I live very comfortable on less than $1,000 in Rosario Philippines and can save $$ Monthly living in the COUNTRYSIDE. I am only 30 minutes away from the city. Most my diet comes from my gardens. Our electricity is about $40 a month, water is from our well and drinking water is 50¢ for 5 gallons. If I was living in my USA hometown My retirement pension would last 1 day. Here I can't spend it all.
Yes. Same as that near butuan. Although I'm semi expat. (3 months here and 3 months in Ireland. Still working) when I am here, me my wife and 2 kidos...... struggling to spend 8k/week and that includes running our little car. Hit butuan once a month and fill the car from puregold and sm. Neither of us drink or smoke. We eat well. We are never short on anything. I guess it boils down to the lifestyle you are used to growing up and living in your home country. If you carry it with you to the Philippines it will have a serious impact one way or another on your budget. If you are a country boy...... you have a better understanding of how life rolls in the province here and you can use that to your advantage. If you are a city boy and you want to live in the lifestyle that you are accustomed to...... well then...... its gonna cost piso. That's why some of us don't need $1000/month while others don't have enough in $3000
Lifestyle dictates, if one can adapt to the province life, I am sure one can live on much, much less. I've been shown a 2 bedroom, CR, well water, pump style😂, utilities light, bought water for under 3200 peso. Can one live for less than 1k USD, I am sure you can......outside Bacolod City.
I have to commend you for being honest about a psych situation and meds costs. That kind of honesty / transparency is greatly appreciated. I don’t know the details of what you are referring to, but those things are never easy. My psych rotation was one of the more challenging ones (burn ward was by far the most) because mastering the meds is just as much art as it is science and the conditions are always changing, as does brain chemistry.
Bianca has talked about it a few times in the videos she has been dealing with anxiety and depression for years, vlogging has helped her a great deal of pushing herself as well.
@@BiancaBeyond i know exactly how she feels. Life isn't easy, especially when you don't go to doctors for prescriptions. Hopefully, my move to the Philippines is 2 years away. i love your videos of Iloilo, what are some of the better areas to live in? I'm thinking either Iloilo or Makati .
@@BiancaBeyond Thank for for that clarification. I haven’t seen that many of your videos and as I am sure you know all too well that there are so many exogenous things that can help with that too… sleep, stress management, diet / supplements / hydration, exercise, etc. Iloilo is high on my list to explore and I am working on a community service project that is getting a lot of positive response so far - in a convo I had with Paul (old dog) I figured out a way to support newly inbound expats and then divert some of those resources to scholarships for Filipinas. Perhaps one day, when I get to Iloilo, our paths will cross.
@ThatPhilippinesLife A supportive partner means everything, she may not have had that in previous relationships so you are both lucky to have each other. You guys are a good match, keep up the good work 👍
Here in the US Primary care doctors can prescribe antidepressants or anti anxiety medications but in the Philippines you need to see a psych doctor. On the contrary you can just go to the pharmacy in the Phil and get antibiotics without a script unlike here in the US you need a prescription. Thanks for the $ breakdown and honesty of mental health. Great video ❤
Wow thank you very much Mike and Bianca for promoting Iloilo city...loved watching your videos...just always enjoy days and Bless both of you and Bianca
Mike is fouling your nest! You will not appreciate the promotion of Iloilo City when it becomes crowded from all the Expats moving there and the price of everything goes through the roof! Vloggers go home!!!
Thank you so much for staying and promoting my city. I'm your avid fan 😁and enjoy watching your vids. And in return I don't skip ads.. Stay healthy and safe guys 😏. Watching from Bahrain ❤
Hi Michael and Bianca. Have you guys tried supplements with or in lieu of medications? Last year I had to start taking 3 different medications 2 times a day for my high sugar 11.1 A1C. My bp was also around 145/95. No too high, but definitely not great. By cutting my sugar intake (sugar sodas, juices, cookies, pies, etc…) and taking a bitter melon pill supplement, I’ve been able to cut my medications down to 1 medication 1-2 times a day. My bp is down to 181/76 also. I also lost around 10-15 lbs from cutting sugar and another 10 lbs from taking Magnesium. The bitter melon pill (Ampalaya) is available at many stores in the Philippines and does not require a prescription. My A1C is down to 6.3. You could also eat bitter melon, but I hate the taste. Swallowing raw chopped garlic is also good for your bp and helps you when you’re sick or feel that you’re getting sick, but it’s nasty to swallow. Wash it down with juice or soda. You can do that every day if you want. I still mostly eat what I want with the exception of the tasty above mentioned sugary snacks. I still eat them, just in smaller quantities. As you’re finding out, many of these prescription medications are hard on your liver and kidneys. It can’t hurt to try. Good luck. One more thing. Magnesium also helps me with my anxiety. As I get older my anxiety was getting worse. It might have gotten to the point of medication at some point, but Magnesium seems to have fixed it for now.
I presume that if you lived in the province then you’d be looking at maybe 50-75 % of that budget. However I completely agree on you’re close to western living assessment. We are looking in general terms to move over … but in the Antipolo area of Manila and we’d be looking at mostly western style living. The only plus on our end would be that we’d intend to buy/build our house in a gated area ….. Thanks Mark Euringer
Thanks Michael I really enjoyed this segment - your honesty and integrity are beyond reproach - it takes a lot of guts for someone to do and say the things you said in this video, been there myself in the past after being kidnapped at gun point back in 1985 - back when it wasn't such a safe place for a tourist to be on the streets at night. You have to be ultra careful not all people have good intentions, especially talking money and also disclosing the area where you reside. Not even our inlaws know when we are visiting and or staying.
True for Thailand but the visa situation is a horrible maze and if you get a retirement visa you will either have to put 800k baht in the bank or have a 2600.00 monthly influx into a Thai bank.
That’s very very economical. U got a bargain living in Iloilo Here in Manhattan, studio rent is around $3000-$3,500 excluding the rest of the expenses which wud add up to around $10k-$13k With that price, u cud live like a king in the Philippines!!!
