ExpatsRetirement Plan/Thailand or The Philippines?/You Decide!@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234 I discuss the pros and cons of both living in the Philippines and Thailand with my friend, A.J A J Channel / @thailife2122
I’ve lived n Bangkok for 6 years and this past week we moved into our new house in the Thai countryside, Sisaket province. What I didn’t hear in this interview was how much of Thailand have you explored. I’ve not been to Phuket but I know it to be a major tourist destination. There might be a different Thai vibe in other locations. Whatever you choose is OK though.
@@ShadyD365 What puts me off a house or land in Thailand is that I can't own it. Whatever I have I want it to be in my name, so that means a Condo which I can legally own.
@@exnihilo415 you can own house in you name. Just never land. You can build and have a 25 year perpetually renewing lease. You can have friend or a set of people you select you own land with you having all rights to build and modify the land itself from your property. Basically anything in or on the land is yours but the site will also have a local partner. But hey this is just for educational purposes.
@@mentorinspired I don’t really own it if I don’t own the land. Hard nope. I’ll buy a condo or just rent until I die. Zero interest in these legal games or local partners.
I love both Thailand and the Philippines but I always find it much easier to communicate with the Filipinos...even in Thailand I had more Pinoy friends than Thai... I find Thai nice and kind but closed as a shell !
Very insightful interview, this is the content that motivates me to hopefully take that leap and move to the Philippines to retire. The US is terrible right now, so many unhappy people and so much division
Having traveled extensively in both countries, I personally prefer Thailand. Phuket is by far and away the most expensive place to stay and/or live in Thailand too, so there's that. As many have already said, both countries have thier respective pluses and minuses. 🇹🇭🇵🇭
Thailand's food and infrastructure and access to more modern things is certainly tempting for sure. However, as with all modern things that means it will cost more and somone on a fixed income would possibly burn through more of that monthly check than they would in the Philippines. I am wondering if a location in Thailand can be found that is not as expensive as Phuket but has a similar laid back beach or mountain vibe.
Having only limited experience in both countries. I would choose the Philippines to live if I was married or looking to settle down. Thailand when I went was a mans dream destination with the Nightlife in Bangkok and Pattaya. Did go for a few short visits to the countryside but the language becomes a problem. And why settle on 1 if the Philippines is cheaper live there and visit Thailand a few times a year.
Big difference between accomodation and food costs...Thailand way better...with food quality and cost..No comparison...Philippines is.....different...but more expensive overall....but lovely people.
Agree, Thailand better Accom, Food, cost & ease of living. I'd also add safety & internet speed in general. For me, Thai is the better base and easy to fly to Phi from BKK to explore.
@@gangstagummybear3432 Both Phi & Thai are amazing for different & some of the same reasons. It depends on the individual 'fit". Certainly a fair share of neanderthal Westerners in both.
After you hit 60... for sure, go where your heart is treated best. It's all about life experiences and the people around you when you get older...IMO that is.
When I’m in ph I feel like when I was a kid with lots of freedom for summertime fun surrounded by people that love and care for me. It’s simplistic but I don’t question it because I love it there and can’t wait to come cack.
Most expats living in Thailand who take the time to learn the Thai language, never want to live anywhere else. This is the only way you can get to the true Thailand and its people. We love when foreigners try to speak our language. You don't have to be fluent just need to know how to carry simple conversations.❤
Our countries should get rid of these immigrants from warmonger Western nations. They are the advanced parties for their planned war vs China where they will use ASEAN and East Asian people as proxies.
I live in Pampanga Philippines and enjoy it here but I have a wife from here and family here and that swayed our decision for Philippines. However, if I was single guy it would be Thailand all day, for many of the reasons you both discussed. Food is way better, as is infrastructure, security, and it's cleaner. I love Philippines but Thailand beats them in almost every category.
I enjoyed this vlog mainly because I am a Filipino who lived in Thailand for almost 9 years. I also like Thailand very much and have many Thai friends. I very much understand your observation. Although, I believe there is still a lot we need to know. Needless to say, in any country you will meet good and bad people. If you let people take advantage of you, chances are they will rip you off.
