Could I ever live in Dumaguete? I was there for approx 1 week. It was quite OK, but enough. For me it was just to much and to many foreigners and feeling of being inside an "expat bubble". Here at the countryside in Luzon, I have never seen a foreigner at all, in the village I am living. But I have MC'Donalds within 10 minutes, and 2 different big cities within 1 hours with slow driving, using motorbike. Whenever I want the city life, I can have it. Some times I do, but after 1-2-3 days I'm tired of the city life. I think your video gives a good explanation of why some expats claim that you need $3,000 for a good life, while others say that $1,000 is enough. Here in the countryside, it would be a stressful job to have to spend 3,000 every month. That wouldn't be a comfortable life. Then it feels better to live a calm and relaxed life while you let your savings grow as they want.
The province I go to is between Iligan city and Cagayan de Oro. Not sure if I will retire there yet. I can go to each city and eat at great restaurants and get any western items I need.
Mate I agree I have lived in a province for 14 years on a farm, I have no foreigners living in my province and I don't miss that, I am part of the community as I am treated like a local. I have seen on UA-cam foreigners fighting other foreigners over silly things, if I want to go to a city where foreigners live I only have to travel just over half an hour, but I never worry about meeting another foreigner. I am happy living this lifestyle but I understand it's not what some foreigners would like, but it suits me.
I've lived in the Philippines three times since 1987 (working the first two times)... a total of 12+ years. I've also lived in Sri Lanka and four African countries for over 16 years. So I'm quite adaptable for living in cities or provincial towns of low-income countries. Nothing truly rural. I'm now living in the exurbs of Manila, in Bulacan. While it's not the beach, the mountain or some sleepy rural idyll, it's not in the crush of the big city either. Giant malls, smaller malls and good hospitals are all within a 15 - 60 minute drive (we have a car). I have my computer-based "projects" to keep me busy. I don't get bored. A domestic trip a couple of times a year keeps things from getting too routine. Guys, do not simply arrive with no plans other than to sit in a chair with a drink in your hand. Get a project. Go to the gym. You need to keep mind and body in good working order. During COVID, I was the only foreigner in the area. It didn't matter. Even now, I have zero expat friends and don't need them. The reason? My Filipina partner of 18 years is well-educated and worked at a bank head office in Makati. Her English vocabulary and grammar are better than most native English speakers. We talk about a wide array of topics and she has intelligent, well-informed opinions. She proved her mettle by living with me in the last two African countries. And she's a sweetie too. So, for men who come here looking for a relationship, my advice is to take your time, don't go for a vast age difference (my partner is 16 years younger) and try to find a "city woman" who's more likely to be well-educated and worldly.
I first started watching Mark with "Every man has a story" two years ago. He made the PI look like one glamorous paradise and would constantly push for expats, 'old men', to move to the PI. I was smitten by it, but having had already a health care crisis, i was concerned about health care in the PI. And when i acquired about it, he just blew it off as it was an non-issue. I couldn't understand that for someone that had open heart surgery that he wouldn't be under the care of a cardiologist. He would even promote other expats with major health issues moving to the PI. The PI is fine for young folk. But when one gets old, you need to be near a medical facility. It needs to be one that offers the best standard of care. You need to have medical insurance or a great deal of funds for an emergency. Mark only started to talk about the medical issues recently on his channel. He couldn't even get the basic meds for his heart condition. They say Thailand has very good health care, but should one trust what one hears? I like the idea, the Philippines speaks a lot of English. One can live in Thailand without having to speak much English but what if you end up in the emergency room and no one speaks English? I guess there is Google translate if you have it on you.
Dan-- I have been there and many other countries. The bottom line is that you had better be okay with "going to your final reward" if you are not in a first world developed country. There is a reason one doesn't see great numbers of older people in these countries.
I find that many expats in SE Asia go to Malaysia or Thailand for healthcare treatment. I was satisfied by the healthcare in Thailand though it wasn’t for emergency services. I found that all of the healthcare professionals at the high end places I went spoke fantastic English but these facilities were in the most expat-friendly cities in Thailand like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya.
For me the most important factor regarding food is to keep it healthy. Yes I can eat some junk food once in a while but most of the time I try to eat healthy. The older I get the more important this is..
