC got all the amenities. I prefer to drive to the place where I want to go, whether eating out western or local food or doing something else to keep me entertained while I am retired.
Tu,
Thank you for your awesome videos. I really love you videos on education and American lifestyles. I also love your focus on safety. Thank you for this and many other videos.
Stay well!
How about a video on drug stores. Many expats are on a large number of maintenance medications. Be blessed...
Appreciate the comments as always James! Yes, I'll look more into the drug stores here too.
Honestly, I have a hard time spending $5k per month in So Cal as I don’t have a mortgage. Can’t imagine trying to spend that kind of money in Philippines.
I am retired military officer living in Orange County, California. I have previously visited Manila and Boracay over 25 years ago while serving as young military officer.
I still have a kid attending USC in LA as Junior and would love to move out of USA after my kid graduate from the university.
I have multiple pensions and streams of income from military, VA, SSA and dividends and rental properties that adds up to $27,000 per month. Where do you recommend to live in Manila that provides similar standard of living as Orange County CALIFORNIA. But safety of my family is paramount.
We currently spend over $18,000 per month in California on living expenses. Which isn’t unusual for people in OC where rent prices are over $5000 monthly in for 5 bedroom single family homes.
I would like to keep spending down to under $6k to $7K per month if I decide to live in Manila or Cebu
You’re a prime target for scams, gold diggers and moochers. Expect that in the Philippines
Quit bragging troll
It is good you highlighted reality but i would like to have the best of both worlds. Enjoying the East & West kind of way, not only the budget part but actually living life. No intention to duplicate back home here but a quality lifestyle and enjoying the local atmosphere as well. Cheers
Finally !
Even if this post vlog is a year old it is spot on today 2024
I always said BGC was and still is oversold by UA-camrs and missing key facts
Evan now nails it to the realistic point.
Thank you
And to add money values as a Canadian my 1K is PHP 40K.
You as a US expat
1K is PHP 56K and to those of you spread out all across the pond your 1000 Euro is PHP 61K
So if you are working where you are 3K is the cost of living. Noted 👍
But if you are retired coming to enjoy retirement while the income is coming from a pension or 2, you have some fun monies, then thats another dimension.
Your 3K can be downsized a bit only if you want. Cheers 👍
BGC is beautiful, but too Western for me. If you don't leave BGC you would think you were in downtown Chicago (ok, maybe not:) ), but it's much more "safe and sterile". I like Makati because it is a combo of both the West and Asia. But the traffic sucks! :) I also like Malaysia a lot. If you get a chance have your family fly into Singapore and take a bus to Melacca, KL, Penang. It is easy to take local buses and just get off to spend a couple days in each town/city. Almost everyone speaks English. The food is amazing. And it's a cheap vacay...
Agree totally. I came here to escape the anodine, copycat CBDs and downtowns of cities that look pretty much the same everywhere. That's why I live in a Dumaguete seafront apartment. All the western lifestyle, but interacting with the locals - and at half the price.
The two most upscale locations in the Philippines seem to be very likely BGC and Makati, and they are right next to each other, so I will live there! 👍
But I am interested in hearing more about Cebu City and Mactan Newtown.
Also more about Clark Freeport (Clark Global City).
🛐😁
Sure thing John, will talk more about Cebu soon
Definitely an accurate commentary, but I would like to know more about Tagaytay too
Great video Evan. You make some great points. I guess it all depends on how Western you want to get. Some people can live a simple life and eat the local foods. But I think most people from the US needs Western foods and amenities. Either way, it's getting more expensive everywhere.
I can stay off western food for the most part as Im asian american so I can adapt easily to the foods in the PH. But amenities yeah more towards western standards.
Are u korean by chance? That surname is usually a korean one
@@roninbushito Yes. Korean American.
@@jerrynam Cool me too im from hawaii. I enjoyed the PH
$5000 per month is perfectly doable if you're a retired career federal worker because not only do you have a nice federal pension, but there's also thrift savings and social security added in.
