I think some of the most important aspects of renting when it comes to electricity are: a) avoiding units in the direct path of sunlight, b) don't choose units with wrap-around windows [unless you plan to run AC all day], c) choose units with modern AC equipment like you've mentioned, d) get used to fan culture during the day. Your video is super insightful for those looking to relocate there. We appreciate your breakdown and guide to living there! Thanks and keep the videos coming!

@OHANA-Beach-Suites-CDO

8 ай бұрын

I AGREE! Have a Great Weekend!

If you are selling food or coffee, never cut the quality. It’s better to raise the price.

Thanks from the USA 🇺🇸. I’m an American Filipino that grew up here in the USA, but lived there for 4 yrs (18-22yrs old) and was lucky to live in a rich neighborhood (grandfathers US dollars World Bank pension) but I miss the lifestyle there. USA sucks now. You answered a lot of money questions I had. Thank you.

@bodyloverz30

Ай бұрын

I am thinking, if you like Miami's new developments, you would like BGC. Same money as Miami until, you get into the multimillion dollar unites, then the pricing is much better than Miami.

Goodmorning Mergim😊 You are always updated to post new vlog every single day man that’s why you are my favorite vlogger of all time.

Dude, you nailed it! I've been looking at moving to BGC and Uptown in particular. I think I had most of the costs figured out and your video confirmed my estimates. I've rented an Airbnb for Dec/Jan and, if all goes well, I'll be leaving Chicago for BGC in 2024. Really enjoy your content - keep up the good work!

@snowtyboy

8 ай бұрын

Check the savy expats. His from Chicago but moved to BGC

@sfrealestatedealmaker6001

8 ай бұрын

I don’t blame you for leaving Chi-town 😂

@earlofbgc

8 ай бұрын

I hope you’re excited to move to BGC. 😊

@freyafoxmusic

4 ай бұрын

Did you move

A very informative, entertaining and a bit fast-paced video. We saw how you enjoyed this even though it is tiring, and as always it's nice to see you give your best. BGC is incomplete without any sighting of MERGIM! Mergim is a trend-setter... what an influencer indeed!😊 Congrats on 130k subs.. road to 200k let's go! 🎉😊❤

Very informative and enlightening video. Thanks for sharing. Be well and stay safe. 😊

Excellent vlog! Be there one day..just keep on going we Mergimians always here supporting you. God bless us all.

I have a condo over at Ridgewood towers. Much cheaper and not far. Plus I brew my own coffee because I refuse to pay for crappy Starbucks

@Pcbdude82

8 ай бұрын

Can you get those Krueger coffee pods there? Way better then Starbucks. Cheaper option also

@slainteron4027

8 ай бұрын

@@Pcbdude82 they have them at SnR/Costco. Anything is better than Starbucks

@Badger345

7 ай бұрын

Never liked Starbucks

@pageadmin8449

3 ай бұрын

@slainteron4027 how much are the running costs for the condo?

thanks for the info, Mergim. all very useful. cheers !

Man i suggest upload your videos between 6pm to 8pm. Im a bit suprised you upload this vlog at 7am. Filipino vloggers upload their vlogs at dinner time so you will have many viewers at that time.

Very informative at naka-kaaliw panoorin. Subscriber from Florida, USA.

Very informative thankyou very much for sharing this I must agree this not onlyjust about luxury it's about safety and convenience of my family I don't mind the tag price because the safety and convenience is my priority and very important that's why we are planning to buy our own property there in uptown ❤

Very helpful Mergim! Thank you!

Very well put together video sir mergim, thx.

Very nice video brother cheers

You're a great storyteller! I enjoyed watching 😊

Love the way Mergim Represents BGC ! & Specific on his expenses living

again, you always make vlogging look so easy.... love how your brain works

@OHANA-Beach-Suites-CDO

8 ай бұрын

He is a smart man!

