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Cost of Living: PH vs Britain
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How does the standard and cost of living vary between Great Britain and the Philippines?
geniedouglas
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In Aprjl 2014 I returned to the UK with the intention of staying there for about three months. I wasn't sure exactly which date I'd be coming back to the Philippines so I just booked a one way ticket, business class with Philippine Airlines which cost £750.00. Here is my expenditure for the first 48 hours that I was in the UK: Got the train from Heathrow Airport to Wellingborough where I'd stay with a friend for the night. He'd also been looking after my car. £55.00 That evening, we went out for a curry and a few pints which I took care of, £80.00. The following morning I drove to St Austell in Cornwall, a 300 mile drive. The gas cost me £50.00. I'd also stopped off to have lunch and buy some snacks at a motorway service area, another £20.00 I stayed the night at a small bed and breakfast, £60.00. In the evening I went out for dinner with an old friend, £70.00. The following morning I drove back, same as before in fuel – £50.00 – and lunch etc, £20.00. Total – £405.00. All I'd done is buy some fuel and eat, and I'd spent more than half of what my business class flight had cost from Manila to London. To compare: In the Philippines, that amount sees me through in food, beer money. House keeping money and fuel for my car for two weeks. I didn't stay there for three months in the end, I lasted two weeks before I'd had enough and was back on a plane again!
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Having lived in the Philippines for more than 5 years I’ll try to sum up the cost of living as best I can – Cheaper – House Rent (although not if you own your own home in the UK)Some Foods (particularly rice and fish)Water (it’s practically free – around 20 pesos for 10 liter purified bottles from the local refilling station)Petrol/Gasoline (45 pesos a liter compared with £1.19/75 pesos in the UK)Clothing and ShoesTaxis and busesHaircutsLaundryMassages, Facials and TreatmentsRestaurant Meals and Most Leisure ActivitiesHotels (depends where you stay, but on average quite a bit cheaper)About the Same – Electricity (cheaper if you use a fan, about the same if you regularly use air con)Internet (if you want a half decent connection)Certain Leisure Activities (e.g. high end resort swimming, cinema, ice skating)More Expensive – Healthcare (it’s cheap by international standards and of a pretty good quality, but not cheaper than the NHS)MedicineSome Foods (pasta, beef and especially dairy products)New and Used CarsImported Goods (e.g. chocolates, brands and foreign products – a large Toblerone bar that costs 70 pesos in the UK is almost 600 pesos in local supermarkets)Travel Insurance and Visa Extensions – (I pay on average around £60 every two months for a visa extension)Education (again secondary and tertiary education is cheap by international standards, but not cheaper than being schooled in Scotland where it’s publicly funded)The quality of life is very good. The weather is tropical and hot – it does rain a lot during the wet season between June – November but it’s not like the UK where it can be cloudy for weeks on end. You miss the little things – certain foods, places, family and friends. I miss UK TV – cable networks here really only provide US shows and channels. Although I have found a way to download UK shows or watch on Filmon. Overall the cost of living is much cheaper. It also depends where you stay – your money will go further in provinces and outlaying cities than it will in Metro Manila. However, even a budget of £750-1,000 a month will give you a lifestyle far beyond that of most locals.