How Much Money Do You ACTUALLY Need To Retire in The Philippines

$500, $1,000, $2,500, $4,000, or higher … are you considering retiring in the Philippines but unsure about the costs involved?
In this video, we break down how much money you ACTUALLY will need to retire for four budget levels - but obviously they come with four different qualities of life.
It will be up to YOU to decide where your budget fits allowing you to RETIRE LIKE A KING in the beautiful Philippines - or perhaps you will decide you aren’t quite ready to retire yet until you have more savings. Regardless of your choice, we will succeed if you make an informed decision and ensure you do not set up for failure.
The exact retirement budget will be different for each of us based on the personal choices we make - some will feel like Royalty on a modest budget and simple lifestyle, while others will want more luxuries and will need a higher number.
I have done both over the past 6 years from a very simple cottage life to a high-end big city condo life and now a middle-class small-town subdivision life. I am happy where we are at now.
Remember no judging - what each of us thinks is their best retirement goal is a personal choice. Once you decide on your target number then the key will be for you to be disciplined and stick to your budget. Watch now to get a clear understanding of the financial aspects of retiring in this tropical paradise.
Link to the first budget video referred to:
Cost of Living In the Philippines After 6 Years
• How Much It Cost To Li...
Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE - thank you so much for watching!
Salamat Greg & Lindie
VIDEO CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro - Silliman Beach
01:00 Poll $ Budget
04:23 Different Approach
06:25 Poll Top Expense
06:39 Housing
07:25 Flight Break
10:32 Helping Fishermen
11:01 Food
16:06 Utilities
21:17 Phone
23:51 Internet
26:19 Too Much Sun
26:57 Mangnao Beach
27:50 Transportation
30:35 Entertainment
31:02 International Phone #
32:11 Visa
32:35 Helper
33:57 Not Included - Health Care
38:22 Not Included - Transportation Purchase
40:46 Not Included - SRRV
41:23 Not Included - Laundry
42:17 Not Included - Initial Setup
43:13 $500 Budget
43:45 $1,000 Budget
44:48 $2,500 Budget
45:14 $4,000 Budget
45:43 Your #?
46:12 Adjust to Suit Your Needs
46:47 Conclusion
Links for App referenced in the Video: As I noted I am not an Affiliate - just ones I use and like, Google Play Store link below:
OpenPhone App
for getting a number that can be called and texted from North America
play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Also I use this Currency Converter almost every day;
Currency Converter Plus
play.google.com/store/apps/de...

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Click HERE to find out: How Much It Cost To Live In The Philippines kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpybn2uHmtFooNU Thanks for your support. Salamat Greg & Lindie

[@michaeltakayama8415]

I think your visa number might be a bit off. For a tourist visa, most US visitors get a 30-day visa waiver, on arrival, which can be extended for 29 days. After that, you can get either 1 or 2 month extensions, for up to 3 years. 6 month extensions are possilble, but apparently only available at the main immigration office and only allowed twice in each 3 year period. You also have to purchase an ACR-I card,, after your first extension, which needs to be renewed annually. The fees vary, for the extensions (which can be confusing), but the average cost over a year works out to be closer to 45 USD per month, if you generally stick to the 2 month extensions and avoid the express lane service. Note that, after 3 years, you do have to leave the country, so figure that cost into your budget, as well. I think that you only need to stay out of country for a day or two, then you can return and start the 3 year tourist visa cycle all over again. This assumes that you do the visa extensions yourself. If you use an agent, the cost will undoubtedly be higher. Please note that I am NOT an expert on Philippines visas, so do your own research. I got my information from the Philippines Bureau of Immigration website.

[@didierdenice7456]

I love the setting on the beach with the sea as a background. Airplanes or people walking behind are not a distraction. At the contrary ! Some life or activity help in keeping the attention of the viewer 👍

[@cdmorrissy3692]

I'll be retiring to Davao City 4/2025 with $260,000 in savings and $4,500 monthly income, but I'll budget only $2,000 monthly and save the rest. I don't want to "live like a king", I'll just live in a nice condo with good amenities and have a (reasonably) "Western" lifestyle, going places and doing things I like to do.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi CD Morrissy@cdmorrissy3692 Thank you for sharing your retirement plans with us! It's inspiring to see your thoughtful approach. I only have one comment on your input - in my mind you will be Living Like A King - that is different for everyone and your plan with the nice condo, amenities, lifestyle, exploring with your financial set up - you will have done it. Now DON"T mess it up by partnering with a Filipina with 5 or 6 kids - there are many amazing single, kind, smart, maganda - who would be thrilled to meet a nice guy. Be picky - I came in 2017 and met my wife in 2019 and we married in2019 - there is no set timeline but don't jump into it like I see some locking in on their first few days. Retiring is a big step, selling off in the home country and moving another big step - take it easy and enjoy breathing and a great life will be ready for you to take the next step. ENOUGH OF MY PHILIOSOPY ... you have a solid plan for your retirement! Enjoy your time in Davao City. Amping take care Greg

[@CavalrySecurity]

We have a house in Mindanao, but its boring and dangerous there, I prefer Dumaguete. I plan on being a tropical snowbird, coming to the Philippines in the Winter. More than likely I'll stay in an el cheapo hotel, just found one on Agoda for 400 Bucks a month all-in. No need to sign lease or Utilities contracts.

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

@CavalrySecurity depend, what is boring for you, will be a paradise for others who like the quiet life far from the noise and bars, most men's like 👍

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Cavalry Security @CavalrySecurity sounds like a great plan. When I left Manila in 2019 I put my stuff in storage and started touring looking for my next place to live - I went to Dipolog first but after a few days (I had been there 2X before) I decided to take the ferry from Dapitan to Dumaguete and felt better in Dumaguete. I ended up going away again but came back here in 2021 after domestic travel opened up. It’s a nice base and can explore anywhere you want by ferry or driving/ferry mix or flying. When I arrived on the ferry I walked over to Fiesole Residence Inn (many low cost places to this in walking distance to everything in downtown Dumaguete) where I had a reservation for 3 nights - that is about the most I would do in advance booking until you explore in person. The day after arriving I went for breakfast along the Boulevard and found a bulletin board at WhyNot Restaurant listing places for rent - that is where I found my beach front cottage for rent. Took a trike over for a visit and rented it - it was $300. I just posted a short video of a drone flight where I flew by my old cottage it looks in much rougher shape than when I stayed there in 2019 - I left in 2019 when the cheap old Expat landlord refused to spend money fixing the roof that was damaged in a storm. Don’t think he has done much in the last 5 years! As for the hotel that sounds like a great deal. My only advice I would not lock in for your whole stay - there are many places to check out in person once you get here. Find a place to stay for a few days and explore around using google maps looking for apartments - MANY MANY in Dumaguete, Sibulan and Valencia or if don’t mind a bit further away even Bacong. One I went and looked at was very nice and the nice thing is you have zero set up costs as they have everything including tv, wifi, cooking, bedding, towels everything - so it would be a bit more cost but when you factor in the included stuff it might be very similar to the hotel you are considering - they even have a whole bunch of scooters, which would be a huge monthly savings: - on Google maps search: Dumaguete-Studio-Apartments-With-Pool I asked the owner last year if I could do a video of his place but he wasn’t interested so I said no problem and left - but it is still worth checking out. Amping Greg

[@didierdenice7456]

Congratulations on a great video, packed with so much information ! 👍 And I watched it all ! My only caveat is that with almost one hour long this video might be much too long for the attention focus capacity of most people nowadays... and that includes myself ! 😂 For decades I used to swallow 500+ pages books... and now in my sixties I have a hard time to follow a video longer than 10 minutes .

[@gradylucas5265]

Have you come across anywhere there is not the constant sounds of roosters and barking dogs in background? Unfortunately, for whatever PTSD reason, I cannot get peace when there's that kind of noise. Also screaming kids. One day I'll find my peaceful spot.

