I own a condo in Greenbelt Madison. We used to rent it out for about $400 a month. The size is good enough for a single traveler but not for a family. If you are going to retire on a budget of $1,500 to $2,700, which is what Social Security gives on the average, it is more than enough to sustain a modern city life in Makati. Once you get down and turn right from this condo, you will be in Makati Medical Center in less than a block. Makati is the older version of BGC. I like it because on weekends, it’s a whole lot quieter. Walk a few blocks to your left and you’re right smack in the middle of Greenbelt 5. There are a series of walkways that are elevated and covered that’ll take you all the way to Glorietta and SM Makati which in turn is connected to the MRT. From there, you can explore different parts of Metro Manila.
@ We also have apartments right smack in the University Belt of old Manila. They are 2 to 3 bedrooms of approximately 850 sq ft of 2 stories. It’s lower middle class but pretty decent. No parking though but walking distance to the LRT. Those go for about $250 a month. To your point and what I always hear you say, that there’s a budget that will fit your needs if you know what you want and where to look. For an expat with average Social Security income, even Metro Manila is affordable.
@@robbydad4321 $250 a month rent for 850 sq ft in the University Belt of old Manila gives me hope. Thanks for sharing. Do you live in that area currently or did you? The reason I ask is that's been the area I've been looking at on google maps around U of Santo Tomas and San Lazaro Hospital by just stumbling on it.
@ No I haven’t lived there but we do rent out apartments. It’s closer to National University, Arellano University and University of Manila. If you google it, it’s right behind Loreto Church. Just around the corner is Jolibee and McDonald’s. Currently there are no vacancies and they fill up just as soon as they are vacated. Though it is a low income rental, the neighborhood is quiet and safe.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Yes! It was surprisingly low traffic and clean. Between what I say on this video and your budget I have hope and excitement over it! Can't wait for part 2 Darryl!
Coming soon my friend. The honest problem with the next video is editing. I have at least an hours of great video and some of it will never be seen since it's too much for the third video.
I've been in the Philippines for three years. Spent a little time in Manila area. But I was very pleasantly surprised what I found and experienced while I was there
We spent only a few days in Makati on a recent trip to the Philippines. What a pleasant surprise. I could totally see us retiring there and having a great life!
It's the opposite here, Malls in America have been dying for years. Here they are building and rebuilding them. Amazon and buying online for example triggered by covid lock downs in the US got the ball rolling there. Just not the same here
Would love to stay in the Makati area. However, skyscraper apartments scare the hell out of my wife. If there were homes to rent nearby, that would be ideal for us. Glad your having fun, and thanks for showing us around.
@Ex-Pensive_Expat thank you for commenting. We will arrive in July and will be looking in the Porac area first. Probably rent a home in Porac and look around to see if and what we need. Thanks again my friend.
Yes it is for me too. But some will need a soft landing near western amenities when they first get here. They will need to ease into a different life when they come. That is what this series is about. Those are the ones this video is meant for
I stayed in Makati off and on when I spent a month in the Philippines about 8 years ago. I didn't stay in BGC at all though, so I can't compare the two. There is a huge difference in the rest of Metro Manila for sure. I agree with you Darryl that you can find most anything there as far as shopping goes. For anyone in the USA considering going there, I can say I agree with this video. However... Things that were not mentioned here include the traffic and noise, which was too much for me. If you're already accustomed to Western urban life then you might be fine with it. But if any y'sll are like me, I didn't enjoy it enough to stay there for long, I could hardly wait to get out in the provinces! There's a wide variety of places to live in the Philippines, so plan on visiting as many as you can (or want to) before settling down. If big city life is your thing, definitely consider Makati and/or BGC, in my humble opinion you could do a lot worse.
One of the reasons for this video is to show city dwellers what it is like there. I'm from San Diego and San Francisco. In Makati / BGC as you will see in the next video, there is little to no traffic there. Not to be compared to the rest of Manila
Thanks for sharing. Traffic noise seems to be a thing everywhere in the PH's including the loud muffles on 125cc motorcycles in the province. I'm more of a province guy too but it has barking dogs all day and night, roosters start their day at 3am, and there always seems to be some type of banging noise, loud music, and some type of construction going on in the province. Not to mention burning of garbage with the wind blowing in your direction everytime. In the PH's you have to pick your poison it seems, it all depends on which one you can tolerate the most or least. Haha.
Hi! I came across your channel and it got me curious because your talking about good places to live around Manila. As a retired hospital worker from San Francisco then moved to Concord .At the present time ,I’m here visiting my Mother and siblings in one of the provinces in Surigao. I’m very interested about condos ,apartments in Manila. Thank you!
I have lived in cities most of my life but also in the country. San Diego, San Francisco, Orange County, Oregon and so on. It's a different world in my opinion having lived also in the country until my teen years. Neither one is better than the other in my option. They both have pluses and minuses. Just depends on where you are in life, your lifestyle and personal preference.
Nice vid would like about 5 more or so from that area. I'm thinking Bangkok or BGC/Makati to retire. I just retired at 43 and trying to decide where to live.
I have another coming out in the next day or two. I can't compare to Bangkok never having been there. Depends on what you're looking for. Obviously you'll want to spend time in each place before deciding.
Haha.. You should see it now. I will be putting out another video to cover even more that need to be shown to give a legit review of that area of Makati
I'll likely end up in Makati or BGC when I come over, just to ease myself into the country before heading out to the provinces to meet the partners family and such. If I was to stay long term, I'd likely base my office out of Makati/BGC too - do you have any idea if there is affordable office space to rent in a professional setting?