Thanks guys for another great video. I am moving to PH this October and the more I see the quality of life in Ililo I am seriously considering that area. Thanks again.
My rent in downtown Toronto is $2200. Your budget is quite reasonable and also my ideal budget if I were to live there. If I can work remotely and move to the Philippines I'd do it in a heartbeat. Thanks Mike for the info 👌
Great Video thinking of the Philippines im an Expat 🇬🇧who know lives in Colombia 🇨🇴 for 4 years now ..im in Cali i can live good here on $1400 a month .. i will keep my place here and boune around ...the world ...
My mortgage alone in Northern CA, ia $1620/m, plus $500 utilities. You answered the questions I have, and that is CAN 2 people live a reasonable lifestyle for $15000-$1600 USD monthly. That is my target range, because my Soc Sec is $2160/m, and a $500 US cushion, would allow for a LOT of safety valve for emergency expenses.
You can even go lower than 1500-1600. You can buy condo in the philippines even if you’re foreigner you just cant own a land. If I were you and you have a mortgage in the US. Sell the house and use that equity money to buy a condo, many condos in the city cost 3-5M pesos for 1BR. 56pesos is equivalent to 1US dollar so do the math. If you can buy it off you will live very comfortably with lots of cushion as food is very cheap and here is the best part, even if grocery is cheap it is organic, most meats and fish you get are also fresh.
Thanks for your incredible update. My San Diego beachfront Apartment = $3,000. Damn I’m gonna save a lot of money in the Philippines. Your total is half of what my Social Security will be when I retire. Plus I have a large pension. The future looks bright. I can probably easily afford a penthouse condo. The retirement health insurance I have in the US will pay 80% in the Philippines. I have a 20% copay. One of the major Iloilo hospitals takes my insurance thus simplifying healthcare. I plan to self insure the 20%.
Hi Michael, Thank you for this. Very helpful. We will have additional expenses such as private school for our kid, we also plan to have a car so extra costs there, plus we plan to have a bit more expensive house and a couple of other items that you dont have listed. One thing we dont have to worry about is immigration/visa costs. My wife is dual citizen as is my kid and I can get spousal visa. I think our monthly total will be quite a bit more but still much more affordable than here in the US. Thanks again!
Thanks for sharing. I got lots of helpful info to consider for my future plans. I only have the best wishes for you both. Life is about the journey not the destination and by the looks of it, your expenditure is worth every penny for that wonderful lovely journey. ❤
I love the Constant Uploading this couple days! Have been following you since i found your old Cost Of Living on your house that u were renting before this one! Great content and Delivery! Please continue doing what you do! helped me gather so many information bout philippines for my Future plans!
Water service there must be way better than Bacolod City. In Bacolod we are water rationed where we only get a hour or so of good pressure from the main if we run a 1 hp pump to pull it 25 foot to our ground level tanks. We have three 200 liter tanks so less than 600 liter capacity. A lot of days without us getting up after midnight and running our pump every hour to see if we are going to get any water at all that day we get very little or none. Sometimes we get a trickle for 5 or 6 hours without the pump but most nights we only get a hour of city water and only if we run the pump since the pressure is so low. Been this way for years and the last 2 years the government sold to a private company Prime Water and the service is worse now. Our Electric costs are over P20,000 ($400) every month running a couple of air conditioners and having to run our pumps to get water from the main. Also have Globe and those internet tests are only that fast testing in the Philippines. Speed testing outside the Ph then the speed drops a lot. Today's speed test to Iloilo 685mb down 514mb up. To Hong Kong 246mb down and 193mb up. To Tokyo Japan 164mb down and 110mb up. Also have Sky internet 135mb down and 15mb up as a backup since both providers go down once in a while. On the plus side for Globe my service has a battery backup that lasts for around two hours most of the time during a blackout. Internet costs P3000 for Globe and P2000 for Sky, Total P5000 ($100). Lastly here in Bacolod the Grab service now has a P1000 limit on food delivery. Makes Grab almost useless trying to order food for a family.
when renting in the Philippines, makes sure the house or apartment is in meralco meter or direct meter to electric company... if its in sub meter there will a hidden charges for sure.
Thank you very much Mike for this detailed breakdown. I wonder, how much a studio condo might cost since it's only me, in Iloilo City. I like the convenient location you have, The buses are awesome too
Have you checked out generic meds for your blood pressure? I have done that and it has done the same thing than the regular meds and it comes out a lot cheaper
Wow my rent alone in Vancouver Canada is 1,620 USD! Thanks for the video I especially appreciated that it was a budget for 2 people. Lots of single person budgets on RUclips but not many budgets for couples 😊
Please do visit the National Economic Development Authority 6 regional office along Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City and ask the help of our resident economist so that you can get the real economic data complete with years,months,days,numbers and all that. Complete! Please do your budget management with best available data therein.
Based on the lifestyle Mike described, Mike and Bianca still seem to be living on the upper end of the expat lifestyle scale (big house, dining out, going out, etc.) although the budget Mike gave even with the medical expenses included still seems reasonable if compared to living here in the west. I guess how high your monthly budget goes really depends on where you live as there are certain places in the PH where costs are even higher (or at least some expats spend even more) like BGC or Makati even compared to a fast growing, rapidly modernizing city like Iloilo.
I am currently looking for flights from Chicago to Cebu as I will put boots on the ground looking for my retirement city this November for 30 days. My route will be Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete and I will stay for several days in each town. But so far I am really liking Iloilo. Thanks for all that you both do in showing us your beautiful town and what your living expenses are. Stay healthy and happy.. -=Efrain=-
$1,260 USD = $1,636 CAD. I live in downtown Vancouver as the relief building manager, we just rented a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath for $2,900 a month (heat & 1 parking stall included). I pay a discounted price of $1,200 for a small 1 bedroom on the 1st floor, just for comparison. I live extremely cheap as a single guy only spending $600 a month, which puts me at $1,800. I went out with friends last weekend, we shared an appy and I had the fish n chips and 3 beers was $96 with tip. Basically, a weeks worth of groceries for 1 average meal out. Most of my friends spend $3,000 - $5,000 a month on living expenses. I have a friend with a wife and 2 children and they spent $20,000 last month, which I find absurd. I don't see why I couldn't live in the Philippines for $1,000 - $1,200 CAD.