Living in the province provides the perfect opportunity to learn the local language (plus culture and mentality) compared to a life in the city with all its distractions. I consider it very advantageous to know the local language, if you consider living here not just as a tourist.
Hey Alex do you live in Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette 😂😂 after five times saying Dumagette say HERE………it’s sounds like when somebody says, you know, you know, you know, you know
If I say 'here,' people will ask me where I live. The person watching right after you will start pestering me, asking me where is 'here', accusing me of being unclear.
The nice people of Zamboanga will invite you for a boat ride. If you decline, they will insist. Great bunch out there on the far off province, much more welcoming than in those big bad cities.
Rather live poor in a rich country than poor in a poor country. Don’t need to go to the PI to enjoy coffee only. Food in the province is not great nor that healthy if you need to have rice with everything. Think one can live with 1000.00 a month? Good luck
I live on $1200 in the US right now. I own my small cabin, and elect. Is $25 per month average. Couldn't do it if paying rent though. Now half or more goes to food.
@JosephMiller-nd8om I too was doing it until I got into a road accident. The guy that totally my vehicle ran off, I am assuming he had no insurance. I had to bollow thousands from family to buy a used car. The dealership sold me a lemon as I was looking for the cheapest vehicle for less than $5k. I now have to borrow an additional $4-5k to fix the transmission. If you can't afford to save for high ticket items like that, you are screwed! Unfortunately I am on disability, unable to work bec of my medical condition. I need a vehicle to get to a doctor etc as we have no public transport where I live. And the cost of groceries keeps going up and up! I wish I could hire help but I can't. In Asia one can afford to hire help. Folk are able to hire someone to cook and clean, pick up meds, groceries etc. Great advantage. Marrying someone comes with complications. One American YTer posted his expenses in the PI for under $300. He is very frugal. I also don't think what he eats out, is very healthy. But it can be done for around $600. And you save the rest of a rainy day. Not possible for me to save anything here in the US.
A British expat just put out a video where he talked about living on an island in the PI which was surrounded by the most beautiful beaches. He said after a few months he got very bored living there. He said he was tired of waking up and doing the same thing of going to the beach and back every day. I guess it kinda depends on the individual. I dream of living on a beautiful beach. But since i have not done it, i don't know if i too would get bored with it after a short while??
A couple of reasons that you don't have enough to do in the province is you don't have a partner and you don't have a comfortable place to live. You've chosen a lifestyle that limits your happiness in the provinces
@@EasternDreamer615 Believe me that would be the first thing she would change. Put the ring on her finger one day and the next you would be out with her house shopping. I read a lot of comments on videos here.
You have to be careful and think twice about not losing the energy momentum of your productivity. Also, don't make the mistake of comparing yourself to the many older expats. If you do, you will adapt without realizing it and lose the “meaning of your life”. The best years of your life are ahead of you, use them somehow and build up a project. Voluntarily now is better than later as a MUST! You would regret it bitterly in 20 years' time, looking back. I wish you good decisions.
@@thealanshow25Siargao is a small islamd too & it doesn't have a good hospital. You'll need to ride a ferry to get to Surigao city in Mindanao (a larger island). If you have health issues, my suggestion is don't live in small islands or isolated areas like El Nido. If you still want island but not Dumaguete (too many foreigners, gentrified, higher rents), try Bacolod, Iloilo or Roxas cities. They're bigger islands & have malls, supermarkets, hospitals, gyms, restos, etc.
I’ve been here about 5 months on this trip, I last spent a month in other parts of the Philippines about 5 years ago. Dumaguete has among the highest rates of English fluency in the country.
It seems Duma has the right balance to make life enjoyable for you. I've always been a suburban middle class person. Province and country life requires interest in other activities that I'm not familiar with.
