The Philippines is such a great place to retire, but few do, and that’s a shame. First of all, the people in the Philippines are different from what you may have grown accustomed to. There’s no sulky faces, no complaining.
Instead, the Filipino people are easy going and friendly and smile a lot.
For a first timer to the Philippines, you may just wonder if you have been magically transported to another dimension! Life is much more enjoyable here. The pace is much slower and the attitude towards life, work and love are much more relaxed.
If you want to quit the rat race and retire to a tropical paradise with pristine beaches, cheap living, and beautiful women, then the Philippines is the place for you.
Consider this; What will you get for $1000 in the US? It’s hardly enough to get a roof over your head, much less live a decent, enjoyable life. Why should your retirement years be spent turning every nickel and being relegated to dating divorced jaded women?
Back in the states, I was a 57-year-old man with alimony, two grown kids and I felt old. And I was treated like I was old. No one smiled at me, and I guess not many people gave a damn. Dating meant taking out divorced middle-aged women, who were always complaining about men, despite having let themselves go. Needless to say, I did not enjoy my life. I am telling you this because I think – no – I KNOW that there are many other guys like me.
Well, imagine waking up in a two story house, kissing your wife, and then getting up for an already prepared breakfast by your own chef. Later in the day, I get my driver to take me to my various appointments that I have. In the evening, we eat out in a nice restaurant or get the chef to prepare a tasty meal. I travel at least once a month and never have to watch my money. To me, this is quite appealing.
Of course, having money is only good if you have someone to share it with. Filipina girls are some of the most beautiful, sensual and kind women you could ever meet. Treat a Filipina with respect and she will make your life happy. I want you to think about this also. Are you satisfied with your life now? Be honest? I want you to know that there is another option.
12 Reasons to Retire in the Philippines
Following are 12 of the most popular reasons for an Expat to retire in the Philippines that I have encountered as a consultant on retirement.
1. An Expat can retire with more money in his pocket at the end of the month.
The cost of living in the Philippines is about one-fifth to one-fourth of the cost of living in the U.S. or the U.K
Consequently, a retirement pension buys more lifestyle for less money and permits the retiree to even have savings at the end of the month.
2. You can escape those cold U.S. winters.
The weather in the Philippines is similar to Hawaii. Although warm year around, it is a bit cooler during
the months of October through March, and then hotter during the period April to September.
3. You can escape the rat-race America and the UK have become.
We all know the pace of life in the 21st century is fast, fast, fast in the U.S and the U.K. However, in the Philippines, things move at a much slower pace, which reduces one’s stress level.
4. You can retire with one or two maids, and a driver.
The cost of a maid is approximately $40 monthly and the cost of a driver is about $60 monthly. Not only does the maid take care of the residence, but she will also navigate the weekly market shopping needs for the best and lowest purchase price for you. Having this kind of value added to one’s life for this small monthly amount of money is unheard of in the western world.
5. After 40 years of toil with no return, working on a job and always “running out of money before running out of month”, retirement in the Philippines reverses this.
Due to the low cost of living in the Philippines, one who retires there will find that due to the lower cost of living, one will always “run out of month before they run out of money”. This is a very delightful experience.
6. You will be able to go to bed every night and wake up every morning free of frustration and anxiety over a lack of money.
When one is continuously anxious about the lack of money, it leads to chronic stress which spills over into health and self-esteem problems. By retiring in the Philippines, due to the lower cost of living you can eliminate this stress from your life.
7. You can have your first and only wife be a beautiful and exotic Filipina. Or if divorced, you can have a beautiful Filipina who completes you rather than competes with you.
Women outnumber men in the Philippines, and due to low per capita income in the Philippines, Filipina ladies are attracted to foreigners with a steady pension income. Further, they are attracted to older foreign men than to younger foreign men. They consider them less likely to philander.
8. You will have great personal relationships that are full of love and friendship and true caring for each other.
Filipinos find themselves by being surrounded with others and having lots of friends. They are not independent people like those from the U.S, rather they are “joiners” and family people. You will develop many warm and lasting friendships while retired in the Philippines.
9. You can live in a male-oriented society, as compared to a female, feminist-oriented society where males are confused about what it is to be a man.
The Philippines culture is one where the man is looked at to be the leader of the family unit. The wife is taught from childhood the importance of being in submission to her husband. The Philippines is a male oriented society.
10. You can have nurses and caregivers readily available to care for you if desired.
One of the major vocations taught in the Philippines is nursing. Nursing schools and graduates are everywhere, with many of them seeking employment overseas. This generates a pool of highly qualified nurses readily available and seeking employment as personal nurses and caregivers, if desired, at extremely low costs compared to the western world.