The bottom line is live beyond your means, live like a local, go to MD for preventative, if your planning to retire or move in the Philippines bring 6 mos of medications refills, bring first aid, bring a lot of SFP lotion and hydrocortisone for mosquito bites very expensive. Get all necessary vaccines, mask and disinfectant wipes.
This is absolutely a great video. Thank you for taking the time for the breakdown of cost and even the personal aspect of the medical cost. Again this is a super video, I wish I had a video like this when I was deciding to move to Thailand. You have peeked my interest and thank you again.
I,ve been following your blog ever since I saw your video about deciding where in philippines to retire and why. We both have thesame reason why we chose iloilo. Do you live in a walking distance to SM mall? That street look familiar. We just bought a house in one of those new development village near the SM mall and beaches near it and found out that the prices went up significally this year compared to last year. Back in 10 years ago when I first visited that place SM mall is the only biggest building there and around it are mostly ricefields and fishponds. What is the sales tax there now. Over here in la county california is now 10.25%.
We live 1.5 hours from Manila family of 3 in Morong Rizal total budget $700. Here you can get a home cooked meal for 120P currently no insurance but a car payment $150. Apartment $130. Electric $70 we spend a lot on groceries because I buy a lot of US products $240. School for our kid and everything else around $700. We there's always something else, dentist, doctor, bla bla but well under $1,000. Complete
That's great 👍 did you rent in the current market? Many we talked to rented right after the pandemic or a few years ago and the prices were so much better then
@ThatPhilippinesLife actually we just moved there last month from Antipolo City. We had a bigger place in a guarded subdivision, but we wanted to save a little. We pay less than half of the price.
@@chuck9112 great to hear , so you recommend their for good rental places, or did you get lucky? Many of our viewers are trying to live on a smaller budget and Iloilo really isn't the best place trying to live western life under $600 or even $500
There is actually free universal healthcare here but of course it takes you about half a day to get from initial intake to the issuance of your prescription and/or treatment (labs, etc). Based on the little info you gave, I can say they have all the meds you need, including psych meds.. And oh yes, they have waaaay better psychiatrists than private practice does.
I'm not sure the universal healthcare is for foreigners, never realized they covered medication here. In Canada they now cover medication to age 25 and after 65. In Michaels life they had never been covered when living in Canada but usually have employment benefits that help pay for most
@@BiancaBeyond Yes, it's for citizens and originally intended for the low income or unemployed citizens just like Medicaid, but a lot of middle class and even the well-off go there. And yes, we who are employed get our HMO from our employers.
about the cellphone... DITO is having a promo for 700pesos for a year of unlimited text + 3600mins call to all networks + 84GB. again.. FOR A YEAR! if you always have internet at home, consuming that 84GB is already a task itself 😂
Thanks for talking about mental health medication. I take antidepressants daily so I might have to stay in the big city to access medication at a reasonable price. Wishing your partner all the best.
We have smart but we need the unlimited call and texting too so it makes more sense for us to get the plan that includes all three for about the same. Does expire but we use most of our GB each month
1500 dollars in the Us is only 1-2BR apartment and that depends where you live. Add in groceries, utilities, car/health insurance and car payments, then you have to multiply that by two. Not to mention entertainment and dining out in the US will easily cost you hundreds in just day. Live in a ghetto to pay less but who would want that lmao. So 1500 for total expenses every month is very good especially you live in 3BR house that’s in a safe neighborhood. So even with the expensive meds, I think it is still a win win.
My rent for a 1 bedroom apt. In the US is over $1,000, just because I have been in the same apt for over 30 years. My neighbors are paying $1500 for theirs. My monthly groceries just for me and my dog is $500. Cable,internet and phone is $200. Gas and electricity is $200. Water is free and my meds are covered by insurance. I couldn't wait to retire in Iloilo and not pay rent anymore because I already have a big house there.
It's true but that is like paying up front for 15 months of transportation at P2k a month budget. Eventually we will though for the freedom to go anywhere (when it's not pouring rain)
Well done! Our costs are about the same, but spread over different categories. Our rent is cheaper but we tend to spend more on food and miscellaneous stuff. I use PLDT and spend 3k for 400 up and down. Do ya'll have Lander's there, it might be an alternative to S&R.
Mike, have you compared the cost of getting Starlink hardware and monthly subscription to your current internet costs? You did mention that you're paying for higher speed than what people mention they get who have Starlink in the PH though.
Starlink has low upload speed so its not as good as fiber for upload. starlink is 2700 a month for max 200 mb and upload aprox 20mb the same plan would be about P1500 with fiber. Starlink is amazing for the areas not served by Fiber Optics
Hey Mike - - A very good explanation & an awesome budget for what you got !!! -- My goodness (?) considering inflation - and - what your lifestyle is....? Hey..... I'd take that any day. -- A single person 'might be' near $1000 (w/o meds) - with - a somewhat more frugal furnished rental ? -- A scooter rental thrown in (and 'some' travel) for about the $1200 budget (?) perhaps ? = A very nice life for the $ on the """average'''''' US SS check still can be had. --?-- Just stay healthy and enjoy !!!
6000PHP for electricity kind of blows my mind. I live in Japan and pay the equivalent of 2000-2500PHP, and am quite a heavy user. Strange that a poorer country like the Philippines is more than twice as expensive. My rent is also near identical to yours too. Would love to move to Phils but can't see how, given how low salaries are there in comparison to what is basically the same cost of living as Japan. Thanks for the info anyway. Never hurts to dream :)
6k is not even high. We pay double because we depend heavily on imported coal and diesel compared to Japan. Their rent cost is high. You can already get an average condo in BGC (one of the most expensive places). The cost of living is almost the same if you're living in a Western style. Traveled to Japan, the price is noticeably expensive compared to Southeast Asia. There are a lot of foreigners here living while working remotely in their origin country.
