Cost of living Philippines vs. Colombia

[AndyLee]

Recently there was a thread about IF you were going to give up Colombia in favor of Philippines. Here is a basic look at cost of living differences. Could make a difference if a guy was on a limited budget, yes?
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Philippines&country2=Colombia

[Gato4Astrid]

Recently there was a thread about IF you were going to give up Colombia in favor of Philippines. Here is a basic look at cost of living differences. Could make a difference if a guy was on a limited budget, yes?
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Philippines&country2=Colombia

Thank you, and maybe I should switch to Philippines 

[beginthebeguin]

I'm a little dubious about the choice of items. Who in their right mind would buy Levis and a Volkswagen Golf? Of course Levis would be more expensive in Colombia. The tarrifs have to be taken into consideration. But the Volkswagen? I would HAVE to be more expensive in the Philippines due to shipping costs from the factory.

And nothing is said of air travel back to the Eastern US from the Philippines. That cost is not taken into consideration at all. Surely one would have to take that into consideration who would not want to go back via airfare to the EE.UU. for weddings, funerals, graduations, bar-mitzvas, Super Bowls and of course the now defunct, thankfully, 'Bud-Bowl'.

This so-called comparison seems to be skewed and created by a young gringo who thinks it's cool to eat out in restaurants every night, drink imported beer, smoke Marlboros, wear tight 501 Levis, and a 'Members Only' shirt, high priced Nikes and cruise the internet looking for chicas, when he doesn't have enough gas to drive around in a Volkswagen Gulf no less. Jeeesh!!!!!   
 

[beginthebeguin]

Besides, I would like to see the comparisons and the categories created by a novio in each country. I bet the latina from Colombia is she is mature enough, could find the best prices and be so tight with a 500 peso note that she could squeeze the ink out of it, and STILL look good in a bikini at the beach. 

[piglett]

Recently there was a thread about IF you were going to give up Colombia in favor of Philippines. Here is a basic look at cost of living differences. Could make a difference if a guy was on a limited budget, yes?
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Philippines&country2=Colombia

I know for a fact that you can rent an apartment in Manila for much less than what is quoted in this article.
my wife's rent at her last place was only p6500 which is about $130 a month & that is for a 2 bedroom apartment. If a guy was on a small budget say $500 from his SSI or some kind of pantion & he didn't mind living like a local  i can't see why he would have much of a problem there provided he was in good health. every place i saw in Manila was very clean even if the building was old. Also finding a local girl friend should not be much of a problem judging by the looks i received from so many of the girls that worked at the mall. I think many guys decide to move to a 3rd world country & for some strange reason want to act & live like they are super rich (even if they're not)
they buy a big fancy house in a gated comunity & then have to always worry about getting robbed/killed.........& yes it can & does happen.
I say keep a low profile,if you have to have a car get a good used one that doesn't look out of place when you park it on the street. My wife's uncle rents a good sized 2 story 4 bedroom house rite in manila, it's a nice place & you don't know your not in the US until you step out the front door. his total costs per month not counting food p15,000 which is about $350 & that is with about 8 people living there. now i will say that they almost never run the aircon in the bedrooms (i would have to change that) but still if you only ran it at night & used the ceiling fans the rest of the time you would fine (the locals are)

piglett 

[Jeff S]

We just had a thread that everyone decided it would take 30K a year to live decently in Colombia. That sounded awfully pricey to me, but hey, I'll take the experienced guys words for it. You could live quite well in the PI for 1/3 of that.

[piglett]

I'm a little dubious about the choice of items. Who in their right mind would buy Levis and a Volkswagen Golf? Of course Levis would be more expensive in Colombia. The tarrifs have to be taken into consideration. But the Volkswagen? I would HAVE to be more expensive in the Philippines due to shipping costs from the factory.

i don't recall seeing even ONE VW while in the Philippines
i did see a sh*t load of Toyota's,Nissan's,Mazda's etc etc
the shipping cost for these is low due to the fact that Japan is so close.
I know some guys that work in the service dept. at the local VW dealership & they don't have much to say that is positive about the cars they service
i think VW's have become really cheep & I'm not talking about the sticker price either. I'll stick with my Toyota's, they run almost for ever & you can get a new one starting at $12k


pig  

[piglett]

We just had a thread that everyone decided it would take 30K a year to live decently in Colombia. That sounded awfully pricey to me, but hey, I'll take the experienced guys words for it. You could live quite well in the PI for 1/3 of that.

yup there is a section of another board that i am a member of that is dedicated to guys wanting to live in the PI & yes some thought that 30k is what they would need. hell for 10k i can buy a 2 story house in my wife's home province & live on $300 a month......now that is cheep living.
We may decide in a few years to buy 1 rite in town (no car needed) just so we always have a place to stay when we go there. if i were to move there rite now i think i would open a bakery, the baked goods there are awful & taste like 1/2 of the ingredients were left out. I bet chocolate chip cookies would sell out fast there once the locals put the word out that "that Kano can cook"

pig

[AndyLee]

We just had a thread that everyone decided it would take 30K a year to live decently in Colombia. That sounded awfully pricey to me, but hey, I'll take the experienced guys words for it. You could live quite well in the PI for 1/3 of that.