Hey Alex, my main goal is to have an apartment close to a main road. That way if it's been raining for a week I can grab a Trike a head into town. And yes a Motorbike is definitely in my future, your fear of riding will be over the first wheelie I do with you on the back !!!! 😂🤣😆😬
I think that most of the people that you're talking about that are wanting to go into the province are not people but, old guys. Old retired men. I think either are used to rural living here in the US and/or have grown tired of people and so they are so sick and fed up with people that they just want to isolate and cut out all of the complexity to life and so they view provincial living as a way to do that. I can understand, feeling overwhelmed and fed up with other people and just wanting an escape. I'm 45 currently and I'm not at a level where I I'm so fed up that I want to forego all the conveniences of being in a major city including stable power and internet. For me. Even dumagete was not stable enough with the brown outs of power at least once a week. For the entire day. I had to go back to Cebu. So I think that the guys that are telling you that they want to live in the province are almost always older or elderly. If I was to ask you, I'm almost positive. That's what you would say and that is most likely the reason
I am 53 years old in the USA right now I have chickens that lay eggs and pigs. With usually a garden. I just enjoy the green space and I am at a place that is maybe 200 steps from the sea!
Could I ever live in Dumaguete? I was there for approx 1 week. It was quite OK, but enough. For me it was just to much and to many foreigners and feeling of being inside an "expat bubble". Here at the countryside in Luzon, I have never seen a foreigner at all, in the village I am living. But I have MC'Donalds within 10 minutes, and 2 different big cities within 1 hours with slow driving, using motorbike. Whenever I want the city life, I can have it. Some times I do, but after 1-2-3 days I'm tired of the city life. I think your video gives a good explanation of why some expats claim that you need $3,000 for a good life, while others say that $1,000 is enough. Here in the countryside, it would be a stressful job to have to spend 3,000 every month. That wouldn't be a comfortable life. Then it feels better to live a calm and relaxed life while you let your savings grow as they want.
I'm curious how old you are. I have a theory about expats that move to the provinces so I want to test that which is why I'm asking 😎
Yes better to save that money you never know what’s gonna happen Next ….
The province I go to is between Iligan city and Cagayan de Oro. Not sure if I will retire there yet. I can go to each city and eat at great restaurants and get any western items I need.
These are great points MrHeiarne
Mate I agree I have lived in a province for 14 years on a farm, I have no foreigners living in my province and I don't miss that, I am part of the community as I am treated like a local. I have seen on UA-cam foreigners fighting other foreigners over silly things, if I want to go to a city where foreigners live I only have to travel just over half an hour, but I never worry about meeting another foreigner. I am happy living this lifestyle but I understand it's not what some foreigners would like, but it suits me.
I have out of America for 14 years.... and I learned lonely is your worst enemy ....
💯
I've lived in the Philippines three times since 1987 (working the first two times)... a total of 12+ years. I've also lived in Sri Lanka and four African countries for over 16 years. So I'm quite adaptable for living in cities or provincial towns of low-income countries. Nothing truly rural.
I'm now living in the exurbs of Manila, in Bulacan. While it's not the beach, the mountain or some sleepy rural idyll, it's not in the crush of the big city either. Giant malls, smaller malls and good hospitals are all within a 15 - 60 minute drive (we have a car).
I have my computer-based "projects" to keep me busy. I don't get bored. A domestic trip a couple of times a year keeps things from getting too routine. Guys, do not simply arrive with no plans other than to sit in a chair with a drink in your hand. Get a project. Go to the gym. You need to keep mind and body in good working order.
During COVID, I was the only foreigner in the area. It didn't matter. Even now, I have zero expat friends and don't need them. The reason? My Filipina partner of 18 years is well-educated and worked at a bank head office in Makati. Her English vocabulary and grammar are better than most native English speakers. We talk about a wide array of topics and she has intelligent, well-informed opinions. She proved her mettle by living with me in the last two African countries. And she's a sweetie too. So, for men who come here looking for a relationship, my advice is to take your time, don't go for a vast age difference (my partner is 16 years younger) and try to find a "city woman" who's more likely to be well-educated and worldly.
Thanks for sharing your experience, you've given some great insight!
I first started watching Mark with "Every man has a story" two years ago. He made the PI look like one glamorous paradise and would constantly push for expats, 'old men', to move to the PI. I was smitten by it, but having had already a health care crisis, i was concerned about health care in the PI. And when i acquired about it, he just blew it off as it was an non-issue. I couldn't understand that for someone that had open heart surgery that he wouldn't be under the care of a cardiologist. He would even promote other expats with major health issues moving to the PI.
