USA or PHL

[january7th 7]

What do you think guys would be the best place to live? me and my husband talked about this stuff a year ago, and he wanted to go back here for vacation (but he can't). So, our plan once he retired (when we get old) we will move here. He found that this place is the best place and he experienced how life in here.. so simple. I am just missing him so bad that is why I posted this thing. So for you, which place do you prefer? Let's share our thoughts.

[adiiann 163]

I planned to retire in the Philippines. So far, I convinced my husband to my plan. I checked out the hospitals in case of emergency. I am planning to buy a land closer to beach with at least small coconut farm.

Retiring here in US is very expensive. At $500/month in the Philippines is enough to sustain as well as to pay for house helper. Fresh food and easy way of living. Here in US, you need to have at least $2500/month to live just fine and thats without any house helper.

[Darnell 8,478]

PHL<EOM>

[CristiFur 15]

Well I've been here in the US for +30 plus years and have heard many people with plans and stories of how people would like to go and retire in the Phils when they reach the age of retirement and I have only known a few (less than fingers on one hand) that actually done it. And even when they do go, they dont sell everything they have and make a move for good.

For some of you that migrate here that are older and don't have kids that are living in the US I can understand it would be a bit easier to relocate. But once you have invested time, family, money and sweat and gets used to the living here I doubt many can leave the US for good. Many people think that their life would be like when they are there for vacation but many find out it's not the same and eventually return here. My lola has tried so many times but can't seems to stay there for good.

Many of the ones that we know returns because primarily of family kids..grand kids and also medical treatment.. etc..but also just the way of life they have been used to here.

My own parents now are also faced with this dilemma, it's been five years of planning but have not happened.

Edited June 16, 2012 by CristiFur

[sjr09 155]

Well I've been here in the US for +30 plus years and have heard many people with plans and stories of how people would like to go and retire in the Phils when they reach the age of retirement and I have only known a few (less than fingers on one hand) that actually done it. And even when they do go, they dont sell everything they have and make a move for good.

For some of you that migrate here that are older and don't have kids that are living in the US I can understand it would be a bit easier to relocate. But once you have invested time, family, money and sweat and gets used to the living here I doubt many can leave the US for good. Many people think that their life would be like when they are there for vacation but many find out it's not the same and eventually return here. My lola has tried so many times but can't seems to stay there for good.

Many of the ones that we know returns because primarily of family kids..grand kids and also medical treatment.. etc..but also just the way of life they have been used to here.

My own parents now are also faced with this dilemma, it's been five years of planning but have not happened.

Agree!

Hawaii, life here can be so simple, sometimes it's just like being in the PI (choke Filipinos.) You get the best of both worlds.

[Shawn C 11]

But cost of living here in Hawaii is crazy more than living in the Philippines. You're right that it's more similar to the PI than any other state though, especially if you go to Lanai (very quiet, laid back and a lot of Filipinos there from the sugarcane/pineapple days).

[Sweetheart75 0]

Well I've been here in the US for +30 plus years and have heard many people with plans and stories of how people would like to go and retire in the Phils when they reach the age of retirement and I have only known a few (less than fingers on one hand) that actually done it. And even when they do go, they dont sell everything they have and make a move for good.

For some of you that migrate here that are older and don't have kids that are living in the US I can understand it would be a bit easier to relocate. But once you have invested time, family, money and sweat and gets used to the living here I doubt many can leave the US for good. Many people think that their life would be like when they are there for vacation but many find out it's not the same and eventually return here. My lola has tried so many times but can't seems to stay there for good.

Many of the ones that we know returns because primarily of family kids..grand kids and also medical treatment.. etc..but also just the way of life they have been used to here.

My own parents now are also faced with this dilemma, it's been five years of planning but have not happened.

agree...

[abner137 48]

Like I always say when someone asks me.....What is it like in the Philippines.....?..........My reply everytime is .....it's like Hawaii for free.....

No brainer....why not live in paradise.....

[X Factor 1,110]

Both have their pros and cons... Pick whatever floats your boat. For me it is the US for now.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Chinook and I are going to retire here in the U.S. We like it here.

PS...CristiFur...+1.

[rheanick 42]

U.S.A.

[Psoas10 17]

My wife likes Kauai. Also when we retire it will 80% Filipino. The other thing is the services that are not provided in the province, ESP emergency services. Now we can live in Manila, but we like the rural life here with the stuff we can not get in the province.