I didn’t know Bacolod is one of the cities you would recommend for expats to live in. Could you do a video on Bacolod City? One of the things I like about the Philippines is the Filipino people are family oriented, kind of like how the USA was in the 50s. I also find it seems like a lot of the Filipino people are humble people. That is refreshing to me. I am here in the State of Iowa and it is nice but some people can be rude
Ya but it will soon with all of the developments in bacolod
Jon, iloilo city is better than bacolod, I hear. They are fairly close. Investigate both.....I come from the South. I can tell you even we are getting frazzled by awful Biden, inflation, divisive weirdos, etc. American niceness is eroding into a pile of stress.
@@GUITARTIME2024 yes they are its like 3 hr boat ride and its true but bacolod is catching up
@@miked884 fast ferry is 1 to 1.5 hrs
@@GUITARTIME2024 well i tried it once that was back in mid 2000s
It's much, much cheaper there.
I can live very well on 2700 a month, with a lot of extras. When I spend 3,000 I'm the King.. I don't understand those who say 1,000 like a King. You can live but not great.
A 1k dollars is nothing in Manila you got frugal kanos trying to get by on less than that
Thanks for insight for BGC and Makati. I am just starting to look around at cities where I would like to move to.
If you could dive deeper into Cebu and the other 2 cities that would fantastic and most appreciated.
Later on if you do the same for Cavite City (by the coast), Dumaguete and Palawan this would be great also. I know that I am asking for a ton of information. If you can't do this, could you refer me to a video on these?
Thank you
Wow. Amazing. I just returned home (Atlanta) from two weeks in the Philippines. Btw, I liked in Chicago 14 months working on a project. Chicago is incredible, but too cold. Cebu was the first stop. I worked remotely for few days with no connectivity issues I could not work around. I hit some tourist spots, I hit the malls and I then visited non tourist areas. Then to Cagayan de Oro with friends for a different feel. I enjoyed Cagayan de Oro quite a bit. We had an awesome lechon festival. Then on to Manila. I too enjoyed Manila and the surrounding areas.
Cebu feels right for me. I am in the early stages of planning the expat experience. I don't see myself retiring in the US. Being a software nerd, working remotely makes it little easier for me. Next time, I will stay for at least a month to get a better feel.
Your videos are of great value. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Cebu is a great place I know a lot about Cebu
You can get way more in the Philippines than in the USA for the same value. The question is: can you have the same income living in the Philippines?
A premium healthcare package for a retiree in the Philippines with Pacific Cross is close to $1000 a month
Good medical care, isn't cheap
Thanks. Subscribed. Need more detail on Cebu city/area. Sounds like there is a mix of beach and city; Western and Filipino culture/living.
Great video! I never really considered the Philippines since I’ve heard from many that it’s not so safe. Because of the safety issue I was primarily looking at Thailand and Taiwan. I wonder how the Philippines compares.
Thailand isn’t safe either
@Con Descending always have a guide if your gonna go there even Manila
Having lived in Thailand and the Phils, no question at all that the Phils is a much more dangerous place. Tons of guns all over, desperate people. Taiwan would be better than both the others, but not as affordable and China looms. Check out Bali, it is quite liveable.
@@GrikWorldNomad yup Taiwan is safer than both.
Depends what you mean by SAFE On the roads way overcrowded no rules or what there is few obey. If you crime murder etc USA is far worse. I would not feel safe many places in USA! Lived un Philippines many Years.
Very informative. Thanks!🕵🏼♀️
Thanks for helping me combat the $1500/mo claims. I'm finding rent is that much in in cities like Subic. Don't forget about inflation effects too. Costs could double in 10 years or so. That may mean eating more coconut and fish 😆
True i live in subic.2000 dollars is about average for retires living here.Decent way of life.
Agree with you Alan. I live near Subic. In my own owned home (no rent) $2k or Peso 100k Good live style. For peace of mind you need very big cash reserves to pay hospital when needed, self insured. Good heath insurance very expensive as we get older, cheaper ones low payment limit. Not worth having.
I live there and 3,000 a month is crazy, I couldn't spend that much if my job was spending money
Understandable Jonathan. Again, your budget will depend on your personal lifestyle. If your settling down for the first in a city like BGC, $5k / month is nothing out of the ordinary.
Everyone is different , i got back here in Feb. my budget is $4700 a month so far i only made my budget last month. I own my own condo and do not drink. I spend my money on travel.
