Living in the Philippines with 1,250 Dollar a Month – Is That Really Possible?

In my last blog post about the new SRRV visa regulations starting on September 1, 2025, there were several comments: “You can’t possibly live in the Philippines on just 1,250 Dollars".

I had written that with 1,250 - 1,500 dollars you can live quite well in the Philippines. Of course, that’s a very general statement and not applicable to everyone. If you want to own a car, eat tenderloin steak or lamb chops regularly, and open a bottle of wine every evening, then naturally you’ll need more money. But not everyone has or even wants that kind of lifestyle.

For comparison: In the United States, the average cost of living for a single person ranges between $2,500 and $3,500 per month, depending on the city. This includes housing, food, transportation, health insurance, and other basic expenses. Even in smaller towns, living on less than $2,000 per month is very difficult, and in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco, monthly costs can easily exceed $4,000. In this article, I want to show that in the Philippines—specifically at Tablas Seaview Homestay, you can live a very decent life with just 1,250 dollars per month. And not just theoretically, but based on the actual expenses of people who live here.

Living in Paradise – Tablas Seaview Homestay

At Tablas Seaview you can rent a fully furnished apartment with a balcony and sea view or right by the pool, including a kitchen, cookware, TV, and internet. Rent is 21,000 pesos plus 3,000 pesos for utilities. This already includes use of the fitness studio, saving you expensive membership fees. Once or twice a week the community also meets for yoga.

Electricity costs depend heavily on how often you use the air conditioner. Many get by very well with only occasional use and a fan, which comes to about 1,200 pesos per month.

This is Apartment A15 in Tablas Seaview Homestay

Health and Visa

I’m in my mid-40s myself and have an expat health insurance plan with a two-bed room, treatment by the head physician, and a small deductible. If I want, I can even get treatment in Germany and stay there for three months a year. That costs me less than 120 dollars per month (not including US).

By the way, an expensive long-term visa isn’t strictly necessary. The tourist visa can be extended for up to three years before you need to leave the country briefly; after that, the period starts again. Through our contacts in Manila, an agent takes care of the extension. Spread over the year, that comes to about 3,000 pesos per month.

Food and Drink

Long-term tenants at Tablas Seaview Resto receive a 10% discount. If you eat here every evening, you’ll pay about 350 pesos for a meal (e.g., currywurst with fries, Filipino curry, or burger with homemade fries), plus 120 pesos for half a liter of draft beer. That adds up to 12,690 pesos per month.

Every Sunday there’s freshly baked cake with cappuccino from our Italian coffee machine, costing 1,170 pesos per month. Additionally, we calculate 6,600 pesos for breakfast, snacks, and drinks that you prepare yourself.

Tablas Seaview Resto, homemade Pizza from the bricks oven

Leisure, Wellness, and Mobility

Once a week we treat ourselves to a visit at the Tablas Seaview Spa with sauna and massage. Cost: 1,000 pesos per visit, so 4,000 pesos per month.

You don’t need to buy a scooter—you can rent one long-term. The cost is 6,000 pesos per month, and gasoline currently costs 65 pesos per liter. With 10 liters you can drive about 500 km, so roughly 650 pesos per month.

Other Expenses

Clothing here is inexpensive: shorts, flip-flops, and T-shirts are enough. Let’s estimate 3,000 pesos per month.

A haircut costs 60 pesos. Including tip, I spend about 200 pesos for two visits per month.

Laundry service every week (wash, dry, fold): 1,170 pesos per month.

Sauna and Gym in

Category	Amount (PHP)
Housing & Utilities	25,200
Insurance & Visa	9,400
Food & Drinks	20,460
Leisure & Wellness	4,000
Mobility	6,650
Miscellaneous	4,370
Total	70,080

Exchange rate: 57 PHP / 1 USD

≈ 1,230 Dollar

Conclusion

With 1,250 – 1,500 dollars per month, you can live very comfortably at Tablas Seaview Homestay, with sea view, gym, pool, regular restaurant visits, scooter, and even a weekly spa.

If you live more frugally (cook more at home, rent a scooter only when needed, go to restaurants less often), you can also stay well under 1,250 dollars per month. Life here resembles an upscale all-inclusive vacation—but permanent, and for many people cheaper than life in US.

At the same time, don’t forget: it’s always wise to move abroad with an additional financial cushion. Unexpected expenses—such as for medical treatment, travel, or personal desires—can occur at any time. With a safety buffer, life here is much more relaxed, and you can truly enjoy life in paradise.