Been giving this more thought, esp. as to why Makati (and BGC) do not hold much appeal for me. In addition to the cost premium, I guess I simply do not like the idea of living in a "bubble". As an avid science fiction fan, there are too many stories where the people who live in the bubble, or "cloud city", are characterized as privileged, non-productive, non-thinking, hedonistic, decadent lotus-eaters. Not my lifestyle, I'm afraid. But, if it works for others, all good - different strokes for different folks. :) And, I guess that I don't see that living in Makati would be a transition step, to eventually moving elsewhere in the Philippines, except perhaps to another bubble. I can see many people wanting to move from the provinces to one of the bubbles, for many valid reasons, but I can only imagine a few wanting to do the opposite - and most of them are somewhat naive about what life in the province will really be like (aka stepping off the cliff). Just my own personal worthless idle musings... don't take them too seriously. Feel free to disagree and/or disregard! :)
You spend $2500 is that for 2 people? Do you eat out often? What is your rent (1br/2br) if you don't mind me asking? You would be a good person for Darryl to interview as it would be very helpful for the rest of us wanting to move there.
We pay $470 for a 1br. Eat a late breakfast at home. We go out in the afternoon and have a light lunch. I have a daily budget, I put that amount in my wallet, and I put some extra in my other pocket in case we want to buy something. Very seldom do I touch the extra and most of the time come home with money in my wallet. We are retired and not into the night life. We get around in a jeepny to and from Market Market. Use grab when going to Manila for sight seeing. You don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy the Philippines. We are still able to travel once a month somewhere outside the Manila area.
I will actually be showing some Makati and BGC together in my next video. I was told by the owner by my friend whose condo I stayed in the prices are trending downward. I am sure that also is happening in BGC since they are so close and so similar. There seems to be a glut in the market. Supply and demand will rule the day.
Yes!! In some ways it reminds me of downtown San Diego and in other ways it reminds me of the good old days in San Francisco. I loved to walk a lot and there are many interesting things to see
For someone seeking a soft landing in the Philippines, he/she/they will probably need to first find a hotel, for a few days upon arrival, and then, most likely, a place for a short-term stay, for a couple of weeks or a couple of months, while taking time to investigate options/areas before committing to a long-term stay. Hotels are easy enough to find. And, there is plenty of info on condos/houses for long-term stays. But, what about a short-term stay? Let's say that you wanted to spend a couple of months in Makati, then a couple of months in Pampanga, in order to get a better feel of where you might want to actually put down roots for a few years? A serviced apartment, which accepts week-to-week or month-to-month rentals, preferably a walk-in, might be the best option, if readily available. Have you seen such places, in Makati/Manila - or in Pampanga, for that matter? Note: Some hotels do offer discounts for weekly/monthly stays, but they stll tend to cost more than apartment rentals. Airbnb tends to be hit-or-miss, and you usually cannot walk-in to check the place before booking it.
Maybe it's time for me to update past videos. All your points are 100% on the money and perfect questions. I do suggest following Airbnb in areas of interest. Finding a weekly monthly hotel as well. What you're describing I call "Slow Travel" and always recommend that whenever possible. Travel as light as possible when you arrive. I look for cheap hotels to keep my budget down. The other side of that is Airbnb's will have kitchens to cook your own meals. Those are the trade offs. In my case I found an inexpensive place to use as my home base in Pampanga. So finding an inexpensive home base became my priority so I could have a roof over my head waiting when I was tired of traveling that I could retreat to. Then at that point travel until I find that forever home...
Makati isn't really a "bubble" as it's comprises several barangays like Poblacion, San Antonio, Guadalupe Nuevo and others. In fact, Makati consists of 23 barangays in total. It only feels like a bubble if you're in the Greenbelt neighborhoods like Legazpi and Salcedo. Some parts of Makati are slums, especially the areas bordering Taguig, ironically near BGC. BGC is the true bubble, as it has it's own unique street signs and side walks that you won't see anywhere else. Makati seems sketchy and creepy at night though, unlike BGC. I like to take walks at random hours of the night, like 1 or 2am, and in BGC you can do that easily as there's always other people chilling.
I understood 100% before I used the term Bubble. I think I was clear in this video I was referring to ""Greenbelt"" and I also mentioned ""Legazpi"". In my opinion any way you look at it the "Greenbelt / Legazpi Village" area I was specifically referring to compared to the rest of Manila / Makati is in a Bubble. That term "Bubble" came up in conversation with the owner of two condo's there on Raga 1/2 block to Legazpi Active Park. I also spent time in BGC and that will also be included in my next video. If I return to Makati and in a different area with different characteristics I will address and describe it 100 % as it appears to me. If it has crime, trashy and seedy areas I wouldn't hesitate to describe it exactly that way. I try to take special care not to sugar coat anything. I have nothing to gain and everything to lose by not being accurate 100% of the time.
That's good to know and not surprising at all. Most big cities and neighbourhoods around the world are just like that. You just go 2 blocks in either direction and it seems like you're in a totally different world. Makati is the old BGC when I first visited the Philippines in 1996. They were just starting to build BGC, it' was just rubble and dirt back then. I'm looking forward to the next and more BGC's. How do you like BGC? How do you find the prices and how much to you estimate you send a month? What's your rent (1br/2br) if you don't mind me asking?
@@25Soupy I'm paying PHP 35k per month for a 2br at the Fort Victoria complex on 5th ave and 23rd street. It's a corner unit too and I've got views looking down 5th ave on one side, and the golf club and American cemetery on the other side.
Thank you my friend. It's my opinion after 8 days there you can live comfortably on average social security. The food budget I have higher mainly because of the temptations everywhere. When in reality it doesn't need to be more than 10% higher if you still eat the way I do in the province. There are no Starbucks were I live Hahaha...
Much nicer than Quezon City. My year there still makes my skin crawl when I think about the rat infested apartment my employer put me in. Got a MERSA infection and had to leave.