[@peter-pg5yc]

OK ive been in Pi many times.. dogs barking, chickens clucking, dirt roads abject poverty like youve never ever seen before, traffic is horrendious, power failures locals have water pits to flush, drunk fillipinos eat stray dogs yes they do asawa grew up there, pig smells, neighbors rusty metal home, garbage all around, flooding can get to over 1 foot deep curl your toes you dont wanna loose sandals or sneakers in the suction. The heat and humidity is well shitty. Buy that pwer generator no ac sucks. Medical care is not good. gotta live close to a good hospital traffic so bad you aint getting there. pay at time of care. But the women are amazing food is massarap, liquor cheap drink enough the above comments matter not. ask where i live now?

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hii Grady Lucas @gradylucas5265 Thank you for sharing your experience. I appreciate your honesty, and I hope you find the tranquility you deserve. Unfortunately, this is not a quiet country - for some reason street dogs have the run of the place. In Tanjay after we got married there were a few street dogs, many loud motorcycles and the house across from us had 10 crazy dogs - people complained but nothing was ever done - even midnight 1am I would stand on the balcony talking to my dad in Canada and he couldn’t' t believe the noise. Then the empty lot next to there were many large fighting chickens. Now we live in a decent subdivision near the Dumaguete airport - 3 houses over has a covered parking inside their compound filled with dog cages that similar to Tanjay they are crazy barkers - I feel sorry for the dogs and one is very large in a small cage and they never get taken for walks. These same people feed street dogs so there are on average 8 to 12 street dogs on our corner and they are always having babies. When we arrived in 2022 someone organized a petition, we signed it but nothing was done. In 2024 I complained to our Property Owner's Association - they said they can't do anything. I spoke to a city worker and they said to go to Sibulan City Hall - they sent me to the Agricultural Office and they sent me to the Barangay office who sent me to the Property Owner's Association. So nothing was done. These dogs are very aggressive towards anyone walking the streets - they act like they own the street. Back to your question - I was talking to someone about the terrible noise from the many caged dogs near us - and said I need to spend more time at the mountain farm. There you can't drive in so we park then hike (I have a few videos on that) - that is so peaceful because there are no roads there are no motorbikes or cars, the dog does bark if someone arrives at the farm, kids are optional you can skip that step. So the mountain areas all over the Philippines is one option. But there must be some quiet beach, closer to the water locations that aren't on a main road that could offer you similar tranquility - but the only thing about the water many of the local fishing boats are very noisy - but that would just be a few times per day. So there are options you just have to find that special place for you. Amping take care, Greg

[@timmytravels23]

I would say no unless you want to live in a high rise condo in one of the big cities.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

I broke a record on KZbin with my reply - I actually had to type it 2X the first time KZbin Studio went blank on my reply and lost it so I swtiched to Word and did a cut and paste and realised what happened the first time - I hit the max words and the program didn't handle it well so this is PART 1 of 2 in my reply to Peter @peter-pg5yc Hi Peter @peter-pg5yc I wish you would tell us what you really think!!! You need to come out of your shell - JOKING 🤓😜- okay you might want to have a beverage of your choice before you check out my reply - I will put a green check mark where I agree, red X where I have a different experience (not saying you are wrong - my experience is different) and one question mark - I don’t understand. Buckle up here we go …. dogs barking -✅ terrible across the Philippines wherever I have visited or lived EXCEPT Ayala Alabang Village and BGC (both high end rich areas that don’t put up with dog noise), but everywhere else it has been bad - our current subdivision is not high end, but it is decent - there is a house 3 over that has a covered car port filled with about 10 dogs in cages even a big one and none of them are ever walked but they bark at all hours of the night and the same people feed about 10 street dogs that roam the street like they own it barking at anyone that comes near. A petition was circulated in 2022 nothing done in 2024 I went to the Home Owners Association, then told go to City Hall, then told go to Agriculture Office then told go to Barangay then told Home Owners Association - so nothing gets done. When we rented in Tanjay the house across the street had about 12 dogs and was a mad house day and late into the night - unfortunately did not notice when we looked at the place or never would have rented there - need to check this out for any place you rent here - which is another reason like I told people never rent online here - come here get a hotel for a few nights and explore - will find a place in a few days or can extend at your hotel or even try a different one - tons of places to rent - no need to book online and pay in advance before seeing - and this issue is another reason why you need to find your rental in person. chickens clucking -✅ not just on the farm even in the city - when I lived in Carmona Cavite a neighbor brought 15 chickens to the lot between us during Covid - the smell and noise and flies was incredible, in Tanjay the lot two over from the crazy dog house had about 20 chickens, even in our subdivision our neighbor has chickens and he has lots of money - they make a lot of noise at different times of the day, even in our Sibulan subdivision our neighbor has chickens which are noisy dirt roads - ❌✅ rarely have I seen a dirt road here - as I have documented in my videos all over Negros Oriental there is this problem of uncemented sections where they build a road but they don’t finish the joint they leave anywhere from 10 meters to 100 meters of unfinished road no idea why it is done - Dumaguete, Valencia, Sibulan, Tanjay even in the mountains with the new roads the last few years (CORRECTION you are right until recently it was a BRUTAL dangerous road especially in the rain - with mud and rocks) - but now cemented EXCEPT for 4 spots where they left gaps - someone guessed it is a contracting issue - if they finished the road they contract would have to be closed off and accounted for and by not finishing the road there is no end so there is no accounting - no idea if this is accurate - I know people in the road construction industry in Canada and if they did that they would never get another contract and would not get paid fully as the job was not completed. abject poverty like youve never ever seen before - ✅❌I have been fortunate to live in some very nice areas but have also lived in some simple situations - I have seen some very bad living conditions in Manila and Cebu City - but where I have lived nothing like those two places - it doesn’t mean people have fancy houses but there are many who live in very low cost types of housing, which I showed a nicer version for the $500 budget (as I said I wouldn’t recommend anyone coming here with that budget - unless they had a monthly income of $1,000 or more so that they were saving the balance for unexpected costs (medical, life events, flights home etc), in the mountains there is a mixture of nice modern construction homes and native houses all seem happy, even outside the walls of our subdivision there is a mixture of modern houses (not in subdivisions) and native style houses traffic is horrendous -❌ I agree in parts of Manila and Cebu City - I have never experienced traffic problems EXCEPT where there is road construction - however the inside road (through Oslob, Car Car etc) from the south end of Cebu Island to Cebu City is supposed to take 4.5 hours but the road is absolutely brutal, narrow one lanes each way and often blocked by slow moving trikes that refuse to give way so it turns into a 6 or 7 hour drive - my car did not appreciate the trip so last time we took my wife’s 4x4 and it was much better but still long and rough. We came back on the other side of the island down to the ferry to Sibulan, going through Barili where we spent the night and it was a much nicer road and more scenic route than Oslob, Car Car etc.) power failures - ❌ rarely do we get an unplanned but sometimes for a few hours, normally it is planned and once per month for vegetation clearing (things grow crazy fast in the tropical climate) and pole replacement locals have water pits to flush ❓- sorry don't know this one drunk fillipinos - ❌when has this been an issue for me? In Ayala Alabang it was usually drunk idiot Expats at the golf courses that were an embarrassment to all Expats there, it was the same in BGC - it was Expats causing the trouble not Filipinos - occasionally when I lived in Dumaguete, Tanjay and now in Sibulan when I am out walking I come across a group drinking in the early morning and almost always they are so happy to see me and invite me to join them for A SHOT - I always turn them down and say doing my exercise but I have never experienced a gad incident, even in the mountains where they celebrate everything - it is always a fun time normally involving karaoke as well eat stray dogs yes they do asawa grew up there - ✅❌have never seen in this area but heard some eat monkey and I heard in the South in Kultan Suldarat they eat dog BUT Koreans eat dog, Japanese eat many strange things, Germans eat Horse, French eat rabbit, frogs and snails, North Americans eat pigs, cows and birds - so we all have issues pig smells - ❌in my 6 years have never lived anywhere close enough to be bothered, I have visited places like a squatters area between Dumaguete and Valencia where people live off the road in amongst the trees and have pigs beside their house door - the smell was a bit ripe - I would never live there, but the people I knew did it for food and extra income so they were hard working neighbors rusty metal home - haven’t experienced this but even in our subdivision see many abandoned homes and outside the walls of our subdivision many people live a hard life garbage all around ✅yes there is a nationwide problem with people throwing garbage no matter where, on the street, the beach, the ocean, by their house, from their car/motorcycle - in the past year Dumaguete installed colored bins for getting rid of garbage and recyclables - hope it works flooding can get to over 1 foot deep curl your toes you dont wanna loose sandals or sneakers in the suction. - ❌never experienced and when we bought I checked the provincial flood zone maps to make sure our property was not in a flood zone, with the ocean close by and mountains behind us there are a number of flood zones from the mountains to the ocean but people shouldn’t build there - the ones that do it act out of necessity The heat and humidity is well shitty. ❌This is only an issue for Expats - even when AC is available my wife doesn’t like AC - they are acclimatized - I have a fan on me wherever I am in the city house and run the AC off and on (haven’t run it since sunset - but it rained - most nights low mid to high 20s so run the AC off and on, in the mountains there is no AC and the low is 22 to 24 and the air feels much cooler - there I use a fan but the locals rarely use a fan. Buy that power generator no ac sucks. ❌Have never had one in 6 years - except my fancy BGC condo tower had one and it cut in a few times over the 14 months I was there - once during a Tropical Storm - during brown outs (no electricity) we have 3 chargeable fans - and on planned outages it is a good excuse to do a beach day and then no need for AC anyways see next message for Part 2 of 2

