Many people "shy away" from spelling out exactly what it costs to live here, since people's personal expenses vary so widely, and I get that. However, some of my loyal fans (hi!!) have asked "is it cheap or what?". Answer: yes. (In approx US dollars)
Movies:
3.00Beer: 1.00
mixed drinks that aren't "call" liquor: 2.00-3.00
call drinks: 4.00- 6.00 (for some fancy concoction like a desert martini)
dinner for one at a mall chain resto: 4-6.00
an entire night of drinking and eating at a bar/ resto for two: 25.00
taxi for about 1-2 miles: 1.00 (minimum for foreigners is 1.00)
bus: .20 cents
rent: 250.00-300.00 for a furnished one bedroom (varies widely, obvs)
Skincare, department store stuff: 5-10.00 for nice, name brand stuff like Body Shop or L'Oreal salon stuff (about on par with the US, just a few dollars cheaper. However, if you go drugstore, it's about .75 of what you'd pay here.)
Pedicure: 3.00, 3.50 if they use "Essie" polish
Hotel room (my most recent trip) for two nights: 60.00
Books: used books are 1.00-2.00, otherwise same as USA
magazines: US mags are actually twice as much as in the US, but otherwise about the same as in the US- 2.00-3.00
wine: this is one of the few things that as expensive, as it's rare
food: haven't the foggiest. Don't grocery shop. :) The few times I've stocked up it's about 1/2 of what it would be in the US.
Those killer shoes I post pix of: 20.00-30.00 (for high quality department store style shoes, not Payless "pleather" P.O.C shoes, either. we're talking leather, raffia, cotton, etc.)
Having your shoes resoled: for two pairs it was about 30.00, so on par with the US. (well worth it for my fave Banana Republic sandals).
using the internet at a cafe: 1.00 an hour
coffee: about 2.00 for a "tall" at Starbucks. Food at Starbucks is 2.00-4.00, so slightly less than the States but "pricey" for here.
Food from a food stand outside the mall: .25 cents for a snacker (like a thing of fries, a small burger, a thing of soup)
Food at the concession stands at work: fries, lumpia, shwarma, cokes, chips, etc .10-1.50. It's 6 peso for a 6 oz coke, which is my favorite drink. Also available for 12 p (about .25 cents) "Cheers" (they mean orange soda) "Sparkle" ( they mean sprite) and Mountain Dew, Pepsi, and Red tea (Lipton). All of this is in a retro glass bottle, by the way.
Laundry: .50 cents a kilo for next day, a bit less for two or three day service.
Spa treatments: vary, but not more than about 20.00, usually. You'd have to go to Manila and get a full on luxury package to spend more than about 50.00.
cellies: for a nice cellie, you're going to pay what you pay in the US, but for a cheapie "burner", it's about 20.00. For the minutes, you can pay 1.00-20.00, depending on how many you burn through. For me, I burn through texts like it's my job. Oh, wait, it is my job. Heh. Have to have the cellie on 24/7, or as Chris Long would say "48/7".
So now you've got an idea...
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