Living In The Philippines

Posts Tagged ‘lease’

Quite honestly unless you are living in the provinces it is getting harder and harder to find anywhere halfway decent to live for under US$100 a month. When I moved into my first two bedroom ‘row house’ (so named because it was one of four in a row all attached) we paid US$40 a month. That was in Bogo, northern Cebu. It was tiny, just 25sqm in size with an outside CR (comfort room or toilet). Showering was by bucket and ‘tabos’, or ladle. The bedrooms were 5sqm each and that is small. In real numbers we are talking less than 70sqft! Yet we were very happy there.

In Talisay, just next to Cebu City we had a larger, three bedroom house and a carport area and we paid US$120 a month. That kind of money will still get you a fair place in the provinces but around town you would have to look very hard. In Manila I was unable to find anything under US$200 a month that I would live in and now, a few years later I would say you need to budget for twice that to start thinking of places out in the suburbs, maybe Taytay or Quezon City.

Which is still pretty cheap! A buddy of mine in Cebu (actually Talisay and high up on the hillside, has a huge mansion of a place. It includes a great swimming pool, garage with chauffeur/security guards quarters, maids quarters and a two bedroom guest house and lovely grounds behind a very high and private wall. This place is awesome and he pays just P37K a month. At current rate that is US$800. If you can afford to step up to that kind of spend then there is a lot of excellent rental property out there for you to choose from. Personally I like the idea of renting there. If the neighbors turn out to be too noisy you can always go elsewhere. Remember ownership is nothing, control is everything.

I have friends in other places who have amazing beach side homes that are well appointed and cost them a few hundred a month. Others spend closer to a thousand and live like movie stars. There are a ton of web sites listing rental properties in the Philippines. Don;t forget to buy the “Philippines Property Primer” and read up on renting, leasing and so much more. For thirty dollars it is a great inv

Huge house, landscaped grounds, wall, gate house, maid/guards quarters, swimming pool and guest house - US$800 a month.

estment.