[sjr09 155]

The words from an Expat

Reality Check. Philippines – a tropical paradise for the retiree?

　

Those who are looking for an affordable tropical retirement location.

The Philippines is not a budget version of Hawaii or Key West or Mallorca. It is an impoverished developing nation with about the same land area as the State of Arizona, but with more than 90 million residents. In cities, poverty, pollution and environmental degradation are everywhere. Open sewers and the smell of sewerage are frequent companions. Trash is strewn everywhere. There are hardly any parks. Power blackouts are frequent.

The creatures of the land and sea have mostly been devoured by a hungry population. Vehicles belch black diesel fumes along main roads. Mangy dogs wander the streets. The raucous beat of karaoke shatters the night and ever-present roosters wake you at four in the morning. You’ll need walls and bars on the windows of your house to prevent break-ins.

If you’re careful, decent routine medical and dental care can be found in the larger cities, but questionable care is a real possibility. Dengue fever, malaria and other tropical diseases are risks as are hepatitis and tuberculosis. If you can’t pay up front for medical care, you will not receive any. Emergency medicine usually involves taking a taxi to the nearest hospital.

It can be inexpensive to live in the Philippines, but the biggest savings come when you can adapt to living more like Filipinos; buying chicken and pork rather than Australian steaks, skipping Cheerios and other imported products, eating eggplant and other fruits and vegetables that grow in the Philippines rather than imported broccoli and apples, using a fan rather than air conditioning, riding the jeepney rather than maintaining an SUV. Those who insist on trying to live a Western lifestyle, may not find the savings so great, especially when you consider you must pay all health care expenses.

Some rural places in the Philippines can be quite inexpensive and really are paradisaical, but you’ll be hours or days from medical care, Internet, books and so forth. Shopping will be restricted to fish, local vegetables and a few canned goods. If you’re healthy and self-sufficent and your material needs are simple, this might well be your paradise. We have found a good compromise, living 20km outside of a city in a quiet rural place, but with relatively easy access to the city.

For my wife and me the Philippines is a paradise, but it’s the people who make it so. Filipinos, especially in the provinces, treat foreigners with great kindness and respect. In turn, I respect them for who they are and the way they live their lives. Every day I see them face their often very difficult lives with inspiring dignity and good humor. They are truly a special people and I feel privileged to live among them.

Our monthly expenses living near Iloilo City. We find that, with care, we can live fairly well in Iloilo City on about $2,000 per month. We own or own home so no rent is included. The main cost of living questions you need to adjust for are:

Prescription drugs and medical care. A $2,000 per month budget may cover routine medical and dental care for a reasonably healthy couple. Someone requiring expensive prescription drugs or expensive medical care needs to adjust

Health Insurance in the Philippines

The Philippines has a totally pay-as-you-go health care system. Your first stop at the hospital (as it is in the US) will be the cashier’s office. You must have money to pay for health care, otherwise you will not get care, will not be admitted to a hospital no matter how dire your situation. A very few hospitals will accept foreign medical insurance cards, but most will not. Larger hospitals accept credit cards (St. Paul’s does) but many do not.

Do not come to the Philippines unless you have the resources to pay for medical care. Even if you are admitted to the hospital, security guards will probably prevent you from leaving the hospital until your bill is settled. See the story of Thomas Hunt for a horrifying example.

Routine health care expenses in the Philippines can be very inexpensive. Your total cost for routine health care may be less than you’ll pay for deductibles and co-payments in the U.S. Still, care for a serious illness (coronary bypass surgery, cancer treatment for example) can run in to the many tens or thousands of dollars.

The US medical insurance program for the elderly, Medicare, does not cover care in the Philippines. Some US veterans can receive care through VA clinics. Some retiree medical insurance programs will reimburse you for care paid for in the Philippines. A very limited number of Philippine hospitals accept US Blue Cross Insurance. One is Asian Hospital in Alabang, a southerly suburb of Manila. If you’re well enough and are covered by Medicare, you can return to the US for treatment.

Sorry, but I’m not familar with how or if European, Canadian or Australian national health insurance programs work (if at all) in the Philippines. Please add any information you can share in the comment box below.

Private heath insurance is available such as Blue Cross Philippines. I’ve had mixed reports about it. Some have had satisfactory experiences, others are very unhappy. Pre-existing conditions will be excluded.