@@johnmagbag2711 I'd have to disagree John. Spent a lot of time in Phils, albeit not living. I really don't see it being cheaper than Japan in most cases. Street food etc sure, but for most major expenses, it has certainly not been my experience
Hi Michael. I've recently decided to move to the Philippines because life in Canada is becoming increasingly difficult. I have been doing a lot of research about the Philippines and I heard a lot of negative things about the Philippines but I won't let that stop me. Do you guys recommend retiring in the Philippines? Is it easy to own a property? How about opening a business?
In the Philippines you can't own land unless your a citizen so only unless you or married to one. You can own a business if you have the Srrv visa you are good. There have been several visa changes lately so I'll do a video to explain options
If Bianca gets her citizenship there are some cities in the Philippines specially ones with a business district. May offer "insurance like" services to their citizens in their government hospitals or even private specialty hospitals(Private-Public Partnership) that offer different services, even specialist doctors. Then the city pays for the services rendered fully or mostly. Sometimes citizens would pay a small fee outside of that but it's still the city that pays for the majority. I won't name which cities do this. Just making you know that there are cities in the Philippines that offer such services to their residents. Just do you research in choosing the city you wish to live in.
We did put clothing, medical insurance and our medications, our going out money. We showed our transportation we use as well. Perhaps you commented before starting the video?
Great video .. thanks for the honesty .. My wife and I own a home in the province so our costs are a bit different (no rent), but I'd forgotten about healthcare .. Do you have Philhealth or something different? Thanks again for a great video and best to you and yours.
greetings folks, one of my main questions is how to transfer money to a local bank ( not wanting to use atm'S) any thoughts would be greatly aappreciated, your neighbor in Guam
wow. That's expensive by Philippines standards. You can actually cut down significantly your spending, and budget around 1k a month. Which is very doable.
Great information and reasonable budget. I like the videos on the community, that one you did on the hospital. I know you don't have children, but my wife and I do and so would like to see a video on private school options, maybe interview a couple of parents. Our daughter only speaks English, and wonder if there is an American or European type education available there?
Hi Mark, I contacted Michael about the school situation as we have 6 year old and we are from the US. He said all the expats he knows sends their kids to Ateneo de Iloilo. Its located in Atria and looks like a very new and modern building. Its Catholic but I dont think that is an issue even if you are not Catholic. Ateneo has a great reputation around the country. I did contact the school and the tuition and fees are very reasonable by Western standards... something like USD150/month total. Foreign students must also take Filipino and Chinese language classes that are an extra cost. -- Bob
Brand new episode coming this week on health insurance with a Broker here who is originally from Canada, he is honest and no B.S. will always tell you like it is
WE HAVE A NEW CHANNEL! www.youtube.com/@thatssointeresting
I live very comfortable on less than $1,000 in Rosario Philippines and can save $$ Monthly living in the COUNTRYSIDE. I am only 30 minutes away from the city. Most my diet comes from my gardens. Our electricity is about $40 a month, water is from our well and drinking water is 50¢ for 5 gallons. If I was living in my USA hometown My retirement pension would last 1 day. Here I can't spend it all.
Great remark
Yes. Same as that near butuan.
Although I'm semi expat. (3 months here and 3 months in Ireland. Still working) when I am here, me my wife and 2 kidos...... struggling to spend 8k/week and that includes running our little car.
Hit butuan once a month and fill the car from puregold and sm.
Neither of us drink or smoke.
We eat well. We are never short on anything.
I guess it boils down to the lifestyle you are used to growing up and living in your home country.
If you carry it with you to the Philippines it will have a serious impact one way or another on your budget.
If you are a country boy...... you have a better understanding of how life rolls in the province here and you can use that to your advantage.
If you are a city boy and you want to live in the lifestyle that you are accustomed to...... well then...... its gonna cost piso.
That's why some of us don't need $1000/month while others don't have enough in $3000
Yeah but if you want a clean beach you'll have to go to Ternate or Bantagas which is a bit far-away from Rosario Cavite.
Lifestyle dictates, if one can adapt to the province life, I am sure one can live on much, much less. I've been shown a 2 bedroom, CR, well water, pump style😂, utilities light, bought water for under 3200 peso. Can one live for less than 1k USD, I am sure you can......outside Bacolod City.
Great, so where can i get an American wife In the Philippines?
I have to commend you for being honest about a psych situation and meds costs. That kind of honesty / transparency is greatly appreciated. I don’t know the details of what you are referring to, but those things are never easy. My psych rotation was one of the more challenging ones (burn ward was by far the most) because mastering the meds is just as much art as it is science and the conditions are always changing, as does brain chemistry.
Bianca has talked about it a few times in the videos she has been dealing with anxiety and depression for years, vlogging has helped her a great deal of pushing herself as well.
@@BiancaBeyond i know exactly how she feels. Life isn't easy, especially when you don't go to doctors for prescriptions. Hopefully, my move to the Philippines is 2 years away. i love your videos of Iloilo, what are some of the better areas to live in? I'm thinking either Iloilo or Makati .
@@BiancaBeyond Thank for for that clarification. I haven’t seen that many of your videos and as I am sure you know all too well that there are so many exogenous things that can help with that too… sleep, stress management, diet / supplements / hydration, exercise, etc. Iloilo is high on my list to explore and I am working on a community service project that is getting a lot of positive response so far - in a convo I had with Paul (old dog) I figured out a way to support newly inbound expats and then divert some of those resources to scholarships for Filipinas. Perhaps one day, when I get to Iloilo, our paths will cross.