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Part 2 of 2 in reply to Peter @peter-pg5yc: Medical care is not good. ❌ ❌ I keep hearing this from Expats and I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE - it is as if they forget they are in another country and that they many of them come from a country with a failing medical system (Canada, USA, England, Europe) In 6 years I have had amazing medical care in the Philippines - I travelled extensively looking for my places to live and did not choose some amazing places because of poor medical facilities - Expats need to consider this when deciding where to live. BUT this is no different than many parts of Canada or the USA - as you travel the country there are many places with little to no, or poor health care - I would never pick to live there in Canada and nor would I in the Philippines. In the 9 months I lived in Ayala Alabang I had amazing doctors, when I lived in Dumaguete in 2019 I never used medical, when I lived in Carmona Cavite I continued to use my Ayala Alabang doctors, when Covid hit I found an amazing dentist in Carmona (husband and wife team) and an incredible dermatologist nearby in St Rose and when I moved to BGC I lived 5 blocks from the world famous St Lukes BGC - a world healthcare destination hospital, similar to Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok (I have used both) and both receive patients from all over the world coming for world class medical treatment at a fraction of the cost of other countries (I included a screenshot of their website in my video) - on one of my daily walks I stopped in at the Heart Institute to ask about how to book my annual heart tests (the list was provided by my Canadian Heart Specialist as I have had them done every year since I was a baby) - the receptionist misunderstood my question and said I am sorry we cannot fit you in today but can you come back tomorrow - I was shocked I returned the following day for my tests and initial consult with the doctor who had arranged for some bloodwork then a second follow-up after the bloodwork. All first-rate medical staff, world class equipment (trust me I have been in heart institutes in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, BC, and Ontario, as well as Thailand - the Thai and Philippine examples are equal to North America and there was no requirement to wait for months to get an appointment with my GP for a referral to a specialist, then wait months to see the specialist and more months to get the testing. In Tanjay I didn’t need medical care except one time I had food poisoning and came to Negros Polymedic Hospital (in Sibulan a few kms from the Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport) - had amazing care. Now we live right near this hospital and as I noted in the video, I have amazing care from them and ACE Hospital in Dumaguete. Once I slashed my thumb bad and needed stitches - drove myself to the hospital in a few minutes - NO HEAVY traffic at all and was seen immediately - the on duty emergency doctor apologized for the delay and I said from the time I sat down at reception until then it was about 10 minutes - I told her NEVER apologize to a foreigner because this is amazing care and told her how my 83 year old father sat for 12 hours in Emergency then they finally put him on a stretcher in the hallway and the next day got a bed, my appendix burst and it was the same - within minutes at the hospital I was surrounded by a medical team that made my pain go away -and anyone who has had a burst appendix you know the pain and the toxic shock to your body and the intense care your body needs - I was in great hands. I have had routine care the same - no waiting or referrals - contacted a colonoscopy doctor on a Wednesday set my procedure for Saturday morning and took my pre-procedure drink and meds on the Friday (same as I did in Canada EXCEPT in the Philippines zero waiting, amazing care and because I have PhilHealth (because of my SSRV) my cost was almost nothing. Prescription meds are never a problem finding and are cheap here. gotta live close to a good hospital traffic so bad you aint getting there. ❌- I would never live anywhere there is bad traffic - I picked Ayala Alabang and BGC in Manila there are areas I would never live, it is also why when I was told to look at Cebu City when I was leaving Manila - I went to Cebu City and said NOT A CHANCE would I live there it has brutal traffic, noise, congestion - basically a mini-Manila AND not like the good parts (BGC and Alabang). I also always picked where to live AND decided to not live in certain places that did not have access to good hospital care - this is no different than any place I lived in Canada. pay at time of care. ✅- agree BUT how is this any different anywhere in the world (unless have care covered or insurance - it is the same here you can use your insurance you have just like when you are anywhere in the world IF YOU HAVE INSURANCE) - I have lived in USA and France besides here and it was always that way for a foreigner - I don’t understand Expats thinking they need to have special rules - why would we have better rules than the locals? I have never had an issue and my hospital costs have not been cheap - everywhere takes credit cards just as they would in the good old USA! Now that I have PhilHealth I pay the balance owing after PhilHealth coverage - which is the same any Filipino would do - why would I expect any different treatment? women are amazing - ✅ INDEED food is massarap, -✅ AMAZING food liquor cheap drink enough the above comments matter not ✅ BUT I don’t drink that much- got take out pizza tonight and grabbed 2 SanMig light beer on the way home from grabbing my pizza - I drank one - not sure when I last had a beer probably had one or two in June when I also had takeout of some kind ask where i live now? ✅ I am guessing USA - am I right? maybe Illinois or Texas Amping/Ingat Take Care Peter ,- Greg

[@harrivennola8687]

That was so good very good information and educational well done Greg!! So many answers that I was thinking about answerd!! Amping Harri

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hey, Harri Vennola @harrivennola8687 thanks for the shoutout! I'm thrilled you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Amping Grega and Lindie

[@jamestopeka2236]

I have the 4k usd budget retirement and I live in the Philippines now , I built our house in 2017 so no rent now but I rented 3 years before we built and was paying 3500 pesos a month , then went to 4500 , then 6k so I decided to build . My monthly bills are , power not running aircon is 3k , running aircon is 6k , water 350 pesos monthly , internet 1,150 with tv , trash 40 pesos for 3 months , propane 950 , scooter gas 1200 pesos , food for 3 cooking 3 meals a day 3k to 35 oo pesos a week , ..we spend 10k pesos a month for recreation like eating out . I live on 130k pesos a month so we do live like a king and queen . We also have a sari sari store and we bank a lot . I save to rest of my retirement in my American credit union .

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi James The Ram man @jamestopeka2236 Well done on the $4k budget and also saving money. Thank you for sharing your detailed breakdown of expenses and how you enjoy life in the Philippines. Your budgeting skills deserve are a great example for others! Living Like a King AND Queen - without breaking the bank - as they say here SANA ALL! Well done James!!! Hello to your asawa - amping Greg and Lindie

[@stevesilver7437]

Ask your credit union for a high interest checking account! Mine is paying 6% on upto $25000US.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Thats a good one Steve Silver @stevesilver7437 One thing I have noticed different between Canada and Philippine banking is depositer protection. In Canada it is CD$100,000 per account (PHP 4,281,376). In the PHilippines it is PHP500,000 (CD$11,678), and NOT per account, but per depositer per Bank.