Definitely sign up for the Philippine government program, PhilHealth. Benefits for inpatient treatment are not comprehensive, but very worthwhile. With major surgery you may save tens of thousands of pesos. The cost is P100 per month and the insurance covers the whole family including the foreign spouse can be covered. If you are your spouse are going to be responsible for all or part of the medical needs of the extended family, make sure they are all signed up.

Here is what the PhilHealth web site says about a foreigner signing up on his or her own. ”…the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 7875, as amended by RA 9241, provides for the inclusion to the National Health Insurance Program the citizens of other countries residing and/or working in the Philippines. If the foreign national is employed, he/she shall be registered under the Employed Sector Program. Meanwhile, if he/she is self-employed or merely residing in the country, he/she may enroll as an Individually Paying Member. He/she only needs to accomplish and submit to any PhilHealth office, the PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) and a photocopy of his/her Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to prove his/her residency in the country.”

The Iloilo City PhilHealth office is well-run and signing up a fairly painless process. You can pay annually. We pay through our bank each December for the upcoming year. In our case the bank does not have the payment form (why is that?) so that we have to go to the (nearby) PhilHealth office to get the form and then pay the bank. Ask for several payment forms so that they can be used in subsequent years. It’s essential that you obtain and retain the official receipt for your PhilHealth payment. You’ll need to have it when you file a claim.

Our experience with PhilHealth was good when Carol was hospitalized in Manila. Due to mis-communication I had to visit the incredibly busy PhilHeath office on Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila. Although the office and the harried staff were so busy, the office was well run, most everyone was patient, and was not the nightmare I feared. On the first trip there, I obtained the Member Data Record (MDR), but I had to go back and get a record of our premium payments on the second visit. Once you have those documents, the hospital cashier’s office will take over. Your PhilHealth benefits will be calculated and deducted from the hospital and physician fees you owe.

　

　

　

Cost of Living in Philippines

the budget accordingly. A reserve account to cover emergency medical expenses is a must.

Support you provide to your spouse’s Philippine family — routine and special such as medical emergencies.

Family size.

Dining out, entertainment

Expenses in ones home country.

Immigration fees.

Overseas travel.

Any installment payments such as for a motor vehicle.

Here’s our expenses for 2011 (in U.S. Dollars)

Auto 454.88

Bank Charge 80.74

Books, Magazines, Music 381.46

Clothing 388.12

Computer 1,150.68 (includes hardware)

Dining Out 715.77 (includes travel)

Entertainment 96.97

Family Help 5,795.32 (medical, education, funeral)

Gifts 105.82

Groceries 3,975.95

House Construction 1,425.41

House Furnishings 1,160.30

House Landscaping-Garden 456.46

House, Maintenance 523.77

Household 1,274.56 (includes generator)

Labor 698.79

Medical/Dental 7,124.75 (includes major surgery – about $5,000)

Photography 443.54 (includes camera)

Postage, Shipping 179.95

Rent 00.00 (own house)

Tax 219.06

Transportation 149.68

Travel 1,501.01

Bottled Water 175.15

Electricity house 1114.22

Garbage & Recycling 55.80

Generator fuel 39.41

Internet 411.18

Propane 95.11

Telephone 314.48

Total Utilities Utilities 2,205.35

Total 2011 Expenses $31,000 (approximate)

Notes.

Expenses were high due to completion and furnishing of new house, family medical (including major surgery) and funeral expenses.

Would be Philippine retirees often ask if they can live in the Philippines for $600 per month or $800 or $1000 per month. The answer to all these is yes. If you are healthy, can be happy living in a rural area, riding public transport, shopping in the public markets, avoid imported foods and can get along without air conditioning and maybe Internet access (if you’re reading this maybe you can’t), you can live on very little.

[rlogan 2,036]

We want the kids to experience a free country so we'll be moving to Philippines as the U.S. continues to degenerate into this wretched Master Race world empire abroad and military-industrial-security-banking complex tyranny at home.

[sjr09 155]

But cost of living here in Hawaii is crazy more than living in the Philippines. You're right that it's more similar to the PI than any other state though, especially if you go to Lanai (very quiet, laid back and a lot of Filipinos there from the sugarcane/pineapple days).

So are many other mainland states, some even more then Hawaii. Any state would be more then the PI. can't compare two worlds