BGC is an office place and you don't have any work there so it can get boring all you do is to stroll around malls the whole day

@jettschenker

26 күн бұрын

Plenty of secretaries walking around at lunchtime. You need to learn how to hunt (|)

Thanks for the info..😊

Great breakdown!

Awesome brother. ❤

Thank you Mergim this is helpful

Mergim -- Thank you for showing that. It's more fun to have someone else doing the figuring. I'm making furtive glances at my retirement calculator.

Bro, off topic, dammm, we appreciate the grind with these contents. Don't forget to rest and take care of your self man.

@vereyafrequency

8 ай бұрын

The Chairman back to his daily grind. What a Legend.

@Mary-zd8xo

8 ай бұрын

@@vereyafrequencyMy admiration to him.

@OHANA-Beach-Suites-CDO

8 ай бұрын

Love this content! Love Philippines!

❤ Excellent vlog. Was really entertaining to learn more about BGC. Greetings from California ❤

Thank you for sharing

Bravoooo Mergim - very informative vlogs thanks for sharing 😮❤❤❤

Price ranges are pretty accurate. Good content, and very informative.

nice vids keep em coming

Mergim, our idol, has released another new video. It's a nice video, so thanks for vlogging for BGC.

I really like your blog. It’s very informative especially to people like us not living in the Philippines. Thank you so much for all these information.

I subscribe finally after watching this particular post. You almost explained pretty much what the expectation be if you happen to be in BGC. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience or insight how life is at BGC. Watching here in Jacksonville Florida USA 🇵🇭🇺🇸

bgc is very pretty. ❤ Love your vlogs very artistic, your background, the uptown area is very beautiful.

Good morning man you're a great storyteller! support

Thank you Mergim for the job well done.

Good cost breakdown for BGC lifestyle, Mergim!

Thank you 👍👍👍👍

It seems like yesterday i first watch you ranting about your low views in thailand with 5-6k subsribers, and now you have 130 k subscibers and living in bgc, ph for 1 and 1/2year

I really wanna move to BGC bec I love the convenience and walkability. Hope to sell my condo in IloIlo first then I plan to stay here in Manila for good. Haven’t been living in IloIlo for a while now but still paying for crazy high association dues haha. Btw, any chance on a fan meet soon? Lol it’s an excuse for me to hopefully find friends here. Thanks for sharing the cost of living in BGC.

@Amen.22

8 ай бұрын

I’ve been thinking about moving to Iloilo. Some Vloggers live there. It’s supposedly very nice.

@MS-ow6ed

8 ай бұрын

@@Amen.22It sure is, I find it really peaceful there. Just want to move to Manila for my career and overall it’s just more suited to my lifestyle

@sfrealestatedealmaker6001

8 ай бұрын

@@Amen.22There’s nothing there. You’ll be bored in a month since you’ll have seen everything 😂

@MS-ow6ed

8 ай бұрын

@@sfrealestatedealmaker6001 Also true tbh 😂

@Pcbdude82

8 ай бұрын

I want to move to BGC. But I also want to be close to nature. Which iloilo seems to offer. I still have time to decide. But really torn between the two. And cebu city looks nice.

If you want same mall accessibility, renting in an SMDC condo in Makati that has a mall right below it like Jazz or Air, you would still have the similar lifestyle with way way way lower living expenses.

@sfrealestatedealmaker6001

8 ай бұрын

Still not as safe as BGC and you get the nasty pollution from the jeepneys & tricycles.

@boyoorm.7966

Ай бұрын

Their units are too small.

Yo thx appreciate the info 🙏 I'm from Seattle left the Philippines 2007 don't really remember alot of stuff lol didn't really get to explore just school... appreciate the content 👌

That’s cheaper then here in Seattle! Love Philippines! We are moving there next year to open our hotel in Cagayan De Oro City called OHANA BEACH SUITES! Hope you visit us later! Have a great weekend! LETS GO PHILIPPINES!

