# Thailand or Philippines



## samtheman32 (Apr 14, 2010)

I have just put up a post on the Thailand forum asking about what it's like to live in Thailand if you are a UK ex-pat. I have lived in London ,Auckland and Sydney and brought up in The South Of England and just had my first trip to Thailand. I was told that the Philippines is also nice but I have never been. As have a mild learning difficulty I struggle in the UK. I just love the hot sunny weather and being by the sea and having a more chilled out lifestyle. It would also be good to try and find a local girlfriend. One who is not a bar girl or woking in the red light area.
I just wonder which is better Thailand or Philippines and how easy and difficult it is living out here? What are the pros and cons? How easy is it to make friends and find a girlfriend.
I rent out a flat in the UK and I found out the other day that my rent money I get is enough for me to live well off in Phuket.
Any info would be great.


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

Philippines


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## samtheman32 (Apr 14, 2010)

Why the Philippines?


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

Why not? 

I dont know about Thailand but being a country educated in the english language is already an advantage.

It will depend on what part of the Philippines are you targeting. Some parts are not tourist friendly.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

The biggest advantage of the Philippines is that you can use english with most locals. 

I have been to Thailand on holiday and found the language barrier quite cumbersome. Also from what I have read, Thailand is not so friendly anymore for Expat retirees. 

I think that you will find the Philippines as cheap or expensive as you want. It just depends on your needs and requirements.

You could live very comfortably on $2000/mo or just get by on $1000. I am averaging about $1500 right now. As with any country there are places that you should not entertain (Mindanao on south, Tondo area in Manila).


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

I responded to a guy on the Thai forums who quoted Thai vs PI statistics using numbeo recently. 

I’ve been to Thailand 7 times and spent time in Korat, Surat Thani, Phuket, Patong Beach and Bangkok.

The wife and I just spent 9 days in Bangkok during Christmas/New Year. We visited tourist sites/shopped during the day and went bar hopping at night.

We had some interesting experiences with several trickster Taxi drivers telling us traffic was too bad to go where we wanted to go and told us it was faster by boat, took us to the boat dock where they tried to get us to take a tour. Then, tried to tell us to pay 1,200 baht for a boat ride to the palace which ended up being 40 baht in another Taxi. (I guess the scam is the Taxi gets a commission) Also had some interesting experiences with some Tuk Tuk drivers and a few other guys who approached us.

At night we went bar hopping at Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza and Patpong. I still can’t comprehend how folks say Thailand is cheaper after I did some bar hopping math.

In the PI, one is “not required” to buy your companion a drink when you enter a bar. My wife is not a drinker and often carries a bottled water into the bar and I buy a beer. Average price in AC for 1 San Miguel is 80 pesos ($1.78). Every bar we went into in Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza and Patpong required that I purchase 1 drink and 1 drink for my wife. Two Singha’s in each bar averaged 180 baht each ($5.47) or 360 Baht ($10.94) for both.

Ten bars in Bangkok cost me $109.40 whereas Ten Bars in AC cost me $17.80 and even if the bars forced me to buy my companion a drink in each PI bar the cost would only be $35.60

The cost for street food was reasonable however I felt eating in restaurants was much more expensive than another big city such as Manila.

Data on Numbeo indicates all Cost of living is lower in The Philippines.

Cost Of Living Comparison Between Thailand And Philippines

Consumer Prices in Philippines are 13.97% lower than in Thailand
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Philippines are 24.58% lower than in Thailand
Rent Prices in Philippines are 55.22% lower than in Thailand
Restaurant Prices in Philippines are 7.21% lower than in Thailand
Groceries Prices in Philippines are 21.35% lower than in Thailand
Local Purchasing Power in Philippines is 10.31% lower than in Thailand

Alot of Media censorship there now. We had access to satellite TV in our Hotel which caters mostly to Foreigners. Of the 400 Channels, 2 were other than Thai, both were Nat Geo Channels, No Foreign News Channels like CNN. In the PI, virtually every TV Channel is in English and TV shows/movies/news mainly from the US.

I've been south, (Mindanao) and never had a problem, however i wouldn't go to extreme south western islands of Mindanao. There are many places in the states where I wouldn’t go as well.

As far as crime, when one compares PI to Thailand, some categories on Numbeo are actually higher than the PI and others are not that much higher than Thailand.

PI is far more Expat friendly when dealing with Immigration/Visa requirements.

I do admire anyone who can drive on the other side of the road than i'm used to.

My thoughts are spend time in both places then decide which is bests for you.

We both enjoyed our visit to Thailand. We hope to return for a visit again in the coming years.