Nah, $30,000 is waaaay too much....I live very nicely here in Colombia on about $10,000 and that includes in-country traveling and entertaining women that are younger and far better looking that any I could possibly date in the US
I can live this cheap because I don't live in Estrato 6 PLUS in Poblado in Medellin and I don't hang out in discos-bars-casinos-bordellos and I don't have-need-want a car (or a motorcycle).
Now, having said all that, if the costs of living go nuts here in Colombia the way they did in US then I'd consider relocating to Philippines. 

[Alabamaboy!]

For my lifestyle I would need about $20K USD in Colombia and about $10K in Philippines. I have traveled to both places. My ex is Filipina.

[Gato4Astrid]

We just had a thread that everyone decided it would take 30K a year to live decently in Colombia. That sounded awfully pricey to me, but hey, I'll take the experienced guys words for it. You could live quite well in the PI for 1/3 of that.

I disagree with these guys who think you should take 30k a year to live decently in Colombia.  They all need Money Management!!

[z_k_g]

I disagree with these guys who think you should take 30k a year to live decently in Colombia.  They all need Money Management!!

Gato,

You actually think American and Money Management fit in the same sentence?   

Zulu

[Jeff S]

Nah, $30,000 is waaaay too much....I live very nicely here in Colombia on about $10,000 and that includes in-country traveling and entertaining women that are younger and far better looking that any I could possibly date in the US
I can live this cheap because I don't live in Estrato 6 PLUS in Poblado in Medellin and I don't hang out in discos-bars-casinos-bordellos and I don't have-need-want a car (or a motorcycle).
Now, having said all that, if the costs of living go nuts here in Colombia the way they did in US then I'd consider relocating to Philippines. 

Just passing on what was said in the other thread - actually it was $40-60K, which I thought was incredible. http://www.planet-love.com/forum/index.php?topic=5925.15

[piglett]

Just passing on what was said in the other thread - actually it was $40-60K, which I thought was incredible. http://www.planet-love.com/forum/index.php?topic=5925.15

i don't need 40k -60k here to live & i'm paying payments on a house
there i would buy one with cash for $10k-$15k & be set


pig

[vallenatoman]

Nah, $30,000 is waaaay too much....I live very nicely here in Colombia on about $10,000 and that includes in-country traveling and entertaining women that are younger and far better looking that any I could possibly date in the US
I can live this cheap because I don't live in Estrato 6 PLUS in Poblado in Medellin and I don't hang out in discos-bars-casinos-bordellos and I don't have-need-want a car (or a motorcycle).
Now, having said all that, if the costs of living go nuts here in Colombia the way they did in US then I'd consider relocating to Philippines.  

I agree because when i was out of college i made 30k a year and i lived OK in the USA this wasnt so long ago. I had a car nice apartment and all the luxuries i wanted as well.

So im sure somewhere like colombia 30k a year would be like a king in some areas, maybe bogota or something would be alittle worse but i cant imagine any 3rd world country being more expensive than the US....simply because the population couldnt support it.


if i am correct average pay in colombia is betwen 100-300dollars i think dont quote me....

[Ray]

If a guy was on a small budget say $500 from his SSI or some kind of pantion & he didn't mind living like a local  i can't see why he would have much of a problem there provided he was in good health.

piglett, it is illegal to collect SSI while living outside the US.

We have actually had members here bragging about screwing the government (us taxpayers) by getting their SSI checks direct deposited into a US account that they draw off of while living overseas.

I say offer a reward for turning them in and maybe we can start making a little progress on reducing our ridiculous debt in this country.

Ray

[piglett]

piglett, it is illegal to collect SSI while living outside the US.

We have actually had members here bragging about screwing the government (us taxpayers) by getting their SSI checks direct deposited into a US account that they draw off of while living overseas.

I say offer a reward for turning them in and maybe we can start making a little progress on reducing our ridiculous debt in this country.

Ray

Now hold on there, when i turn 67 & retire I can't spend most of my year living in the PI
drinking San Miguel & watching the young pinays go by???
your really burting my bubble here Ray


p i g

[Tanuki]

piglett, it is illegal to collect SSI while living outside the US.

You can still get your SSI.  I have attached the information:
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10137.html#when

[piglett]

hey thanks for the info Tan
i don't think we have crossed paths till now
i always wear my tall boots due to the fact that the BS can get really deep at times here


take care
piglett

[Tanuki]

Pig, I am a Lurker who recently joined up as a member.

[piglett]

Pig, I am a Lurker who recently joined up as a member.

well good to have ya on the board


piglett

[z_k_g]

hey thanks for the info Tan
i don't think we have crossed paths till now
i always wear my tall boots due to the fact that the BS can get really deep at times here

Pig,

I like your boots! 

Just don't let  your wife wear them!!   

Zulu

[AndyLee]

piglett, it is illegal to collect SSI while living outside the US.

We have actually had members here bragging about screwing the government (us taxpayers) by getting their SSI checks direct deposited into a US account that they draw off of while living overseas.

I say offer a reward for turning them in and maybe we can start making a little progress on reducing our ridiculous debt in this country.

Ray

Wow, where the heck did you get this information? There are at least a million of us living outside the US all over the rest of the world collecting our SS......if I can get a reward for turning me in I'll share it with you

[piglett]

Pig,

I like your boots! 

Just don't let  your wife wear them!!   

Zulu

he he he
no i wear the pants & the tall boots 

[Ray]

You can still get your SSI.  I have attached the information:
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10137.html#when

But you're quoting rules for Social Security retirement benefits.

SSI payments have a different set of rules.

Ray