Can't compare Phuket to the rest of Thailand. It's beautiful but more expensive and geared toward tourists, that changes the locals aswell. Thai people are different away from Phuket,from what I gather very much like Philippines. Lovely people where I live in Jomtein.
@@paulinthephilippinesolddog9234 you need to travel all of Thailand, not just Phuket to make judgement on whole country. It's far different in many areas
As cool weather lovers we want to check cities in Latin America like Antigua, Cuenca, Arequipa, Buenas Aires, etc….but we also hope to check out Baguio City.
Paul, you are very interesting to sit and listen to. Both you and AJ are pretty damned smart and cool with great advice. Thanks for the fantastic information and entertainment!
Good video :) And paul. I wouldn't avoid making videos just because people have done them already. Often times the people who follow you are interested in YOUR opinion or multiple opinions. That and sometimes things change so people want to see a newer video based thats more current and up to date.
I'm 48 living in the UK, and plan to retire either to Thailand or Philippines. For that reason I'm learning to speak Thai. My intention is to be fluent in Thai by the time I retire, so that I can comfortably live in Thailand. Of course if I decude to live in the Philippines where English is spoken, I can still bounce back and forth to Thailand for short holidays. I think being able to speak the native language gives you much more options 👍
People say a negative of the Philippines is food but you can find great food there from the markets then cook it yourself, or get s girl to do it. Restaurants are better in Thailand but you can buy just as good food in the Philippines
This is the best way you can get to know the true Thailand and its people. We love when foreigners try to speak our language. You don't have to be fluent just need to know how to carry simple conversations.❤
i made a similar trip to cebu etc back in 2007 with the idea of maybe moving there i was staying in phuket at the time, but decided i much preferred thailand largely because of the broken down state of everything one night i was walking home from a mall down a dark road and i stepped into a hole in the road that ripped my trousers glad i wasn't on a motorbike
AJ mentioned visiting the coastline on the Pacific side of Luzon. There's a young expat named Asher Curri living with his wife on the Pacific coast of Luzon in Dingalan, Aurora. It's south of the surfing town of Baler, Aurora. Very rural with very little western amenities but lots of raw, natural beauty. Doubt AJ will get there though since his trip up in Luzon seems to be just a quick one.
I love the people of both countries with a caveat. Tourist areas of Thailand are overcrowded and some of the locals are just not that friendly. And prices in the tourist areas can be a lot more expensive. A lot of the tourists in Thailand are rude and misbehave. The infrastructure of Thailand , especially in Bangkok, shows what is lacking in the Philippines. Hospitals and malls in Thailand beat the Philippines hands down. Traffic in Bangkok and Manila are both horrendous, but Bangkok has an incredible mass transit system. The Philippines doesn't even come close. Not sure if I could drive in the populated areas of Thailand. At 67 I don't think I could acclimate myself to driving on the left had side of the road. And the motorbikes present a real hazard. Driving the wrong way on streets, on sidewalks, and I've even seen someone drive through a bar. And there they assume they have the right of way, not the pedestrians. Obviously, it is easier to communicate with Filipinos, as they learn English as a second language. And Taglish is very common. Both countries have monsoon seasons. Many areas in both countries have flooding problems that are bound to get worse, not better. Even though I have a Filipina mate (going on 15 years), both of us would love to move to Thailand. BUT, and here is the rub. Take a look at the air quality. For three to four months a year, almost all of Thailand has extremely poor air quality. And while motorbikes, cars and trucks in the cities contribute to the problem. The real culprit is the burning season. Usually, around February through April fields are burned to make way for the planting season. And all the countries surrounding Thailand participate. So Thailand not only has to deal with the pollution they cause, but the wind brings in the smoke from the surrounding countries. Right now Chiang Mai, a beautiful area of Thailand has the most polluted air in the world. Take a look at the air quality yourself. www.iqair.com/us/air-quality-map
I guess it is accurate to use Bangkok as a showing of "infrastructure" being that nearly 80% of the urbanized area of the country is within Bangkok; shout out to "better" Thailand infrastructure.
