Whether you are looking for a quiet tropical paradise or vibrant nightlife, you will find the best places to live in the Philippines for expats are all surprisingly affordable. This article gives you insights and perspectives from expats already living and enjoying retired life in the Philippines.
Cheapest cities to live in Philippines ???
Hi Noori, my favorite low cost city in the Philippines is Dumaguete. But the cheapest major city is possibly Lipa.
Good overall advice Marco! Appreciate you trying to advise and assist those of us considering a relocation to the Philippines. My wife is Filipina of almost 5 years now and we met in Quezon City. Both of us are retired and looking at Bagac, Bataan Province. She grew up in Morong but we are open and flexible. Did you estate sale all your belongings and vehicle in the USA or were you a minimalist already so the transition was earlier? We have a full house of “stuff” we’d have to sell, donate, store, or give away. Recommendations?
Hi Brian, glad you found the information helpful. I shipped my knives, pans, and kitchen appliances in a Balikbayan box for cheap. I sold my car separately before I moved to Brazil for work a few years prior. For everything else, I did an estate sale for everything in my house in the US. One thing to be aware of, NO ONE values your stuff as much as you. You will be shocked how little all your belongs are worth. However, it was still better to get rid of everything (minus my fancy kitchen stuff) and buy everything once I moved.
Fantastic info. I'm a Canadian female looking to relocate as I'm tired of our winters! I teach English online and was wondering about the internet connections in the Philippines. I know in Cuenca they have rolling outages (that was my first choice but have since changed my mind). Is it fast and stable all over or just in the big cities? Thanks for all the valuable info!
Hi Michelle, in the past, I would only recommend staying in Cebu City or Manila if solid internet was important. With the introduction of Starlink in the Philippines, you now have many more options for stable high-speed internet. However, power/electricity brownouts are still more prevalent in the countryside and smaller cities. Many remote workers keep a backup generator handy to ensure they have continuous power and data.