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Post by Denis-NFA on Sept 20, 2013 15:42:19 GMT 7
I'm currently residing in a rural town about 2 hours bus trip south of Cebu City in the Philippines.
It has reasonable infrastructure as in hospitals, doctors, chemists etc and 2 dry goods food stores, one of which also sells household appliances, mops, clothing, tv's and karaoke sound systems.
There are other stores that deal in beds, electrical goods, hardware, whatever.
There is a large conventional supermarket and department store about 30 minute bus trip away and the supermarket has a specialty 'foreigner' section but mainly American oriented. No Vegemite though!
Meat, fish, vegetables and fruit I get from the local market.
The house I am renting is 2BR, kitchen dining room and lounge/living area, small bathroom toilet area, and large storage area. There is another house on the block where the older bloke that owns the place lives and he potters around doing maintenance and looking after his 'orchard' of bananas, coconut trees, and some I have no idea.
Transport around town is by tricycab at the front gate that start about 6 to 6.30 and run through until about 7.30 to 8pm. They are available before and after but you may have to wait, or walk, but there is not much to do of an evening!
Conversion rates have been around the 38 to 39 pesos since I got here but all my budgeting for the next 12 months is at 37 pesos to the $1 so cost wise I am up for the following monthly AUD$ approximates,
Rent $175 Electricity 65 Water 4 Landline/Internet 35 (2GB unlimited but not including overseas phone calls) Household items 540 (includes food and local fares) Visa extensions 70 (includes bus and taxi fares every 2 mths to Cebu Bureau of Immigration) ForEx Transfers 20 (still using Western Union) Total 909
I have been told about a hospital insurance scheme that costs about $10 per month but I do not have the full details yet.
Feel free to fire any questions and if there are any other Philippine resident DSP'ers feel free to contribute.
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Post by zorro1 on Sept 20, 2013 17:29:53 GMT 7
Great idea NFA, sharing your story will be beneficial for pretty much anyone looking at making the big move. It would be a good idea if a sticky could be created where everyone can share their stories.
Most expats come to Asia for a new start including finding a partner. Is that possible in your Area? The problem with the $10 scheme is the coverage. You get a broken arm taken care of but not much else so if it were me I would buy oz medicare travel ins at $500 a year, you don't want to have a stroke or fall out of your tuk tuk..
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Post by Banjo on Sept 20, 2013 18:15:12 GMT 7
A good post indeed, some interesting figures, I'll get something similar up for rural Thailand when I get time. Rent of course will always be the main variable.
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Post by hypoman on Sept 21, 2013 4:50:55 GMT 7
Ive never had any problems in the philippines over the past 10yrs. main thing is watch pickpockets around shopping centres and markets especially around christams time. in 10yrs i been pickpocket once.
nice area there NFA. I know it well and stay on an island not far from there (via Argao-Loon ferry). try using LBC money transfer. its cheaper than western union. If you can save the dollars until you have 40,000p at a time you can get $1000 out in one hit from HSBC bank in Cebu (right next to Ayala shopping centre). I thin this will cost you about $10, this was the case a year or so ago. ATM machines vary and many only dispense 10,000p at a time and visa/plus/mastercard debit cards will charge you $15 a transaction along with a 200p bank fee.
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Post by hypoman on Sept 21, 2013 5:00:50 GMT 7
and I think many western people are 'targets' due to not being smart about things. go there as a 'poor foreigner'. many there think your rich because you have a pension, dont flash money around buying stuff for the family or friends there as they will want you to keep doing it. Dress down with no gold chains or expensive watches. let them know you only have a small pension due to the aussie govt being so measily. Always refer to the americans being so lucky to have full pensions.
go to the local markets with your mrs and get to know the prices there. she will know if someting has 'skin tax'.
I wish i could be there permanently and pray one day day I will be. I hate being in oz and only am here becxause i have to be. I love the philippino people and the cebuano's are a great bunch.
I havent been anywhere else in asia so others may disagree, and this is just my opinion.