[@edau69]

Thanks for the great info. Living in Taygaytay with family supporting 1 plus 4, college education is cheap, diesel and car insurance is also cheap compared to Canada, shopping at the mahagany wet market here is expensive compared to the likes of robinson. You are correct as to purchasing vehicles, the pros are there are no to little corrosion and the enviroment doubles the life of the cars the cons, prices are high and plenty of unscrupulous dealers who roll back the mileage on used cars also plenty of people drive with no insurance or valid licenses, defensive driving is a must.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Ed Powers @edau69 Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences in Tagaytay! It's always helpful to hear firsthand accounts from different places. You live in a beautiful area - were you there in Jan 2021, just before Covid when Taal erupted? I was living in Carmona Cavite and was at a BarBQ in Manila - didn’t know what was going on but as I was driving home it was like I was in a Canadian blizzard white out conditions with falling ash. Our area was covered in ash and some places to the side of us (same distance away) were also hit with rock - was massive. Great point about little corrosion my 2011 Honda Civic has low kms and zero rust - unlike Canada where I always had my vehicles undercoated for winter driving. And thank you for your point about unscrupulous dealers - in Canada I was lucky as I had a buddy who had a license and bought at the dealer auction so he found me some amazing deals - hear I found the Honda on my walk in the neighborhood I was living in back in 2018 - I was walking with a friend at the time and saw the for sale sign - slick talking young guy who told me needed cash for something and was part of a Honda club and took amazing care of this car. I had never registered a vehicle before so after the payment he was supposed to meet me the next morning at the nearby LTO - surprise surprise he COULDN’T MAKE IT - but he told some other guy to guide me (of course for a fee) - I told the guy NO NEED the steps were clearly set out on sign boards at LTO and I just asked the guards and I did it myself. As it turned out - once I did the change over to my name - he wasn’t even the seller - he lied about his name and he got a fee for CURB SIDING it for the seller pretending he was the seller with his story about Honda Club and taking good care of it - I was such a dummy - oh well 5 years later I still have it and it runs great thanks to a mechanic in Tanjay who used to work in a Honda factory - amazing service for low cost. Nice to find someone honest like that. Good luck with your 1 plus 4 - it's great to hear that you found the information helpful. Living in Tagaytay seems to have its pros and cons like any place here, but it's always good to be aware of the local conditions and you have that under control. You are a good example for others. Amping take care, Greg

[@fenderbend3r]

New here. Just subscribed. Thank you for great info

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Bented_YT @fenderbend3r New subscriber, huh? You have impeccable taste, my friend. 🤓😜🙊 Amping take care, Greg

[@nattm6553]

Ill would say aim for a minimum 1100-1400$ budget incl visa insurance and daily life for a single expat IF u are NOT a beer and pay for play expat and not living in the rural areas. .If u are in for the bars and ladys well there is no budget for the bar and lady life..money goes away superfast. ..most important is to have a exit strategy if u have to leave Philippines and not burn all ur bridges ecconomicly , many guys get stuck in se-asia without money even for a planeticket home

[@peter-pg5yc]

But just livin aint worth it.

[@nattm6553]

@@peter-pg5yc by living u mean eating greasy hamburgers and pizza sitting there obese and shop stuff u dont care about and living in a pretty sad western style life in a sad bubble in se-asia like cebu? or is it staying away from the party and lady life that are not"living"?

[@user-vq8yk1wc1u]

The three non-negotiable items that every person must meet, regardless of income or location, is: housing, food and utilities. EVERYTHING ELSE IS OPTIONAL AND SUBJECT TO COMPROMISE! Transportation, companionship, entertainment and even healthcare can be adjusted or dropped as budget permits once your baseline 3 are established.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hello Moral Hazard @user-vq8yk1wc1u Thank you for highlighting the importance of the fundamental needs. It's a good reminder to focus on what truly matters. But I don't see it as Regardless of Income - if someone comes here and tries to live on $500 budget (as I said don't do it unless have a $1k income and are saving the other $500 for medical, unexpected and flight home) you can get housing, food and utilities - I guess more reason to come here first for a visit so you can see how much you have left over after your TOP 3 items are met then to decide if you can live with a satisfactory lifestyle based on the balance of your budget and if you can't then it comes down to as you say they need to compromise - but that can also be a risky, especially with health issues of ageing expats. At the other end of the budget scale once your top 3 are taken care of - they would have much more room to maneuver through the other items and to reach a compromise on spending so that their needs were met or at least faced a reality check. Lots of decisions to be made by all. Take care, Greg

[@michaeltakayama8415]

