Advise on accommodation in Manila

Hello strekoza

While waiting for advice from members, I invite you to drop an advert of your search in the Housing in Manila section of the site.

Regards
Kenjee

Try to find a house in Ayala alabang

You need to specify your budget:

eg:
4 Bedroom House for Rent in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila
₱ 250,000 per month

and
Two storey House with Pool in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City
₱ 300,000 per month

Both "very safe area ,good security"

A bit cheaper in McKinley Place, 3 bedrooms for ₱ 160,000 per month
Or similar in Greenbelt for about ₱ 200,000 per month

Thank you for reply !
Wow, its pretty  high prices you wrote, expecially for Philippines 😨😨😨
We are family of two only with 2 dogs and i dont really need huge house or more than 2 bedrooms.

strekoza wrote:

Thank you for reply !
Wow, its pretty  high prices you wrote, expecially for Philippines 😨😨😨
We are family of two only with 2 dogs and i dont really need huge house or more than 2 bedrooms.

You need to specify your budget, so people can give you an idea of what you can get.

Those prices were the "popular" selection from one property website.  Not the cheapest or the most expensive.

Some parts of the Philippines can be expensive, depending on your lifestyle.

For example: I had a one bedroom condo in a good area for 37,000 pesos per month outside Manila, I am now back in Australia and pay the equivalent of 41,000 php per month for an almost exact sized place on the Gold Coast, with water views.  Much better, but only 10% more expensive that Manila area.

I also lived in cheaper parts of the Philippines, paying nearer 13,000 per month (1 bed with water views), but the area wasn't what I wanted.  Too quiet for me.

Those ones I quoted above would be more my style, but too expensive.  So I moved back to Australia.

Hi!
Thank you one more time!
I understand what do you mean , i've been to Manila 4 times and i also loved those nice areas you mentioned .
But to be realistic our budget will be not more than 70000 pesos
And it should be close to Makati , as the office will be there.
We own condo in Manila , but its not dog friendly and too small , thats why we need to find something.

I think you will be able to find many options within your budget of PhP70k. Have a game plan.

Generally, landlords charge a lot more from foreigners than locals. So have a Filipino friend / co-worker, preferably female, who understands what you need, to do apartment hunting for you. Why female? Because landlords warm up to them better, and they're deemed more responsible and will take care of the apartment better than males. Thus they might offer her a better price.

Have her say that she's apartment hunting for her friend and her friend's significant other. Absolutely make sure that your friend mentions to your potential landlord that you will be bringing along a dog. (How big is your dog, by the way?) Have her haggle on the rent if it's over or too close to your budget. If the rent is already low for you or well below your budget, then just get it. Have her avoid the mention of your nationality. She could just say that you are relocating  to Manila. 

When she finds one that seems to your liking and budget, go there the next day to check it out. If the rent is a lot more than what the landlord quoted for your friend, tell the landlord you can't afford and offer him / her that rent quoted to your friend or close to it. If he / she won't allow it, have your friend process the lease on your behalf. Most lease contracts state both the renters' and the landlord's nationality. But it would be difficult for the landlord to back out of the contract at this point.

Good luck on your hunt for an apartment.

Thank you so much 😀

Ayala, Alabang is a good area

Hi strekoza,

My advise would be look for listings in the internet of condo units or apartments. I'm sure there would be one that will best suit your need for a place to move in. That is how we got our place.

Regards,
Maro

Privet Strekoza.

There are 2-3 bedroom condominium units in Legazpi and Salcedo Villages from P65k to P90k.  I have a few units here in front of where I live.  But these are older buildings and not modern ones.  Some are well renovated while others are a disappointment.  Since you are planning to move in for next year and not yet now, you can just leave me a message on when are you arriving and when will you need it.

Spacibo.

