Renting an Apartment

Renting an Apartment in the Philippines

If you plan to stay in one place for a few months renting an apartment is the way to go.

In most areas you should be able to come up with something for 5,000 pesos a month or less (125USD).

Some things to consider are security, cost, location to the town center, internet access, tv etc.

I don’t care for living way out in the boonies but if that is what you like you might be able to get a place for 1000 pesos a month or less. If you don’t know a family or have friends there you might bet bored after a few weeks.

It sounds romantic, living on a white sandy beach in the middle of no where but in reality it is a lot of work. Water is the number one issue followed by access to food and then perhaps electricity and transport.

It you decide to stay at a resort the monthly cost will probably start at 500 USD a month. Anytime you are near an expat community the costs will rise along with the standard of living.

If you need cable tv and internet you will probably land up in town. You can get satellite tv that you load like a cell phone if you are further out.

Internet in the Philippines tends to be very good. Having spent a fair bit of time in Indonesia, I would have to say that there is no comparison.

Cooking is a big thing because you can eat whenever you want and prepare the food the way you like it. I find the food in the Philippines to be fairly redundant. You can only stomach so much pork gristle on a stick.

Having a refrigerator is really nice. My place in Cebu has one but as of yet my place in Samar does not. (I keep my dive gear in Cebu)

If you are into seafood you can save heaps by walking to the pier in the mornings for squid, tuna, shrimps or any of the other strange creatures lying on the table.

Air conditioning is a huge issue. I don’t care for it but if you need it your options will be greatly reduced and the costs will double.

Try to get a place where you can get air flowing through your place. It will make life so nice.

Cooking outside is another good idea. It keeps the place cool and clean. A lot of places have a cooking shed away from the house or in a room way out back.

A lot of Filipinos use wood fires but you can get a nice two burner stove for 3000 pesos including regulator, tank of propane and hose. It is really the only to go unless you are way out there in the province.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy going cross country through the jungle and over mountains and eating berries and wild animals but it is really hard work.

I can only take a month of that hard core traveling and then it’s time to chill out for a few weeks with a cold beer and a burger with fries while watching the history channel on tv.

View from the Samar apartment window at right.

rentals update – Sept 2008

Pardon the mess – it’s moving day!

A two bedroom house with 2 baths in a gated community in Banawa in Cebu City like this goes for around 12,000 pesos per month.

I think it’s a bit steep but it has security and that is what some people prefer.

A basic apartment like this could run about 100 USD per month.

Moving Day

Apartments in Ormoc City Leyte are very reasonably priced – a place like this will go for around 100 USD a month. Electricity might run around 20 USD if you don’t use air conditioning. Cable TV is around 10 USD per month.

Renting an Apartment in the Philippines