The PI is fine for young folk. But when one gets old, you need to be near a medical facility. It needs to be one that offers the best standard of care. You need to have medical insurance or a great deal of funds for an emergency.
Mark only started to talk about the medical issues recently on his channel. He couldn't even get the basic meds for his heart condition.
They say Thailand has very good health care, but should one trust what one hears?
I like the idea, the Philippines speaks a lot of English. One can live in Thailand without having to speak much English but what if you end up in the emergency room and no one speaks English? I guess there is Google translate if you have it on you.
you would have to be in the big cities e.g. cities in metro manila to have the advanced hospitals
Dan-- I have been there and many other countries. The bottom line is that you had better be okay with "going to your final reward" if you are not in a first world developed country. There is a reason one doesn't see great numbers of older people in these countries.
I find that many expats in SE Asia go to Malaysia or Thailand for healthcare treatment. I was satisfied by the healthcare in Thailand though it wasn’t for emergency services.
I found that all of the healthcare professionals at the high end places I went spoke fantastic English but these facilities were in the most expat-friendly cities in Thailand like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya.
For me the most important factor regarding food is to keep it healthy. Yes I can eat some junk food once in a while but most of the time I try to eat healthy. The older I get the more important this is..
I absolutely agree alr
Living in the province provides the perfect opportunity to learn the local language (plus culture and mentality) compared to a life in the city with all its distractions. I consider it very advantageous to know the local language, if you consider living here not just as a tourist.
💯 I agree Rebels
Hey Alex do you live in Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette Dumagette 😂😂 after five times saying Dumagette say HERE………it’s sounds like when somebody says, you know, you know, you know, you know
If I say 'here,' people will ask me where I live. The person watching right after you will start pestering me, asking me where is 'here', accusing me of being unclear.
Everywhere in the world I have been the further away from the city the nicer the people have been.
True
The nice people of Zamboanga will invite you for a boat ride. If you decline, they will insist.
Great bunch out there on the far off province, much more welcoming than in those big bad cities.
Also True
Hate to break it to you but to most Filipinos that live in Manila, Dumagate is the province.
No hate needed, I welcome diverse opinions
Rather live poor in a rich country than poor in a poor country. Don’t need to go to the PI to enjoy coffee only. Food in the province is not great nor that healthy if you need to have rice with everything. Think one can live with 1000.00 a month? Good luck
I live on $1200 in the US right now.
I own my small cabin, and elect. Is $25 per month average.
Couldn't do it if paying rent though.
Now half or more goes to food.
@JosephMiller-nd8om I too was doing it until I got into a road accident. The guy that totally my vehicle ran off, I am assuming he had no insurance. I had to bollow thousands from family to buy a used car. The dealership sold me a lemon as I was looking for the cheapest vehicle for less than $5k. I now have to borrow an additional $4-5k to fix the transmission. If you can't afford to save for high ticket items like that, you are screwed! Unfortunately I am on disability, unable to work bec of my medical condition. I need a vehicle to get to a doctor etc as we have no public transport where I live. And the cost of groceries keeps going up and up! I wish I could hire help but I can't. In Asia one can afford to hire help. Folk are able to hire someone to cook and clean, pick up meds, groceries etc. Great advantage. Marrying someone comes with complications. One American YTer posted his expenses in the PI for under $300. He is very frugal. I also don't think what he eats out, is very healthy. But it can be done for around $600. And you save the rest of a rainy day. Not possible for me to save anything here in the US.
Enjoy
A British expat just put out a video where he talked about living on an island in the PI which was surrounded by the most beautiful beaches. He said after a few months he got very bored living there. He said he was tired of waking up and doing the same thing of going to the beach and back every day.
I guess it kinda depends on the individual. I dream of living on a beautiful beach. But since i have not done it, i don't know if i too would get bored with it after a short while??
I agree Dan, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’m curious to see how you feel after you try that lifestyle out.
A couple of reasons that you don't have enough to do in the province is you don't have a partner and you don't have a comfortable place to live. You've chosen a lifestyle that limits your happiness in the provinces
Thanks for watching!