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## expatuk2015 (Jan 12, 2015)

As a UK ExPat and already living here in the Philippines I may be Biased.
But having met my wife on one of the first Internet dating sites Back in 2001 and then travelling to the Philippines to meet her Face to Face and then marry her I must say I may be one of the Lucky ones !
My first intro into the Corruption here in the Philippines when I arrived in 2001 was the Baggage ticket collectors at the arrivals exit they tried to demand money from me and several others for letting me go with my Baggage, I had been pre warned about this and asked them if I could take a photo of their id badges etc and they let me go !
thats was just the start ! but then again like Thailand corruption is part of everyday life here in the philippines.
Apart from that the philippines is a lovely country , the people are very friendly , mind you they think all foriegners are rich !!
My wife being an ex Philippines Government Employee wont stand for any nonsense from anyone !
she may be small but nobody will cheat her !!
we retired here in 2011 we bough a second hand van to travel around in, and last year we started
to rebuild our home and add more sea defences and generally improving things as our pensions allow us to.
Life here is good ,laid back, everybody always smiling !.
food is cheap,dining out is also cheap compared to the UK-Paris-and Rome !
if you do decide the Phillipines is going to be your destination , you wont regret it !
Providing you stick to the " ****** Rules "
Keep out of Manila at night, stick to the Malls if you need to go shopping unless you have a Filipino
guide ! dont give Money to beggars ! you may only see 1 or 2 but if you give money you suddenly
find there are more !! if You need to get a driving Licence, Do not use a fixer under any circumstances even if a Filipino friend tells you to ! A driving licence only cost a few hundred pesos
if you do it your self ! ok it may take longer even days to get your licence but by using a fixer you
going to have to pay a lot more and most of the money will go to him and him and him etc
the LTO employees !
Like Thailand the Philippines has it good points and its bad points but in my View the Good points in the Philippines far outweigh the bad points !!
All I would like to say now is welcome to the Philippines !!


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## samtheman32 (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks for the info and I know that who-where in the world is perfect. Is it easy to find a Filipino girlfriend who speaks good English and is not a bar girl or working in the red light areas? Where is a good place to look for a Filipino girlfriend?


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## sunandsands (Feb 4, 2015)

Both?  Well, having lived in Thailand for 2 years and have only been here in the PI twice for a month long vacation, I really couldn't compare it as of yet. These are two different countries with distinct features which are both amazing. I love how Thailand's culture and tradition are expressed everywhere. Thais are polite and hospitable, whereas Filipinos are more outgoing and fun-loving. They have a great sense of humor and communication never became a problem.


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## mrbobo (Dec 11, 2014)

You are about 100 times more likely to get whacked in Angeles City than in any place in Thailand. There have been a number of murders of Westerners there in the past couple of years. A couple of westerners, in two different incidents, were shot recently while walking down the street after leaving a bar. They pull up on a motorbike, shoot you in the head, grab your wallet, and drive off, the whole thing takes about thirty seconds. One guy got wacked in the same manner a couple of weeks ago after taking some cash out of an ATM in the middle of the afternoon on a busy crowded street. Many of these murders never make the newspaper, for obvious reasons, and most never get solved. A couple of months ago a bunch of "fake" police officers went into the Lewis Grand hotel, one of the biggest in Angeles City, at 1 am and robbed all the tourists that were there and robbed people as they returned to the hotel, again unsolved. A common practice in AC is for cops to raid the bars under the guise of looking for underage bar girls and then extorting the westerners that they take back to the station. In my opinion Angeles City is a place to be avoided if you value your life.


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## kingrulzuk (Jan 19, 2010)

Another vote for Philippines.

I found my partner online on <Snip>. She from the north Luzon but working in HK. I can say one can find lots of girls online most of them all after money and a good life.
But there are few who are looking for a good future and own family.

I have been in Thailand and I will say it’s not that cheap. Some Thai people do speak English but in Philippines everyone does.

Like most Asian countries there are good and bad things as long as you don’t mix with wrong people.

So how much you get from your rent? Also keeping in mind the exchange rates goes up and down.


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## mrbobo (Dec 11, 2014)

A shopping mall may be a good start!


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mrbobo said:


> You are about 100 times more likely to get whacked in Angeles City than in any place in Thailand. There have been a number of murders of Westerners there in the past couple of years. A couple of westerners, in two different incidents, were shot recently while walking down the street after leaving a bar. They pull up on a motorbike, shoot you in the head, grab your wallet, and drive off, the whole thing takes about thirty seconds. One guy got wacked in the same manner a couple of weeks ago after taking some cash out of an ATM in the middle of the afternoon on a busy crowded street. Many of these murders never make the newspaper, for obvious reasons, and most never get solved. A couple of months ago a bunch of "fake" police officers went into the Lewis Grand hotel, one of the biggest in Angeles City, at 1 am and robbed all the tourists that were there and robbed people as they returned to the hotel, again unsolved. A common practice in AC is for cops to raid the bars under the guise of looking for underage bar girls and then extorting the westerners that they take back to the station. In my opinion Angeles City is a place to be avoided if you value your life.