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Post by hypoman on Sept 21, 2013 5:23:15 GMT 7
also 'philhealth' do insurance for about 350p (about $10) for 3 months coverage. I think it includes others in your family if you have a wife and kids. we had this but let it expire. My wife will be reinstating it next week. It covers alot of basic stuff and is good if your not too financial. Ive never had travel insurance but may soon look at it - just in case! my friend suggested 1cover. heres a link: www.1cover.com.au/travel-insurance/overseas-travel-insurance.html?affID=21&campaignID=64&gclid=CKagooaA27kCFUhZpgodHhMAIQI just checked out a 6week coverage but its $135-$150. I wonder if the member who had a burst eardrum (spaceyone from memory?), if she had this coverage would it include thge loss income from centrelink when they cancelled her pension as she couldnt get back on time). Think Ill start a thered about this...
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Post by Banjo on Sept 21, 2013 6:29:58 GMT 7
That's very cheap Phil. I've just been quoted over $500 a year for full hospital cover in Thailand. Hopefully our guest... who came in when I left the door open.. lol.. will join the forum and give us the benefit of his experience but my advice to travelers anywhere is to take commonsense precautions. Don't drink too much if you go out, no illegal drugs at all, don't wander off alone at night and be careful if approached by men you don't know who claim you do. I've heard of some spectacular scams inflicted on people by strangers claiming to know them ("hey, remember me from the airport, the hotel, the shopping center... ?) And you blokes, if there's a short brown person with long hair around remember she's lived there all her life and knows a lot more about the place than you. Your manhood will be in no way diminished by taking a little advice.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Sept 21, 2013 9:20:43 GMT 7
Thanks for the well wishes, comments and additions from everyone.
Just to go into some of the reality of living here, because it is different to what most people are used to experiencing in Australia :-
The biggest difference of course is the temperature which varies between about 24 overnight and around 32 daytime and at the moment its 25 and humidity of 80% with an expected max of 28 so the weather does not necessarily suit everyone.
I am about 500 meters from the sea which is East of me and the mountains are about 5 km West from me so apart from a couple of hours down time in the middle of the day there is 'coolish' air movement going either East or West depending on the time of day.
During the day I use a circulating pedestal fan to move air and at night I turn on an air conditioner in the bedroom for sleeping comfort which is set at 24 but turn it off about 3am because it gets too cool.
The next biggest difference is that there is no hot water which was a big difference for me the first time I arrived in 2011 but this time it does not worry me... but it is different if you are accustomed to having a hot shower.
Water pressure can vary during the day but never quite stops unlike electricity which seems to go down particularly when there is thunderstorm activity and is mainly in the evenings and during the night.
Prior to my arrival here in 2011 I had been introduced to the members of a family, 2 men and 3 women plus their wives, husbands and children, who have taken me under their wing so I do not go near the market nor wash clothes etc.
I do go to the market for one of the best hair cuts I have ever had plus he gives a neck and shoulders massage to finish. I'm embarrassed to say that it costs $1.35 for something you would pay at least $40 for in Australia.
On my previous trips I have inspected the wet market and their standards of hygiene and spoke to a fellow country Australian who had inspected the local abattoir so I do not worry about catching anything.
Speaking of food, I have previous told them of my desire/need for vegetables for which they cater to my taste, but if you don't like rice you will be doing all your own cooking until you train someone.
And forget about beef. Fish, pork and chicken are the staples. I hand over $27 and get back at least 5kg total of those staples which I freeze and use as required. Eggs are $1.60/dozen. I do not look for cheese, butter or white bread.
All in all its nothing 'fabulous' as such... but its like heaven for me!
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Post by sandycreekg on Sept 22, 2013 5:20:27 GMT 7
Hi there, like all the posts here........to nofixedaddress........a question in your first post you mention monthly costs.......can you clarify the month cost for electricity.......??
