Cost Of Living In The Philippines?

I have been leaving in the Philippines for about 8 years now and I gotta say its not as cheap as everyone thinks it is, the only thing that is really cheap in the Philippines is pretty much labor.

I have been comparing prices in the Philippines and the States the last couple of days and when you look at things like shopping for food or clothes to wear the cost in the States at times are cheaper or a better price. You can get a bunch of cheap junk like shoes, watches, hats and DVDs but its all junk cheap as shit which will only last a week to a month at best but when you get some thing from a real store in the Philippines a real branded name price is going to be the same if not more then the States or country you are from but you are going to be buying a quality product that is going to last you longer.

If you want to live the life style of a local Filippino for sure you can live very cheap, some leaving on less then 200 dollars a month but in allot of peoples eyes from other countries they would not enjoy it.

I’m just rambling so your just going to have to go with me.

Renting a house here is pretty cheap, you can get a house or a condo from any where from $200 to $5000 dollars a month depends on your standards.

Power cost more then the states, we have two aircons going only pretty much at night and some times during the day and our bill is around 220 dollars a month which is a joke.

Going to the store to buy food for my family of 4 is about 100 dollars a week, what you would be spending in the States.

Beer is cheap in bars but when you are buying from a store or a 711 its just a little bit more then the States for good beer.

Hotels are about the same as the States if not more, one time we stayed in a 4 star hotel that was a shit hole on the beach for about 175 dollars a night. Some places in the States are charging any where around $50 dollars a night.

Going out with friend for dinner at an ok place is about the same price as the States, about 10 dollars a person.

One thing that is really cheap in the Philippines is Taxi’s compared to the States, BIG TIME.

I will tell you one of the things that I love about the Philippines is every thing you need is so near every thing VS living in the States you have to go to many places to get a couple things instead of just one giant mall.

If you are living in the Philippines, I would suggest saving all your receipts for a month and then total them up and see what you are spending while living in the Philippines and compare them to what you spent where your from. It will be shocking! Or maybe I’m just spending to much money.

Everyone comes to the Philippines to outsource because of the labor cost but other then that cost is about the same unless you are living below your means.