There are definitely miserable area's. But that is to be expected in a city of a little over 15 million which is almost twice the size of NYC. And the density of almost 120,000 per sq mile. But this area on the other hand is amazing and a great story to tell for those who have never been to the Philippines or that area in particular. Many times the only story people hear about is like your experience in Quezon City. A world away
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Yes, this area looks wonderful. If I'd been housed there I might still be there. The Philippines has great colleges and I would have liked to have sent my daughter there. Another reason to move to the PI, the schools.
My original idea about coming here was how for vacation and cheaply I could live once I got here. A 30 day vacation instead of 5 days on the west coast of America.
I know everybody has their own ideas of living comfortably. I try to live a simple life. With that being said, anyone that thinks the Philippines doesn't have everything that you possibly need or want doesn't know the Philippines very well. I know in Cebu City I had a lot of problems finding Dr Pepper and when I did my girlfriend said "oh it's going to be so expensive" because it was at a grocery called Marketplace where the "rich people" shop. I can of Dr Pepper cost me 65 pesos about the same as what it would cost me here. So yeah if you want to find it you can find it in the Philippines. That's just my opinion.
Too expensive for my wallet, cannot afford it, but for us that only have $1,100 a month, we can go to other areas that we can afford on $1,100 a month budget, regards from Boston MA!!😅
@Ex-Pensive_Expat No. Actually I asked Google where Dr Pepper was in Cebu City 🤣😂. Went to Landers first. My girl wouldn't let me spend the 700 pesos for a membership. And she was right. So then we went to Marketplace.
I always find it comical when people say people live in their own little bubble. Yes, they do everyone does, even the people that make that very comment. Wherever you live that's your bubble.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Yes, I know you are. You're not saying it, you're saying what everyone else says. I'm looking forward to the continuation of this video.
@Ex-Pensive_Expat I know you do. I was just kidding with a random question. Although I did pan fry some snapper and I think I ruined it. 😂 Nevertheless. Just messing with you brother. Have a great weekend. ✌️
Well I can say this fish cooks very quickly. So low het over some olive oil / butter, then cover with the lid maybe three to four minutes each side. Then put some lemon juice and let it sit another five minutes with lid on and the heat off to finish cooking. Just off the top of my head,
I'll be getting to the beach towns starting in a few weeks. My house the subject of many videos will be completed and then I can use my income to travel instead of building. So coming soon John!!
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat looking forward to it. I am not looking for a cheap place to live. I am looking for a beach that has not been paved over with condos. Thank you for your videos.🙂🙂
@@JohnHoranzyclosest is the north coast of Bataan, or a little further to southern Zambales. There's pretty much no surf anywhere close to Manila from January to May. Catanduanes, Baler, the east Pacific facing coast gets ground swell all year but prevalent onshore trade winds.
No dogs, no chickens, no trash, no dangerous crowded driving on the streets? That's not the Philippines! That mall looked more like the mall at Bellagio! Great, but I'm back in the providence where you live, brother. But it's nice to live it up once in awhile; couldn't do that here in the US on the same budget.
I think very few expats coming to the Philippines could afford that lifestyle in America. But even with only a couple thousand a month it is an option here.
My assumption was no saving and only on average social security about $1,950 as of 1/1/2025. The budgets are design to give you what you need to set aside each month. Nothing to do with what a person actually spends. If your baseline budget is $1,200 and that would leave you $750 net spendable if your income is $1,950 each month. Now you can buy flight tickets and book hotels and get on with your own personal life style. Everyone is different. Some may set aside $400 a month for saving and so on
@Ex-Pensive_Expat i watched couple of your videos and just subscribed, i got your point that an americal would have a handful of budget in usd and can live well because of the capacity to pay. to your perspective, what would be the long term goal for staying in ph, is it just to live comfortably or explore other areas?
The $1,000 to $1,500 budget is meant to let you know how much ""Net spendable"" you have if you're heading to or considering heading to the mall. The budget is a baseline to plan how much you will have available for the rest of your desired lifestyle over time. So if you have $2,000 income that would leave you with $1,000 or $500 "Net spendable" depending on your baseline budget.
Yes, those super high end luxury stores would blow your budget quickly, but there's a huge range of malls and stores... And you will see just by looking around that on my any given day some are offering 50% off. You will be be surprised how far the USD goes, even in a place like Greenbelt Makati 😊
Yes, I hate all those stores and brands. No man is a LV aficionado, only women. Nothing but an expensive status symbol. I would never even date a woman that has a VL handbag even if it was in my budget.
Hahaha... Ya know there is a friend of mine who explained his wife wouldn't live here because of the lack of western amenities. Hahaha.. He messaged me after watching this one and said he will be hiding this video from his wife.
Reporting what I find to save people from wasting time going to the wrong places and letting others know how it can be fore them if they choose to come
The selling price seems completely unreasonable for an apartment with such a low rental value. If I understand the prices correctly, 150M PHP for a rent price of 45K PHP would mean it would take more than 270 years to break even on the purchase, assuming there are no renovations or exceptional expenses in the meantime. This is insane! I must admit, I don’t understand the total disconnect between the purchase price and the rental value, which seems to make no sense at all. By the way, considering the luxury brands in the mall, with a monthly budget of 1,500 USD, you can’t even afford a keychain. Maybe the paper bag, though?