Hi Strekoza

I agree with maro's advice. The best way to find a place to rent is to look on the internet.in y own Opinion I would pick Makati or mandaluyong for a place to Live .
Actually by next year we will also move a house but with in makati only. We look condos and apartment in the internet and there are some interesting units in Tivoli with the price range of 25000 with two bed rooms and some of them are fully furnished. They  also have playground for kids and gym for fitness . The things is I'm  not sure if they allowed pets
Anyway These are the list of website where you can look a place to rent here in Manila
lamudi.com
Moveinthecity
Olx.com
sulit.com

Hi Guys
the information about renting was really interesting, although I haven't stayed in Manila much, the information everyone has given is very much appreciated. I really haven't spent much time exploring Manila and having spoken to some Expats who reside at other islands in the Philippines, have mentioned to me not to walk through Dibisoria area of Manila, apparently its quite a violent to take extra care, is that true?
cheers

Tip in looking for a place in Makati: The nearer the location of the condo or apartment in the Central Business District, the higher the price. But there are condo units that you can get for as low as Php 7,500 monthly rent.

I had to convert to USD.  Wow, expensive per month.. say that 250,000php per month.  Translate that into (12/18/2015) today price of 5290 USD per month!  That was the 4 Bed room house.  That is a lot of money in our view, sir.

Cant stop saying wow!   Ha ha.

TRSSSFirstPresident wrote:

I had to convert to USD.  Wow, expensive per month.. say that 250,000php per month.  Translate that into (12/18/2015) today price of 5290 USD per month!  That was the 4 Bed room house.  That is a lot of money in our view, sir.

Cant stop saying wow!   Ha ha.

What he quoted were rents for large mansion-style houses at expensive subdivisions / gate communities like Ayala Alabang. These are fully furnished with elegant furnishings and detailings. At some, there's a pool.

I've taken part in a renovation of one of these houses. It had large bedrooms with their own full baths. There were formal and informal dining areas, a home theater with Lay-Z-Boy recliners, a bar, a large kitchen, a rec room, home office, living room and next to it is an empty space that opens to a lanai / terrace leading to the pool / garden. Really well-detailed. Housekeeper and Driver's rooms each with its own bathroom. Lot area was probably around 1000-1200 sq meters. Two storeys with an attic. Parking lot for 5-6 cars.

That house just had 4 bedrooms.

FilAmericanMom wrote:

TRSSSFirstPresident wrote:

I had to convert to USD.  Wow, expensive per month.. say that 250,000php per month.  Translate that into (12/18/2015) today price of 5290 USD per month!  That was the 4 Bed room house.  That is a lot of money in our view, sir.

Cant stop saying wow!   Ha ha.

What he quoted were rents for large mansion-style houses at expensive subdivisions / gate communities like Ayala Alabang. These are fully furnished with elegant furnishings and detailings. At some, there's a pool.

I've taken part in a renovation of one of these houses. It had large bedrooms with their own full baths. There were formal and informal dining areas, a home theater with Lay-Z-Boy recliners, a bar, a large kitchen, a rec room, home office, living room and next to it is an empty space that opens to a lanai / terrace leading to the pool / garden. Really well-detailed. Housekeeper and Driver's rooms each with its own bathroom. Lot area was probably around 1000-1200 sq meters. Two storeys with an attic. Parking lot for 5-6 cars.

That house just had 4 bedrooms.

A bit similar to the average priced Sydney, Australia home


http://www.abcdiamond.com/australia/syd … on-dollar/

Rentals are a bit cheaper though at under $4,000 per month.

The thing to remember when moving to the Philippines is... 

Do you want to maintain the same standard OR do you wish to go cheaper and reduce your standards.

I ended up reducing my living standard in my years in the Philippines, going down from a 5 bedroom standard 200sqm house (some may say mansion), on an average 1,000 sqm block, to a one bedroom tiny apartment (70sqm), (some may say large apartment).

On returning to Australia I maintained my lower standards with a tiny one bedroom apartment (about 70sqm) on the Gold Coast, for about the same price  (both work out about 40k php per month..