@earlofbgc

8 ай бұрын

Wow that’s awesome looking forward to staying there ☺️

@OHANA-Beach-Suites-CDO

8 ай бұрын

@@earlofbgc Thanks Earl! We still have a year before opening, we are building slowly with no loans. Stay tuned! Have a great week!

You should continue the north Luzon loop tour it is better to do it now because the amihan season is coming it is getting cooler now in the North by this coming November.

Very imformative nice c😊ntent

Do you ever meet with subscribers? I would love to meet for lunch or coffee and pick your brain for a bit. I'm a medical doctor moving to Manila for a year to do remote teleradiology. I haven't been to the Philippines in 10 years so I'm super excited!

Been living in BGC for 3 years now in One Uptown for 30k/mo. My last electricity bill was 5k (I replaced the default Koppel AC with an inverter) All the pointers he mentioned are correct. BGC is safe there are a lot of security personnel around (but not perfect, still be vigilant when walking here) But the best thing I love in One Uptown is the accessibility to Uptown Mall, they are connected. Especially when it's raining. My internet is 2,990/200 mbps Globe For food I spend around 1k a day but it still depends where you eat. There are also cheaper options here like Jollibee/Mcdo. And as a coffee lover: coffee shops are ALL AROUND! (Starbucks) Bottomline: I LOVE BGC!!

@frankiefoo5312

8 ай бұрын

is your cost of living around the same? planning on moving cause too expensive here in CA

@rjbasilio2002

8 ай бұрын

@@frankiefoo5312much lower than his. I don't really travel and I work from home so lesser expense but you will enjoy here for sure! This was my dream place to live in.

@icupnibba3533

8 ай бұрын

1k a day for food is pretty insane. I would say I spend around 1k for a weeks worth of grocery and just cook at home. 5k also sounds expensive for an electric bill of a condo unit considering i used to live in a townhouse and our bill averages around 7k per month (granted my dad is obsessed with inverter technology and other ways to save electricity). All in all, your comment pretty much affirms that bgc is one of the priciest areas in the metro. Not hating, just adding my 2 cents.

@rjbasilio2002

8 ай бұрын

I don't cook lol. I just wanna eat, leave and do my things. To each his own. @@icupnibba3533

Super salamat to the Nth. I'm an American who was born in MNL and lived there off and on growing up. I never took advantage of dual citizenship to live there and work remotely and/or consult with my bicultural upbringing. I've been passively browsing Craigslist and this answered so much for me. Thank you ever so much!

When i retire ill be in this place bec. its cheap and safe to walk daily in all areas esp. at Bonifacio high street. Ill cook my own food much more healthy and cheaper. Will try all restaurants weekends only.

Nice video. Wow $2,000 usd a month. Ya if you wanted to I bet you can get that down to $900 in Makati. And making your coffee and breakfast at home. hehe

@bodyloverz30

Ай бұрын

Miami Beach would be $2,500 for the studio condo (new Ultra Lux building, like shown) alone, with total expenses at least double 2X-3X monthly.

@kennyadvocat

Ай бұрын

@@bodyloverz30 that's way too expensive for the Philippines. Might as well move to nyc and pay $3k

@bodyloverz30

Ай бұрын

@@kennyadvocat But BGC 3+ bedroom condos, easily go for $3.5-$6.5 million US Dollars for Aurea, Shangra-La at the Fort, Grand Hyatt, and others.

@kennyadvocat

Ай бұрын

@@bodyloverz30 wow. Insane how expensive it's gotten in the last 20 years. 😭😭😔

@bodyloverz30

Ай бұрын

@@kennyadvocat Major problems in South Florida, my own personal condo unit, insurance company, wants $45,000 annually, for 2024 hurricane coverage! This is for a 1,050 sqft, ocean view condo, $625,000 total value. Florida is no long a affordable place to live.

Wow your electric is super cheap!!! In Honolulu, Hawaii, we pay 43 cents per kilowatt hour - almost twice as much as you! Lucky you!