@@EasternDreamer615 I think she has someone in mind for you Alex. Probably a cousin or sister.
Unfortunately I doubt it John, she says I don't have a comfortable place to live.
@@EasternDreamer615 Believe me that would be the first thing she would change. Put the ring on her finger one day and the next you would be out with her house shopping. I read a lot of comments on videos here.
You have to be careful and think twice about not losing the energy momentum of your productivity. Also, don't make the mistake of comparing yourself to the many older expats. If you do, you will adapt without realizing it and lose the “meaning of your life”. The best years of your life are ahead of you, use them somehow and build up a project. Voluntarily now is better than later as a MUST! You would regret it bitterly in 20 years' time, looking back. I wish you good decisions.
I’ve decided I’m going to try BGC, El Nido or Siargao. Either total city or total island vibe.
Sounds like a great plan!
If you ever need a doctor, hospital, or we’ll stocked pharmacy don’t live in El Nido. It’s beautiful but remote.
@ thanks for the advice. I’ve learned that island life is too limited.
@@thealanshow25Siargao is a small islamd too & it doesn't have a good hospital. You'll need to ride a ferry to get to Surigao city in Mindanao (a larger island). If you have health issues, my suggestion is don't live in small islands or isolated areas like El Nido.
If you still want island but not Dumaguete (too many foreigners, gentrified, higher rents), try Bacolod, Iloilo or Roxas cities. They're bigger islands & have malls, supermarkets, hospitals, gyms, restos, etc.
the Philippines is a Country for the OLD and the Young.
I agree Reynaldo, the title is a reference to a famous American film called “No Country for Old Men,” starring Tommy Lee Jones
Good points. how long have you been in the Philipines, and how long in Dumageti. Your best guess percentage of fluent English speakers
I’ve been here about 5 months on this trip, I last spent a month in other parts of the Philippines about 5 years ago. Dumaguete has among the highest rates of English fluency in the country.
I use a bike...but we are right off McArthur Highway...very convenient..access to bus..shuttle etc..
Love to live in a Convenient Area Easy Access to Everything
@piacash5216 airport area is good...
@@anthonynorris1016 👍👍👍👌
I hear you on the convenience, it makes life easier
@EasternDreamer615 save money from not always needing a tricycle..plus when it is traffic conjested, you actually save time..
It seems Duma has the right balance to make life enjoyable for you. I've always been a suburban middle class person. Province and country life requires interest in other activities that I'm not familiar with.
I understand that feeling!
Hey Alex, my main goal is to have an apartment close to a main road. That way if it's been raining for a week I can grab a Trike a head into town. And yes a Motorbike is definitely in my future, your fear of riding will be over the first wheelie I do with you on the back !!!! 😂🤣😆😬
Thank you for chiming in Joe hehehe :)
Dramagete is a nice Place 🤣 I don’t mind living in there close to the Manjuyod Sand bar … Beautiful place
It's definitely a beautiful place to live!
I think that most of the people that you're talking about that are wanting to go into the province are not people but, old guys. Old retired men. I think either are used to rural living here in the US and/or have grown tired of people and so they are so sick and fed up with people that they just want to isolate and cut out all of the complexity to life and so they view provincial living as a way to do that. I can understand, feeling overwhelmed and fed up with other people and just wanting an escape. I'm 45 currently and I'm not at a level where I I'm so fed up that I want to forego all the conveniences of being in a major city including stable power and internet. For me. Even dumagete was not stable enough with the brown outs of power at least once a week. For the entire day. I had to go back to Cebu. So I think that the guys that are telling you that they want to live in the province are almost always older or elderly. If I was to ask you, I'm almost positive. That's what you would say and that is most likely the reason
I am 53 years old in the USA right now I have chickens that lay eggs and pigs. With usually a garden. I just enjoy the green space and I am at a place that is maybe 200 steps from the sea!
If I were elderly, I’d be concerned about the lack of access to healthcare services in the province
Location is important...home base..
What kind of camera are you using?
DJI Osmo Action 4
Dumagete is for people with one foot in the grave... end of story
And one foot on a filipina. Lol
Location is important...home base..
I agree Anthony