I recently shared with you the trip Lynndee, Yogi and I took to their hometown, General Santos City, in the Philippines. And the thing I now want to share is an interesting exercise in economics. You will find it amazing what one can do in the Philippines with the American dollar. Having lived my life in the US, I’m totally familiar with the cost of living and the inflationary factors that control it. But I was amazed to find how well I could live in the Philippines using American dollars as my form of payment.
Cruising down GenSan’s National Highway, on the way in from the airport.
The most surprising thing I discovered was the cost of health care in the Philippines. With all the current controversy and politics involved in the American health care system, it was a joy to be introduced to the Philippines’ system. After being there a couple of weeks, our son Yogi started coughing a lot, apparently having caught a cold, though we suspected it might be the tropical humidity and pollen that might be bothering him. But as it got worse, we decided he needed medical attention. However, it was a Friday evening so we had to take him to the emergency room. And of course, being an American and having dealt with emergency rooms, the first thing that entered my mind was what the cost involved would be. But after our surprisingly short wait to be seen, when I went to the check out to pay for his visit, I was informed that the cost would be 650.00 PHP (Philippine Peso). And that’s easy math to do the conversion with: one peso equal two American cents, thus the entire cost of seeing an emergency room doctor and the services involved came to $13.00 American! Incredible, huh? Later on, Lynndee had to go to the urgent care at the same location for the same problem and the cost was the same. Another discovery was that the cost of the prescriptions they received were nothing compared to what it would have cost in America. But after the first surprise of the emergency room and urgent care costs, that was no great surprise.
Another couple of things we took care of while there was getting her Dad a much-needed new cell phone and getting Lynndee’s eyes checked. The phone was a Samsung Smart Phone at about one-fifth of the cost it would have been here, and as for Lynndee’s eyes, she got her examination and a pair of glasses at about a third of what the US cost would have been.
One thing Lynndee has missed by being here in the US is her routine of taking care of he finger and toe nails, as in manicures and pedicures. While there, on one of our many trips to the area malls, I treated her to a mani/pedi. And the cost? 220 PHP, or $4.40. But then, even better, is the home service offered. By sending a text message, Lynndee got a manicurist to come by her Mom’s house to provide services. This is something she really misses because while living there she would get this done every-other week at the cost of 100 PHP, $2.00, including polishing. And I even had a pedicure for the first time in my life for $1.00! Also offering home delivery was a masseuse who came by and gave her a massage for 250 PHP, $5.00.
I’ll spare you the photo of my ugly footsies; here’s Lynndee’s.
Even more home services are available in the Philippines. This is the way many Filipinos make a living and survive. In the development Lynndee’s parent live in, on a daily basis vendors will come through selling either fish, fresh from the bay, of vegetables, fresh from the garden. On a weekly basis, a lady would come by and wash clothes. After our first week there, the lady came and washed not only her parent clothes, but also mine, Lynndee’s and Yogi’s for the cost of 500 PHP, or $10.00. And this was done the old-fashioned way. I remember seeing my grandmothers doing it, with an aluminum tub and a scrub board. Living in the world we now live in here, imagine that in this day and age.
Those are just a few of the economic miracles I enjoyed while on vacation. I’ll have even more to share later on when I begin telling y’all about all the eat-out journeys we made.
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It is really shocking at times to see how valuable USD is compared to currency in certain other countries. Cost of living here is quite expensive and healthcare is incredibly expensive, but so many countries charge less for health care and offer health care regardless of whether or not someone has insurance.
It sounds like our current administration could stand to take a lesson from the Philippines. It sounds like they’ve got their act together on health care.
Wow. That seems like a great deal. I’ve never been to the Philippines but it’s nice that USD goes farther there.
I am always on the look out for good travel deals – it seems like heading to the Philippines for vacation would help our money go a lot further!
Oh wow, this does seem like a deal. I need to keep the Philippines in mind as a vacation destination.
This is a very interesting post. It is very interesting to see how things cost in one country vs another! It sounds like going to the Philippines would be a great investment option!
Sounds like a nice place to visit. I’m sure it is very different than life here in the US. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your travels there.
Oh wow!! $4 for massage? That’s really amazing deal! I need to visit Philippines this year! It would be fun.
Wow, I can’t believe you only spent that much. I’m always interested in knowing how much things cost in other countries.
Things in the Philippines are cheap if you are converting it from USD, but not really if you are working here and your salary is in the Philippine currency. But I am sure that this is a beautiful country and a must visit place.
I can’t believe that yiu just spend less than 15$ for a mani pedi and massage! That is an awesome deal! Love the place as well.
Wow the difference in cost of things between here and there is really amazing! I’m glad the doctor visits didn’t break the bank.
I think it’s going to be a lot different when we actually live there and earn their currency instead of the USD that we’re used to. But as far as going there for a vacation, it’s totally affordable!
That is crazy that medical care is so cheap there. We have considered moving outside of the US. I would add this area to my list of places to live if we ever get our online gigs going the way we want.
No kidding your money will go far. That’s excellent! I’m glad, though, that nothing more serious was medically wrong with your son.
I miss having my nails done in our country . Very affordable here everything is so expensive I love your nail polish btw 🙂 , I have never been to Gen San but i heard its nice to visit or go for a road trip.
That’s crazy how cheap things are in the Phillipines!! We need to get on that bandwagon here in the US…HA!
This is also why I miss Philippines. Everything when converted from $ to Pesos is really affordable. Even the street foods are amazing for wayyy of a fraction of the cost here.
So beautiful. And the exchange rate is crazy!
WoW! 10$ for hand-washed clothes is dirt cheap! I would probably go there and feel like a millionaire with the little money I have.