But have just built up again to a 4 bedroom house at a rental cost of $250 pw (equal to 35,000 php per month), but not in a prime area such as the Gold Coast

The Philippines taught me that I can drop my standards and costs, even in my own country.

ABCDiamond wrote:

FilAmericanMom wrote:

TRSSSFirstPresident wrote:

I had to convert to USD.  Wow, expensive per month.. say that 250,000php per month.  Translate that into (12/18/2015) today price of 5290 USD per month!  That was the 4 Bed room house.  That is a lot of money in our view, sir.

Cant stop saying wow!   Ha ha.

What he quoted were rents for large mansion-style houses at expensive subdivisions / gate communities like Ayala Alabang. These are fully furnished with elegant furnishings and detailings. At some, there's a pool.

I've taken part in a renovation of one of these houses. It had large bedrooms with their own full baths. There were formal and informal dining areas, a home theater with Lay-Z-Boy recliners, a bar, a large kitchen, a rec room, home office, living room and next to it is an empty space that opens to a lanai / terrace leading to the pool / garden. Really well-detailed. Housekeeper and Driver's rooms each with its own bathroom. Lot area was probably around 1000-1200 sq meters. Two storeys with an attic. Parking lot for 5-6 cars.

That house just had 4 bedrooms.

A bit similar to the average priced Sydney, Australia home

http://i1.wp.com/www.abcdiamond.com/aus … =300%2C189
http://www.abcdiamond.com/australia/syd … on-dollar/

Rentals are a bit cheaper though at under $4,000 per month.

How long was your stay in the Philippines? Have you been inside one of the houses in Ayala Alabang? The house in the picture you posted is not the average sized house in Ayala Alabang. They're a lot bigger. The one that we helped renovate was truly a lot bigger, and fancier too, with a  large pool.

These houses for rent are really not for your average expat / foreigner. They're more like for VIPs like ambassadors and wealthy business persons or executives who are used to a certain level of comfort and want to exude a certain image during their stay here.

There are very nice fully furnished houses in Ayala Alabang which can be rented for around US$4k. A 2-bedroom flat in San Francisco, CA, furnished with just an old oven and refrigerator, rents for about the same price.

FilAmericanMom wrote:

How long was your stay in the Philippines? Have you been inside one of the houses in Ayala Alabang? The house in the picture you posted is not the average sized house in Ayala Alabang. They're a lot bigger. The one that we helped renovate was truly a lot bigger, and fancier too, with a  large pool.

These houses for rent are really not for your average expat / foreigner. They're more like for VIPs like ambassadors and wealthy business persons or executives who are used to a certain level of comfort and want to exude a certain image during their stay here.

There are very nice fully furnished houses in Ayala Alabang which can be rented for around US$4k. A 2-bedroom flat in San Francisco, CA, furnished with just an old oven and refrigerator, rents for about the same price.

What size is the average sized house in Ayala Alabang ?

I've seen adverts like this
Lot Area 756 SQM
Floor Area 400 SQM
at 60m pesos ($1.8 million) which is twice the Sydney average price.

Similar land size, although larger house, almost twice the size.  Although the house isn't generally the major cost factor,   For example a 400sm home can be built in Australia from about $225,000 (7.4 million peso).

It does show that Ayala Alabang houses are VERY expensive, even by Western Standards.

I was in Philippines for about 3 years.

@ABCDiamond

The original poster has not expressed interest in buying a house or house prices in the Philippines, much less Australia. She was asking how much for rent in the areas she mentioned and advice on how to find a good one within her budget.

We are discussing about rentals, and for her needs, preferably a house with a yard, where she can have her dog play. A dog-friendly 2-bedroom condo could also be feasible depending on the size of her dog. 

She isn't looking for a mansion in affluent gated communities. With her budget, she can find a good apartment which will fit her needs and is close to Makati.

Cityland condominiums, as for what I have noticed, offers the most reasonable prices of condos for rent. I think it is because of the fact that they are already owned by an individual that is why the prices could be flexible.

