| The low cost of living in the Philippines is one of the | | | | Food is relatively inexpensive in the Philippines, |
| major lures of the Philippines to people who are fed | | | | especially if you choose to eat local food. The fish, |
| up with the current economic conditions in the | | | | vegetable, bakery products and fruits from the |
| Western world. People who have worked hard all | | | | Philippines are great, so eating local food will be |
| their lives wake up one day at 55 and find out they | | | | natural for you. However, time to time you may |
| don't have enough time left to ever put away | | | | want imported Western branded items, and time to |
| enough money to live on comfortably in the Western | | | | time you will want to dine out. There are so many |
| world. Imagine what it is like when you wake up at | | | | great restaurants in the Philippines, it is hard to stay |
| 65 after 40 years of hard work to find out you have | | | | away from them. However, dining out is where you |
| to live the rest of your life dependent on your | | | | food budget will skyrocket. |
| children or the government for a subsistence lifestyle. | | | | Also, it depends on how many are in your household. |
| There is an answer. There is a place where you can | | | | Additionally, you will need to purchase plenty of |
| live a life of dignity, with abundance on a minimum | | | | bottled water or subscribe to home delivery from a |
| monthly income. That place is the magical and | | | | reliable purified water company. All in all, depending on |
| beautiful Philippines, where you live a good life on | | | | your dining out and imported brand tastes, you can |
| $1,000 monthly, or where you can "live like a king" on | | | | plan on between $300 to $500 monthly for food. |
| $2,000 monthly. There is a big variance in how much | | | | 4. Transportation |
| it takes depending on where you choose to reside in | | | | With this expense, you have to decide whether or |
| the Philippines - in the major city of Manila, in the mid | | | | not you want to include a driver. For the most part, |
| size cities of Cebu and Davao, or in the rural areas of | | | | a driver is not necessary for day to day activities, as |
| the country. | | | | taxis and jeepneys are plentiful and cheap. You can |
| Whatever you budget, there is a beautiful place in | | | | always hire a driver and his vehicle for day or |
| the Philippines waiting to open its arms to you for | | | | weekend trips at distance. And of course, air fares |
| retirement. | | | | are very reasonable, what with all the recent |
| Below is a summary of the 5 Key Elements to | | | | competition. You can of course buy a vehicle and be |
| consider. | | | | your own driver. I have done it both ways. I have |
| 1. Housing | | | | had my own vehicle in Cebu City, drove myself, and |
| How much you pay for rent will vary widely | | | | then later added a driver. If you hire a driver, you will |
| depending on whether you choose to reside in the | | | | be responsible for all his daily meals, and the cost will |
| big city of Manila or in the more rural areas. Also, the | | | | be around $60 to $100 monthly. Overall, I would |
| type of housing will have a significant impact. For | | | | consider between $60 monthly to $200 monthly if |
| example, there are one and two bedroom | | | | you get your own car and hire a driver. |
| apartments and condominiums in Manila for as high as | | | | 5. Maids |
| $1,000 monthly; yet, there are two bedroom town | | | | Lastly, and most importantly, you must consider maid |
| homes in Davao, Butuan, Tacloban and Dumaguete | | | | cost. Maids are a fantastic feature of retirement living |
| which average around $150 to $200 monthly. A | | | | in the Philippines. They do all the jobs that you do not |
| detached home would of course be more, but a | | | | have the time for or have no desire to do. She will |
| comfortable 3 bedroom home in the smaller cities can | | | | do the cleaning, laundry, cooking, run small jobs and |
| be had for $300 monthly. So I would consider a | | | | pay bills. You can expect to pay around $50 to $60 |
| range of $200 to $1,000 monthly for housing. | | | | per month for a maid, sometime more and |
| 2. Utilities | | | | sometimes less depending on the city location. |
| In this category, I put electricity, water, and | | | | Of course, there is always the additional costs for |
| telephone. Local telephone service is inexpensive, and | | | | medicines, dental care, entertainment and night life, |
| more and more people have opted out of a local | | | | and the amount of grand travel you wish to do. |
| phone and simply go cellular (mobile) full time. Coming | | | | However, for the basic 5 Key Elements of cost of |
| from Hawaii, I find electricity costs in the Philippines | | | | living, you can readily see that you can retire |
| to be very comparable to there, but then Hawaii | | | | comfortably in the Philippines for a minimum of |
| utility rates have notoriously been about double the | | | | around $750. Of course, these costs can go as high |
| US mainland rates. For all your appliances, TV, CD | | | | as you wish. Living in a posh area in Manila or Cebu, |
| player, computer, and most importantly the ever | | | | you can easily spend $2,000 monthly. Still, these |
| present air conditioner, I would budget from $150 to | | | | costs are about one-fourth of what you would need |
| $200 monthly. | | | | in the Western world to come even remotely close |
| 3. Food (Groceries and Outside Eating) | | | | to the lifestyle it buys you in the Philippines. |