ACTUAL BUDGETS OF EXPAT'S CURRENTLY LIVING IN THE PHILIPPINE'S

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Monthly Budget ( Thanks to David Spicer)

Talisay City, Cebu (2 adults + helper)

Rent (small but new 4 bedroom 2 CR house): P8,000
Fuel (vehicle - Suzuki van, uses very little fuel): P1,500
Electricity (aircon in bedroom - 8 to 10 hours a day): P2,500
Fuel (cooking - lasts a months and half): P405
Drinking water (3 5 gal bottles for P100): P300
House water: P250
Internet (SmartBro): P999
Cell phone (wife): P300
Food (groceries - food only): P8,000
Food (eating out): P1,500
Household Misc (bug spray, cleaning supplies, etc): P1,400
Personal care (anything of a personal nature): P1,400
Entertainment (we don't really party): P1,750
Beer and cigarettes (pack a day - drink occasionally): P1,750
Misc (anything needed): P1,750
Helper: P2,000

Total: P33,804 ($845.00)

Just had a baby so this is going up to about $1,000.00.
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I live on less than $375 USD, many argue that it can't be done & I say
it is being done & quite easily & can prove it!!!!We live in a nice,
painted block home with all tile floors, bathroom & counter tops in the
kitchen, air conditioned master bdrm.
Rent..... 2500P
food..... 4000
Visa extensions 1500
elec..... 1500
DSL...... 1000
Gas...... 1000
Cable.... 350
water.... 151
This still leaves $75 USD per month to cover all other items, trips,
dentist, eating out, bus fares, philhealth, etc.

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 Here is our costs of living for a month on the island of Marinduque:

Rent We own the home, p2000 a year in taxes, or about p166 a month
Food We have three adults and eat well, about 300 to 350 pesos a day
Fuel for the car, about 500 pesos a week or about 2000 a month
cooking fuel, a tank last just over a month, actually 5 weeks p640
DSL more costly than in the USA at p1995 vonage is an added luxury an is $24.95 a month
local/domestic PLDT is p580 a month water averages about p300 with our home, add 50 pesos if we all use it [p350] power, a/c at night, usual cooking, fans, computers, turbo broiler 5000 a month [power is higher on our island than in Houston on a KWH] donation to church are about 500 pesos a month, more if I give tailoring and new garmets, repairs of old less than p1000
[laundry goes with the food bill as we get soap in the market] repairs probably run about 1000 pesos a month [we need some repairs soon and we will start out on Monday]
insurance and repair of the car is cheap, maybe about 500 pesos a month [that old car kept up with the caravan that went to the other side of the island for the medical mission, so I will not complain] We are not counting health care as we bring in meds and supplies when we come
Houseboy is our nephew and that varies, domestics average about 2500
we now pay a gardener about once a month to clip the grass, mama and
I weed the flower beds and water the plants, feed the dog and the ducks 300/mo
That is a rough $625 a month, or $650 if you add the vonage. AS we increase
our gardening we will add more to the funds for labor. We will also add more for
food and supplies as our supplies here run out. We lived on $775 a month when the rate
was 50 to 1 and when we were here before, spending less for food, rasising some
food, chickens, vegetables and the like. We could eat less, use less water and cook less, but these are things we enjoy. We are also not figuring cooking with wood and giving the cakes, pies and the like away. We do a lot of roasting and we hope to start that next week. We also
do a lot of gardening and plant a lot of seeds with the shot gun approach. Perhaps
this helps and is not too misleading.
Regards to all,
JJ

 

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Here's our monthly budget.

Rent = 9, 500

Internet/Phone = 1,300

Cable = 450

Tap Water = 250

Drinking Water = 385

Electric = 4,100

Food & Groceries = 6,800

Medicines = 2,500

Alcohol & Cigs = 1,500

Misc. = 2,500
Maid = 1,200



Total =29, 285 = $719.00

The current exchange rate that we have right now is 40.75 to a dollar here in
Naga City, Bicol.

Bless Smith

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 Don Davis sent me his budget its a little over the $1000.00 Budget but if you look at all his extra spending you will see that it could EASILY be under $1000.00 a month and with 5 children thats a lot of added expense.

 
                                                        HOUSEHOLD BUDGET

                                                                                                          DUE DATE

RENT                                         10,000.00                                 28th MONTH

VECO ELECTRIC                      5,000.00                                 UPON RECPT

DREAM SATELLITE                   1,000.00                                AS NEEDED

WI-FI SMARTBRO                      1,000.00                                UPON RECPT                                                                
MOTORBIKE                               2,550.00                                25th MONTH

GAS SHELLANE                            600.00                                AS NEEDED

HOUSE WATER                             300.00                               28th MONTH

DRINKING WATER                      400.00                                 AS NEEDED

GROCERIES                            15,000.00                                5th  MONTH

RICE                                             1,500.00                                AS NEEDED

HOUSE HELPS                         3,000.00                                 8th  MONTH

EDUCATION                            12,700.00                                 THRUOUT

HOUSEHOLD NOT FOOD    10,000.00                                5th  MONTH

LANE-DON MISC.                     5,000.00                                   ALWAYS
                                     

THIS WILL VARY FROM MONTH TO MONTH BECAUSE OF THE ACTIVITIES THE 5 KIDS ARE INVOLVED IN.  MY WIFE WORKS AND IS ABLE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL/HEALTH FOR HER AND THE KIDS THROUGH HER EMPLOYER AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO US.  OTHERWISE MOST ALL OF OUR NEEDS ARE PROVIDED FOR. 

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Mike Clark Living in Angles City  Budget  

Feb 2008  (XR:  $1 = PHP40.50)	BUDGET		BALANCE
40.50
Apartment Rent	PHP 4,000		PHP 4,000
Electricity	PHP 3,200		PHP 3,200
Bottled Gas	PHP 300		PHP 300
Water	PHP 190		PHP 190
Trash	PHP 100		PHP 100
Brgy Police	PHP 0		PHP 0
Telephone	PHP 650		PHP 650
Cell Phone	PHP 0		PHP 0
ISP	PHP 2,000		PHP 2,000
Cable TV	PHP 715		PHP 715
Visa Extension	PHP 2,300		PHP 2,300
Honeyko Maintenance	PHP 6,000		PHP 6,000
Food (Groceries)	PHP 8,000		PHP 8,000
Food (Restaurant)	PHP 1,500		PHP 1,500
Household	PHP 1,000		PHP 1,000
Personal Care	PHP 1,000		PHP 1,000
Clothing	PHP 200		PHP 200
Entertainment (Bar Hopping)	PHP 1,000		PHP 1,000
Computer (Hardware/Software Purchases)	PHP 0		PHP 0
Home Liquor Cabinet	PHP 2,000		PHP 2,000
Gifts	PHP 0		PHP 0
Miscellaneous	PHP 1,000		PHP 1,000
PESO TOTAL	PHP 35,155		PHP 35,155
Peso Totals in USD	$868

 

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 Me,Stephanie and daughter Cassandra at Image Palace Hotel in Roxas City, Panay