It's better to purchase a house compare to renting it out. 2-3 bedroom apartment/condo rent for 12 months here in Manila is same as purchasing a new house with 2-3 bedroom as well. You can be sure money back after you decided to move back. In Taguig City (not in BGC where cost of living is high) you can find a house that you can purchase as low as P400k ($9,000). Monthly rental for 2-3 bedroom condo is P50,000- P80,000 around $1000-$2000 so multiply that to 12.

Yazayala wrote:

It's better to purchase a house compare to renting it out. 2-3 bedroom apartment/condo rent for 12 months here in Manila is same as purchasing a new house with 2-3 bedroom as well. You can be sure money back after you decided to move back. In Taguig City (not in BGC where cost of living is high) you can find a house that you can purchase as low as P400k ($9,000). Monthly rental for 2-3 bedroom condo is P50,000- P80,000 around $1000-$2000 so multiply that to 12.

Foreigners can't buy a house in their own name, and with the numbers of relationship breakups over time, that means the Filipino gets the house, nullifying your statement "You can be sure money back after you decided to move back."

400,000 pesos for a house in Taguig City sounds low, for a decent house.

A quick search shows:
Taguig City average price of ₱ 5,555,907.33 and area of 189 sq.feet
This 100sqm house is 5,000,000 pesos (Five Million Pesos - A$150,000)

Visit flaire towers at  Mandaluyong Near Mrt they have nice units for renatl two bedrooms with 12 sq.m  balcony for 25 k you can lower the price until 21k as well

ABCDiamond wrote:

A quick search shows:
Taguig City average price of ₱ 5,555,907.33 and area of 189 sq.feet
This 100sqm house is 5,000,000 pesos (Five Million Pesos - A$150,000)

We get it. You're selling Australian properties on your site, posting the best pictures online, and then picking the worst pictures of Philippine properties to discourage people from living here, and instead  encourage them move in to the Australian properties you're posting.

FilAmericanMom wrote:

ABCDiamond wrote:

A quick search shows:
Taguig City average price of ₱ 5,555,907.33 and area of 189 sq.feet
This 100sqm house is 5,000,000 pesos (Five Million Pesos - A$150,000)

We get it. You're selling Australian properties on your site, posting the best pictures online, and then picking the worst pictures of Philippine properties to discourage people from living here, and instead  encourage them move in to the Australian properties you're posting.

I am not aware that I am selling any properties on my website, other than advertising a site in Tagatay (Philippines) that sells good quality houses.  I am not actually selling any properties anywhere.

You must have me mistaken with someone else.

Yazayala said that you can buy a house in Taguig City for P400k.  I showed an example from a search of a Philippine Property site of what 400k can buy. And stated that a foreigner normally can't even buy a house and land package.

I have however compared my own living options in both countries.  If that makes people think about options, check more into it  and possibly, "discouraging" some them, then isn't that a good thing?

Many people here are told how cheap the Philippines is, but don't realise that it is often cheap because they need to change their lifestyle.  Many people would not consider doing that in their own country.

Those that want to move to the Philippines because it is where they wish to be won't be discouraged by being told there are cheaper places in their own country if they drop their living standards there.

Those who are naive and just believe the hype, and expect they will get a similar, or better, lifestyle to living in say Brisbane or Sydney, for a tenth of the cost, may well be discouraged if they see the reality of the situation.

People post prices, and people believe. It is best for people to see and hear all the options and the reality.

For example, we looked at one house. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom but in a size of just 60sqm.  That's actually smaller than the 1 bedroom apartment we had in the Philippines.  But then again, that apartment had a price of PHP4m ....

People need to be able to compare what they really get.  It shouldn't be hidden.

I've posted as picture of a 400k house in Taguig City.  My example isn't liked, but no-one else is posting a link to a better alternative, same price and location.  Why ? Are they so difficult to find?

If there are better at the same price etc, then it would be helpful for people to post FULL details.