the cost of living in the Philippines can vary widely. Not only must you consider where you want to live, but also what you’re comfortable standard of living in the Philippines maybe.
Trying to live as cheap as you can, because that is all you can afford, is destined for an unhappy outcome. Your motive for living in the Philippines must be more than it just being cheap. Although cheap and affordable are high considerations. The last place you want to be, is the Philippines if you have run out of money.
Not surprising, how much you pay for rent is going to vary from place to place. Rentals in Manila are by far the highest in the country. Regional areas can be significantly cheaper.
Another determining factor is what type of dwelling you decide to rent. A one bedroom apartment will be more affordable than a fully furnished five bedroom house in an expat village.
Cost of rent in the Philippines can range from P10,000 per month in regional cities to upwards in excess of P50,000 per month in Manila. For P15,000 a month you will be able to find something pretty decent.
Food and groceries are not expensive to purchase in the Philippines. If you are prepared to eat local foods then your food and groceries will be quite cheap. Even if you allow for a fixture of western style foods the cost will not be enormous compared with what you would pay back home.
To give you an idea of costs in the Philippines you should budget between P25,000 to P40,000per month.
The cost of living in the Philippines is considerably cheaper than in western countries. How frugally you want to live is entirely up to you, as the options are many.
No matter what you end up deciding, make sure you have an income source to sustain you during your retirement years, yes the cost of living in the Philippines is cheap but if you run out of money, the Philippines is not where you want to be.