So what do you think is reasonable budget with utilities and rent for a 1 bedroom in BGC? I keepnseeing video for $700 a month rent and $400 utilities. I I live very simply and don't do much. So I was thinking $2000 a month would sufice
Good info
Dude, for 3k a month you can live good here in the USA...just not in California or NYC where both people and prices are crazy.
Yeah $3K a month in the Philippines while trying to live a Western lifestyle is the minimum especially if you have not sort out your housing expenses, that right there is the biggest cost you'll have per month. So, I just bought a house near Manila to get rid of that and although I won't collect SS yet till another 3yrs, I will carry over my US business while in the Philippines to help me with my budget, so I don't go broke (LOL). I have two kids in college and my wife so it's manageable for now. Otherwise, it would be a different story without $$ coming in while retiring in P.I.
I live a high quality life style here in Philippines. I live in the province and go to Makati when I want the western life style. I live like an American in the province with al the modern items you need. When I choose to come to city we go to 5 starts hotels and enjoy all the things the city offer. but living in province we owe our own home. have no bills except utilities. So our money goes way faster because we save more. we prefer doing it this way. Living in BGC is just like living in a big city in the USA. And if thats what you want why not just stay in your home country. granted it is cheaper here but like you said not dirt cheap. Not many foreigners have a 5K monthly budget. But I think you are right on with that amount to live well here in city.
Nice to know my net $7600 monthly retirement will go a long way in my home country, Philippines.
I’m tired of living paycheck to paycheck in SoCal.
Definitely come home once you retire... and you wouldn't pay rent if you purchase your own condominium or house.
U can buy a dump truck load of kwek kwek and balut of that budget
@@dayangmarikit6860 I am retired and living paycheck to paycheck. $7600 net is not enough to live on in the US.
@@packohub1145 sorry but I would eat my kwek kwek and get fat. I’m retired with good net monthly income. I don’t need to start a business and stress. All I want is a simple life in the country with at least 20 acres.
You can live comfortably with that retirement of yours in the US, as well. I'm a filipina currently residing in a small town in Georgia, 2 hours away from Atlanta. I loved it here. I love the country and laid back lifestyle. People around our small town owned acres and acres of land. I'd love to live part of our time in the US and the other half in the Philippines :) .
I've watched sooo many of these types of videos and so far, NONE of them talk about kids. Many retirees move to PI and become step-daddies. My experience ( my wife has 4 kids) it will cost a hell-of-a-lot more than 5k per month what with the cost of school, school projects, clothing, meidcal, etc. My wife and I have been married going on 13 years. We've raised her 4 kids to become good people and members of society and now, we're raising a granddaughter as well so the cycle starts all over again. I'm not begrudging the facts, but I'm 71 and still working. Can you do a video regarding ex-pats with "surprises?"
What do you do for work?
@@stuartsmalley2847 I am a Country Music Entertainer.
Suggestions? Hmm how about moving to the Philippines with a family? Your always showing one bedroom condos or studio apartments, what about 3 to 4 bedroom homes around BGC? Just a suggestion, great videos by the way 👍🏾🇵🇭
great content! what is your personal budget?
No offense but for $5K/mo I'd rather live in the US. The thing with top tier US cities is the suburbs/surrounding cities are actually more preferable and cheaper than the city itself, so you can find great deals 10-30 minutes away. You really only drive into the city for concerts/shopping/sports/eating once in a while. 5K/mo is a very comfortable lifestyle in those places in the US, of which there are MANY to choose from. - WW
Your $5K can be used in the US to hire a full time maid and driver and massages in high end Spas at a cost of $30 per session? And what about property taxes? In the Philippines property tax is the cost of a dinner plus Tip in the US.
The US sucks one reason why we are watching this channel
I get by just fine under $1500/ month in BGC.
I am thinking of moving there and from what I can tell $1500 will be enough to live a comfortable life and if I can make 2k a month I will have extra. Do you think this is true?
Awesome again!!!!!
Bro, you have been in BGC for a minute now what schools do you recommend for us with small k-12 families? Again, doing awesome! love the channel! Super helpful!
Yeah sure if you’re an expat around your age you would need 3k to 5k and live in the city. If you’re a retiree, why the heck would leave the US for example and move to the Philippines and live in the city? Retiring means slowing down and therefore they would like to live in the smaller city. Your title should have mentioned ideal budget for very young expats living a western lifestyle in the Philippines
Also, buy don't rent, big help..