I think you should do a seperate vlog on health insurance vs self-insuring. A lot of KZbinrs give some pretty bad advice on this topic. Here are my personal thoughts on the subject: I believe that self-insuring is only viable if you have a large amount of unencumberedd cash-on-hand, as in hundreds of thousands of USD, not tens of thousands - and a passive income source capable of quickly replenishing that fund, within a few months, whenever it is tapped for an emergency. Note: it needs to be a passive source, since you might not be able to actively make income, after a major medical event. This fund also needs to be multiplied by the number of people you are supporting, since any one of them might experience an emergency at any time - and quite possibly more than one at the same time (such as in a major vehicular accident during a family excursion). Despite the oft-reporeted low-cost of healthcare in SE Asia, it does not take very many major medical events to completely wipe out a smaller ermergency fund. Look at what happened to that unfortunate fellow, Julian, as recently reported by Paul the Old Dog. And, assuming you survive, what do you do AFTER your emergency fund is depleted and you can no longer self-insure? Stay in the Philippines without any safety net whatsoever? Bad idea. Go back to your home country, try to find a job, and attempt to start all over again at age 60, 65, 70 or 80+? Good luck with that. But, in either case, your safe & comfortable retirement plans are likely pretty much over & done. So, over the long haul, unless you are extremely well-heeled financially-speaking, you will need health insurance - and if you think you cannot afford it, or just feel it isn't worth it, you might want to rethink leaving your home country. Final thought on how this affects the budget: I think you should take your expected retirement income and: first, deduct projected health insurance premium costs; second, deduct another chunk to continually build & replenish your emergency fund; and, lastly, use whatever little remains as the foundation for your living expense budget. This is the safe play, as you enter old age and risk-taking becomes more problematical. So, it is not hard to see how a 2000 USD/mo retirement income can easily be whittled down to a 1000 USD/mo, or less, living expense budget.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Thanks for the idea Michael Takayama @michaeltakayama8415 I will have to get on that. You raise some interesting points. On a global comment - I think you give way too much credit to most Expats who come and retire here - they definitely don’t apply the analysis you have set out. Secondly your budgeting advice applies to anyone no matter where they live and certainly not exclusively here in the Philippines. The medical system in the USA and Canada and other countries is a mess and the idea that someone would stay there for a cheaper retirement seems very odd - the far majority of people I talk to here cannot afford to live in their country so the idea that they would return home based on your projections just doesn’t work. I have met many who sold everything (house car and many, especially Americans, have a small military pension and eventually deplete their asset sale proceeds and that's when they get in real trouble - as they were not living on a sustainable budget. The trouble compounds as they attempt to support themselves plus many others - I know two Americans who have connected with girlfriends who each have 5 kids. I met women in my 6 years here and even met a nice one in Manila who had 4 kids from two guys. I told her it was nice meeting her but I am not willing to date and put my retirement budget at risk - it is a real consideration here if you take on a GF with extras (1 to 5+ kids) as it is not just health costs, it is school costs and food and increased electricity and water and on and on - every budget item goes up. We all make our own decisions and some make bad ones - even when they have all the information in front of them. It took me awhile to find my wife, but there are many, many like her that would love to meet an Expat - smart, good looking, college educated and NO KIDS. I hope to make this video - I disagree with your limitation on self-insurance. You haven’t factored in the cost of expat health insurance (which can be huge) and you are implying health care costs to a country, which correct me if I am wrong, but you don’t have experience with. Your advice about staying home is interesting when most are here because they can’t afford to stay “home”. Where do you think insurance comes from in the home country? Who pays for that? I have seen different systems- I have lived in Canada, USA, France and now the Philippines. I have family and friends in the USA - just a quick example to show where you argument falters. I have a friend in the USA who had a simple foot surgery (many would say no such thing because it is a complex area) by simple I mean, day-surgery and back home no hospital stay - the cost was over US$100,000, In the past week she told me about the high cost of her medical insurance and on top of her insurance cost she has to pay extra for EVERYTHING For example, a doctor visit is covered by her insurance BUT she has to pay US$30 fee (remember she already pays monthly for her insurance, the US$30 is extra cost for each visit AND there is a time cost as she has to wait normally for a long time to get an appointment US$30 = 1,752P. The cost in the Philippines to see a GP is 500P US$8.56 and almost zero waiting - for many doctors they use an App and you can book next day or the following day depending which location you want to see them at (and that is even here in Negros Oriental). And remember in North America most specialists require a Referral from another doctor so there is an appointment and fee for that process. For a specialist it is even a worse story - so just to see a specialist in the USA she has to pay a US$60 fee or 3,505P - on top of her monthly insurance costs. Here in the Philippines, you don’t need a referral and after booking directly with a specialist the fee for an appointment is 800P ($13.70). Don’t get me started on delays in North America trying to see a specialist or getting tests booked and completed. The argument of health insurance experts that say you need to buy their insurance so you can get into the top hospitals with the best doctors is just not true, at least in the Philippines. I walked into the St Luke’s BGC Heart Institute without an appointment or referral and booked a number of tests (provided by my Canadian heart doctor) and was able to book them for the following day and see a specialist the day of testing and for further in-depth discussion once all the results were back. Zero waiting, zero referral, and while not free like I had every year in Canada it was very cheap. And certainly NOT the US equivalent costs the Expat Health Insurance expert stated in the video I saw for that facility. I won’t restate what I do - I set it out in the video and after 6 years here I have had great healthcare for great value. No idea about Julian - but I don’t watch videos like that - there are many many sad stories of ill-prepared Expats who should never have come here - and many with their stories displayed on KZbin - I won’t comment on that here - other than to say they likely should have stayed home and the blame they put on the Philippines and costs here is misguided - their underfunded, ill-planned adventure was doomed for failure and most take zero responsibility for their bad decisions. I have had a number of private discussions with an expat who has been sending money to a woman in Metro Manila for years and I guarantee you he is getting scammed - yet he says he is coming here in 6 years to marry her and take her back to his home country - he won’t listen to me or his family/friends back home. The scammers are good - they isolate the person in their thinking and drain them - there are many romance scam stories online - the money wasted on those giving it to others would fund a great retirement. But you can’t stop people without enough resources from coming - that is why I made my 2 budget videos - seeing the $500 budget videos, seeing the guy with wife and kid saying he is having great life in a Manila condo on $1,000 - both budgets highly unstable and ripe for crashing and burning and finally the Expat Health Expert video which was full of misinformation about the cost of healthcare in the Philippines. I have more points to make on your other points - but it is getting late and of course I have more editing to do - I wish I could afford an editor or two BUT I have to save my budget!!! I can see if I do this video, we will have some good discussions and I will learn some things also. Take care my friend - we need to sit down over a few coffees sometime when you come here and we will solve the world’s problems AND maybe make some good advice videos! Amping take care, Greg

[@harrivennola8687]

Thank you so well done!

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Well Harri Vennola @harrivennola8687 we couldn't have done it without viewers/supporters like you! Maraming Salamat for your gift andn kind words. Amping Greg and Lindie

[@stevesilver7437]

@@harrivennola8687 this is a good one lots of information for one video! I will save to listen to a few more times 😀

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Your support means a lot! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

[@PhilippinesMyParadise]

Great information plus a great sharing of your "How Much Money Do You ACTUALLY Need To Retire in The Philippines" video... Watched the whole video and full support... Best of luck and best regards po/Ned 👍🎉👍

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hello again Philippines My Paradise @PhilippinesMyParadise I hope you are well. Your support means a lot to me, Ned! Thank you for watching and best regards to you too! Amping, Greg

[@PhilippinesMyParadise]

​@@CanadianInPhilipipnes pag amping mo pirme mga higala🤝

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Maayong Gabii @PhilippinesMyParadise Daghang salamat - kanunay mi mag-amping - sayon ​​diri sa Negros Oriental - hilom nga kinabuhi diri. NOT sure if Google translate worked ... Thank you so much - we always take care - easy here in Negros Oriental - quiet life here. Amping Greg

[@PhilippinesMyParadise]

​@@CanadianInPhilipipnes Maayong Gabii akong minahal higala! 👍💐👍

[@CavalrySecurity]

Good advice on buying meat early morning... That beats the flies...

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Beating the flies and getting the best cuts, all in a morning's work!

[@didierdenice7456]

My Canadian friend, with your general look you could have been a great movie character ... Hollywood lost big time 😂 Okay, regarding me mentioning your "goofy hat"... Mea culpa 🙏 Since you are well traveled you already know this but it is worth reminding other people about it : non English native speakers tend to speak bluntly like children do, without filters. Before overreacting always doublecheck the intention and attitude of the speaker as it is often just clumsy wording. 🤝

[@bryanbaker9948]

Love the hat , I wear those too

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Looks like we have excellent taste in hats Bryan Baker @bryanbaker9948! Cheers to that! My dermatologist kept bugging me to wear a hat always, even on cloudy days. I got my first bucket hat at Adidas in BGC when I lived there and it was embarrassingly too expensive. I needed a new one and went to the Adidas store in Robinson Place Mall in Dumaguete - again expensive but this time I didn't buy it I went to Robinson Department store and bought that one and another for 200 each instead of a crazy price. But then I liked the one the guy wears at the Shell Gas station here made of bamboo I went to the public market and got 2 for 50P each - those are huge though - good for the mountain farm. Amping take care, Greg

[@michaeltakayama8415]

Let's dig a bit into the food (my favorite part) of the 500 USD budget. :) Let's say that you a truly boring fellow, food-wise, and had the following daily menu: Breakfast: 1 fried egg, 2 pieces of pandesal, and a packet of Nescafe 3-in-1 Lunch: 2 pieces of fried chicken, rice, and water to drink Dinner: 2 pieces of grilled chicken, in noodes (pancit), with squash or beans, and water to drink Snacks: 3 pieces of fruit (ex. mango, banana, watermelon) How much do you think this menu would cost, per day, if (a) you ate out at a restaurant, or (b) cooked it at home? Let's also assume that you are only eating/using ingredients which are locally sourced (no imported stuff) , in season, and readily/cheaply available. And, no Himalayan pink salt or NZ butter... lol :)

[@peter-pg5yc]

then why bother. asia aint a place for poverty. Money talks the rest just live like shit. reality check. It aint the usa

[@michaeltakayama8415]

@@peter-pg5yc I am interested in the "how" and not in the "why". As Greg pointed out, everyone is different - which is why he crafted these different budgets. In order to live on a 500 USD/mo budget, you should eat less like a tourist and more like a local. So, all I am asking here is: what would a local-type menu cost, on a daily basis? I also asked the question in 2 ways, eating out vs cooking at home, because this might have a significant effect on the food budget. Someone who wants/needs to live on this low budget might be forced to learn how to cook for him/herself, and might not be able to count on eating out for every meal.