@ThatPhilippinesLife A supportive partner means everything, she may not have had that in previous relationships so you are both lucky to have each other. You guys are a good match, keep up the good work 👍
Here in the US Primary care doctors can prescribe antidepressants or anti anxiety medications but in the Philippines you need to see a psych doctor. On the contrary you can just go to the pharmacy in the Phil and get antibiotics without a script unlike here in the US you need a prescription. Thanks for the $ breakdown and honesty of mental health. Great video ❤
Wow thank you very much Mike and Bianca for promoting Iloilo city...loved watching your videos...just always enjoy days and Bless both of you and Bianca
Mike is fouling your nest! You will not appreciate the promotion of Iloilo City when it becomes crowded from all the Expats moving there and the price of everything goes through the roof! Vloggers go home!!!
I really do appreciate these types of videos. Especially, because you broke the prices down x2. Thank you, for all you do.
Thank you so much for staying and promoting my city. I'm your avid fan 😁and enjoy watching your vids. And in return I don't skip ads.. Stay healthy and safe guys 😏. Watching from Bahrain ❤
Hi Michael and Bianca. Have you guys tried supplements with or in lieu of medications? Last year I had to start taking 3 different medications 2 times a day for my high sugar 11.1 A1C. My bp was also around 145/95. No too high, but definitely not great. By cutting my sugar intake (sugar sodas, juices, cookies, pies, etc…) and taking a bitter melon pill supplement, I’ve been able to cut my medications down to 1 medication 1-2 times a day. My bp is down to 181/76 also. I also lost around 10-15 lbs from cutting sugar and another 10 lbs from taking Magnesium. The bitter melon pill (Ampalaya) is available at many stores in the Philippines and does not require a prescription. My A1C is down to 6.3. You could also eat bitter melon, but I hate the taste. Swallowing raw chopped garlic is also good for your bp and helps you when you’re sick or feel that you’re getting sick, but it’s nasty to swallow. Wash it down with juice or soda. You can do that every day if you want. I still mostly eat what I want with the exception of the tasty above mentioned sugary snacks. I still eat them, just in smaller quantities. As you’re finding out, many of these prescription medications are hard on your liver and kidneys. It can’t hurt to try. Good luck. One more thing. Magnesium also helps me with my anxiety. As I get older my anxiety was getting worse. It might have gotten to the point of medication at some point, but Magnesium seems to have fixed it for now.
First post. Really liked the Iloilo breakdown. The monthly temperatures seem to stay between 76 degrees F and 87 degrees F. I could live with that.
So ideal for me! Not only could I live with it, I would love it. As long as it is over 70 and below 100 I am pretty happy haha
Glad you are in a much better less problem property. Budget is not extravagant and that is a plus. Thanks for sharing Michael & regards to DB
Thank you for keeping it simple but yet detailed. .Please continue with the budget videos! Im now subscribed to your channel.
I presume that if you lived in the province then you’d be looking at maybe 50-75 % of that budget. However I completely agree on you’re close to western living assessment. We are looking in general terms to move over … but in the Antipolo area of Manila and we’d be looking at mostly western style living. The only plus on our end would be that we’d intend to buy/build our house in a gated area …..
Thanks
Mark Euringer
Thanks Michael I really enjoyed this segment - your honesty and integrity are beyond reproach - it takes a lot of guts for someone to do and say the things you said in this video, been there myself in the past after being kidnapped at gun point back in 1985 - back when it wasn't such a safe place for a tourist to be on the streets at night. You have to be ultra careful not all people have good intentions, especially talking money and also disclosing the area where you reside. Not even our inlaws know when we are visiting and or staying.
It seems with $2,000 USD a month I can live quite comfortably in the Philippines, Thailand or Malaysia. Probably the same in Portugal and Spain too.
True for Thailand but the visa situation is a horrible maze and if you get a retirement visa you will either have to put 800k baht in the bank or have a 2600.00 monthly influx into a Thai bank.
@@k9companion231 Does it have to stay 800,000 all the time?
I've heard one problem at least in Portugal is they don't exactly love Americans. Too many USA expats=gentrification the locals can't afford.
That’s very very economical. U got a bargain living in Iloilo
Here in Manhattan, studio rent is around $3000-$3,500 excluding the rest of the expenses which wud add up to around $10k-$13k
With that price, u cud live like a king in the Philippines!!!
Thanks guys for another great video. I am moving to PH this October and the more I see the quality of life in Ililo I am seriously considering that area. Thanks again.
You really can't go wrong with Iloilo and the people and food and charm from that city.
Living in the Philippines = PRICELESS 🏆🏆🏆❤️❤️❤️
My rent in downtown Toronto is $2200. Your budget is quite reasonable and also my ideal budget if I were to live there. If I can work remotely and move to the Philippines I'd do it in a heartbeat. Thanks Mike for the info 👌
New video explaining the new visa options. You'll like what you hear
Great Video thinking of the Philippines im an Expat 🇬🇧who know lives in Colombia 🇨🇴 for 4 years now ..im in Cali i can live good here on $1400 a month .. i will keep my place here and boune around ...the world ...
My mortgage alone in Northern CA, ia $1620/m, plus $500 utilities. You answered the questions I have, and that is CAN 2 people live a reasonable lifestyle for $15000-$1600 USD monthly. That is my target range, because my Soc Sec is $2160/m, and a $500 US cushion, would allow for a LOT of safety valve for emergency expenses.
You can even go lower than 1500-1600. You can buy condo in the philippines even if you’re foreigner you just cant own a land. If I were you and you have a mortgage in the US. Sell the house and use that equity money to buy a condo, many condos in the city cost 3-5M pesos for 1BR. 56pesos is equivalent to 1US dollar so do the math. If you can buy it off you will live very comfortably with lots of cushion as food is very cheap and here is the best part, even if grocery is cheap it is organic, most meats and fish you get are also fresh.
Thanks for your incredible update. My San Diego beachfront Apartment = $3,000. Damn I’m gonna save a lot of money in the Philippines. Your total is half of what my Social Security will be when I retire. Plus I have a large pension. The future looks bright. I can probably easily afford a penthouse condo. The retirement health insurance I have in the US will pay 80% in the Philippines. I have a 20% copay. One of the major Iloilo hospitals takes my insurance thus simplifying healthcare. I plan to self insure the 20%.