Ohh No!! That would rent for maybe over 300K per month. That was strictly a comment about what those condos in the area are selling for as an example of the area. But there is a glut of condos in the area that are for rent so the traditional ROI doesn't apply here
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Thank you, Daren, for the clarification, it does make a bit more sense now. However, it still takes around forty years to recoup the cost of the apartment at the current rental price. This aligns with what I’ve observed in all the “major” cities in the Philippines: a minimum of 35 years to break even on a property. I’m not sure about the situation in the USA, but in Europe, rental properties are typically amortized in 15 years or less. It seems quite challenging to imagine earning a profitable supplementary income with purchase prices this high and rental rates this low. The cost of buying also seems steep for a primary residence. Renting, at least from what I’ve understood so far, appears to be the most reasonable option.
Typical amortization rates for condos in the Metro Manila area is 20 to 25 years. But there's a lot of uncertainty in the Metro Manila market because Marcos recently deported over 200,000 Chinese Pogo workers. So there is currently an oversupply of condos in certain specific markets. In those markets, including Makati, condo prices and rental fees are coming down. Couple that with a near all time for the USD, and you have a very favorable situation for expat renters right now 😊
@ Indeed, I’ve heard about an ongoing real estate crisis at the moment. Perhaps the asking prices are still quite far from the actual selling prices. In any case, thank you so much, Daren, for sharing your insights. They help fill in some of the gaps in my incomplete information.
That is the case with my little house in the province and why renting makes more sense here sometimes. Real estate ownership is not viewed in the same way here. I can promise you that, so don't try to make sense of it. Imagine a place where family land / home ownership is for generations including the unborn. Not profit for the sake of profit.
Eluria on Rada Street is pre selling their condo units for 150m pesos. That's for a 300 sqm, half floor unit, and can be configured for 4 or 5 bedrooms, plus additional maids room.
Xen? I'm not sure of your question Ted. But there are studios under 30K and there is a lot of them in Makati area. The Greenbelt area is an upscale area within Makati. Going further away from the Greenbelt / Malls the rent definitely drops lower and they have a at lease a thousand that have come on line or about to come on line very soon. The word I got is that rental rates are dropping.
Yeah for sure you can find condos renting month to month for under 30k per month. But they may not be advertised as such. Because what you are looking for is in-between an Airbnb short term stay , and a long term lease . You just have to ask around and negotiate a little. For example there's some buildings specializing in "corporate" rentals month to month. Eaton is one brand that rents to doctors, nurses, and business people month to month. Good luck!
That's for a brand new luxury condo being built in Greenbelt. 300 sqm or half a floor. 4 bedrooms plus maids room... The great thing about Makati is that there's also a wider range of affordable condos to rent. So you can enjoy world class City amenities at a much much lower price point. In other words, let the super rich pay their property taxes while you enjoy the benefits of beautiful parks, clean and safe streets 😉
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I own a condo in Greenbelt Madison. We used to rent it out for about $400 a month. The size is good enough for a single traveler but not for a family. If you are going to retire on a budget of $1,500 to $2,700, which is what Social Security gives on the average, it is more than enough to sustain a modern city life in Makati. Once you get down and turn right from this condo, you will be in Makati Medical Center in less than a block.
Makati is the older version of BGC. I like it because on weekends, it’s a whole lot quieter. Walk a few blocks to your left and you’re right smack in the middle of Greenbelt 5. There are a series of walkways that are elevated and covered that’ll take you all the way to Glorietta and SM Makati which in turn is connected to the MRT. From there, you can explore different parts of Metro Manila.
Thank you for the comment my friend!! I agree with you 100%. I will be doing a 3rd video to better show the amenities in Makati Greenbelt area
@ We also have apartments right smack in the University Belt of old Manila. They are 2 to 3 bedrooms of approximately 850 sq ft of 2 stories. It’s lower middle class but pretty decent. No parking though but walking distance to the LRT. Those go for about $250 a month. To your point and what I always hear you say, that there’s a budget that will fit your needs if you know what you want and where to look. For an expat with average Social Security income, even Metro Manila is affordable.
@@robbydad4321Yes, $250 a month is good enough for a single non viced individual😅
@@robbydad4321 $250 a month rent for 850 sq ft in the University Belt of old Manila gives me hope. Thanks for sharing. Do you live in that area currently or did you? The reason I ask is that's been the area I've been looking at on google maps around U of Santo Tomas and San Lazaro Hospital by just stumbling on it.
@ No I haven’t lived there but we do rent out apartments. It’s closer to National University, Arellano University and University of Manila. If you google it, it’s right behind Loreto Church. Just around the corner is Jolibee and McDonald’s. Currently there are no vacancies and they fill up just as soon as they are vacated. Though it is a low income rental, the neighborhood is quiet and safe.
Happy Fryay to you and all of your subscribers! Very nice looking cityscape. Thanks again for sharing your insights, have a great weekend 🎉
Thank you! I am happy to share with you and have a great weekend!
yeah surprised....not much traffic and people......nice to see it is clean
Honestly it was a surprise to me also. And in several ways a surprise
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Yes! It was surprisingly low traffic and clean. Between what I say on this video and your budget I have hope and excitement over it! Can't wait for part 2 Darryl!
Coming soon my friend. The honest problem with the next video is editing. I have at least an hours of great video and some of it will never be seen since it's too much for the third video.
Good video as usual - great to show that its not what the third world the people who never been in Asia are thinking n general
Exactly 100%. You noticed!! Good for you my friend!! The only way some will get it
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat appreciaate you always reply - god bless you Darren
You're welcome Jack!!
Brings back memories. Was in Manila area last January and stayed in Makati near the park. Very walkable area. Can’t wait to come back
I've been in the Philippines for three years. Spent a little time in Manila area. But I was very pleasantly surprised what I found and experienced while I was there
We spent only a few days in Makati on a recent trip to the Philippines. What a pleasant surprise. I could totally see us retiring there and having a great life!