[@michaeltakayama8415]

@@peter-pg5yc BTW, poverty is relative. In the US, the HHS defines the poverty level at approx 15K USD per year, for a single person - which is 1,250 USD/mo. In the Philippines, the PSA defines the poverty level at approx 15K PHP per month, for a family of 5 - which is less than 300 USD/mo for the family, or less than 60 USD/mo per person. So, a guy on a 500 USD/mo budget would be living well below the poverty level in the US, but would be living significantly above the poverty level in the Philippines. Ofc, it is a bit more complicated than just a numbers-to-numbers comparison. In the US, as an US citizen, living below 138% of the poverty level allows you to get a host of free benefits from the federal, state & local governments, incl. Medicaid (aka free healthcare), food, transportation, housing. etc. The Philippines does not provide any social services to expats. So, is it better to live in the US, below the poverty level, relying on government handouts? Or is it better to live on a small budget in the Philippines, without the safety net of the social services in the US? There is no right answer, ofc - it comes down to personal preference & risk tolerance, for each individual.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Michael Takayama @michaeltakayama8415 Well set out Michael. It's an interesting comparison between poverty levels in the US and the Philippines. It really highlights how different countries have varying standards when it comes to living conditions. BUT I think it is a comparison between apples and oranges. You mention the host of social services to Americans who stay home and note none for them if they are here. ✅ I don't agree one can just say "a guy on a 500 USD/mo budget ... would be living significantly above the poverty level in the Philippines." You need to see how the poor people live it is not the same as how poor people live in the USA. And the poor here really have a community of people to rely on. An Expat would be missing that factor. If they are truly at $500 per month they should stay home. Flights here (and budgeted return flight) - can't come on a one-way ticket and settlement costs would be difficult for someone with a $500 per month budget. The expat living on that budget would be experiencing conditions most never have lived under in the USA. You say there is no right answer - I would normally agree with you - but I think there is in this case - which is why I said if your monthly budget is $500 - don’t come here unless you have a monthly income of $1,000 I mentioned someone else brought it up on the first video - living budget and income are different things, which is why I disagree with these guys coming over here thinking they can live on $500 per month - it takes a very special person and is not sustainable. Many guys on more than double that go home break after a year or two or even longer. Their poverty level budget wouldn’t even get them home when they are broke and/or sick - which is why you see requests on expat groups for helping guys who broke their bank and now need help of the expat community as they have no money. I say too bad you came here with unreasonable expectations - then don’t have a familial or social network to assist them. We had a Brit on our street who portrayed a high life but in reality, had very little money and died here. He was so broke he quit taking his needed medicine and didn’t want to go to the hospital (but didn't stop drinking his bottle of rum and liter of coke per day) and only was taken to the hospital in ambulance after he fell into a coma. He had no quality of life after that and died shortly after being released with a big hospital bill. This raises the often-shared Expat myth about not being released without paying for the hospital bill - hospitals aren’t stupid they can’t get blood from a stone so why keep a chronic patient in with escalating costs that will never be paid and he was released with a large bill, which was never paid. Obviously if you have the resources you will have to pay - not sure why Expats are surprised by this in a foreign country - it annoys me when I hear them criticizing the healthcare system (I am not saying you are saying that Micheal) - I say those who complain need to go home and see how they make out and stop putting down the Philippines health care system. One example I mentioned in my first budget video - my appendix burst in December 2022 (unexpected and emergency lifesaving surgery - amazing care at Negros Polymedic Hospital in Sibulan - my cost after PhilHealth covered part was 200,000P - roughly $3,500 - not a problem if the $500 per month budget people had been banking $500 per month for unexpected costs as I recommended but if they weren't doing that an unexpected cost like that could either end up sending them home afterwards OR like the Brit they might make an unfortunate medical decision to avoid medical care and end up dying - for me it’s an easy choice - ching ching on the credit card and I was grateful to be alive. I have a friend who had the exact thing happen on Siquijor Island (60 min fast cat ferry (90 min RORO ferry) ride to Dumaguete) - he said he was lucky to be alive after rushing to the ferry, waiting for the ferry, coming to Dumaguete on the ferry and being rushed to the hospital for surgery here - for me it was a 3-minute drive to the hospital. If I had been up in the mountains living on my $500 a month budget with no transportation it could have been a very different outcome. OH by the way the guy I know who had his burst on Siquijor Island ended up moving his family to Negros Oriental - I love Siquijor Island but as I mentioned in my video when selecting a place to live I toured many spots around the Philippines and quality of medical care is a factor to consider in your decision - some islands are better for tourist holidays than living fulltime. This is not a slam against the Philippines it is the same in most countries - quality of, and access to, medical care varies across countries. Where I am from in Rural Canada was great to grow up in but my family had to travel to a different province for my life saving heart surgeries and annual follow-ups. Regards Greg

[@HBP2]

wow very well done video sir I am across the water in toledo city and live a basic life and spend around 90k a month

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

@HBP2 90 k a month it's like 1,500 us dollars, it's a bit expensive

[@HBP2]

@@manueljesuspaucar5951 1600 yea my bills are around 25k i eat at home most days i might drive 100 km a month i should have money left over but i dont

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi hillbilly pyro 2.0 @HBP2 Thank you so much. Living the "basic life" with a 90k monthly budget sounds pretty luxurious to me! My only comment for me is HOW MUCH ARE YOU BUDGETING ON PYRO 🙊😜🤓 LOL sorry I couldn’t resist - watching some of your videos made me remember when I was a kid my grandpa gave me a fire cracker he lit it and told me to throw it - I was a bit too slow and threw it like a baseball - I wound up and as I was following through to release it, it blew up in my hand!! Have never liked them since then!! But enjoyed watching your videos - did you make PUMPKIN pie after that one!! So cool you are in Toledo - we were in Cebu City for one night and wanted to come down your side of the island back down to the ferry to go to near Guihulngan City. We have never gone down your side so when I was looking at the options we went down to CarCar then across to Barili. I really enjoyed driving on your side of the island - it was a nice change from the Car-Car Oslob etc route. It would be so nice to do a loop around your island one day - so many places to explore. Amping Greg

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

You are doing it great hillbilly pyro 2.0 @HBP2 I think not many of us have any money left over after each month - there is always something else we find pops up and takes care of any possible leftovers for us! Greg

[@HBP2]

@@CanadianInPhilipipnes well i do buy some pyro each month and put back for the New years show found some nice professional display shells :) last year i spent to much but it was worth it everyone enjoyed it so much take the car on the ferry to san carlos area great open roads very nice drives here in toledo its wall to wall trikes and pedal cabs parking is always a issue here

[@jenissabuagas3984]

❤

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Have a great Sunday there Morenang Kulot @jenissabuagas3984 Takes me so long to film, edit then correct the ccaptions - hope it goes well and I few people learn something new so they decide to come and visit and maybe eventually move to the Philippines. Amping Greg

[@Paulnhawes]

I always hear about the health issues or expenses. The only thing I worry about is dental health. I tested everything and I have no issues and no medication to take

[@peter-pg5yc]