11. You can live in a country where travel to exciting and adventurous locales in Asia is inexpensive.
The Philippines is very centrally located in Asia, with just a few hours flying time to Tokyo and Korea, a little over an hour to Hong Kong, a couple of hours to Bangkok, and a little over an hour to Singapore.
Airfares are highly competitive and there are lots of daily flights in and out of the Philippines. This makes for a fun retirement life full of travel and excitement, at a very reasonable cost, and with little pain of long travel times.
12. You can live in a country where elders are respected and treated with dignity.
Like other Asian countries, people are taught from childhood the need to respect the elderly.
While living in the Philippines as a senior retiree, you will be treated with respect and dignity unlike you can find in the U.S. or U.K. As an elder, you are considered to be wise and someone to listen to and learn from.
The Philippines has so much to offer American men looking for an escape to a tropical paradise. Most will never fulfill their dreams but continue pondering ‘what if?’.
Don’t get stuck. Live your dreams!
This was an article submitted by a reader of RTTP. If you would like to have your article featured on our site, please feel free to submit it via email and we’ll take a look.
Retired a year ago to Davao. I feel safer there than in San Antonio, Texas.
Very true
Thank You for the info I too plan to retire there and i agree with your story 100% I was there and seen it myself…Enjoy!
Vincent – What kind of visa do you have and how do you get on. My girlfriend can’t get an annulment so we cant gett married. Do ou know the cost?
Joseph,
Well said, I agree with everything you said. Retired here 15 months ago, and can’t dispute anything you said. Good job.
Anyone who is considering retiring here should definitely visit the Philippines. The Philippines isn’t for everyone.
So many foreigners who move here are not satisfied. There aren’t the conveniences here that they’re used to.
So make sure to visit for an extended period of time. Find an island that you really want to live on.
Hello everyone!!
I have been seriously considering a place in the Philippines for the last few years but not sure where yet — still researching.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Also, seems like this is paradise for men . . . what is it like for an older Caucasian woman? What would life be like for me? I have looked to see articles but did not find any. Is there a listing of places expats live (mostly?)
Please help if you can.
Thanks
Trish
You’d be welcomed with open arms. The People love foreigners. . It doesn’t matter whether the person is a man or a woman.
Where you want to live depends on you. I’d come here to see which area you like the best. Which climate you like. Don’t settle on one place until you’ve tried different locations.
Trish, I believe you’ll love the Philippines and I’m certain you’ll be treated quite well. The Filipino people have a reputation of being very warm and friendly. I was stationed there during my military career and I never got the Philippines and the good times I had there out of my mind. Subsequently, I’ve traveled there every year for the past 10 years. I intend to retire there within the next 2-3 years. The best advice I can give you is to travel there and experience the Philippines for yourself. Don’t base your opinion on the very congested capital of Manila. Explore the country, but avoid the southern Philippines islands (specifically Mindanao). There’s a Muslim insurgency there and they often target foreigners to kidnap for ransom. Good luck!
I have lived in butuan city and I always feel safe
Hello Trish, I’ve just bought a high rise condo in Manila….The Sheridan Towers….DMCI arethe builders, they have a web site….I’m planning on moving from the US in three years time …….we could be neighbors..
I have been married to a lovely Filipino lady for 13 years now and we have beautiful twin daughters, We met in the UK and live and work in Cornwall. She is a wonderful wife and mother and very hard working. She works long hours (I can’t stop her) but is always cheerful with a great sense of humor. She is in her 50’s, but could pass for 20 years younger. She had bought a plot of land many years ago next to her fathers house on the coral island of Bantayan, north of Cebu. We have built a bungalow on it in recent years at a fraction of the cost in the UK. It is right next to a white sand beach. In our garden we have lots trees including coconut, banana, star fruit, mango and mahogany. Her dad is 85 but still runs his smallholding ploughing the field with his Carabao to grow rice and looking after his chickens. Her brothers who are all fishermen and sisters live nearby. It is a very close family and they have welcomed me into the family with open arms. We have been there together three times for only three weeks at a time. I cant wait for the time we can retire and spend the UK autumn and winter seasons there. It is very basic living but very fulfilling and healthy. The island is rural but you have to get used to the noise. Cockerels crowing at day break, high revving motor bikes, all day party’s, cause they love to party!! If you want some sophistication and retail therapy Cebu isn’t far away with some of the most modern shopping malls and holiday resorts in Asia. Hope to spend Christmas there this year. Should be great.
Making my plans to retire there now and I won’t be retiring for another 11 years.
I visit there at least twice a year and I am always sad to leave. If a “pile of money fell into my lap” I would IMMEDIATELY move to the Philippines. Can’t wait!
I’d seriously considering coming here for an extended period of time before moving here. Living here on a long term basis is much different than visiting here.