Hi Michael, Thank you for this. Very helpful. We will have additional expenses such as private school for our kid, we also plan to have a car so extra costs there, plus we plan to have a bit more expensive house and a couple of other items that you dont have listed. One thing we dont have to worry about is immigration/visa costs. My wife is dual citizen as is my kid and I can get spousal visa. I think our monthly total will be quite a bit more but still much more affordable than here in the US. Thanks again!
Thanks for sharing. I got lots of helpful info to consider for my future plans. I only have the best wishes for you both. Life is about the journey not the destination and by the looks of it, your expenditure is worth every penny for that wonderful lovely journey. ❤
I love the Constant Uploading this couple days!
Have been following you since i found your old Cost Of Living on your house that u were renting before this one!
Great content and Delivery! Please continue doing what you do!
helped me gather so many information bout philippines for my Future plans!
Thanks for the accurate budget, is a good realistic budget compared to some to the click bait ones, like live on $500 a month.
Water service there must be way better than Bacolod City. In Bacolod we are water rationed where we only get a hour or so of good pressure from the main if we run a 1 hp pump to pull it 25 foot to our ground level tanks. We have three 200 liter tanks so less than 600 liter capacity. A lot of days without us getting up after midnight and running our pump every hour to see if we are going to get any water at all that day we get very little or none. Sometimes we get a trickle for 5 or 6 hours without the pump but most nights we only get a hour of city water and only if we run the pump since the pressure is so low. Been this way for years and the last 2 years the government sold to a private company Prime Water and the service is worse now.
Our Electric costs are over P20,000 ($400) every month running a couple of air conditioners and having to run our pumps to get water from the main.
Also have Globe and those internet tests are only that fast testing in the Philippines.
Speed testing outside the Ph then the speed drops a lot. Today's speed test to Iloilo 685mb down 514mb up. To Hong Kong 246mb down and 193mb up. To Tokyo Japan 164mb down and 110mb up. Also have Sky internet 135mb down and 15mb up as a backup since both providers go down once in a while. On the plus side for Globe my service has a battery backup that lasts for around two hours most of the time during a blackout. Internet costs P3000 for Globe and P2000 for Sky, Total P5000 ($100).
Lastly here in Bacolod the Grab service now has a P1000 limit on food delivery. Makes Grab almost useless trying to order food for a family.
That's a surprising monthly budget. How great is the Philippines. 🇵🇭
Thank you for the info! Very helpful, especially the health insurance and medication costs and availably. Cheers!
when renting in the Philippines, makes sure the house or apartment is in meralco meter or direct meter to electric company... if its in sub meter there will a hidden charges for sure.
Thank you very much Mike for this detailed breakdown. I wonder, how much a studio condo might cost since it's only me, in Iloilo City. I like the convenient location you have, The buses are awesome too
We have looked at studio condos before some go as low as P15k a month if you don't mind a small space. Typical condos all in about P25k rent
@@BiancaBeyond very good, thank you
I recommend ,don’t live in a studio. Always live in a 1 bedroom with a window. It’s better for your well been. Trust me.
@@evelinholmes6401 thank you for that 👍
Some expats have also recommended a condo with a balcony so you can go and be outside.
Have you checked out generic meds for your blood pressure? I have done that and it has done the same thing than the regular meds and it comes out a lot cheaper
Wow my rent alone in Vancouver Canada is 1,620 USD! Thanks for the video I especially appreciated that it was a budget for 2 people. Lots of single person budgets on RUclips but not many budgets for couples 😊
Hi Michael,..I just became a new subscriber of your channel.
Thanks for a great 👍 informative video.
Keep up the great work.
Nice place in Iloilo
great video mike. my rent for a 2 bedroom condo in daytona beach Florida was 1450 per month! glad you finally settled into a legit property
Thank you for always being transparent and helpful! Keep being awesome guys! 👍
Please do visit the National Economic Development Authority 6 regional office along Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City and ask the help of our resident economist so that you can get the real economic data complete with years,months,days,numbers and all that. Complete!
Please do your budget management with best available data therein.
Based on the lifestyle Mike described, Mike and Bianca still seem to be living on the upper end of the expat lifestyle scale (big house, dining out, going out, etc.) although the budget Mike gave even with the medical expenses included still seems reasonable if compared to living here in the west. I guess how high your monthly budget goes really depends on where you live as there are certain places in the PH where costs are even higher (or at least some expats spend even more) like BGC or Makati even compared to a fast growing, rapidly modernizing city like Iloilo.
Yes, it's really depends on the entertainment budget. Single guys who are dating spend more than married guys for example
I am currently looking for flights from Chicago to Cebu as I will put boots on the ground looking for my retirement city this November for 30 days. My route will be Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete and I will stay for several days in each town. But so far I am really liking Iloilo. Thanks for all that you both do in showing us your beautiful town and what your living expenses are. Stay healthy and happy..
-=Efrain=-
Very nice ! 👍
Need to deal w the noise pollution esp in the cities
Your travel videos always transport me to new horizons!
Hello. Would you also be investing in other equally useful and healthy projects like sports etc? Eg Tennis, badminton...
You can do Diy aircon (styro ice box) u can cut down to 1 aircon unit...
way to go iloilo.thank you mike and bianca from canada to philippines.roots of seaman and nurses all over western visayas hehe.
$1,260 USD = $1,636 CAD. I live in downtown Vancouver as the relief building manager, we just rented a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath for $2,900 a month (heat & 1 parking stall included). I pay a discounted price of $1,200 for a small 1 bedroom on the 1st floor, just for comparison. I live extremely cheap as a single guy only spending $600 a month, which puts me at $1,800. I went out with friends last weekend, we shared an appy and I had the fish n chips and 3 beers was $96 with tip. Basically, a weeks worth of groceries for 1 average meal out. Most of my friends spend $3,000 - $5,000 a month on living expenses. I have a friend with a wife and 2 children and they spent $20,000 last month, which I find absurd. I don't see why I couldn't live in the Philippines for $1,000 - $1,200 CAD.
