moveing to philippines
 

hi, i was hopeing someone can give me some advice on where to live in the philippines.Ive just divorced and want to try somewhere else and understand the pace of life and living costs are appealing.im 35 and will have modest income from a rental property in uk so wont be looking for work as i understand wages are very low.

any help would be appreciated

kind regards

Re: moveing to philippines
 

Hi, Philippines doesn't have a separate sub-forum unfortunately but you'll find quite a lot of postings here in this section.

If no-one replies to this thread, just try scouring through this section and add to some of the existing threads. That should nudge a few of the Philippine residents.

I'm afraid I've never been there. A lot of people like it there and has a great "retirement" visa apparently. I note you are young :D but I've got a feeling the entry age for the visa is quite low.

Best of luck.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

It would really depend on how you intend to spend much of your spare time and also your budget as to where you live. Provincial living is considerably cheaper than urban. There are bespoke expat forums for those already living in the Philippines and you can gleen a wealth of information from these.
Try googling expat in the philippines.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

Yes the best places for cheaper living are away from the heavily populated areas.
Unfortunately, unless you are married to a Filipina, if you want permanent residency you need to put up $50,000 as you are only 35. This money is yours, and after six months can be used to purchase a Condo (condominium or flat.) Else you need to leave the country every year or two years under special circumstances. Just leave for the nearest foreign country, and return immediately. If you do not have permanent residency, then you need to obtain visa's to cover your stay. BI are friendly and efficient.

Now where to stay? That is a matter of choice. Once out of the main tourist spots, you can rent a place fairly cheaply. Transport is cheap wherever you are.
Let us say my wife's friend rents out self contained units (small) for about P2000 a month. Purpose built bricks and mortar. Nothing luxurious. Similar is available all over. That is just outside Danao City, Cebu.
Leyte and Bohol are also popular. I stress that the units are nothing special, with no aircon, and you might well want to pay more for better accomodation. Ten to forty thousand.
Really you need to wander around a bit, to find your ideal place to live. You are rarely far from a market.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

thanks for that, so is cebu everything you wanted it to be?. It sounds like i just need to get a flight and sort things out as i go so to speak.How do you tend to spend your day to day in cebu?

Re: moveing to philippines
 

When is the best time of year weatherwise in Cebu? It's somewhere I'd like to visit one of these days.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

Dear Mr or Mrs Apd,

There is lots of info on a Yahoo group called the Cebu Brit Club. Most of them on the group are in the Cebu area although there are others spread all over the Philippines.
It would be advisable to meet up with someone (preferably a Brit) who lives in the area, the Philippines can be a minefield :sneaky:

Re: moveing to philippines
 

The climate in Cebu generally varies little throughout the year. In most years the rainfall is fairly evenly dispersed. Two seasons Wet and Dry, but in the Visayas not very noticeable. Cooler November to February.
Christmas is well underway in September.

Plenty to do in Cebu, swimming, golf, gyms, sightseeing, shopping, or just plain lazing about. Most blockbuster movies arrive here before Europe.

Basketball is the major sport here.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

Sounds like a good place to escape Chinese New Year then ;)

Re: moving to philippines
 

I looked at the Cebu Brit site as I'm still deliberating Malaysia or Philipinnes. I do like the Chinese though so Malaysia may be better for me for that consideration alone. The site does seem to be focussed on a certain issue for the last month or more and not actually much on Cebu or life there.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

Have you been to the 'Peens before? Sounds like you need to do a little reccie to both Malaysia and Philippines before you decide?

Re: moveing to philippines
 

No. Just posted on another thread about that. Plan to check out both but I can see Malaysia coming out on top.

Re: moveing to philippines
 

I've spent time in Thailand and Malaysia and enjoyed both the events however living in a place abroad takes some hard decision making. Being newly divorced could mean that you need some time to be on your own for a while and not jump from the frying pan into the fire so to speak?

Since there is so much violence involving religion, I'm surprised you are contemplating living in a non Christian country. You will not simply be another different religion as a foreigner but a rich one to boot.......even if you don't have funds.

Living in a non English speaking country will be isolation and it would make sense to learn the local lingo. The Philippines has the American influence and English is wide spread. Main newspapers are in English as are some TV programs. In the Philippines you would be called "Joe" or the "foreigner", how would that be in a Muslim country ....... infidel perhaps :eek:

Re: moveing to philippines
 

Going a bit orf topic here, but I'd just like to say something. I can tell you that everyone speaks English in Penang. In fact, I had a very interesting conversation with a Malay (that is muslim) guy one time, where he was telling me all about my (British) history, heh heh. He said that everyone over 40 (I think) has had the full British education, history et al.

And as far as religion is concerned... I'm afraid I cannot quote you any statistics... but from what I have seen, Penang seems to be majority Christian with a sprinkling of Hindus and Muslims.

I'm not having a bash at Philippines - honest, but there's a lot of trouble in that southern Phillipines island isn't there, religion-wise?

Y'know all countries have their problems - their hot spots.

Anyway... back on topic.... I'd still like a holiday in Cebu :thumbup:

Hey... we got a new Philippines sub-forum :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: moveing to philippines
 

You are right about the violence in the Philippines but its politically motivated against the Government. There is also election violence and some car napping recently but that takes place in Manila mostly.
Since most of the wealth in the Philippines comes from the overseas workers who bring in billions of foreign currency into the country, we do have some respect from the locals.
In the past I've stood by a window overlooking a 15 feet high wall where hundreds of Iranian Muslims were chanting, waving fists in the air and throwing stones at us. An ugly scene stirred up by the clerics following the Friday morning prayers.
I doubt whether the local vicar could excite Christians to do the same thing do you?