As an Asian American who has had a lot of success, fun times and happiness growing up in America, I love to see Americans retire in my motherland in SE Asia and enjoy their retirement in paradise. I feel like I owe it to you. Enjoy.
I have been to both and I was settled on ph till I want to Thailand however there is one huge factor to consider and that is in Thailand you are forced to learn another language if you want move around freely and have fewer headaches. Most of ph speakers good English so you can get away with only learning the pleasantries, at least in the larger centres.
I am living in Cebu now and i like Thailand a lot.. Ive been there for 3 years working.. Cheap food, seven eleven stores are everywhere and lots of choices... But people in Thailand are not so friendly..
IF there is a chance that I’d try to live in the Philippines again, I’d probably live in Angeles City and fly to Thailand once or twice a year out of Clark.
Great B. S. session , Paul It seems that what a person wants and needs . In my younger days it was women , whisky , and weather . Now , in the 70 club I am down to weather . But it sounds like a win , win issue in most places in the Southeast Asia . As they say "The Lunatics have taken over the Nut House ". in the West . WW3 . Maybe religion may play a part in some countries . Sabbatical travels was interesting , thanks Paul .
@Paul I love you Man. Please please please, buy a new mic, or get a mic with "wind protection" to mute out the wind. Great interview, getting close to 100k sub, keep it up man.
Have you ever tried Starlink (internet) in the Philippines? If it's applicable over there, how is the installation/speed of the internet? If you do have it (or planning to do so) will you make a vlog out of it (including the installation/searching for the satellite signal & the speed)? Thanks.
The quality of housing/ Condos in the Philipines is rubbish. In Thailand you get twice as much living space twice the quality for half the price. Infrastructure in Thailand is 3 times better. Food in the Philipines is very expensive in the Supermarkets. Cheaper in the UK. Medical expenses are cheaper here in the Philippines but the quality of care is far behind that of Thailand. The main reason I stay here is that most people speak English. Not sure that's going to be enough to keep me here though
If it is only because of language then maybe go to other countries where you feel you are comfortable with or are able to adapt to easily, and wherein people speak the same language as yours. Many countries to consider, why live in the Philippines when you know it is not up to your standards? I miss the laid back and happy life in the Philippines even if there is a lot less in terms good material things compared to other countries. I guess Philippines is not for foreigners who are from developed countries and who are used to fast paced and advanced lifestyle.
Didn’t touch on the factor of Visa requirements. If you are fortunate enough to have a spare $20k for the Thai retirement visa, would this be a game changer for some or most people in choosing between Philippines and Thailand???
Im a bit curious what is really important for retires. - both Thailand and PH are way cheaper than your country of origin. But, does it matter a few hundred savings in housing cost in Thailand than in the PH? - retiring means probably living alone. But, is it to boring if you dont have anyone to talk to because of language barrier. Is it still important to gain local friends? Would it be possible if you cant understant each other? - medical services. Thailand might have more world class hospital but Ph is not far behind especially in major cities. Filipino nurses are known worldwide for their caring and all are trained in Ph so you can get the same service. A lot of PH Doctors are also trained abroad / US. Medical cost is also cheaper in PH. - Since, you are living alone. Is it nice if you have helper / maid that will do cleaning, laundry and cooking for you? You can have one for only USD 150 - 200 a month in PH. - Foods. Thai has better foods. PH foods are heavily influenced by American and Spanish so its no longer unique as compared to Thai and you might find it boring. - transpo / infra..thai has the edge. But with your age are you still planning to travel frequently?
Been watching your channel for quite awhile now and really enjoy it.... I live in Brazil and I actually think there are some similarities...although language can be a little more difficult here. My cost of living seems to be the same or even less than what it is there. I rent a large house that even has another smaller house on the property for 300 USD a month. In another video, you were talking about how nice the Phillipine people are...while Brazilians can have their quirks, the are extremely nice and welcoming people too. I think the culture shock might be easier here... Wondering what your 'crazy people' (I being one of them) think about that....
