Living in Thailand vs. Philippines

[roscoe14]

I posted here once already, pretty sure it was deleted. I’m just looking for info from anyone with experience living in both Thailand and Philippines. What’s the pros and the cons? I know Philippines is full of corruption. It’s a little dirtier. It is cheaper I think. I love both, the food, the area, the girls, all that. Someone give me the real lowdown.

 

 

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[KittenKong]

Not deleted: moved to the "Mongering in other countries" sub-forum.

Unfortunately I think that as a newbie you cant read the sub-forum to which it was moved, which is rather daft. I also think that particular sub-forum was a very bad choice given that "mongering" was not the topic at all. The site has a one-track mind.

[roscoe14]

Yeah, I can’t see it. I’m an advance Pi-addict. Can I be upgraded?


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[KittenKong]

The forum header says: "Advanced Members Forum - Access to this forum requires Admin approval. (Make 50+ posts and we will review your account)"

You have 4 posts to your name. You could try asking admin though.

[phuketexpert]

 I have visited them both and as i see,
Thailand is much more safer then Philippines.

Also more clean and has better food. 

But i need to add that Manila has many stunning girls to chill you know ;) 

[Just Browsing]

On 28/12/2017 at 19:47, roscoe14 said:

Yeah, I can’t see it. I’m an advance Pi-addict. Can I be upgraded?


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There is (or at least used to be) a reciprocal agreement  whereby if you were Advanced on PI-Addicts you would get advanced here (and Vice Versa), I'm also advanced on PI-Addicts and had problems joining here, Mod Tequila Reef kindly sorted me out... 

 

Back to the OP, this debate has been done a million times but for me... :-

1. Capital City - Bangkok over Manila any day, no contest though I might be moving to work in Manila (BGC) and living there may change my mind.
2. 2nd City - Davao City over Chiang Mai any day (I love Davao & have a house 2 hours north from there)
3. Mongering City - Pattaya over AC every fckin day, no contest.
4. Beaches - Take your pick in the Philippines, Thailand can't even come close
5. Girls (Short Term) - Both, every day (& twice on Sundays) please  
6. Girls (Long Term) - Philippines any day
7. Food - Thailand any day, no contest
8. Budget - Philippines just about edges it for me (Decent accommodation is very expensive though)

My plan is split time between the 2 but if I had to pick one, I would definitely choose Thailand & import a Filipina (There's a couple of guys on here who have done exactly that & from what I can tell are very happy with their decision).

 

NB I Must stress, I love Thai girls, find them really sexy & alluring, but couldn't see myself spending more than a couple of days with any one of them & just prefer the Spanish/Latino look of the Filipinas from Visayas (Cebu, Davao etc...) but hey, to each his own right

 

[bathbus11]

spot on

[Old Scratch]

As a tourist, PI is only slightly cheaper, due to hotel cost.  Living there, though, once you get a condo and get your regulars going, it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

[Just Browsing]

11 hours ago, Old Scratch said:

As a tourist, PI is only slightly cheaper, due to hotel cost.  Living there, though, once you get a condo and get your regulars going, it's a hell of a lot cheaper.

Similar standard condo in Philippines is much more expensive than Thailand & regulars are "Reasonable" (1,500 PHP Vs 1,000 THB = £20 vs £23) in both places

If you're working to a "Tight" budget then for sure, PI can be cheaper (Cambodia even cheaper still) but if you have a budget that includes things like dining out a couple of times a week then it's not so clear cut.

Again, to each his own, for me Singapore is currently the cheapest place for me to live in SEA because I work here & have looked at moving to Bangkok (which would have cost me 20-35% in lower salary + more tax) & currently looking at moving to Manila (but it's BGC which aside from Hong Kong is probably the only place I've seen that has higher condo rental rates than Singapore).