medical care is pay as you go. no money no service.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Paul Hawes @Paulnhawes In the different areas I lived over the last few years I always found a good dentist and the cost is so much cheaper than home. But be picky if it is sketchy or old equipment just find another one - there are modern offices all over. For anyone near Manila the best one I found was a husband wife dental team in Carmona Cavite (DentCast Dental Clinic) - amazing care, with the same medical equipment as home - I continued to use them even when I moved to BGC. I note you only said you were worry about is dental care, but I also want to comment on doctors/hospitals. So many Expats complain about medical care here - I have had amazing care everywhere I lived in the Philippines and of course it is pay as you go, or mix pay as you go with PhilHealth (or can add PhilHealth if you qualify - if you have SRRV like how I got it you can voluntarily join OR if you are an expat working in the Philippines it is a mandatory requirement) or get Expat Health Insurance - if you can afford it and want to add that high cost to your budget. The Philippines has great care at a fraction of the cost of other countries with direct access to doctors and specialists (no referral required) and no waiting. There are no special negative rules for Expats in the Philippines - I think the people who comment negatively have never travelled. I am Canadian - before I got PhilHealth if I needed care I would show up at my doctor or hospital and pay (doctors take cash or e-payments, hospitals take cash, e-payments and credit cards) - I am ok with all of this - but for the foreigners that complain it is very odd - if I was visiting their country, for example if I needed to see a doctor in the USA and didn’t have health insurance I would have to give my credit card before they did any work on me - and in many circumstances they wouldn’t care about your insurance you would have to pay and then get reimbursed by your insurance company later when you are back home. And I guarantee you the costs of health care in the states would be massive compared to the Philippines. My aunt was a nurse in California - she said we were lucky I was born in Canada because if I was born with the heart defects, I had in the USA my family would have been bankrupted by the health care bills and I wouldn’t have received health insurance throughout my life. The same Expat that complains about health care here would find it even worse in Canada - they would want you to pay and you would wait for a day in emergency and can wait a few days for a bed. I have never waited in the Philippines. But just like any country it is not the same country wide - no surprise there so it is up to everyone to decide if the area they are considering has sufficient medical care for their needs. We all make choices - for example my dad used to be a Snowbird spending winters in Maui then Arizona but then the cost of insurance and USA healthcare means he stays in Canada for his winters now - he never contributed a penny to the USA healthcare system so why should he benefit like those who did - the same in the Philippines we never worked or contributed to building their health system why would any Expat think they are entitled to benefit from their local health system the way a citizen does - it doesn’t work that way in other countries why would it in the Philippines. Amping take care Paul, Greg

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi peter @peter-pg5yc Yup I am an expat in the Philippines so medical care is pay as you go, no money no service (as I mentioned since after I got the SRRV I have mixed Pay As You Go and PhilHealth - PhilHealth is 15,000P per year and I always receive more than that in benefits each year so it pays for itself). The same if I was visiting the USA, I would be an Expat there and it is pay as you go, no money no service - as many foreign tourists have sadly experienced getting massive medical bills from American hospitals. I spent quite a bit of time in Maui and I remember a friend cut his foot on coral in Kihei and the hospital bill was a few thousand dollars US (116,000P) - here it would probably be under 1,000P. Same as when I lived in France - as a foreigner you need to see a doctor you had to pay and get reimbursement from your insurance back home if you had it. Regards, Greg

[@michaeltakayama8415]

Do you think that a bicycle is a viable method of short-range transportation, in either the urban or rural areas? Would an inexpensive bicycle tend to get stolen, if not locked? Do you think a cable lock is likely to get cut (as it would in the US)? How much would a bicycle cost? Not a high-end multi-speed racing bike, but something more like a single-speed beach cruiser for just going to/from the grocery store.

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

@michaeltakayama8415 there is electric bikes cost 13,000 pesos = 200 us dollars

[@michaeltakayama8415]

@@manueljesuspaucar5951 how about non-electric, pedal-powered bikes? :)

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Michael Takayama @michaeltakayama8415 Yes a bicycle is viable method of short-range transportation - assuming you know how to ride a bike - if you can ride safely in USA or other country why not in the Philippines? I see many expats (and locals) using pedal power - nothing like the #s in China but still see them here everyday. Stolen if not locked? Ahhhh guess it depends where you leave it - the answer would be the same in almost any country. Our bike doesn't have a lock but we leave it in our yard. No idea if cable lock would get cut like USA - zero experience with this. I just did a google and one model of single speed beach cruiser, Kulano Hiku 26" cruiser is double the cost from the American Amazon site. I don't think your question related to electric bike but since someone answered with that suggestion let me just say so many crap electric products here from China that look amazing online but so cheap and crap quality in real life make sure buy a good one from a reputable seller not FB resaler. Take care Greg

[@michaeltakayama8415]

@@CanadianInPhilipipnes Thanks, Greg. Not many people seem to talk about using bicycles in the Philippines - most immediately jump to the conclusion that you need to buy a scooter or a car. I think that if you are trying to live on a smaller budget, then a bicycle is going to be the far better option - cheaper upfront cost & no recurring fuel costs.

[@acaciomadeira5147]

Dont see how anyone living on $500 u.s. thats westerner

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic Acacio Madeira @acaciomadeira5147 As I said in my 2 budget videos - I don't recommend it - but I saw videos of guys saying they did it and I also saw a guy say he lived in Manila condo with wife and child on $1,000 - again a stretch - those two examples led me to do my own budget videos. As I noted in this one I don't recommend the $500 budget attempt but I tried to show a budget breakdown to get there BUT I stated the person should have at least a US$1,000 monthly income then save $500 each month for unexpected expenses, health costs, and travel home costs. So I think it could be possible, like you I don't see it other than someone living in a rural province area but that takes a special person and would be hard to continue long term. Amping take care, Greg

[@handsomevexcoolsman3437]

For me, if your in Manila. You need atleast $2500 or $3000. If your in the province area atleast $1500 to $2200 base own my experience. 👍

[@Salamander407]

2500, you sound spoiled.

[@Midwest10]

My oceanfront rental on El Nido is $3655 US a month. Middle class.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hey James Hidden @Midwest10 Did you mean US$3655 or US$365? $3,655 is 214,000 - you can get a nice house in Ayala Alabang Village (high security gated community in Metro Manila) for that price. The most I paid was 56,000P on a year lease (US$957 for a BGC Condo) for a one -bedroom condo - it would have been 70k ($1,2000) if I didn't sign the year lease. When I left there and moved to Tanjay Negros Oriental, I got a two-bedroom apartment for 13,000 (US$222) - a huge savings BUT let's just say Tanjay is no BGC! But I am happier right? right? I just need to keep telling myself 🙈😜 As I noted in the video, we bought that house in 2022 and would have cost 4 of 5X more in Canada for the same property - and no snow to shovel here in the Philippines! El Nido a beautiful place - we rented scooters and toured a bit further away I think it was Nacpan beach - wide flat beautiful beach - there was an abandoned restaurant on the beach that we dreamed of renovating - ahhhh always beach dreams in the Philippines and you are living them! Enjoy. Amping Greg

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Guess you missed my comment about no judgement salamnder1 @Salamander407 Don't know who you are referring to who is spoiled on their $2,500 budget - there are many many expats on much bigger budgets than that and many on lower budgets which is why I set out potential budgets for $500 (don't recommend it) , $1,000 only if single or max +1 and have to watch your pesos, $2,500 is a sweet spot and $4,000 is living large. Hope you find your magic number that makes you happy and no stress for your money situation. Amping Greg

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hello handsomevex coolsman @handsomevexcoolsman3437 I agree 100% with your comment. My first video started after I saw within a few days someone claiming to live on $500 per month then a young guy with a wife and baby saying he was living on $1,000 in a Manila condo. I have been there and done the Manila (BGC) condo life - $1,000 in Manila is NOT a sweet relaxing retirement life. $1,500 to $2,200 can have a good relaxing retirement in a province area. Thank you for your contribution to the discussion and for sharing your experience. Greg

[@workwork73]

Beautifull Beach, is this a resorted beach or a public one ? would love to get like hot to get to it on maps. are the water good for dip ? im little worried about the surprises of what swims down under in the ocean and might bite you or worse. how clean are the water compare to the more touristic clear water / white sand locations ?

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hey there! @workwork73 Both beaches are public and open to everyone, and super easy to find on Google maps. Silliman Beach is right beside the runway for the Dumaguete Sibulan Airport and Mangnao Open Beach is the left turn at the Honda dealership after Robinson Place (the turn after the turn for Port Royale) - I have a short video coming out Tuesday 9:30 AM Philippines time which shows the drone view of Mangnao Open Beach and Port Royale and towards downtown Dumaguete - all are very close when down on the water. Water's good for a dip, so no worries there. I see foreigners at Silliman swimming but for me it is too dirty there - I was just there today (Monday) and so much garbage on the beach from the weekend and all the food/drink stalls that have been built on the beach. Mangnao Open Beach is flatter and cleaner - but you don't get the flights coming and going right beside the beach. If we want a nice beach Dauin is only a 20 min drive further down the island. As for ocean critters, just keep an eye out for Nemo!!! I have never heard of anyone getting killed by sharks like when I was in Maui Hawaii or in Florida - but they catch some big fish here - I think they are more worried about us eating them 😜 Apo Island just across from Dauin has amazing coral and sea turtles if you know how to snorkel or dive, Siquijor Island across from Dumaguete by ferry has amazing beaches, Oslob at the South corner of Cebu Island (a 20-minute ferry ride from Sibulan Port (not far from Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport) has the giant whale sharks which are amazing to snorkel with. A bit further up the island, about an hour, is Bais - and you can rent a boat and see dolphins and go swim at the sand bar area - which is amazing. There is no shortage of ocean spots to explore around each corner of the island. Amping Greg

[@fenderbend3r]

We have a college student going to to silliman university, is it still advisable to commute? Just don't want tricycles cos they are not safe at all.