Why Thailand is more attractive to the westerners is clear. They have lived their lives from day 1 in good infrastructured- surroundings, fast-paced way of living and daily transactions, good food, not that the western food is the best food, it is good but also because it's easily found in the many western restaurants in Thailand plus of course the appetizing Thai food. The west is lacking in patience culture and is geared more on living the easy life and to its best as possible. Thailand offers all of these factors. But the Philippines can show them that life is not always to be lived perfectly, it is good to live with the virtue of patience and smiling genuinely even during the hard times. Filipinos are good at this since perhaps they are stuck with it anyway, so many of them. The good spirited Filipinos and their ok English ability. This is not to say that a western lifestyle can't be had in the Philippines. There's at least 2 world class cities I know, Makati and BGC and there's a lot of expat residents there and growing. Other cities in the south, I have no clue.
The people in the Philippines are more fun, the Thais are much more business minded. The never ending chismis and the shenanigans with all the ate's and kuya's are a source of eternal hilarity.
If you do love party and woman, and drugs,Thailand is your place,but if you want more conservative life to retire,and friendliest speaking English country , then consider the Philippines,I would say rather have Christian people around me,not to offend ,someone in Thailand,I rather be in my own faith,and happy with my religious belief
I paid $170 per month for a full size apartment in Jomtian Pattaya in the Maldives Beach Resort for 40 days with a 25 min walk to beach. $600+ is nuts to me. Those islands youre on do not represent Thailand at all.
seems like every time the cola goes up so does these vlog opinions how how much you need to live in se asia ,i think if you can find a decent place to live cheap you can economize still in both places on less than a thousand
Honesty among the general population is also a major difference. Forget your cell phone or even your wallet most anywhere in Thailand and it will be there when you come back for it. In the Philippines, it will be long gone.
This guy can not compare Cebu City to Dumaguete at all Cebu in my opinion is much better than Dumaguete Particularly the facilities to travel anywhere and tickets prices
Paul Im in Thailand right now. 100 PERCENT love it But the air quality is scary bad. Its so bad I almost booked a flight to cebu city after being here 3 days. Im going to phuket with the hopes the air is better. My mouth has a film in it from the air pollution. I Guess im just sensitve to it
My Filipina wife and I have lived in USA for over 20 years. Been to Philippines a few times for short vacations. This year we will both be retired and will try 90 days this winter in the Philippines. I really hope I like it because USA is totally changing. Getting very expensive, very political and divided, high crime, and no common sense. Very upside down. See you in winter of 2023 Philippines!
I was married to a Philippina back in the days, and I liked it there. Now I am married to a Thai woman, and was planning to retire there. But if things get sour, I have a plan B. And that plan include the Philippines. But, and that's a big BUT! From what I can see, it is cheaper to rent a modern apartment in a reasonable new condo in Bangkok than in in Dumaguete and much cheaper the more you get out of the busiest areas and in to the rural areas. And in Manila and Cebu the rent price is hideous expensive when comparing to Bangkok! This is from checking online this week. Phuket is one of 2 "no-go-zones" in Thailand for me other than a short visit. And the taxi drivers are pure mafia! The other one is central Pattaya, but the outskirt is okay. Chiang Mai is normally not really cold at all. But in the surrounding mountains in the Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai area, there is a cooler climate. That's why most of the potatoes, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage and so on is grown there in the so called winter season. Lot of people in the tourist areas don't smile as often as in the rural areas or in smaller towns. That's because they are not from there.English is widely understood lots of places in the biggest cities even if they are not typical tourist destinations. But even if I at this moment would continue to stay in Thailand, the Philippines is a very good number 2. And as mentioned, if things in Thailand gets sour, I go and check out Philippines first. Because the differences between the 2 countries isn't that big all in all. Because Dumaguete, and Valencia in special was a paradise back in the mid 90's.
