Cost Of Living In Baclayon, Bohol (2011)

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• Category: Cost Of Living 2011
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Place:

Guiwanon Baclayon, Bohol, a few kilometers from Tagbilaran and a block from ocean.

Residential:

Fishermen; retail workers; students; teachers, farmers; poor, seamen, tricycle drivers, very varied! Mostly native houses, concrete construction and a very few apartment building, with a few resorts and fancy houses along coast. Lots of sari-sari stores, a local, new gas station and Chinese auto dealership; chapels. Apartment is just off main road so easy to get public transport. Noisy roosters, lots of kids. Friendly people. Historic in Baclayon - church, etc. We are half-way between Baclayon and Tagbilaran, but no retail in Baclayon, really. Quiet and residential. Well, quiet for the PH, that is!

Kind Of Residence:

Apartment, two floors, two beds, up, 1 bath and small kitchen down, dirty kitchen out back and 10x20 garden area. Plenty room for two people. Concrete block construction, clean bldg, two years old. Owned by seaman and teacher.

Rent:

6K Pesos per month and moved in February 2010, Two people.

Electric:

Around 1K/mo. some brown outs, no generator, no air cons, one refrigerator, one fan, one T.V, one computer, no big stereo. Plastic washing machine/spinner.

Gas Costs:

LPG - two med. bottles/year maximum less than P500/yr. I think.

Water:

60 to 100 pesos per month. Buy bottled water: 30 to 50P/bottle.

Communications:

Slow internet Wifi, can't get land-line connection for Internet as no lines avail here. Two Cell phones, maybe P200/mo. Internet Cafes in Tagbilaran, Guiwanon isn't covered very well for good reception.

Clothing:

Not in the budget.

Helper(s): - none

Groceries:

local market for most veggies=P300-500/week. Mall super market for other stuff: Spend about 13K/month for food for two. Not cheap. Not getting fat!

Entertainment:

none to speak of. Occasional dessert at coffee place. I want some now!

Eating Out:

Rare. P150-300/person, or street food for much less. I dont do street food. Haven't had food poisoning yet, or the runs!!!

Car Expenses:

no car

Jeep or Multicab:

7 Pesos/trip into Tagbilaran, 50Pesos from there to home if you take a tricycle. Otherwise 7P = 14P round trip. Cheap!

Travel Expenses:

Can fly out of Tagbilaran. P800 fast ferry to Cebu. (hour and a half)

Allowance:

college: P4500/mo. includes tuition, books, 2 meals usually and transportation. He makes about P3K/month playing in intramurals, which helps his OJT expenses, 1 visit to parents in Mindanao, etc. Sometimes we use for our expenses.

FAMILY MEMBERS - 1partner.

Medical Expenses:

no health insurance for me (66), partner has some hospitalization, not Phil Health., Spend P5 to 6K/mo on meds and Drs. and more on Vitamins and supplements I order from USA. Doctor visits 300 to P350/visit in Tagbilaran. Blood tests, depend - P1K to 2K usually. Spending travel money on this line item!

Misc:

Not much, as you see. Maybe P2K/month, depending.

Visa Renewals:

Under table P10K for a year! Otherwise a lot more. Lucked out, I hope. That was for 13 months. Need to leave and come back soon. Keeping fingers crossed!

Total Living Expenses:

P30K to P33K, depending on exchange rate. Tight but doable. Waiting for partner to graduate and get a good job in year and a half, if I'm still alive! This ISN'T a wise way to retire and then get a major disease on top of it! Oh well. Makes one look at what life is really about! :)

Ron Bohol