You might as well buy if you make high monthly income and travel to ph frequently
Hi, great video! Could you dive deeper into Cebu City? I'm a single father to a 5 year old who will be starting kindergarten in August. Would be nice to see a difference between public and private schools, downtown Cebu compared to living on the beach, how much on average the differences will cost, is there a happy medium, etc. This could even apply to BGC and Makati if you think it would be a good idea to add those too. Maybe make a video for single parents of young children 5 years old and up. Thanks!
private schools are usually in 20k-50k pesos per semester. depending on how prestigeous the school. international schools cost more, maybe 100k? dont know since my pocket wont let me even bother researching 😂😂 and lastly public is free (but still have some fees but not much).
downtown cebu in the ITpark area, would be roughly 80% of what BGC budget is.. cebu is very bad in terms of traffic though.. roads are too small. even national roads outside the city. but if youre staying in the bubble of IT park, i guess that wont be much of a problem.
Yes!!! I’m begging for a video in private schools as well. Evan doesn’t seem to be reading comments this far down. I hope we can get more people to comment about requesting a private school review.
@@KelisinHD agree. This is a topic that would interest me as well. Not just the price but also the quality un comparison to schools in the states.
@@anadollcrazy The comparison to Stayeside schools would be awesome. This would give me something to show the kids to get them excited
Real talk . Absolutley agree.
Good day to all
Fyi
I just found mercer listing for 2022
Of most / least expensive cities in world
Manila was ranked 122
Montreal and Athens 125 and 126
And Kuala Lumpur number 181
Hong Kong #1 most expensive
And Ankara #227 least expensive
And Kuala Lumpur is much cleaner and lower crime
Sweet spot 3k. House is fully paid. Away from Manila.
Bingo! $3-$5k per month affords a nice western lifestyle in any city of the Philippines
@@TheSavvyExpat You guys are right on , i am at $4,700 and loving life here , travel all over the place and enjoy this beautiful country filled with wonderful people.
Would like to see more about Cebu and Davoe . Thinking of moving to one of those cities . Thank you
Davao is better imo. Safest in the Philippines.
I liked your video. And as I read some comments below I see there's some disagreement but there's one thing we can all agree on, is the more money you have, the better you can live. When I get there, I will travel and live in many places. Like a month here a month there. So I'm bringing as much money as I can. Mucho dinero. !!! Lol !!! 🤑🤑🤑
Evan, Great Video as Always and to speak to us who don't live on Social Security. I'm on $15-25k month in California, so when I spend $5-10K / month when I am in the Philippines and get 10X the service, no problem. I love the Philippines!!!!!! Massage every day, driver to take me everywhere, people say hello and not worried about getting my head blown off with a gun. Please keep telling us how to live the good life in the Philippines. Not how to live in a hole in the ground for $800/month. You are a God send to everyone as many people think I can live in the Philippines for $800 / month. Bunch of BS. I saw an expat who listened to that garbage met a Filipina and now is screwed because of all the misinformation of those low-life click bait bloggers gave.
You sound like a troll. Wtf discloses their financial statements on UA-cam
THANK YOU EVAN, GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AMEN.
Try Makati Diamond hotel in Makati when you land first night. I couldn't find one thing wrong with this hotel :). It's right across the street from Greenbelt Mall. Definitely a nice decompression from long flight. I've usually stayed in Makati. Next trip in December, I'm booking a month stay in BGC. Love your content.
Well done. This is more like what I would enjoy.
So I'm looking for a month vacation, so for me and my wife (flight not included) I can ball out with 5000$ usd per person? I have 9 kids ages 0-14 I will budget as if they are adults so am I more then good 5000 per person?
my net is over 6k however I plan on spending a lot less I have a nice place in Eastwood with a big kitchen it is only around 1300. And that is fine for me. I am coming to Manila to save money because the US is so expensive to rent atm. I was going to go to Latin America however there has been a lot of push back against digital nomads. And manila is used to people coming there from all over it's a global business center.
Thanks for the information can you do a lifestyle and budget on the island of ILOILO Thanks again
A US salary of $100,000 after taxes is around $6,000/month. If you're saving for retirement then take home would be about $5000 per month maybe a little more. In the Phillipines what would be the equivalent of a $100,000 US salary?