Your research on the cost of a reasonable condo was eye opening to me. Hard to believe that Bangkok Thailand is CHEAPER than Manila and Cebu. I just assumed that everything in the Philippines was automatically cheaper than Thailand, lol. This tells me that no matter where one choses to retire they still must do their research and understand the actual costs involved as its not alwasy as black and white as it may seem from watching many of these channels.
@@MichaelBuck It came as a shock to me that Bangkok could be cheaper than Manila and Cebu. And the areas in Bangkok was in 5-15 minutes walking distance from a BTS Skytrain station which is the largest mass transport system in the city. But bear in mind that this was condo for rent on internet by realtors. From what I have seen the amount of condo and houses for rent on internet by realtors is much higher in Thailand than in the Philippines. So the picture might be different if you use Facebook and driving around looking and asking people more in the Philippines than in Thailand. Because I have seen smaller houses and apartments on YT videos where the price in smaller cities near the largest ones in Philippines can compete with Thailand. If you do some research bear in mind that 10 000 THB equals approx. 15 800 PHP. The cheapest fully furnitured 35+ sqm. condo in Bangkok with 1 bedroom,1 bath, lift, swimmingpool, fitnes room, security, parking, BBQ area +++, you can get as cheap as 7 000 THB, but usually goes for 10-15 000 THB. Which equals 11 000 PHP for the cheapest, and approx. 16-24 000 PHP for the most part.
@@MichaelBuck there are plenty of condos in Makati City that are the same as Bangkok’s. I believe they compared the condo rental with BGC which is on the high-end. Makati City’s condo rentals are more affordable. And it is better to deal directly with the owners of the condo for rent. That way, there is no more broker’s fee to be added to the cost. If you like a particular condo building, go straight to the Admin office and ask for a list of units for rent. Some owners leave their contact numbers at the Admin office.
They are both great places. If your primary consideration is cheap cost of living, healthcare or dining options, I would choose Thailand. If your main considerations involve people speaking English, welcoming environment or easy immigration/visa rules, then Philippines is where you need to be.
And the weather is heaps better in the Philippines there are places where it gets cool in Thailand it's bloody hot 10 months of the year Dec and Jan perfect
@@philliproberts7294 there are also places it’s gets cool at altitude in Philippines. Both countries are hot. And Philippines is the worlds worst country for typhoons. Choose your island carefully if you plan to live in Philippines.
Philippines commodities is way much economical or cheaper in Thailand plus more joy communicating to locals because there is no language barrier . .Philippines culture are mixed Asian and Wertern particularly Amerian culture .
@@meanneperea8031 Every SE Asian country has extremely mixed culture. I love the beaches and ocean of the Philippines. But for living, it's 100% better in Thailand. And especially the food! Both are good considerations though
I thought AJ had an interesting insight when he said Filipinos were in survival mode. I lived in the Philippines for a couple of years and only know Thailand through the Thais that I have met in Los Angeles. I feel that Filipinos are very laid back and family oriented and, often don't feel good about their country. But, are very culturally oriented around the province they come from. Thais seem to have a sense of superiority and pride in their nation...a little more aggressive.
For me - it would be the language that would put the one over the other. -- An easy daily experience that makes life easier and less stressful I would think. -- Best of luck wherever !
