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I would like to see some responses to the question of living costs in the Philippines.

Over the years, I have met many filipnas who had jobs working as salesladies. These women were earning wages of about $100 to $150 for a month, or about 5,000 to 7,500 pesos per month. They work long hours, usually 10 to 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, and usually get only one or two days off each month. They would usually send half of their income back to their parents to help support the family, which would leave only 2,500 to 3,500 per month to support their own needs... including rent, food, clothing, travel fares, laundry, and all other costs of living.
Recently, I had someone tell me that it requires 300 pesos per day to pay for food for one person. That is 9,000 pesos per month, which is equivalent to over $200. Since I know that many filipinas survive on a fraction of that, it raises some questions in my mind as to the truth of this.

Would anyone care to comment on what the average living costs are in their area of the Philippines? Or on the 9,000 pesos per month example quoted above?

jadegil6 wrote:I would like to see some responses to the question of living costs in the Philippines.

Over the years, I have met many filipnas who had jobs working as salesladies. These women were earning wages of about $100 to $150 for a month, or about 5,000 to 7,500 pesos per month. They work long hours, usually 10 to 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, and usually get only one or two days off each month. They would usually send half of their income back to their parents to help support the family, which would leave only 2,500 to 3,500 per month to support their own needs... including rent, food, clothing, travel fares, laundry, and all other costs of living.
Recently, I had someone tell me that it requires 300 pesos per day to pay for food for one person. That is 9,000 pesos per month, which is equivalent to over $200. Since I know that many filipinas survive on a fraction of that, it raises some questions in my mind as to the truth of this.

Would anyone care to comment on what the average living costs are in their area of the Philippines? Or on the 9,000 pesos per month example quoted above?

Inflation rate in the Philippines as of 2001 is 6%. It means that the prices of the basic commodities like rice, vegetables, clothing is increasing 6% every year geometrically.Base on my experience after i graduated way back 9 years ago, my first job was a manager trainee in a certain mall for only 2 months. I have experienced a very hard time to budget my salary due to the fact that i work in a develop city and prices are high. But then there was a cooperative at that mall and you can buy food very affordable. A serve of meat was 15.00 it means that after 9 years it is already 25.34 or between 25-30 and that is very true now and sometimes much higher. Those sales lady have a very close relationship and sometimes they rent a bedspacer at 500-800 a month now adays and they are 4-6 person in a room. Sometimes they budget their food and share a certain amount and cook food for them all so that they can save a huge amount compare to eat food at the canteen or restaurant.

300 for food for a person a day is quite big unless you are eating in a restaurant in Big cities then it is true. There are combo meal that is 65-75 per serving where ever you go even in cities or municipalities. If you are always eating in jollibee or chowking, well that could be very expensive which cost 85pesos for C-1 (rice, chicken, reg softdrink) and it is not healthful. For the student who cater food in a certain restaurant, he or she will pay 3,500-4,500 a month now adays. For me it depends on how you budget your money and live within your budget.

Don't know if this helps, but I have gleaned the following information over the past few months. A Lapu Lapu boarding house charged 600 Pesos per month per person in a room for 4. This includes use of a kitchen and all utilities. Somebody else pays 1000 Pesos per month sharing a room for two in a house. Again this includes use of kitchen and all utilities. This house is in Cebu, possibly in or near Banilad.

Chas wrote:Don't know if this helps, but I have gleaned the following information over the past few months. A Lapu Lapu boarding house charged 600 Pesos per month per person in a room for 4. This includes use of a kitchen and all utilities. Somebody else pays 1000 Pesos per month sharing a room for two in a house. Again this includes use of kitchen and all utilities. This house is in Cebu, possibly in or near Banilad.

Here in our place, the more you are closer to the school, the higher is the rental fee. Higher rental fees also offer convenience by being less crowded. There are boarding house that are 700 but close to a noisy environment like KTV bars and squatters area. There are boarding house that are 1,500 pesos and higher that is very convenient to live in, away from the noisy area and disturbing environment..

An ordinary person in the Philippines can survive if he earned an amount of 110.00 pesos a day for food alone. That means that 110 is for food and nothing else, the news says lately.

Chas wrote:Don't know if this helps, but I have gleaned the following information over the past few months. A Lapu Lapu boarding house charged 600 Pesos per month per person in a room for 4. This includes use of a kitchen and all utilities. Somebody else pays 1000 Pesos per month sharing a room for two in a house. Again this includes use of kitchen and all utilities. This house is in Cebu, possibly in or near Banilad.

Yes, it is included all the the use of kitchen, water, electricity. That is the life of those who work as saleslady in this country. Working hours is 10-12 hours and sometimes up to 14 hours and receiving a minimum wage of 150-250 a day (not deducted yet).

There are some who earn much but still not enough. A friend of mine working in Pueblo de Oro earns 80,000 a month with two kids. Still out of budget since their lifestyle is high.

purex wrote:There are some who earn much but still not enough. A friend of mine working in Pueblo de Oro earns 80,000 a month with two kids. Still out of budget since their lifestyle is high.

They say the more you earn the bigger your problems when things go wrong. Still - I would like to be paid a bit more then I could fly business class to the Philippines.

I think I can give a new perspective to this question, than already stated, that of a foreigner not a local.

I lived in the Philippines for years. Almost nothing is for sale cheaper in the PI than it is in the USA. Labor being an example of something cheaper, imported or manufactured goods are universally more expensive.

Your question as to cost of living leaves a lot to be defined. Great variables as to the cost of different places, Makati costs are very high, higher than most of America. But if you are in a mountain barrangy 30 kilometers from a large town, costs can be very low indeed. Will you buy locally produced items or will you purchase items imported from your place abroad?

What do you consider essential? Air conditioning? Private car? Private house or compound? Meat every meal? A maid?

What investments have you made to lower monthly bills? A house and lot? Furniture? Pots, plates, glasses to cook for yourself? Clothing appropriate for tropical weather?

When there, I was a member of various foreigners clubs, and knew the income levels of many in those clubs. Very few lived comfortable or emotionally satisfying lives with an income less than $1,200 a month. Most invested at least $10,000 buying start up stuff.

If you are thinking of a short visit, according to the department of tourism, average tourists spend just under $100 a day while in the Philippines.

Filipinos can and do survive on far less. This is because of things like group living, mutual family support for emergencies, housing choices generally not available to foreigners, collecting and eating labor intensive foods, or simply doing without what foreigners think as standard. Many locals live lives sick, or hungry. (most do not).

One factor not often mentioned as to cost of living is the cost of safety. Philippines was rated 140 out of 150 as to save places to stay (safest at #1). Crime is common. Drivers are not strict in interpretation of driving laws. Kidnapping is far more common than most places. No effective food inspection. Tap water is universally thought of as unsafe. There is great discretion as to the law enforcement strictness, and foreigners often are seen as rich, or comparing Philippines negatively with other places (insulting Filipinos). Some police officers can stretch the law to show a foreigner he has a "bad attitude". Stories of innocent foreigners held in jails are ever present in ex-pat communities. Hospitals are poorly equipped, especially far from Manila. Of course, if it meant death, no cost is not justified, but many things can be done, costly in time as well as money to mitigate these dangers. Everybody has their own level of risk they are willing to take.

Well, as long as we live within our means, we can survive anywhere you are in the world... Be contended of what you have and be thankful to God for providing our daily needs. We wanted to have a good life and we need to work for it and of course remember all things are God's blessings and what ever we have we should be content.

Sometimes because we lack opportunity so we cannot have what we have in life. But remember God promise to give us and He never leave us nor forsake us.