Yes and it doesn't need to be as expensive as minimum $3 to $5 thousand a month
@Ex-Pensive_Expat what I loved was getting all the American 'things' we love (i.e. restaurants, food, clothes, etc) without having to go to the US. 🤣
In my opinion you could live well on average social security if city life or western ways are important to you
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat in comparison to most western nations it's great 👍
Indeed!!
Malls are beginning to be a thing of the past here in Georgia where I’m at. I personally haven’t been to one in over 15 years. Great video.
It's the opposite here, Malls in America have been dying for years. Here they are building and rebuilding them. Amazon and buying online for example triggered by covid lock downs in the US got the ball rolling there. Just not the same here
I appreciate your videos. You present info on my level
Thank you my friend!!
Thanks for another great video! Thumbs up..
You're welcome my friend, I appreciate the thumbs up. I have more coming up!
Would love to stay in the Makati area. However, skyscraper apartments scare the hell out of my wife. If there were homes to rent nearby, that would be ideal for us. Glad your having fun, and thanks for showing us around.
There are homes not far away that are actually located between Makati and BGC.
@Ex-Pensive_Expat thank you for commenting. We will arrive in July and will be looking in the Porac area first. Probably rent a home in Porac and look around to see if and what we need. Thanks again my friend.
Let's get together when you land. Let me know your budget and I will keep an eye out for you
Awesome video mate, gonna be there again in a month via Thailand
Sounds great
Good to see you again
Thank you my friend. Always good to see you too.
Great information. The country life is the preferred life🎉🎉🎉🎉
Yes it is for me too. But some will need a soft landing near western amenities when they first get here. They will need to ease into a different life when they come. That is what this series is about. Those are the ones this video is meant for
I stayed in Makati off and on when I spent a month in the Philippines about 8 years ago. I didn't stay in BGC at all though, so I can't compare the two. There is a huge difference in the rest of Metro Manila for sure. I agree with you Darryl that you can find most anything there as far as shopping goes. For anyone in the USA considering going there, I can say I agree with this video. However... Things that were not mentioned here include the traffic and noise, which was too much for me. If you're already accustomed to Western urban life then you might be fine with it. But if any y'sll are like me, I didn't enjoy it enough to stay there for long, I could hardly wait to get out in the provinces! There's a wide variety of places to live in the Philippines, so plan on visiting as many as you can (or want to) before settling down. If big city life is your thing, definitely consider Makati and/or BGC, in my humble opinion you could do a lot worse.
One of the reasons for this video is to show city dwellers what it is like there. I'm from San Diego and San Francisco. In Makati / BGC as you will see in the next video, there is little to no traffic there. Not to be compared to the rest of Manila
Thanks for sharing. Traffic noise seems to be a thing everywhere in the PH's including the loud muffles on 125cc motorcycles in the province. I'm more of a province guy too but it has barking dogs all day and night, roosters start their day at 3am, and there always seems to be some type of banging noise, loud music, and some type of construction going on in the province. Not to mention burning of garbage with the wind blowing in your direction everytime. In the PH's you have to pick your poison it seems, it all depends on which one you can tolerate the most or least. Haha.
And sometimes you get lucky like me. I have lived in two different places in the province and only a few times a year does it truly annoy me
Quite true. I much prefer the animal noise. It's at least more natural and intermittent. 😁
Hi! I came across your channel and it got me curious because your talking about good places to live around Manila. As a retired hospital worker from San Francisco then moved to Concord .At the present time ,I’m here visiting my Mother and siblings in one of the provinces in Surigao. I’m very interested about condos ,apartments in Manila. Thank you!
Glad you found it I will be releasing another video on the area in a couple days
Thank you for making a video for the people that would miss the concrete jungle if they left the big city USA.
I have lived in cities most of my life but also in the country. San Diego, San Francisco, Orange County, Oregon and so on. It's a different world in my opinion having lived also in the country until my teen years. Neither one is better than the other in my option. They both have pluses and minuses. Just depends on where you are in life, your lifestyle and personal preference.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat thanks for the reply
Always my friend
Nice vid would like about 5 more or so from that area. I'm thinking Bangkok or BGC/Makati to retire. I just retired at 43 and trying to decide where to live.
I have another coming out in the next day or two. I can't compare to Bangkok never having been there. Depends on what you're looking for. Obviously you'll want to spend time in each place before deciding.
LOVE THE AREA AND GREENHILLS MALL AREA.
GREENBELT SORRY BEEN A FEW YEARS
Haha.. You should see it now. I will be putting out another video to cover even more that need to be shown to give a legit review of that area of Makati
Wow! Makati looks amazing!
Yes! It's really a great place to live if you like the Urban city life
I'll likely end up in Makati or BGC when I come over, just to ease myself into the country before heading out to the provinces to meet the partners family and such.
If I was to stay long term, I'd likely base my office out of Makati/BGC too - do you have any idea if there is affordable office space to rent in a professional setting?
I don't know but I did see some advertise in several areas
Yes, there's a wide range of office spaces available to rent, lease, or sublease... Many office buildings have signs posted... Good luck to you!
Thank you Alba!!
Hey Man This is one of your best Posts. See if you can get some Work Promoting Citys over there ?
Not allowed to work here in the Philippines Hahah.. But thank you for the compliment my friend!!
Been giving this more thought, esp. as to why Makati (and BGC) do not hold much appeal for me. In addition to the cost premium, I guess I simply do not like the idea of living in a "bubble". As an avid science fiction fan, there are too many stories where the people who live in the bubble, or "cloud city", are characterized as privileged, non-productive, non-thinking, hedonistic, decadent lotus-eaters. Not my lifestyle, I'm afraid. But, if it works for others, all good - different strokes for different folks. :)
And, I guess that I don't see that living in Makati would be a transition step, to eventually moving elsewhere in the Philippines, except perhaps to another bubble. I can see many people wanting to move from the provinces to one of the bubbles, for many valid reasons, but I can only imagine a few wanting to do the opposite - and most of them are somewhat naive about what life in the province will really be like (aka stepping off the cliff).