Gentlemen, I'm going to jump in here one time only.

I agree that Angeles is a very dangerous place. We live close to that area and stay abreast of events through the local PNP (not in Angeles) as well as Harry The Horse.

Thailand also has it's danger zones that rival Angeles in many cases.

Point is here, Inflammatory posts are not permitted or tollorated at any time for any reason and are cause for people involved in them to loose membership on the site. 

I'll reopen this thread in a bit but know this; the Philippines page is my sand box. If Y'all can't play nice, then take your toys home and come back tomorrow!



NUF SAID:boxing:!!

Jet Lag


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

I lived in the Philippines for almost 4 years and visited Thailand 3-4 times a year during that time (my father's wife is Thai and they lived there on and off during that time) so I got to experience some of life in both. These are just my thoughts and opinions, so take them for what theyre worth.

I think the infrastructure in Thailand is many times better than in the Philippines. I think there are more highways, more stable power, more western style amenities and the hospitals are better. I had to have some back surgery a few years ago and they couldnt do it in the Philippines. I went to Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok and I was in and out in 3-4 days.

Thailand is also more expensive. My rule of thumb was anything costing 1000 pesos in the PI (around $22.73) costs around 1000 baht ($30.30) in Thailand. This isnt a hard and fast rule, just something I noticed during my travels.

Foreign products to me seemed to be more available in Thailand than the Philippines. By that I mean Vegemite for the Australians, Pace Picante sauce for the Americans, etc. The beer selection on average is better in Thailand than in the Philippines. There are always exceptions (like the Hobbit House in Manila had an EXCELLENT selection of beers the last time I went), but if you like Chang or San Mig Light, you're good to go.

As mentioned previously, English is WIDELY spoken in the Philippines, even in the provinces, so you should be able to find someone to communicate with should you have any problems. In Thailand, English isnt taught nearly as much, so Thai English speakers arent nearly as prevalent. You could still probably find someone in the Thai countryside who speaks some English, but it will probably take longer to find them.

You can meet girls in either country outside the red light districts and bars. Non-bar girls work in the malls, hospitals, restaurants and cell phone stores. There are also dating websites specializing in both Thailand and the Philippines.

Most of the Filipinas I dated before getting married were expected by their families to help out financially (meaning from you). I never heard of that with Thais, but in Thailand some families expect a dowry before getting married (which is then usually, but not always, returned to the newly married couple so they can buy a house).

Scams and violence against foreigners can happen in either country; anything thats happened in Angeles City has probably happened in Pattaya too.

To get another feel for guys living in both countries, I would recommend going to Youtube and search for retirecheapjc who is an American living in Thailand. He makes videos comparing different places to live in Thailand, how much housing, transportation, food, etc costs. Watch a few of his videos then do a search for lifebeyondthesea for an American who is living in the Philippines and who covers some of the same topics from the Philippine perspective.

Hope this helped and good luck!


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

samtheman32 said:


> I have just put up a post on the Thailand forum asking about what it's like to live in Thailand if you are a UK ex-pat. I have lived in London ,Auckland and Sydney and brought up in The South Of England and just had my first trip to Thailand. I was told that the Philippines is also nice but I have never been. As have a mild learning difficulty I struggle in the UK. I just love the hot sunny weather and being by the sea and having a more chilled out lifestyle. It would also be good to try and find a local girlfriend. One who is not a bar girl or woking in the red light area.
> I just wonder which is better Thailand or Philippines and how easy and difficult it is living out here? What are the pros and cons? How easy is it to make friends and find a girlfriend.
> I rent out a flat in the UK and I found out the other day that my rent money I get is enough for me to live well off in Phuket.
> Any info would be great.




I have just recently married and settled down in the Philippines and I absolutely love it here but I have also spent an extended amount of time in Thailand...particularly Southern Thailand in and around Phuket. I was not much for the city life of Phuket but very close by is a coastal resort town called Kata Beach and it is extremely laid back, peaceful and quiet with much more of an opportunity to find a regular girl as there are only a few bars, (and bar girls). Most of the more populated bar areas are a little further north up the western coast and thus leaving Kata Beach a very tranquil and relaxing area to permanently reside.

If you still like the occasional nightlife or city attractions, Kata Beach is only a very short ten to fifteen minute drive from Phuket Town.

Cost of living is very similar in both countries but I think the English speaking capabilities are better in the Philippines than they are in Thailand. Here, almost everyone speaks some English but in Thailand it is far less...especially if you get away from the tourist areas.


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