 

End of the day, we all have our priorities & preferences but for me, I love Thailand & I love Filipinas

[Should probably confess here that I've been with my Filipina GF for almost 8 years so obviously I have a little bias when it comes to the ladies ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Old Scratch]

12 hours ago, JB300 said:

Similar standard condo in Philippines is much more expensive than Thailand & regulars are "Reasonable" (1,500 PHP Vs 1,000 THB = £20 vs £23) in both places

If you're working to a "Tight" budget then for sure, PI can be cheaper (Cambodia even cheaper still) but if you have a budget that includes things like dining out a couple of times a week then it's not so clear cut.

Not in my experience.  Not comparing AC to Patts, anyway.  Patts has way better guesthouses and cheap options.  Being bigger, it probably has better high end options, too.  But when you are comparing, say mid-high level condo living, like Kandi suites in AC, to similar options in Patts (Avenue, City Garden, VT6), AC comes out way ahead.

For example, Kandi suites in AC has studios that have a full gym (not a tiny room with a broken treadmill and a bench), close to the action ( on a bus line and not Jomtien), modern styling and upkeep, monthly rentals, 42"+ TV,'s convenience store and 24/7 resto on site with a huge pool, guards and free housekeeping every day for < $600.  I haven't found anything like that in Patts at close to that price.  If you know of something that meets all of those qualifications in Patts, I will be indebted to you because I still go to Patts often

Apples to apples, AC, at least, is cheaper at most everything, including dining out (some notable exceptions are electricity, massages and pharmaceuticals to be fair).  Groceries are cheaper, laundry is way cheaper, girls are way cheaper, visas are cheaper, beer is cheaper.  Thai food is cheaper than foreigner food in either place, of course, if you like eating local, but foreigner food is still cheaper in AC, than Patts.

[Just Browsing]

54 minutes ago, Old Scratch said:

Not in my experience.  Not comparing AC to Patts, anyway.  Patts has way better guesthouses and cheap options.  Being bigger, it probably has better high end options, too.  But when you are comparing, say mid-high level condo living, like Kandi suites in AC, to similar options in Patts (Avenue, City Garden, VT6), AC comes out way ahead.

For example, Kandi suites in AC has studios that have a full gym (not a tiny room with a broken treadmill and a bench), close to the action ( on a bus line and not Jomtien), modern styling and upkeep, monthly rentals, 42"+ TV,'s convenience store and 24/7 resto on site with a huge pool, guards and free housekeeping every day for < $600.  I haven't found anything like that in Patts at close to that price.  If you know of something that meets all of those qualifications in Patts, I will be indebted to you because I still go to Patts often

Apples to apples, AC, at least, is cheaper at most everything, including dining out (some notable exceptions are electricity, massages and pharmaceuticals to be fair).  Groceries are cheaper, laundry is way cheaper, girls are way cheaper, visas are cheaper, beer is cheaper.  Thai food is cheaper than foreigner food in either place, of course, if you like eating local, but foreigner food is still cheaper in AC, than Patts.

Have only been to AC twice (& that was 1 time too many) so can't argue with what you're saying but in my (>25 times visiting Philippines, similar if not more to Thailand)...

1. Groceries may be cheaper in PI but not the same quality - I'm a Wine, Beef, Cheese kind of guy so my groceries tend to be expensive in SEA anyway, in PI they're more expensive than Singapore
2. $600 is > 18,000 THB, if you can't find a decent Condo for that in Thailand/Pattaya you haven't even looked, Read DragonRiders "My First Day as an Expat" thread http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/315281-my-first-day-as-an-expat/ he has a 2 bedder walking distance from Walking Street for 18k.... Granted there's no mention of a gym but either you're serious about your gym in which case you would join a proper one or you're not in which case it doesn't matter
3. Visas (1900 THB pa for the retirement visa) are much cheaper in Thailand 
4. If you enjoy eating Filipino food then good on you - I love spicy food so even when the GF cooks Adobo, she throws in a shed load of Chillies - if my eye balls aren't sweating the food is bland.

 

I'm not trying to argue a case for Thailand over Philippines as I love both of them, but For My Lifestyle Thailand is not only cheaper, but a better place for me to live.

Ironically the GF got back to Davao at 2am this morning & by 8am had put her foot down to say either we get married (I'm already happily married - Not Married & very happy about it) or we're settling in Philippines so Thailand may well stay a holiday destination for me.

