20K in Isabela is plausible for the OP. 1. With an aircon/electric fan, TV, laptops, etc. your electricity would average from 6 to 15K PHP (85 to 212 GBP) a month depending on location and season. Electricity rates during Summer/Hot season (January to May) tend to be more expensive. Commercial areas also tend to have more expensive rates than residential ones. If you can afford a solar panel/generator, then I suggest you do so! While it can be expensive to purchase one (500,000 PHP/7088 GBP), you'll be able to spend electricity all you want during daytime. AIRCONS AT FULL BLAST DURING DAYTIME WITH NO CHARGE WHATSOEVER. And you'll need that in Isabela. It's hell-like over there! Sadly, you will still have to use the Meralco grid during night-time. Though there is a program you can avail from Meralco if you have solar panels. It's called Net Metering. It's a bit technical so go and Google it yourself. But it can cut your electricity bill in half, maybe even more. 2. I would say monthly food allowance would start from 6,000 PHP a month, depending on the number of family members, and how much food they can fit in their tummies. We are a family of 6, and we spend about 8 to 9K a month for food. 3. If you drive, petrol/gasoline averages around 41 PHP a litre nowadays. 80,000 PHP starting price for a second-hand car. With public transport in Isabela, you're looking at buses for long-distances (Isabela to other provinces), jeepneys for medium travel, and padyak/trike or kuligligs for short-travels. Bus- from 400 PHP per one-way travel (it depends on destination) Jeepneys- from 8.50 PHP (it depends on destination) Padyak/Trike or kuligligs- from 20 PHP (Think of them as taxis, except instead of a car, it's a bicycle or tricycle. And you get fresh, damp air instead of air condition. Plus chances are, it's being driven by a bald man with few teeth. Hahahahahahah...) 4. Other utilities like water, gas, baranggay dues, etc. would be around 2K PHP a month. A stable internet connection is around 1K PHP. Cable TV is about the same range from 1K PHP monthly 5. Other miscellaneous expenses like clothes, entertainment (beer, videoke, mall), mobile phone credits/load, would start from 1K, depending on your activities. So 20K is just about barely. Go for 30 if you can, so you won't have any worries and be able to live comfortably. Good thing you don't have children you so you could take out tuition/school fees! HAHAHHAHAHAHA....
Very good pointers knight I was in San Mateo last month and yes it was very hot gone up to 42*C one day. But it was nice at her father’s house as there were trees surrounding the house and kept the house little cool. We were staying at the next door house which was just 2 rooms. One was kitchen/ living and the other was bedroom. All the house had was: 1. Induction hob 1000watt 2. Small fridge 200watt 3. Rice cooker 500watt 4. Big old table fan 100watt 5. Small rechargeable fan (I think it’s 50 to 100watt as I did not check it. But gives out easy 4 hours of air after full charge). 6. 2 LED light bulbs 2x 4.5 watts. I was checking all this as I wanted to know how many watt solar panels I will have to buy and how many batteries will I need to store power enough to get by in the night. I saw an aircon which was 6000php and it was 600watt. But I can get an aircon from India which is 400watt and I can without any problem run it on 2000watt inverter. This will be some of my off grid project if I move there for good just to keep me going.
Good luck. I'm not an electrician/mechanic/engineer/architect so I don't know much about the watts. But I still suggest about the solar panels. It will definitely help you save up from electricity bills. If you still have other questions about the Philippines, and want to ask a local who'll answer you truthfully and without mincing any words, I'm just here mate.
I`m not sure that our power bills are that much more expensive here than the UK. (average 2,500 PHP per month) That said,one of our tenants here in Bohol just got his bill which was 5k but then he uses his 1 HP A/C a lot. Our last bill from Boheco for the house showed 9.00 Peso per Kilo watt hour.. Whats the average KWH in the UK these days?
We can buy 100 KW panels for 2500 PHP from CDR king now.. Reviews are good. Inverters are cheap but batteries are the weak link for an off grid system..Still worth it if one wants to avoid brownouts. That said..I hear that Tesla have a new solar battery (10KW POWERWALL) for $3,500..Thing weighs 100KG!
UK average is between 12 to 14p kWh and don’t forget standing charge which comes to average £100 per year
So about the same...No standing charge here! 9.00 Peso is about 13 Pence. oops.. Watts! So 1000 watts for 25k.. Say 10k for a 1000 watt Chinese 12 volt to 220 power inverter and 5 K for a battery controller..Solar Batteries are 7.5K for 100 amp hours.. You could just buy a grid tie inverter and avoid batteries but thats no use at night or even day time brown outs!!
Back to topic though.. Its good you have a rough plan..My only serious suggestions to you though is not to invest with family or friends. Ever! Also,doing business here can be pretty tricky to say the least and it hardly counts as retirement! My best suggestion is to purchase a small lot in an area with lots of foreigner retirees and expats..Build 4 or 5 apartments on it..say one unit every 3 years or so.. Rent them out.
You've learned your lessons really well, mate. Wala ka na talagang muta sa mata. You're now really one of us. Hahahahaha...
I have been warned by her about it as she dont want any friends or fmaily asking for money. so far we have been given money by friends and family. 1 Of my plan was renting and I saw lack of it in her home town. Small studio flats as we already have a lot given to us and it’s on her name now.
I will have to disagree a little with Boots though. Flats/apartment in Isabela is not really that good of investment. People in Isabela would rather buy a house straight-away. Property there is very cheap. And since it's a mining and farming province, most people there are either either retirees, works in a mine, or works in a farm.
I said... Units in an area with lots of Foreigners.. (All foreigners are millionaires) so not a bad plan...Agreed..Not in Isabela!