Just my own personal worthless idle musings... don't take them too seriously. Feel free to disagree and/or disregard! :)
Saw last week in BGC, you looked busy so we didn't say hi. We live in BGC on about $2500 and still travel around.
Oh really. Where was that. I wish we could have met my friend. Thank you for your message
You were walking by the Nike store on 9th Ave.
You spend $2500 is that for 2 people? Do you eat out often? What is your rent (1br/2br) if you don't mind me asking? You would be a good person for Darryl to interview as it would be very helpful for the rest of us wanting to move there.
We pay $470 for a 1br. Eat a late breakfast at home. We go out in the afternoon and have a light lunch. I have a daily budget, I put that amount in my wallet, and I put some extra in my other pocket in case we want to buy something. Very seldom do I touch the extra and most of the time come home with money in my wallet. We are retired and not into the night life. We get around in a jeepny to and from Market Market. Use grab when going to Manila for sight seeing. You don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy the Philippines. We are still able to travel once a month somewhere outside the Manila area.
That's awesome . Thank you for sharing. The point of my video series is ti say it IS possible
You're making Makati more appealing than BGC! Do you think condo rental prices have gone down in the last month or two?
I will actually be showing some Makati and BGC together in my next video. I was told by the owner by my friend whose condo I stayed in the prices are trending downward. I am sure that also is happening in BGC since they are so close and so similar. There seems to be a glut in the market. Supply and demand will rule the day.
I love Makati or living in the City too. It is very accessible to everything.
It can be an awesome lifestyle if you choose it
Greenvelt. Nice area and makes it easy to relax and have a coffee
Yes!! In some ways it reminds me of downtown San Diego and in other ways it reminds me of the good old days in San Francisco. I loved to walk a lot and there are many interesting things to see
For someone seeking a soft landing in the Philippines, he/she/they will probably need to first find a hotel, for a few days upon arrival, and then, most likely, a place for a short-term stay, for a couple of weeks or a couple of months, while taking time to investigate options/areas before committing to a long-term stay.
Hotels are easy enough to find. And, there is plenty of info on condos/houses for long-term stays. But, what about a short-term stay? Let's say that you wanted to spend a couple of months in Makati, then a couple of months in Pampanga, in order to get a better feel of where you might want to actually put down roots for a few years?
A serviced apartment, which accepts week-to-week or month-to-month rentals, preferably a walk-in, might be the best option, if readily available. Have you seen such places, in Makati/Manila - or in Pampanga, for that matter?
Note: Some hotels do offer discounts for weekly/monthly stays, but they stll tend to cost more than apartment rentals. Airbnb tends to be hit-or-miss, and you usually cannot walk-in to check the place before booking it.
Maybe it's time for me to update past videos. All your points are 100% on the money and perfect questions. I do suggest following Airbnb in areas of interest. Finding a weekly monthly hotel as well. What you're describing I call "Slow Travel" and always recommend that whenever possible. Travel as light as possible when you arrive. I look for cheap hotels to keep my budget down. The other side of that is Airbnb's will have kitchens to cook your own meals. Those are the trade offs. In my case I found an inexpensive place to use as my home base in Pampanga. So finding an inexpensive home base became my priority so I could have a roof over my head waiting when I was tired of traveling that I could retreat to. Then at that point travel until I find that forever home...
Makati isn't really a "bubble" as it's comprises several barangays like Poblacion, San Antonio, Guadalupe Nuevo and others. In fact, Makati consists of 23 barangays in total. It only feels like a bubble if you're in the Greenbelt neighborhoods like Legazpi and Salcedo. Some parts of Makati are slums, especially the areas bordering Taguig, ironically near BGC. BGC is the true bubble, as it has it's own unique street signs and side walks that you won't see anywhere else. Makati seems sketchy and creepy at night though, unlike BGC. I like to take walks at random hours of the night, like 1 or 2am, and in BGC you can do that easily as there's always other people chilling.
I understood 100% before I used the term Bubble. I think I was clear in this video I was referring to ""Greenbelt"" and I also mentioned ""Legazpi"". In my opinion any way you look at it the "Greenbelt / Legazpi Village" area I was specifically referring to compared to the rest of Manila / Makati is in a Bubble. That term "Bubble" came up in conversation with the owner of two condo's there on Raga 1/2 block to Legazpi Active Park. I also spent time in BGC and that will also be included in my next video. If I return to Makati and in a different area with different characteristics I will address and describe it 100 % as it appears to me. If it has crime, trashy and seedy areas I wouldn't hesitate to describe it exactly that way. I try to take special care not to sugar coat anything. I have nothing to gain and everything to lose by not being accurate 100% of the time.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat That's why we love you Darryl, no sugar coating and use true numbers and evidence when showing neighbourhoods, rentals, etc.
That's good to know and not surprising at all. Most big cities and neighbourhoods around the world are just like that. You just go 2 blocks in either direction and it seems like you're in a totally different world. Makati is the old BGC when I first visited the Philippines in 1996. They were just starting to build BGC, it' was just rubble and dirt back then. I'm looking forward to the next and more BGC's. How do you like BGC? How do you find the prices and how much to you estimate you send a month? What's your rent (1br/2br) if you don't mind me asking?
@@25Soupy I'm paying PHP 35k per month for a 2br at the Fort Victoria complex on 5th ave and 23rd street. It's a corner unit too and I've got views looking down 5th ave on one side, and the golf club and American cemetery on the other side.