It always feels good to see a good friend. This was a great sit down interview. However, I didn’t find Thai food tasty nor appealing but am willing to try the best ones. Mr AJ here didn’t mention nor elaborate which Thai food is fantastic because I want to buy that food at the Thai restaurant near me. But that his opinion and I am entitled to my own as well!! I’m from Manila and our food here is way better as well, but I won’t dare to compare it to another country nor other provinces since everybody’s tastebuds are different. Have a great day guys!! 😊👍👍🙌
You have to come to Thailand to eat real Thai foods,take a look at this clip ..The BEST THAI FOOD You MUST Try In 2023 (Travel Guide) from: Paddy Doyle
Very interesting vlog I went to Phuket 6 times for work and loved it my original plan when I retired was to over winter in Thailand but the difficulty of getting visas put me off and lead me to the Philippines you didn’t touch on the visa comparisons in the vlog it would have been interesting to hear Ajay’s views on that
I stayed in a village outside of Phayao in the north of Thailand. 10 minutes from the city of about 500k people. Not a tourist area but nice. Nice city park with mountain views and big lake. Also not far away is a reservoir with some mountain view's very nice. Only saw a couple foreigners the whole time I was there for almost a month. I think it's about an hour and a half from Chiang Rai. Maybe it's between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. Anyway it has a university there there's quite a bit of stuff it's not set up for tourism but it's really nice and it's cooler. I would imagine it's very cheap to live there. When I went to the Philippines I stayed in Cebu for 2 days and spent most of my time in Dalagute. It was ok . I will say the only thing better in the Philippines is the language and ability to stay longer
Always emphasize sharp like 8 PM sharp. Then make sure you serve the food at 8 PM sharp and leave crumbs to the latecomers. Next party you invite them to, they will be on time. As to appointments, leave the latecomers behind. For Catholic church weddings, the invitation usually indicates a time that is 30 minutes earlier than the actual time because the priests start on time whether or not the bride and groom are there.😋
Hi Paul !! I believe that the main reason for better infrastructure in other Asian countries VS the PH is that they are 1 land mass where the PH has over 7000 islands, making it so much more challenging getting supplies ,equipment ,emergency responce etc, everything needs to be done either by boat or plane(if there is a suitable airport ) !! To have every piece of equipment needed on most of the islands , is just too cost prohibited !! Just my little brain fart thoughts !! God bless you both !! ♥
Better food better medical / there is a certain atmosphere of long term American influence not so much in Thailand unless you visit the Thai military and air bases there you can see some influence
I'm a bit surprised to hear someone saying the Philippines is cheaper but I think that's because it's being compared to Phuket. A $250 apartment in Pattaya will be nice with pools, a 2 dollar meal will be good, used scooters, motorcycles and cars easy to find good quality and buy. IMO you can live in both locations on $1500 easy but housing, food, transport, internet, power supply, healthcare, etc will all be of higher quality in Thailand. If wanting a GF I'd just bring her from the Philippines. She can fly home anytime the wants for a hundred bucks.
Philippines is a bit bland compared to Thailand. In PH it’s coffee shops and chain restaurants. Thailand has more Mom n Pop restaurants and you can eat the street food. Next nightlife and meeting women. In Thailand there’s walk up street bars everywhere often with Thai women hanging out there, also go go bars so I would say it’s much easier to meet women in a casual setting. Here in PH (BGC and Cebu) I haven’t even seen a single walk up bar or pub. I’ve only seen bars attached to restaurants. My understanding in PH if you want to meet women you do so online then meet up for coffee.
I like your videos Paul. I considered phil but other reasons have me in Thailand. The infrastructure. I recently went on a trip 200 km north of BKK and had internet all the way. electricity is not a problem. food wise having spent only a little time in Phil i would say Thai food far outweighs and certainly public transport in bangkok is very good. Roads are in the main good as well. The visa situation and having to report to Thai immigration every 90 days makes Phil a hands down winner there. The language is also a great plus in phil.
If not for finding a filipina I think Thailand would out weight the Philippines. Overall I think Thailand has more to offer. With that said, I would not live in the touristy cities in Thailand. Also I am finding the cost of living in the Philippines is going up a lot in the last year. Property, houses, rent and food have gone up quite a bit.
Hi Paul & AJ, I have lived in both countries in the past & the best method I found that I applied was to find a balance of choices. The question is, what are my plans for the future & requirements. Remember you are a pensioner, everything changes, so base your choices on that. Greeting Thailand.
You need to interview me. I've lived in Manila, Dumaguete, Cebu City, and Davao City There's no good beaches in Dumaguete either unless you go to Siquijor Island
