Here
some helpful "Living
in Cebu"
information
with
a bag, suitcase or container - with your full household or just the
personal belongings.
Here
a few precise facts about the Philippines that might help you in your
decision making process:
Life
is comfortable and simple here. You find all household goods and
appliances (220v at 50hrz) locally - usually far below typical European
and US prices. Climate all year is moderate to tropical - with
temperatures between 20 degrees C to 30+ C. Hence no need for winter
cloths ...
Many
of the houses, cottages or apartments come fully furnished with local
made clean furniture. Keep in mind that most people spend their days and
evenings outside - thanks to the nice climate day and night - the
Philippines is a country for outdoor life, in the garden, on the beach,
where ever you love.
Already
mentioned in sufficient detail - any kind of cloths - nice and even
custom tailored - is available at a fraction of European or American
prices - hence little reason to bring all your cloths with you here.
Most of them may be too warm for tropical climate anyway.
Any
kind of furniture can easily be found here locally - even in the
outlying provincial areas. Here are a few examples:
At
an average, the cost of "comfortable" living
here ranges from $800$ to $1,200 a month.
-
European and US mattresses
will not do here. They will rot and attract mildew within weeks. They
are made of the wrong material and react to the high humidity.
Especially during rainy season. Local mattresses
(large) will sell for $20 - 40. A complete bedset for 3 people (bed
sheets, pillows, pillow cases and mattresses) can be found at around
$50.
-
A complete kitchen set
(2 gas, 2 flames, with various pots, deposit for gas bottle) will be
approximately another $50.
-
Living room furniture
are available in various sizes and levels of comfort and luxury - always
at a fraction of European or US prices
-
If you have an empty or only partially furnished house here -
then you may completely furnish it with all accessories, including Hi-Fi,
etc for less than $1000.
-
Sporting goods of any
kind that is used and played here can easily be found even in the
cities.
-
The same applies to hardware utensils, tools, garden tools, all
kind of accessories you may need is all available even on islands or can
be purchased in any larger city in the Philippines.
-
Shipping household goods
and cars over here can be complex. With a resident visa, you are allowed
one of everything duty free except a car, for which the duty is about
100% of its value. A new Nissan Sentry costs over $20,000. A locally
built personal jeep costs about $5,000.
-
Forget your car/automobile.
Here the import duty can be 100-125% of 6the deemed value. Not your notarized
value. The duty officers value. Cars and other motor vehicles
are of course available here locally, new or second hand, even local
brand !
Cost
of Living - Philippine currency (peso) currently is at $1.00 (USD) =
$ PHP.
Peso dropped due to the rise of fuel prices in the world market. Hence -
if you love to restart a new life here in the Philippines - you may as
well leave all your old life and memories behind and come empty handed
just with a bag or suitcase including your most important personal
utensils and get all else as needed here.
On
the other hand, of course every once in a while foreigners arrive here
and have more or less their entire household coming by sea freight in a
container. Typically a container coming from Central and Northern Europe
or the US may take approximately 2-3 months. Which may not including
custom processing for importation to the Philippines. Such a container
freight trough a reputable agency doing all the formalities needed for
you may cost you approximately $4000. If the goods are for personal use,
there won’t be any import duty. A tax can be imposed if the contents
are deemed non-personal. When entering the Philippines there is no
problem with the things you bring in as long as they are for personal
use. If you bring say five laptops you will most likely pay taxes on
four of them. Use your head when bringing things into the country.
Watch
out what you bring. Here you may not find spare parts for models and
brands of household appliances you used to have at home. That is valid
for imported vehicles, cars, motorcycles as well as for TV, Hi-Fi and
other appliances from overseas.
Many
factors to consider when moving here. The essence however is that it
might most likely be far cheaper for you to come empty handed and get
all new here as far as you need anything at all for your household.
A
Philippine House Maid/Assistant:
If
you will have no family here to help assist you, or, if you are older or
like to get some help for your house hold , it is very easy to get a
part time or full time housemaid for your household.
A
full time employed housemaid typically is around $100 to $200 a months
plus food and accommodations if she lives with you. If your own
household is too small to accommodate her during working days and the
household help lives far away, you may offer paid home transportation at
least once a week or find an accommodation in a separate boarding house.
For a slightly or fully handicapped persons living here, it might be far
easier and much cheaper than at home in Europe or USA / Canada.
It
is quiet common for many to have at least a part time help for the house
hold. It has 2 key-advantages:
-
It gives local people suffering from lack of employment
opportunities a chance to improve their family income by working for
your household, cleaning, laundry, gardening, cooking or shopping for
you.
It
may help you to be self sufficient even in older age or with a
disability with a little help from outside for those jobs your can not
perform. A housemaid may take care of you like a care giver at an
affordable price and with a smiling face and heart.
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