Thank you my friend. It's my opinion after 8 days there you can live comfortably on average social security. The food budget I have higher mainly because of the temptations everywhere. When in reality it doesn't need to be more than 10% higher if you still eat the way I do in the province. There are no Starbucks were I live Hahaha...
I love Makati
Yes I'm also a fan!
Much nicer than Quezon City. My year there still makes my skin crawl when I think about the rat infested apartment my employer put me in. Got a MERSA infection and had to leave.
There are definitely miserable area's. But that is to be expected in a city of a little over 15 million which is almost twice the size of NYC. And the density of almost 120,000 per sq mile. But this area on the other hand is amazing and a great story to tell for those who have never been to the Philippines or that area in particular. Many times the only story people hear about is like your experience in Quezon City. A world away
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Yes, this area looks wonderful. If I'd been housed there I might still be there. The Philippines has great colleges and I would have liked to have sent my daughter there. Another reason to move to the PI, the schools.
@@DrGaryGreen Yes and the going rate for a chiropractic visit is 6,000 php. We need you here my friend!! lol
Rats are huge! In Phillipines 🤣🤣🤣🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat I'd be charging more than that. Keep the riff-raff out. 😁
I want so bad to experience the Phillipines. Maybe some day...
My original idea about coming here was how for vacation and cheaply I could live once I got here. A 30 day vacation instead of 5 days on the west coast of America.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat I think this might be my strategy! I just need to determine where I want home base. I need to watch more videos and keep notes.
I'll be doing more and in different areas soon. The house here is nearing completion
I know everybody has their own ideas of living comfortably. I try to live a simple life. With that being said, anyone that thinks the Philippines doesn't have everything that you possibly need or want doesn't know the Philippines very well. I know in Cebu City I had a lot of problems finding Dr Pepper and when I did my girlfriend said "oh it's going to be so expensive" because it was at a grocery called Marketplace where the "rich people" shop. I can of Dr Pepper cost me 65 pesos about the same as what it would cost me here. So yeah if you want to find it you can find it in the Philippines. That's just my opinion.
Thank you for your comment my friend. Did you look into Shopee or Lazada for Dr. Pepper?? Just curious
Too expensive for my wallet, cannot afford it, but for us that only have $1,100 a month, we can go to other areas that we can afford on $1,100 a month budget, regards from Boston MA!!😅
@Ex-Pensive_Expat No. Actually I asked Google where Dr Pepper was in Cebu City 🤣😂. Went to Landers first. My girl wouldn't let me spend the 700 pesos for a membership. And she was right. So then we went to Marketplace.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat I'll definitely keep those in mind when I'm there in about 3 months
@@EvralTatum-Mcfield-ov2mi I honestly can't see how you can live in Boston for $1,100 a month
Hello. Im still in Costa Rica waiting on $ Then Im moving there 🙏
That's awesome Chris I'll leave the light on for you
I always find it comical when people say people live in their own little bubble. Yes, they do everyone does, even the people that make that very comment. Wherever you live that's your bubble.
Yep. I use the term to simplify getting the message across.
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Yes, I know you are. You're not saying it, you're saying what everyone else says. I'm looking forward to the continuation of this video.
Working on it now
😎👍🇺🇲
Question;
What's the best way to cook snapper?
😏
I have no idea my friend. Maybe in the oven or frying pan?
@Ex-Pensive_Expat
😂
You promised to answer. I'll give you that much. 👊😁✌️
I always strive to answer every comment / question
@Ex-Pensive_Expat
I know you do.
I was just kidding with a random question.
Although I did pan fry some snapper and I think I ruined it. 😂
Nevertheless. Just messing with you brother.
Have a great weekend. ✌️
Well I can say this fish cooks very quickly. So low het over some olive oil / butter, then cover with the lid maybe three to four minutes each side. Then put some lemon juice and let it sit another five minutes with lid on and the heat off to finish cooking. Just off the top of my head,
All very nice but how far is the nearest surfing beach?
Beach towns might be a nice video to do.
I'll be getting to the beach towns starting in a few weeks. My house the subject of many videos will be completed and then I can use my income to travel instead of building. So coming soon John!!
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat looking forward to it. I am not looking for a cheap place to live. I am looking for a beach that has not been paved over with condos. Thank you for your videos.🙂🙂
I'll be going to the best surfing beaches in the Philippines for that matter
@@JohnHoranzyclosest is the north coast of Bataan, or a little further to southern Zambales. There's pretty much no surf anywhere close to Manila from January to May. Catanduanes, Baler, the east Pacific facing coast gets ground swell all year but prevalent onshore trade winds.
@@Ghekko-kw3zz I really need to do more research on this especially the climate and rainy seasons. Thank you for adding to the discussion.
Love greenbelt ❤🎉
You have good taste my friend!!
great vid
Thank you !!
No dogs, no chickens, no trash, no dangerous crowded driving on the streets? That's not the Philippines! That mall looked more like the mall at Bellagio! Great, but I'm back in the providence where you live, brother. But it's nice to live it up once in awhile; couldn't do that here in the US on the same budget.
I think very few expats coming to the Philippines could afford that lifestyle in America. But even with only a couple thousand a month it is an option here.
Or just plan a one or two week staycation in BGC or Makati to get all the grocery items and products you can't find in the province 😊
That also is a great idea.
@@albathoughtsofficial I'm wondering about getting a coleman cooler big enough to load and bring home that stuff.
@@remo1wodmnetwork9605 Exactly... That's what the locals do 👍
Hi Darren, your computation is just assuming that a man does not have any savings and living off from monthly pension?
