Plenty to do here to stop boredom setting in. Try growing some veggies, get some pigs, get a boat and go fishing.

I'm never bored here! - Travel is relatively cheap, and there are 7,107 islands to choose from.

Thank-you evryone for the replies.

I did get a couple of PM's but I am unable to read them as I do not have enough posts, lol.

I do plan to live with my girlfrined but not to ever marry so I think a Balikbayan visa is out for me.

blackbear you mentioned you had £50,000, I wonder how many years that would last.
I realise the cost of living is less than the UK but with accomodatrion rent, utility bills, phone, food etc not sure how long that would last.

With me I don't have much in the way of savings but i have a property here worth about £145,000.

I wont try to sell it until I am sure I want to live there but if I did decide to move to the Philippines and rent for a condo year, then buy a 1 bedroom condo for 2,500,000 Peso (less than £40,000) I wonder how long the £105,000 would last us. I am 45 so may run out before I die.

Allow a figure of around US$ 1,000 (41,000 PHP) a month. That will give you a reasonable standard of living but wont allow you to drink in the bars all day or have excess luxuries.Some months you will spend more some less. Fuel is fairly expensive over a dollar a litre.Of course rent will add more to your monthly bill.

That's about £7,500 a year, so max my money would last in 13 years.

I wont be going to bars as I have a girlfriend but of course I would like to take her out for meals.
I do not plan getting a car out there, I will mkae sure the condo I rent and eventually buy is near a shopping mall.

Yes, its not really that cheap here. Thailand, Vietnam considerably cheaper in my opinion. Living out in the provinces is cheaper but not so many luxuries.

The "well off" Filipinos do very little of menial tasks themselves, cutting your lawn, watering the plants, cleaning the car and even shopping is done my house staff. Mila and I do our own house work like in the UK. If you live with a budget of local fare then living costs are lower than UK. the costs go up if you have milk, foreign cheeses and bottled water etc.
The odd packet of Birds custard powder is welcome as is a jar of marmite and Scotts porridge oats for breakfast.
Water is cheap but electricity is dear, average usuage for us is 1,200 pesos a month, thats fridge, tv small fans, pc. An aircon can raise that to 5,000 and an electric water heater for shower, electric oven adds more.
I find that i cannot have a cold water shower and Mila is the same after living in the UK for a long time. Electric water heater heaters of 6 Kwatts are easily installed but again will bump your bill up.
Presently renting whilst our house is being built and one boiled kettle of water into a bucket of cold provides us a pleasant warm shower with "Taboo"

Electricity cost does seem high, I pay on average here in the uk 1365 Peso a month, electric cooker, shower and PC on 24/7.

I would definitely want air con in the condo and I expect they are built with decent showers.

I get friends in the Uk to send me over the odd food parcel of things I cant get here.
Used to having cold showers with the tabo but may try the kettle trick on the odd cold morning.
Will have water heaters installed at the new house when its finished but find the cold shower very refreshing.
I would imagine condominiums will have decent showers but hey in The Philippines who knows??

i loved the cold showers!! maybe im just hot blooded.anna and i have an option on some proprty ,i think ill buy one or two .work here on the boat ,were having a resurgence of interest in boat living at the moment ,im getting mine cheep i thinks its worth £60 ,000 to £ 80 ,000 and im paying half that!! with three years half mooring fees.and the rent for holidays is up to £1000,per week so future income from the boat looks ok,ill stay here for a while sadsadsad very sad but it has to be done.but well get some property in phil and rent it out . I HOPE ...........................

there is a great local boat group of Filipinos who build their own boats from marine ply, sail and power but mostly sail. jicsaw them out from plans off the net. Epoxy the joins ..."stich an'glue" theory. they all speak the Englisha dn the website is Pinoyboats.net .....i had a beach house and built three boats, worth a shot if your are keen on the water.....and if you fall in its warm hohoh

Some of the chaps built with plastic sheets as sail and fold the boats up into the back of SUVs crazy bunch I suppose but they are very friendly, meet at TAAL lake yaught club for "meesss about" weekends

First of all i would advice you to come here and stay for awhile before making the decision to sell your home. The Philippines is not for everyone and some love it and others end up loathing it.
You can get a 59 day visa through the Philippine Embassy in the UK for your first visit. You will then be able to extend your stay every 59 days up to roughly 18 months. Is sometimes a pain to do but it will give you time to decide if your really want to stay her permanently. There are other ways to stay up to 3 years but you would be better exploring these ideas once you are here.
Even though the others will tell you that its not possible to make a living here it can be done.
I moved here when in 1999 when i was 31 and wouldnt want to be anywhere else.

Adam

Hi Adam,

Thanks for your reply.
My next step is to travel to Manila to see my girlfriend and stay there for 21 days, in that time we can look at possible rental places for fututre visits and views condos in different areas to get an idea of what can be bought for 2,500,000 peso.

If all goes well a 59 day visit would be the next thing to do so thanks for letting me know In need to apply for that here in the UK.

Why not visit other areas and provinces? You can get quite a bit for 2-5million if you are prepared to put some leg work in.

If you look at www.sulit.com.ph there are thousands of properties for sale or rent in Manila. The prices will seem a bit high but they are usually open for negotiation.
As desert rat said the prices are cheaper outside manila but it really depends on the type of lifestyle you wish.