That is good advise we planning to spend winter months thier we know friends sold there house gave away all there belongings back in 2 years starting all over again
I did what most expats recommend you DON’T DO. I shucked it all and moved here from the get go from Canada. I have ZERO regrets. I fell in love with an amazing filipina a year before moving here, we’ve now been together for just over six months and our life together gets better and better each day. My story isn’t typical necessarily…I know some folks come here and things are simply not what they expected…for me tho…it’s better than I anticipated.
That certainly can happen. We’ve also know people from Canada, Britain, and the US who came here (built a house) and the returned to their. Respective countries.
My girlfriend and I bought some land in San Fernando LA union and have already built. A septic tank a bathroom and shower, a well and a room for us till we build a house. My concern is how long can we stay and I need info on buying a longer visa.
If you marry and get a 13 A visa, cheapest, as long as you want. If you stay boyfriend and girlfriend still as long as you want. You’ll just have to go through the visa renewal process, which gets expensive, periodically.
I may forgot to say but my girlfriend visit a Pilipinas by birth but she is an American citizen now. Would that make a difference, if so how and what would be the next best way to get a visa.
Can’t wait. We bought land over 5 years ago. I will retire 1 April 17. Will have 2 checks each month life will be good. PI is the best place to retire. I have been to or have worked in 43 countries . PI is where I want to live.
Thanks
Robert Q8
thought you could not buy ‘land’ in the Philippines….as a foreigner.
My wife is from Manila , deed is in her name only.
Well we’re here in sf la union. Got here on the 16th of aug. We’re in the process of building a house about two mountains from the sea. Love this place, but don’t particularly like the cost of building a house. Already sunk a million pesos and just started the house. We can’t get married because her husband in us wouldn’t sign divorce papers. Just taking it one day at a time.
No judge in the U.S. will keep two people married if one of them wants a divorce. What’s at issue is maybe you’re here now, and your wife would likely be required to return to USA to finalize the divorce, but in some states, she might not even have to do that. Maybe her US loving hubby divorced her already, but she doesn’t even know about it because he did publication notice.
Trust me on this one. I was a lawyer in US and now living happily forever after in the Phils.
She tried to divorce him before we left in August he refused to sign and we didn’t have enough time to have him served if we had time to have him served all she had to do was go back to the court within 20 days and the judge would Grant her divorce so she’s coming back to the US in May and we’re going to get a divorce him and sell her house and then we’re going to go back to the Philippines
Now we know for a fact that her husband did not divorce her and she didn’t divorce him because he refused to sign the paperwork and we didn’t have time to have him served before we left to go to the Philippines so she’s coming back in May to the US and she’s going to finish up the divorce going to sell her house and both of us will be going back to San Fernando long in sometime the end of this
I want to retire in the Philippines, but don’t know what regions to visit to explore for residence, can you recommend a few beach areas, I was looking at cloud 9 and Cebu area.
That’s the problem. It is really all up to you. What do You want in an area^place? What do you need? Internet? What?
Then those here can recommend a few beach areas.
Rusty
Okay yes internet, and yes beach activities available like scuba and surfing, and somewhat developed with markets and such
Joseph, I enjoyed the article. Married to a filipina, we are in the USA. Can you tell me where the beach picture is from your “Paradise” article. Would like to visit our next time there.
Greg
Greg – That’s a picture of Borocay. I’ve been there a couple of times and I always say, it looks beautiful if you’re looking out towards the ocean but if you turn 180 degrees, it’s just like any other tourist destination. Do some research online before you travel there as it’s not for everybody.
Steve
thanks, will do…
Greg,
We loved Boracay. But as Steve said it isn’t for everyone. Some like Palawan. Others prefer the tranquility of Alona beach.
The differences between Boracay and Alona beach are huge. The two can’t be compared. One is very boring to many (Alona Beach). The other Boracay is action packed..
Alona has what Boracay has but on a much, much, much smaller scale.
Love the people and cost of living I like a simple life and beautiful woman we bought beachfront property and live in big nippahut love it guys go check it out
I have another 15 years before I can retire (when I turn 67 and collect full Social Security benefits-providing it’s still there), but one thing is for certain that I will be living my retirement years in the Philippines. No more harsh winters (or winter wardrobe to deal with for that matter) and no more worrying whether I can afford to live in the US during my retirement years. I’ll have no shortage on how many white sand beaches I can visit when I retire there and having a wardrobe that consists of shorts, tank tops, and flip flops.
Joe, Social Security will always be there. It would be political suicide for the politicians to do away with the program. They’ll probably just continue to increase the full retirement age.
It’s actually a shame more States didn’t opt out of Social Security back when it was implemented. Example: In NV the public sector ( police, firemen, teachers) opted out of paying into S S. They have their own retirement system. A 30 year employee makes around $5000 a month. A lot more than an S S monthly check, right?