I have been to the Dumaguete area and like it there also and hopefully will settle there next year.........have been through Argo on the bus trip to Dumaguete and find it a lovely area there
sandycreekg
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Post by hypoman on Sept 22, 2013 6:22:38 GMT 7
electricity on average costs us about $30-40 a month for a family of 4 running 2 fans all through the night and one fan during the day. I actually sent over a few fans from oz as the local fans are a higher wattage and it was hard for me to find one that went slow on the lowest setting. we dont use aircon. soon Ill replace some lights with LED ones to save a bit more.
if you plan on staying for a while you may consider sending some stuff from oz in boxes (pm me and ill give details). I sent a breville bread maker and for ages we made our own bread and I could throw in soysauce, nuts and oatmeal to make a healthy loaf. (where we lived before there were only white loafs available). I bought a heap of good quality 2nd hand kitchen apliances (kambrook/sunbeam etc) from garage sales and sent them. the voltage is the same but the plugs need to be modified or changed to fit. much better than the expensive chinese rubbish you see in the major shopping centres or the dangerous cheap appliances in the elcheapo stores.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Sept 22, 2013 10:06:23 GMT 7
sandycreekg said, I have probably understated the monthly electricity cost in my first post at $65 per month, as that is my first bill. I have just checked my usage from the last reading and look like I will be up for around $90 for the second month. I am running the airconditioner for about 10 hours a day, a fridge/freezer 24 hours, 2 desktop computers, a 'medium' sound system, modem and wireless router and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for all the computer gear for about 12 hours a day. With voltage outages and fluctuations it is mandatory to use a UPS if you are running desktop computers. The other thing I forgot to mention is that all cooking is done with bottled gas of which I probably use 2 x 11kg bottles a year at about $27 per bottle.
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Post by ghostbuster on Sept 22, 2013 11:00:42 GMT 7
Our electricity bill per month is 1650 pesos.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Sept 23, 2013 4:23:57 GMT 7
I started off to detail my health strategy and costs but have sidetracked with detailing what I believe is the minimum cash savings to the Australian Taxpayer by allowing me to live overseas:-
Rent assistance $123/ft or $3,198/yr Clean Energy Supplement $13.50/ft or $351/yr Pension Supplement $40/ft or $1,040/yr Qld Pension Electricity Rebate $282.54/yr Medicare Bulk Billed $74.50/visit say 3 visits per year so $220/yr PBS medicines (2 x $65) $130/mth or $1,560/year (this is the non PBS cost) Public transport subsidy $5.60/ft or $145/yr Hearing Aids Services approximately $6,000/3 years or $2,000/yr
Add in $3.46 to make a nice round number and the total annual saving to the Australian taxpayer by allowing me to live overseas is $8,800 per year with an ongoing annual cost to them of $20,100 until my death.
Because I bought the maximum allowable quantity of medication with me my health strategy is to find a wholesale supply of drugs and have enough money saved to allow me to pay for a 4 week stay in a Philippine hospital plus have enough money to pay for a full fare flight back to Australia or even Thailand if required for further medical treatment.
By the way, a GP visit is about $5.40 and a blood test will cost you about $17.50.
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Post by Banjo on Sept 23, 2013 6:47:49 GMT 7
Thousands of foreigners settle happily in the Philippines long term, there's that many Australians in Angeles City they even have their own RSL club.
I seriously considered a couple of locations but various personal issues kept me in Australia for a while and I found a niche in Thailand. A few can't cope, they go for the more obvious attractions then leave because of the differences in society. Of course it's never their fault. It's always the (racist epithet deleted) to blame.
If it's of interest a visiting friend asked me only yesterday if I had ever been "hit" on by the local police for "tea money". I said that I had spent a lot of time in many Asian countries, driven thousands of kms, including in the PI, Laos and Cambodia and had never paid a bribe to anyone.
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Post by sandycreekg on Sept 23, 2013 13:34:34 GMT 7
Does any one have any suggestions as to the best way to get stuff from Australia to the Philippines........eg.......a very thick and comfortable foam coil orthopedic queen size mattress and my toshiba flat screen tv.......I have heard of Balik Byent packages..I have a partner in the Philippines.....but not actually married to her yet......and I guess that makes more complications from centrelink....??....any advise on these 2 matter would be appreciated......i can go with out the mattress and tv as they are reasonably priced in the philippines.....but any tips to get stuff there would be helpfull for future use
sandycreekg
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