Can’t wait to move back to Samal island. Im looking at 4-5 yrs. & hoping it pans out right. I just want to live life and not worry about a mortgage or bills
5k is too much even in the United States if you are retired or still working.
Hello, I assume when you say $5000 p/month you mean $5000 NET (take-home) pay, not GROSS (pre-tax) pay?
I like your videos, Evan, but your terminology is sometimes misleading. What you describe here is not a Western lifestyle; it's a LUXURY lifestyle. Barely anybody lives like that in the US or Western Europe. You can live a somewhat Western life in the Philippines for much less than $3000, even in big cities. It also depends on how well you handle your money and where you shop. Many offers in the Philippines are of terrible value these days. They charge prices like in the West but can't deliver remotely the same quality. The best value proposition of countries like the Philippines is: that you get about 80% of the Western quality for a fraction of the price. If someone has $3000 to $5000 per month to burn, other countries are likely better value! Even some in the West.
Well said Matt. I think my terminology was off on this one, but hopefully I got the idea across. Thanks.
The average single bedroom apartment here in California is $2400 now a days, so do the math for the rest of your expenses.
Well put Matt
Try staying in Hawaii where rent is $3k alone the philippines is a steal for $3k/month. What Evan is listing is market prices of what the demand pays. You probably have never been to the ph so your just going on opinion
@@lala69mendoza yeah try being in Hawaii where rent is $3k I understand high prices
Lol. I'm 67 and live in the states on $1500.00 a month. I can probably do it there as well.
Most likely, especially if you're living alone
Unless they have very special reasons to do so, people who can afford to spend $5000 a month in retirement don't aspire to lead a western lifestyle in the Philippines. They can do that in the west easily and comfortably. People who move to cheaper countries in retirement want to live cheaply unless they have family or other interests in the Philippines that draw them there in the first place
Love your vids. Newish sub here. I have a question(s) vaccination, do I need to enter? I heard a guy only needed to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days then was cleared after being fine. Any truth to that you may know? Thanks!
I haven't been updated with the recent immigration rules but from what it seems things are less strict nowadays. I believe you don't need a vaccination card anymore to enter.
@@TheSavvyExpat Wow. Please update us on that! does this depend which airport you land at? Well, please update when you know, it means a lot. Thank you!
@@MstrB0ss I'll consider making a short video to give an update. I believe it is the same for all airpors
@@TheSavvyExpat i just got back to the us. spent one month in the province 4 hours north of manila. all i needed was a vax card and the one health pass. no problems.
@@MstrB0ss i just got back. need the vac card and one health pass for sure.
I'm retired with $3,800 a month in pension. My home is paid for and I have a 2022 truck paid for. I can live just as well here as I can they're the only difference is I'm missing the ocean lol. My hangup with moving somewhere like this for retirement is not being able to own my home. If I could buy a house in the Philippines I'd leave next month lol.
Better to rent short-term before you buy….
Is this Ideal Western Budget between $3000-$5000.00 you are talking about is referred to only 1 Person or can it be for multiple individuals like a family of 4?
3k is cheap money. we spend easily 15k per month in USA
Hey, Do me a favor? I'm in a wheelchair spinal injury not age. Anyway will you please do a video on wheelchair accessibility in BGC and other cities in the Philippines.
Sidewalk cutouts. Condo and restaurant accessibility ? Are there wheelchair taxis?
sidewalks in bgc are comparable to major cities in the west. so yes. you will get by no problem, but sadly i havent heard of any wheelchair taxis. i do however saw an e-wheelchair running at maybe 15mph.
now if you go out in the BGC/makati area... sidewalks do sometimes disappear(some will have an extention of their house on the road), or a bunch of illegally park vehicles will block the sidewalks which will force you to go down the road. that being said, as chaotic the drivers in manila are. i dont think anyone would ran you over if you are on the road. unless its really an accident (loss of brake or something)
Good luck.
Mactan Newtown, in addition to BGC (these are upscale, newer developments) are great for wheelchairs.
Thank you and God bless you my brother 🙏
Evan- would you still say $5k now since this video was a year ago?