My assumption was no saving and only on average social security about $1,950 as of 1/1/2025. The budgets are design to give you what you need to set aside each month. Nothing to do with what a person actually spends. If your baseline budget is $1,200 and that would leave you $750 net spendable if your income is $1,950 each month. Now you can buy flight tickets and book hotels and get on with your own personal life style. Everyone is different. Some may set aside $400 a month for saving and so on
@Ex-Pensive_Expat i watched couple of your videos and just subscribed, i got your point that an americal would have a handful of budget in usd and can live well because of the capacity to pay. to your perspective, what would be the long term goal for staying in ph, is it just to live comfortably or explore other areas?
@@DuplicateHat77 Both
I think that letting your wife/GF shop in those malls would quickly blow your 1,000-1,500 USD/mo budget. :)
The $1,000 to $1,500 budget is meant to let you know how much ""Net spendable"" you have if you're heading to or considering heading to the mall. The budget is a baseline to plan how much you will have available for the rest of your desired lifestyle over time. So if you have $2,000 income that would leave you with $1,000 or $500 "Net spendable" depending on your baseline budget.
Yes, those super high end luxury stores would blow your budget quickly, but there's a huge range of malls and stores... And you will see just by looking around that on my any given day some are offering 50% off. You will be be surprised how far the USD goes, even in a place like Greenbelt Makati 😊
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat I get it. I just find it humorous to talk about "budget" and shopping at LV in the same discussion! :)
Yes, I hate all those stores and brands. No man is a LV aficionado, only women. Nothing but an expensive status symbol. I would never even date a woman that has a VL handbag even if it was in my budget.
Hahaha... Ya know there is a friend of mine who explained his wife wouldn't live here because of the lack of western amenities. Hahaha.. He messaged me after watching this one and said he will be hiding this video from his wife.
Dude, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce should be paying you to make videos!
Reporting what I find to save people from wasting time going to the wrong places and letting others know how it can be fore them if they choose to come
The selling price seems completely unreasonable for an apartment with such a low rental value. If I understand the prices correctly, 150M PHP for a rent price of 45K PHP would mean it would take more than 270 years to break even on the purchase, assuming there are no renovations or exceptional expenses in the meantime. This is insane! I must admit, I don’t understand the total disconnect between the purchase price and the rental value, which seems to make no sense at all. By the way, considering the luxury brands in the mall, with a monthly budget of 1,500 USD, you can’t even afford a keychain. Maybe the paper bag, though?
Ohh No!! That would rent for maybe over 300K per month. That was strictly a comment about what those condos in the area are selling for as an example of the area. But there is a glut of condos in the area that are for rent so the traditional ROI doesn't apply here
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat Thank you, Daren, for the clarification, it does make a bit more sense now. However, it still takes around forty years to recoup the cost of the apartment at the current rental price. This aligns with what I’ve observed in all the “major” cities in the Philippines: a minimum of 35 years to break even on a property.
I’m not sure about the situation in the USA, but in Europe, rental properties are typically amortized in 15 years or less. It seems quite challenging to imagine earning a profitable supplementary income with purchase prices this high and rental rates this low. The cost of buying also seems steep for a primary residence. Renting, at least from what I’ve understood so far, appears to be the most reasonable option.
Typical amortization rates for condos in the Metro Manila area is 20 to 25 years. But there's a lot of uncertainty in the Metro Manila market because Marcos recently deported over 200,000 Chinese Pogo workers. So there is currently an oversupply of condos in certain specific markets. In those markets, including Makati, condo prices and rental fees are coming down. Couple that with a near all time for the USD, and you have a very favorable situation for expat renters right now 😊
@
Indeed, I’ve heard about an ongoing real estate crisis at the moment. Perhaps the asking prices are still quite far from the actual selling prices. In any case, thank you so much, Daren, for sharing your insights. They help fill in some of the gaps in my incomplete information.
That is the case with my little house in the province and why renting makes more sense here sometimes. Real estate ownership is not viewed in the same way here. I can promise you that, so don't try to make sense of it. Imagine a place where family land / home ownership is for generations including the unborn. Not profit for the sake of profit.
What's the name of that apartment complex for units that are 1.5 million
I don't know but I will try to get you that information. It is across the street from where I stayed. A very very nice area of the Greenbelt
@Ex-Pensive_Expat I appreciate that
Eluria on Rada Street is pre selling their condo units for 150m pesos. That's for a 300 sqm, half floor unit, and can be configured for 4 or 5 bedrooms, plus additional maids room.
$1.5 million is crazy cheap compared to western countries, that's like $25k-$$30k USD.
Thank you Alba!!
150 million is 2.5 million USD
Yes depending on the current exchange rate
🙌🤙
Xen i find a month by month studio for under 30k ???
Xen? I'm not sure of your question Ted. But there are studios under 30K and there is a lot of them in Makati area. The Greenbelt area is an upscale area within Makati. Going further away from the Greenbelt / Malls the rent definitely drops lower and they have a at lease a thousand that have come on line or about to come on line very soon. The word I got is that rental rates are dropping.
Yeah for sure you can find condos renting month to month for under 30k per month. But they may not be advertised as such. Because what you are looking for is in-between an Airbnb short term stay , and a long term lease . You just have to ask around and negotiate a little. For example there's some buildings specializing in "corporate" rentals month to month. Eaton is one brand that rents to doctors, nurses, and business people month to month. Good luck!
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat *can lol.....
@@Ex-Pensive_Expat *can lol.....
You said 150 million, right? $2.6 million USD?
Yes depending on the exchange rate
That's for a brand new luxury condo being built in Greenbelt. 300 sqm or half a floor. 4 bedrooms plus maids room... The great thing about Makati is that there's also a wider range of affordable condos to rent. So you can enjoy world class City amenities at a much much lower price point. In other words, let the super rich pay their property taxes while you enjoy the benefits of beautiful parks, clean and safe streets 😉
@ Thanks for the info, the numbers were just a little shocking before you explained it.
Well said!!