We used to pay $2500 a month for a tiny studio in Mississauga Ontario so we know what you mean! Price just keep climbing for everything
The bottom line is live beyond your means, live like a local, go to MD for preventative, if your planning to retire or move in the Philippines bring 6 mos of medications refills, bring first aid, bring a lot of SFP lotion and hydrocortisone for mosquito bites very expensive. Get all necessary vaccines, mask and disinfectant wipes.
Pretty good for 2 people in a city
Like to see the house
This is absolutely a great video. Thank you for taking the time for the breakdown of cost and even the personal aspect of the medical cost. Again this is a super video, I wish I had a video like this when I was deciding to move to Thailand. You have peeked my interest and thank you again.
Rent costs are a key factor. We found a 2 bedroom apt for $115 usd.
Awesome what city is that?
I,ve been following your blog ever since I saw your video about deciding where in philippines to retire and why. We both have thesame reason why we chose iloilo. Do you live in a walking distance to SM mall? That street look familiar. We just bought a house in one of those new development village near the SM mall and beaches near it and found out that the prices went up significally this year compared to last year. Back in 10 years ago when I first visited that place SM mall is the only biggest building there and around it are mostly ricefields and fishponds. What is the sales tax there now. Over here in la county california is now 10.25%.
PS I watch only Dr Mandell for my medical needs ..he's spot on 👍
We live 1.5 hours from Manila family of 3 in Morong Rizal total budget $700. Here you can get a home cooked meal for 120P currently no insurance but a car payment $150.
Apartment $130. Electric $70 we spend a lot on groceries because I buy a lot of US products $240. School for our kid and everything else around $700. We there's always something else, dentist, doctor, bla bla but well under $1,000. Complete
That's great 👍 did you rent in the current market? Many we talked to rented right after the pandemic or a few years ago and the prices were so much better then
@ThatPhilippinesLife actually we just moved there last month from Antipolo City. We had a bigger place in a guarded subdivision, but we wanted to save a little. We pay less than half of the price.
@@chuck9112 great to hear , so you recommend their for good rental places, or did you get lucky? Many of our viewers are trying to live on a smaller budget and Iloilo really isn't the best place trying to live western life under $600 or even $500
Very informative - thanks for the detailed upload!
Great great stuff as always!
We will be there to visit again, soon as our condo is finished in megaworld whenever that will be.
There is actually free universal healthcare here but of course it takes you about half a day to get from initial intake to the issuance of your prescription and/or treatment (labs, etc). Based on the little info you gave, I can say they have all the meds you need, including psych meds.. And oh yes, they have waaaay better psychiatrists than private practice does.
I'm not sure the universal healthcare is for foreigners, never realized they covered medication here. In Canada they now cover medication to age 25 and after 65. In Michaels life they had never been covered when living in Canada but usually have employment benefits that help pay for most
@@BiancaBeyond Yes, it's for citizens and originally intended for the low income or unemployed citizens just like Medicaid, but a lot of middle class and even the well-off go there. And yes, we who are employed get our HMO from our employers.
My usage of power similar kilowatt-hour s but it ranges $90 to $120 usd a month for small one bedroom apartment in Costa Rica
about the cellphone...
DITO is having a promo for 700pesos for a year of unlimited text + 3600mins call to all networks + 84GB.
again.. FOR A YEAR! if you always have internet at home, consuming that 84GB is already a task itself 😂
Thanks. Good info
Thanks for talking about mental health medication. I take antidepressants daily so I might have to stay in the big city to access medication at a reasonable price. Wishing your partner all the best.
My rent here in Fl is $2160 a month for a 2BR Everything here is expensive. 😢
SMART has a 400p plan called magic data that is 64gb I believe. And it does not expire.
We have smart but we need the unlimited call and texting too so it makes more sense for us to get the plan that includes all three for about the same. Does expire but we use most of our GB each month
1500 dollars in the Us is only 1-2BR apartment and that depends where you live. Add in groceries, utilities, car/health insurance and car payments, then you have to multiply that by two. Not to mention entertainment and dining out in the US will easily cost you hundreds in just day. Live in a ghetto to pay less but who would want that lmao. So 1500 for total expenses every month is very good especially you live in 3BR house that’s in a safe neighborhood. So even with the expensive meds, I think it is still a win win.
My rent for a 1 bedroom apt. In the US is over $1,000, just because I have been in the same apt for over 30 years. My neighbors are paying $1500 for theirs. My monthly groceries just for me and my dog is $500. Cable,internet and phone is $200. Gas and electricity is $200. Water is free and my meds are covered by insurance. I couldn't wait to retire in Iloilo and not pay rent anymore because I already have a big house there.
For transportation, its easier to buy a second hand scooter for like 30,000 pesos or less, its well worth it..
It's true but that is like paying up front for 15 months of transportation at P2k a month budget. Eventually we will though for the freedom to go anywhere (when it's not pouring rain)
Thanks man concidering
Well done! Our costs are about the same, but spread over different categories. Our rent is cheaper but we tend to spend more on food and miscellaneous stuff. I use PLDT and spend 3k for 400 up and down. Do ya'll have Lander's there, it might be an alternative to S&R.
No Landers yet In Iloilo! A little competition would be great
Does the current budget increase from 2020, 2021 and 2022 ones?
we used to pay on Boracay about $1200 a month, year before we lived in Albania for $1075 a month, before that was Canada where it was more like $10K
@@BiancaBeyond $10,000 Canadian dollars a month. Omg. That is quite a lot of savings.
@@louis20122 hahaha 🤣🤣 cost of living in Canada is enormous compared
thank you, very informative
Mike, have you compared the cost of getting Starlink hardware and monthly subscription to your current internet costs? You did mention that you're paying for higher speed than what people mention they get who have Starlink in the PH though.