I live very well on $5,000 a month. But avoid condos in cebu city, they are overpriced shoeboxes. My wife and I bought a 3 bedroom 2 bath house in Tungkil. Large, with every amenity. I am the only foreigner in my subdivision. I try to avoid other expats.
That's because Tungkil is in the South or Cebu Province. It's 20 kms away from Cebu City so much lower prices.
Lifestyle living in the US is at least 25% cheaper with the same lifestyle in the PI. That simple computation (imo).
I have to say I agree 100% !!!
I think your approximation is good.
How's the air quality in BGC and Makati? I'm in Singapore this week and it draws a stark contrast to the air quality of Cebu, where I've been living for years. I'm looking for a higher standard of living and my budget is effectively unlimited. So I'm looking to move to Manila.
its good its like living in US unlike other cities in Metro Manila i used to work in BGC about a month ago its like Singapore very clean very safe it was a bit weird for me to think this is still the Philippines
@@miked884 that’s really great to hear, Mike. I just returned to Cebu having gone there for my visa run (I’ve been staying on tourist visas). In August I’ll shoot up to Manila to find a condo to rent. Must have parking, must have split-type aircon, must he in a clear-air district. Was considering Alabang as it’s fatter outside the city but if BGC air is good I’d rather choose to be there.
For one person, US$3,000 a month is a lot in the Philippines, if one has an average or a moderate Western lifestyle, and much more if you reside in the provinces.
Before retirement, I was told to gather as much money as I could because of one's potential expenses, but now that I am retired, I found out that it does not really require oodles of money, to enjoy a quality life.😀
I agree whole heartedly. $3,000 is HUGE in the provincial cities. I have that budget and then some. But I own my apartment and reckon with that (so no rent) I could live easy on $1500. In fact, i dont think i spend more than that. Ah, the provincial prices. You get a Western lifestyle with HALF the amount you need to spend in those big 'sophisticated' connurbations.
Uber-true indeed. Living a good life in the Philippines does not really require one to spend an arm and a leg each month. Such a life - and am not complaining either. 🤩
Great video, your saying 5000.00 for two? Would that be 2500.00 for one? 1 bedroom, nice in a very nice condo , say 1000 a month. Can you eat well, travel some buy some nice cloths? On 3000.00 a month for one?
👍✅Cebu City✅👍
I think I would agree with you on the price. I also think the longer you live there, you'll find cheaper options. We now find ourselves craving street food and bread shops rather than "nicer" restaurants.
Next trip, we are staying in pasig. They have some NICE places for DIRT cheap!
Btw, we went spiral buffet. it was terrible. dont waste your money. the food is not fresh.
I doubt u went to the spiral or your on crack. The spiral was sarap
@@roninbushito it was garbage. seriously. the quality of food was terrible: cheese was exposed to air for a long time, cakes weren't even moist, their meats were half cooked and they re-cook it when i got there. if you like that kind of stuff though, you're right-it is sarap LOL 😂
@@MultiPasswordman that sucks isnt the spiral buffet 3k pesos?
I don't chance street food as food poisoning is rampant and there is no oversight on food safety many vendors operate with no license. Im fine with max of manila, gerry's grill or kuya J. Good thing about BGC is that it has tons of food options.
Kanos have a different immune system to filipinos we arent used to the flora they are used to.
The street food must be really toxic if a filipina I knew got food poisoning and for a filipino to get that the food must have been really spoiled as they can handle those things.
@@roninbushito Spiral buffet was 4k. We were very disappointed. If you want a nice ambiance and to dress fancy, its perfect. We went there specifically for the food and were so disappointed. Literally, the beef and lamb were pre-cooked; therefore, when they cooked it for us, it was cooked 2x and not good. The desserts were nothing special. The korean food was good though! The ube ice cream was great too!
Regarding street food, we go to certain spots. We don't find random vendors because then you are definitely chancing it! We ask around and make sure vendors have a good reputation before we eat their food.
Of all the food we ate, the simple mom & pop restaurants were the best. All provided fresh food. The local bakeries sold freshly made bread. I'd rather go there for not only better tasting food but a cheaper price!
@@MultiPasswordman 4k damn it went up 1k. thats pricey even for western standards. I enjoyed it and my friends enjoyed maybe u went on a bad day.
yeah u definitely have to ask around on what is a reputable street vendor but a filipina should know that if u ask them.