Horace, I’m not waiting past 67 to retire. My dad passed 12 days short of his 78th birthday (but he was lucky enough (also worked hard enough and planned enough to do so) to retire at 60. Even if I only receive 75% of my benefits, I still should come out pretty decently living in the PH since I have other funds to fall back on should the need arise (which is part of what Robert may have been alluding to).
Joe,
I can’t wait also. In a couple of months I will be 66 which is my full SS. I am also retired US Army. So life will be good. My land there was pay off a few years ago and we just received the Free & Clear Deed..
Love PI, best place to retire. Been in and out of PI since 1982. I am from the east coast (USA) so I won’t miss the cold and snow, well maybe at Christmas time only.
There is a lot you can do not to get ready for your move. Don’t wait till last minute. Make it easy on your self.. That’s what I did. To easy…
Best of luck
Robert Q8
Robert, I have a 12 year old that I still have to get through six more years of public school (he’s in 7th grade right now), then another four years of college. After that I can start emptying out the house. My goal is to have my house sold (not that I’ll get very much for it) and be on my way to the PH within six months after I retire (I’ll still be there whether my house is sold or not).
Joe,
At least you have a plan. When I was in the Army I seen guys that had no idea what they were going to do when they retired, or even where they were going to live. So sad..
About 10 years ago when I was on a trip to the Philippines I opened a bank account with BDO. They have an outlet here in Kuwait where I work. So every month or so I put money in my account. So by the time I do retire to PI I will have a nice nest egg to start with and won’t have to worry about cash. Last year I contacted a car dealer in my city there about the car I want to buy when I get there. We have been working on a good deal price wise and have what I want in the car. I even have an FPO address set up at Clark for my US mail. I have researched the doctors, hospitals in my area to see what’s the best insurance to have ect. There’s lot’s you can do now. If your goal is to retire in the Philippines you must always be thinking ahead. What you think of now may save you money, time or hassle when you get there. Most of all check out your visa. There are many types to choose from..
Again “To Easy” best of luck.. Robert Q8
Joe, I wouldn’t wait past your full retirement age either. I didn’t mean you should go past the age of 67 for you.
They wouldn’t increase your retirement age anyway. Just those that are going to retire. Well, one never knows do they.
Rusty
Are there still Visas for U.S. Military (courtesy visas)? And where is the VA hospital located?
Yes there is a US Military Visa for Retired Military.
As for a VA Hospital, never heard of one. But I do know there are doctors who are contracted by the VA there. You can e-mail the SSO to get the list ,locations and terms.
Am a permanent resident here (Negros) for 10 years.
I would say, be realistic. While the article here gives glowing reports of everything, it is like anywhere in the world… good and bad.
The best advice I’ve seen in comments here is: come here 1st. Don’t buy a place here 1st, see what it is like where you intend to live.
I would also add: Don’t come here knowing nothing of the culture and the language. I’d been married to a Pinay for about 24 years Before coming (so, knew Tagalog and culture). There are still things I didn’t know about the place even with that…. much of that was legal issues (what you can & can’t do as a “dayuhan” [foreigner] with “no Philippine blood”. I’ll say that much of what I learned annoys me greatly: I had thought of getting naturalized here, but found that it is a long, expensive process that goes through the court system. But, the real “kicker” is you have to Give Up your original citizenship!! No Way!! A Pinoy CAN have Dual Citizenship but we “dayuhan” CANNOT!
Same with land ownership … if I had not been rushed into a decision to move here (by my asawa) I would have found out the land ownership restrictions BEFORE it was too late, and insisted we buy a Condo!
I would have also found out more about this city she liked so much, and insisted on moving to a condo in a larger and more MODERN city with more 1st world amenities and SOMETHING of more culture (museums, better/upscale shopping, world-class restaurants/clubs, …).
So, LEARN all you can before “jumping ship” at either your own whim or the insistence of a spouse!!
Don, great reply/advice. Trouble is I bet few will follow your advice. Too many know it all.
The people /culture isn’t just a little different it’s Totally different from what people are used to. Too many people that I have met think they are going to change things. Nope. Won’t happen.
We we’re all able to Adjust. I hope others will too. If they aren’t Flexible then they’ll be like the 80% that return to their home country bad mouthing the Philippines.
cool article. what area are you living in such that $1000/month yields a 2 story house on the beach with $40/month housekeeper/chef and $60/month driver?
It can be done on $1000 a month. But your car and house must be paid for. Also no kids to put through college.
I think you misread the article. Almost anywhere one can find a two story new house for $1000. A house keeper/chef can be easily found for $60. As for the driver who needs one. But they are very reasonable, too.