Starlink has low upload speed so its not as good as fiber for upload. starlink is 2700 a month for max 200 mb and upload aprox 20mb the same plan would be about P1500 with fiber. Starlink is amazing for the areas not served by Fiber Optics
Thanks very informative.
Thank you, Yes my blood thinner in USA 800 with no insurance, Here 100 😂😂😂😂, Good lord that speaks Volumes on where to settle,
Hey Mike - - A very good explanation & an awesome budget for what you got !!! -- My goodness (?) considering inflation - and - what your lifestyle is....? Hey..... I'd take that any day. -- A single person 'might be' near $1000 (w/o meds) - with - a somewhat more frugal furnished rental ? -- A scooter rental thrown in (and 'some' travel) for about the $1200 budget (?) perhaps ? = A very nice life for the $ on the """average'''''' US SS check still can be had. --?-- Just stay healthy and enjoy !!!
Much more do you think it would cost to live in Cebu or Dumaguete
It took a while for you to find a nice place and finally you have one. Are there many GOOD rental places still around and at reasonable prices?
6000PHP for electricity kind of blows my mind. I live in Japan and pay the equivalent of 2000-2500PHP, and am quite a heavy user. Strange that a poorer country like the Philippines is more than twice as expensive. My rent is also near identical to yours too. Would love to move to Phils but can't see how, given how low salaries are there in comparison to what is basically the same cost of living as Japan.
Thanks for the info anyway. Never hurts to dream :)
In Canada electricity with air conditioning would be about the same as here $120 to $150. Sounds like you have fantastic rates
6k is not even high. We pay double because we depend heavily on imported coal and diesel compared to Japan. Their rent cost is high. You can already get an average condo in BGC (one of the most expensive places). The cost of living is almost the same if you're living in a Western style. Traveled to Japan, the price is noticeably expensive compared to Southeast Asia.
There are a lot of foreigners here living while working remotely in their origin country.
@@johnmagbag2711 I'd have to disagree John. Spent a lot of time in Phils, albeit not living. I really don't see it being cheaper than Japan in most cases. Street food etc sure, but for most major expenses, it has certainly not been my experience
@@BiancaBeyond your house is huge, therefore electricity is expensive
@@marianeil6630 agreed but we are happy with the improvement
Thank you for sharing, very helpful. I was thinking I needed over $2000.
Very good video
put up a solar panel system very good investment
Hi Michael. I've recently decided to move to the Philippines because life in Canada is becoming increasingly difficult. I have been doing a lot of research about the Philippines and I heard a lot of negative things about the Philippines but I won't let that stop me. Do you guys recommend retiring in the Philippines? Is it easy to own a property? How about opening a business?
In the Philippines you can't own land unless your a citizen so only unless you or married to one. You can own a business if you have the Srrv visa you are good. There have been several visa changes lately so I'll do a video to explain options
You can’t own land, but you can own a condo and you can actually sign a long term lease (50+ years)on land and homes as well.
would like to see you go to Tatoys Manokan and Seafood Restaurant and mambukal resort
How's all the brownouts going in the "level up" city
If Bianca gets her citizenship there are some cities in the Philippines specially ones with a business district. May offer "insurance like" services to their citizens in their government hospitals or even private specialty hospitals(Private-Public Partnership) that offer different services, even specialist doctors. Then the city pays for the services rendered fully or mostly. Sometimes citizens would pay a small fee outside of that but it's still the city that pays for the majority. I won't name which cities do this. Just making you know that there are cities in the Philippines that offer such services to their residents. Just do you research in choosing the city you wish to live in.
Great video, thank you very much
Nice video bro 🎉
What if you add medica/insurance,car payments,international travel,occasional outings/trips/socializing,cloths.
We did put clothing, medical insurance and our medications, our going out money. We showed our transportation we use as well. Perhaps you commented before starting the video?
@@BiancaBeyond
Guilty
@@mkamka5274 🤣🤣 all good definitely different for everyone on those things
Thanks for sharing
Where do you live? I'm in Davao City, but I like the infrastructure you were show in the video.
We live in Iloilo City
Great video .. thanks for the honesty .. My wife and I own a home in the province so our costs are a bit different (no rent), but I'd forgotten about healthcare .. Do you have Philhealth or something different?
Thanks again for a great video and best to you and yours.
very informative nice 👍
greetings folks, one of my main questions is how to transfer money to a local bank ( not wanting to use atm'S) any thoughts would be greatly aappreciated,
your neighbor in Guam
wow. That's expensive by Philippines standards. You can actually cut down significantly your spending, and budget around 1k a month. Which is very doable.
Smaller house for P15k a month and it's instantly below $1k yes
Beautiful😍
Great information and reasonable budget. I like the videos on the community, that one you did on the hospital. I know you don't have children, but my wife and I do and so would like to see a video on private school options, maybe interview a couple of parents. Our daughter only speaks English, and wonder if there is an American or European type education available there?
Hi Mark, I contacted Michael about the school situation as we have 6 year old and we are from the US. He said all the expats he knows sends their kids to Ateneo de Iloilo. Its located in Atria and looks like a very new and modern building. Its Catholic but I dont think that is an issue even if you are not Catholic. Ateneo has a great reputation around the country. I did contact the school and the tuition and fees are very reasonable by Western standards... something like USD150/month total. Foreign students must also take Filipino and Chinese language classes that are an extra cost. -- Bob
@@robertb4382 Thank you, pretty sure my wife will be very happy it's a Catholic school.
I have a question we are looking for a health insurance like you can you guide us?
Brand new episode coming this week on health insurance with a Broker here who is originally from Canada, he is honest and no B.S. will always tell you like it is
Thanks!
Wow Jim Thank you so much! 😊🙏
which city is this video?
That's not bad of a budget
Beautiful
Where's the budget for Bianca to have a baby or two? Savings plan? Get the show on the road!
haha no one should have plans for a baby without a permanent job to pay for them
@@BiancaBeyond Living large! It's time for family commitments which is an essential of the family style of the Philippines. Go for it...
not bad thats like a 1 bedroom appartment in toronto