I'm still hoping to see a video from you guys about how much pocket money a tourist needs on a given day.
I don't want to be the guy walking around with a wad waiting to get robbed, but nor do I want to be the guy who's going to the ATM six times a day cuz I'm not taking out enough money each time.
I'm talking about covering things like a cafe breakfast, street food for lunch, a decent sit-down dinner, catching a few cabs over the course of the day, and maybe taking in an attraction such as a water park, museum, or the like.
Sounds like a P5000 day to me.
Yeah, 5k is good enough.
$5k is bit low for the BGC lifestyle. I spend no less than 8K/month.
BTW, I don't eat steak and sushi. I am a vegan.
Troll
BGC does have +5k USD/month condos, so yes.
Are western sized clothes available in BGC or any of the locations you mentioned?
Absolutely
Yes but typically slim pickings. You can send a large box to you for about $110. When i find myself needing something that i can not find i have my daughter do some shopping and send me a box. Right now she is loading a box with some Grey Poupon , some shorts certain brand i like, bowling balls and will think of other things to fill the box in the next few weeks. So you can get what you want with a little effort.
I still order clothes from the USA even though the same brands are here in Philippines. Somehow the sizes don't always match.
@@manilamartin1001 I am a big guy 6'3" 330lb do usually 3or4X tall, I suspect I'll be importing everything...
Hardly, and if do find them, much pricier. Just remember a large size in the Philippines means a medium or close to it. The sizes are typically for Asians just the reverse in the USA.
Please do a video on the gyms of Manila. Thanks
Noted!
Wow, throttle back and might as well stay in the US. A nice 2 bedroom in Florida with pool rent is 1500. Forget the PI
Nah
Your last name is SO fitting.
The poore brothers I remember that was a potato chip brand
Waiting for Bitcoin to hit $100,000 and then I can buy a 3 bedroom condo in BGC.
TO THE MOON (eventually)
But if you live in the Philippines, why would you want to live a western lifestyle?
Some people have different preferences. The benefit of living a western lifestyle here is getting the comforts one would have back at home, while still having access to what the Philippines is known for - the beaches, waterfalls, mountains. Etc.
@@TheSavvyExpat I know. But why retire at all if you want nothing but hustle and bustle? If you want a western lifestyle, then move to Atlanta.
@@CCoburn3 some people just prefer different lifestyles. I know a lot of people that don't want to retire in the province because there's nothing to do out there. Many of my supporters living in BGC are already retired. They like having access to the same brands, restaurants, stores, and healthcare that we have in the states.
Why not? Why would u want to be in the middle of the boonies in a remote province no thanks. Many kanos live like vagrants in ph
@@roninbushito I agree that you wouldn’t want to live like a castaway. But why live in the Philippines if you want to pretend you’re in New York? Live decently, but enjoy the culture and people. Embrace the happy medium.
Good afternoon. It really bothers me how you used “Western” lifestyle as a synonym for a luxurious lifestyle. And please know the Bonifacio Global City or “BGC”as you say is not a city, it is a lifestyle and financial district in Taguig City.
Thank you for your input Paulo. It's my fault for equating luxurious lifestyle w/ western lifestyle.
Im blessed enough to have about a $7000 per month retirement when I retire at 62,Im currently 53 and in very good health.I plan to just travel until I can no longer do that.Id love to live in the PI for maybe 3 months at a time as say a home base while traveling around Europe and other parts of the world.I have very simple needs and live below my means now.Is it easy to fly back and forth to the PI and to find condo's for 3 month stints or am I better off just buying a condo ?
I've considered buying a condo in the Philippines but I thought if i'm going to stay 3-4 months at a time in the Philippines during the winter season why do I need to buy a condo? Just rent - save youself the headaches of maintenance and unnecessary condo fees.
@@rafaelg4566 yeah,that was pretty much my thought process as well.I appreciate the feed back.
I would just buy if your making that kind of $$. I bought a place instead of having to rent a place every time and I’m from Hawaii
Most of the visas I keep seeing require US citizens to be at least 50 years old or pay a crazy lump sum. Is there another way to live there fulltime without paying a 20K lump sum?