 

 

 

[Old Scratch]

53 minutes ago, JB300 said:

Have only been to AC twice (& that was 1 time too many) so can't argue with what you're saying but in my (>25 times visiting Philippines, similar if not more to Thailand)...

1. Groceries may be cheaper in PI but not the same quality - I'm a Wine, Beef, Cheese kind of guy so my groceries tend to be expensive in SEA anyway, in PI they're more expensive than Singapore
2. $600 is > 18,000 THB, if you can't find a decent Condo for that in Thailand/Pattaya you haven't even looked, Read DragonRiders "My First Day as an Expat" thread http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/315281-my-first-day-as-an-expat/ he has a 2 bedder walking distance from Walking Street for 18k.... Granted there's no mention of a gym but either you're serious about your gym in which case you would join a proper one or you're not in which case it doesn't matter
3. Visas (1900 THB pa for the retirement visa) are much cheaper in Thailand 
4. If you enjoy eating Filipino food then good on you - I love spicy food so even when the GF cooks Adobo, she throws in a shed load of Chillies - if my eye balls aren't sweating the food is bland.

 

I'm not trying to argue a case for Thailand over Philippines as I love both of them, but For My Lifestyle Thailand is not only cheaper, but a better place for me to live.

Ironically the GF got back to Davao at 2am this morning & by 8am had put her foot down to say either we get married (I'm already happily married - Not Married & very happy about it) or we're settling in Philippines so Thailand may well stay a holiday destination for me

1. I compared same quality products, indeed the exact same product by the same manufacturers in both places and it's cheaper in AC.  IE, I took products that are in both (example: Bega cheddar) and it's about 5-10% cheaper in AC.  Maybe more now since the conversion rate has gotten better for PI since I did my comparison.  As much as possible, I tried to compare apples to apples.

2. I can find a decent condo, I can't find a COMPARABLE condo.  Trying to stick apples to apples, at the $600-800 a month price range, AC is cheaper than Patts, even for condos (at least with the amenities I enjoy).  Patts wins hands down on cheap guest houses and tourist options.

3. I am not old enough for retirement visas, maybe that's an exception.  I won't comment since I haven't researched.  However, for me, I would need to do an education visa which is FAR more expensive and difficult to boot.

4. I don't enjoy Filipino food.  I also don't enjoy Thai food.  But that's not the point   Foreigner restos in AC are cheaper, in general, than foreigner restos in Patts.  Apples to apples, it's just cheaper in AC, than Patts, for most things, that's all I am saying.  Not saying it's better, that's a much bigger and more subjective discussion.

I am not arguing which is better, either.  I am only arguing that AC is a lot cheaper than Patts, comparing apples to apples, for many, probably most, expats.

[Just Browsing]

4 hours ago, Old Scratch said:

1. I compared same quality products, indeed the exact same product by the same manufacturers in both places and it's cheaper in AC.  IE, I took products that are in both (example: Bega cheddar) and it's about 5-10% cheaper in AC.  Maybe more now since the conversion rate has gotten better for PI since I did my comparison.  As much as possible, I tried to compare apples to apples.

 

 

I stand by my view that Philippines is more expensive than Thailand for me in retirement but everybody's personal circumstances are different (e.g. I'm comparing Condos in the 25-30,000 THB, 42-50,000 PHP range and I can get a lot nicer place for my money in Thailand) but I absolutely agree with you about the FX rate, I'm from the UK and GBP has tanked against most currencies, one of the few exceptions being the PHP.

 

As an aside, I'm currently looking at Condos in BGC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonifacio_Global_City,  - I can push on an open door at work to get transferred there) & the rental prices for a similar unit to my 3 br in Singapore (approx 80,000 THB - 135,000 PHP) is roughly the same (maybe 10% less), but then again the ones I looked at in Bangkok were 10-15% more expensive so the Philippines would be cheaper for me renting whilst I'm still working.

 

Thanks for the tip about Bega Cheddar, will look out for it next time I'm in PI (early May), cheese is one of my biggest guilty pleasures