[@CavalrySecurity]

Geeze, I'm frugal, but not 500 a month frugal...

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

I agree with you Cavalry Security @CavalrySecurity That would be tough for most Expats. Seeing one of the videos of guys saying they were doing it was part of the reason I decided to do that first video. As I said in this second video it is doable but hard to sustain long term - and like the one guy commented on the first video there should be a distinction between budget and income - I liked his point so I added on the $500 budget the monthly income should be $1,000 so they are putting aside $500 each month for unexpected costs, health costs and other things that always seem to pop up as well as an eventual trip home.

[@fenderbend3r]

Is 2,500 USD enough to live if you have a college student in dumaguete silliman university?

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Bented_YT @fenderbend3r I am not sure exactly - I tried to find the cost of Silliman University and couldn't find any 2024 stats - the one that popped up on a few searches was for 2020-2021. What I saw in the fees was the cost really varies with the program the person is studying from around 40,000P to 120,000P. As I mentioned in the video $2,500 is a nice budget in the province - but I didn’t' factor in the cost of college. I am sure it can be done - you just need to work on the budget items and maybe the student can get a part time job if needed as many students do here - my wife for example was a working student when she went through college, putting herself through her degree (her sisters are doing the same now). But I know an expat that took on way too many kids as his responsibility (5 kids that weren't his and his GF) and after 5 years here he recently returned home - so I wouldn't recommend that route unless you have a big budget, which he didn't have - and I definitely don't have. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Greg

[@fenderbend3r]

Thank you Greg. Will go home next year anyway so we can get info. Will try to sneak in your schedule if possible to meet you. It will be an honor. Let you know. You both have a goodnight. God bless

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Bented_YT @fenderbend3r Thank you for your kind words! It would be an honor to meet you as well. Amping Greg

[@seumateutongsin6362]

The average salary of a Filipino worker in the Provinces is 15K to 20K PHP, which is about $200 to $300 a month and they get by. $500 in the province is enough, but $500 or up is good.

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

In Davao is 6,000 pesos a month

[@CavalrySecurity]

Minimum wage for Central Visayas is currently 468 PHP per day, but many workers get paid below minimum... Average income is misleading because many Filipinos make at or below minimum for each person earning your quoted wages or the higher income people. Unlike in the USA, there is a very small gap in the wages at the top of a job and the bottom. Security for instance, many security get below minimum wage because they have a fixer license. When I left Dumaguete in 2020 I knew many security guards making 250 Peso a day which was 100 Php below the minimum wage, while the Guards outside Robinson's Mall who have a real security licence were making 500 Php per day, but there are few real security overall, even in Government offices.

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Manuel Jesus Paucar @manueljesuspaucar5951 I agree with you 6,000 is also the normal average here in Negros Oriental, I think 5,500 is the governement minimum, but that varies everywhere and even with bosses. Some bosses don't follow the rules and pay below which is not good. Amping Greg

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Seumateu Tongsin @seumateutongsin6362 Thank you so much for your contribution to the discussion I don't know too many making 15k to 20k in the Provinces - the minimum wage is 5,500. I think Fast food workers with the big brand will make 10 to 12k, I know nurses make 20k and that is a very good pay in the Provinces. Call center college graduates would make similar in a call center but I wouldn't say the average person makes that here in Negros Oriental. My guess is much less and even less in mountain areas where they make very little but at least grow food. But I agree with you that Filipinos do get by on much less than what I am saying - but I am trying to speak to Foreigners who want to come here and as I set out in the budget they can live on $500 per month but it is a frugral lifestyle and not leaving any room for them to be sick -which is why I said if they have a spending budget of $500, hopefully the have a retirement income of at least $1,000 so they area saving $500 per month for unexpected expenses like medical, unplanned trips home etc. Amping . Greg

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Wow @CavalrySecurity thank you for shedding light on the wage disparities faced by workers in the region. It's important to raise awareness about this issue. I agree with your comment that many get paid below minimum wage - which is too bad as it obviously then not a minimum. I remember when I was in BGC the corporation that employed all the workers in the building where I lived cut many jobs and cut the pay of the ones that stayed below minimum - they said if they complained they would be fired. It is too bad that rich business people do that instead of treating their workers well in tough times they cut the lowest from their staff. Not a way for them to get loyal hard workers. But they don't care they will just hire someone else. Amping Greg

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

The life in Philippines is relatively cheap, rent, food and transportation. But need more money for spend on womens a bars. Maybe twice the original budget

[@nattm6553]

if u are on the beer and ladies trail u need 3-4 or more a normal budget..seen guys blow 5000 -6000usd in a month without problem on ladys and bars ONLY..then u have food accommodation transport and all the rest

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Hi Manuel Jesus Paucar @manueljesuspaucar5951 Looks like the nightlife scene in the Philippines is tempting you to double your budget! Just remember, balance is key! When you say Double - I hope you are referring to the $500 budget and not the others. I hope you are joking but sadly there are some guys that take that approach and fail miserably in their Philippines experience. When I first visited the Philippines in 2017 I came for 7 days - I met a guy who had planned to be here for 6 months but was leaving after 3 months as he blew his budget partying with a rich guy in Manila and warned me against doing that - I am not much of a drinker or partier so that was easy for me to avoid. I met a few expats who threw the money around in Manila which I thought was crazy and dangerous - I actually can’t believe they weren’t robbed or worse given how they acted. I saw the bills a few times and questioned why 100,000P in one night and he laughed and said he used to spend US$3,000 to $5,000 per night when was younger - some drunk rich guys have no brains and it is a miracle he is still alive health wise as he abused his body. That lifestyle and people are something that 99% of expats do not need/want in their life - those people have a black cloud around them wherever they go in the world and best to avoid at all cost. Most of us want a simple relaxed safe retired life. My advice SKIP the bar girls - dangerous from a HEALTH perspective and why would you go with someone who after seeing you will be back in their employment going with another guy that same night or next night and also dangerous from a BUDGET perspective. There are so many nice, beautiful good Filipina women smart, educated, with good values - no need to waste time, money, your life on people that will only be with you for your money. Good luck - stay safe and healthy. Manuel. Amping/Ingat Greg

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

@CanadianInPhilipipnes you right, the budget it's different from people from all walk of life, I'm not into bars-girls scene, obviously I like girls, there are a lot freelances everywhere. In Angeles in walking street, in Manila in LA Cafe. Not need to go to the bars. 😆

[@manueljesuspaucar5951]

Actually la cafe is a bar, but you not need to buy a beer, you can ask a soda, just to look the merchandise. Also outside the la Cafe there is a lot of freelances, not need to go inside the bar.

[@Midwest10]

As one of the wealthiest in the Philippines. Don’t even come here unless your normal income is $4000 US a month. You’re a poverty squatter. One accident bankrupts you. Live middle class at $4000 or stay home.

[@peter-pg5yc]

I figure 100k a year, its my budget. usd that is..

[@CanadianInPhilipipnes]

Ok Peter @peter-pg5yc I guessed in Part 2 of 2 my reply to your long comment when you asked to guess where you are living now that you were probably living in USA maybe Illinois? Now based on your budget I would say you are living where I used to live Luxe Residences BGC! Greg