@Shephard Gross .You can live here on a tourist visa, 1st month is free then 1st extension is 29 days, that would be 59 days, then after that you are require to get an ACR (Alien certificate of registration) card good for 1 year. Anyway you can stay in The Philippines up to 3 years (without leaving the country, but after 3 years you have to leave for 24 hours) by extending your visa for 2 months at a time max for under 60 years old (60+ is every 6 months). So the cost estimate to about 380-400 USD per year for your tourist visa extension and ACR card upkeep. Another way is to marry to a Filipina and get spouse visa ( not recommended until you been here awhile and know what you are getting in to). Or if you are 50+ and get a lifetime pension of at least 800USD your Visa deposit is only 10K USD. ,.,.,. I'm Actually qualify for SRRV Expanded courtesy which require me to have at least 1K USD pension per month A DD214 with Honorable discharge (US Military). So my cost would be 2,900 USD (SRRV 1 time fee is 1,400 USD and deposit of 1,500 USD). That's good for life time stay in Philippines.
Hi Savy! When you say $5,000.00 is that for a single family or a family of 3? We are thinking about moving there I would like to be close to the gyms and colleges for my daughter. What do u think.
Given that most Filipino families live with income lower than that, a family of 3 could definitely live comfortably with $5,000 USD. Rent is about $2,000+ USD and the remaining money could be spent on whatever you want. It would actually be better if you could purchase your own condominium, (foreigners are not allowed to own land in the Philippines, so purchasing a house isn't an option). The best way to know if BGC is for you is to go on holiday, try renting condominium units, eat out in restaurants... this should give you an idea about the city.
I recommend you to watch travel vloggers Ronnie & Sela.
I have been to Pi my wife is from there but have not been to the cities just the military base. Buying a condominium would be great but don’t think I would get a great resale value when it’s time to leave. I appreciate the quick reply how do I email u guys.
@@Gem1421 Definitely buy pre-selling condominiums they are cheaper... I think I've seen condominium units appreciate in price from (3 Million Php) to (5 Million Php).
@@Gem1421 I'm not a condominium sales agent, but I have relatives who live in BGC... they're a family of 4.
It is very expensive if you live in the National Capital Region especially Makati and BGC area.
What’s the ideal budget for a western luxurious life style of a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 school aged children)? Thanks for your input.
The problem with this video is the target audience is Americans that live in L.A., New York, Chicago and those lifestyles. That comparison eliminates 80% of the Americans and their lifestyle. Most Americans would have difficulty with a 2000+ rent or mortgage even though that would be expected in cities like L.A, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, New York City. Your comparisons with those lifestyles seem right on target for those communities but is not representative of the majority of America. It also appears that the recommendations you have made are the highest and most expensive areas in the Philippines which eliminates so many other opportunities that avail very positive relocations. I like many of your videos but it sometimes makes me question the scope of your target audience which is narrow sometimes.
His videos are aimed at the 1%. I don't mind it, I find too many bloggers are trying to convince Americans that $1000 a month is easy to live on. If you eat the local food and don't date too much it is doable, but this blogger is rolling in the cheese so he vlogs what he is used to.
I see what you're getting at David. Being that I'm from Chicago, a very expensive city, and now living in BGC, also an expensive city by Philippine standards, I'm speaking on what I have personally experienced. By all means, I can make more videos catering towards more affordable cities that require lower budgets (there are many here in the Philippines), but then again, in this video I was referring to living the top standard of western living which the three cities I mentioned happen to provide.
@@manilamartin1001 This is true. A little diversity in the space adds more perspective for everyone.
@@manilamartin1001 I agree that 1000 would be difficult but a western lifestyle is still achievable for far less than 3000 to 5000.
@@TheSavvyExpat Thanks for the response. All considered, I find your site quite often to be very informative and helpful so keep making more. I also recognize the extra effort you put in with conversions from metric system to square footage in a lot of your videos. That shows a consideration for your audience. Appreciated.
Even with my $10,000+ monthly budget, I’ve no desire to live in BGC. The point of living overseas is to experience local culture.
Many retirees are Balikbayans. They don't need to experience culture. They want comfort and convenience and be near top hospitals in their retirement.
Cheap vagrant
@@robocop581 exactly and his point of being overseas is to experience culture is not the point