I will just say... "SANA ALL"

This is what I’ve been looking for. Great content on what to expect to generally spend living in BGC.

Prepare your own coffee and your food'. I brewed my own coffee by buying Starbucks medium dark ground coffee or sometimes I brewed Folgers Columbian ground coffee I consumed it for a month(just imagine the saving you did). This way you save money. Buy your own organic produce- in this way you can sav money too. Just my opinion. Thanks for sharing this INFO. Really helpful.

BGC really is the perfect example of the price of progress in the Philippines

Foreign vloggers,expat miss the bgc maybe bec everything is there and its convenient to them i wish mergin can experience the TAO expedition it will be a good promotion for tourist on island life

I lived there for a year, can't wait to go back

Thanks for the food restaurants tour 😂 Mergim you spend most on food n coffee than rent 😂 Wow Big Bird has Fish n Chips 💚 When I go2 Mitsukoshi Mall, I’m definitely gonna get that! I miss Ivar’s Fish n chips in Seattle. They have salmon, halibut n cod 💙 I also miss the world famous Ivar’s Clam chowder served in a Sourdough Bread Bowl 💜

Great information. Honestly, I figured the eateries would be more expensive. I'm sure you can spend as much as you want, but it is good to see that you can eat there for about the cost of fast food in the states.

Thank You for all your informative videos especially in the Manila areas. We're planning to spend the Holidays in Manila. I'm now in the process of looking for nice resorts to book during this holidays. Can you or your viewers recommend nice resorts to stay there in Manila and where's a great place to stay for New Year's Eve? We would like to experience at least 3 different resorts to experience the nice resorts in BGC, Makati, etc. Thank You in advance.

😊😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤

Overtime the value of real estate in BGC will increase, because there are at least 2 Subway stations that are going to be build there. The first one is the Kalayaan station, which is location along 11th corner 38th Avenue near Uptown. The second one is the BGC station, which is located along McKinley Parkway right beside Market Market Mall. 👍

@LarryfromPH

8 ай бұрын

This is really unfortunate for the locals. You actually need to be rich to buy properties in BGC. As a middle class, you can only rent. So unfortunate!

@rjpantinople

8 ай бұрын

Mergim eat vegestables also😅

@sfrealestatedealmaker6001

8 ай бұрын

@@LarryfromPHThat’s pretty much everywhere in the world. If everyone wants to live in a nice area, it will obviously become expensive. Basic supply and demand.

@noeminoemi1350

8 ай бұрын

I doubt it , it'[s already way overpriced.

You live in BGC and rode the MRT, so now you know how the two classes of Filipinos live (sort of).

Ooh my British fiance would love that there's a good fish & chips there. 😱 thanks for the info!!

Mergim you can buy a nice coffee machine and make your own coffee 😊 I use the 🇮🇹 Moka Pot.

Those are some cute doggies in the 1st few minutes of the video

You can rent a cheap apartment in Manila and go to BGC in the morning to save some money

How of I have a mobility problem. I thinking of living for six months in Philippines. I have a leg problem and some difficulty to move around. If all goes right my budget will be around 2k. I am a professional chef, that means I will do must of my cooking at home, maybe only two or three times out eating per week. I love simple living. My main expense will be rent, I love in the tropics so the hot climate and humidity does not bothered me. I am retired so I do not need to work, just for the convenience and good life. I see that Philippines I can live better life in a good city compare to a small Island on Seychelles.

@slainteron4027

8 ай бұрын

2k will not be enough in bgc or Makati etc in my opinion. But I have seen people make it work

@Re3iRtH

8 ай бұрын

Want to be my personal chef? I'll pay you $350/mo. to come once a week and cook my meals

@charlesetienne6037

8 ай бұрын

@@Re3iRtH I will not charge you if I come. You just have to have everything thing there. That is just fun for me now.

@charlesetienne6037

8 ай бұрын

@@slainteron4027 I just need the convenience, rent, utilities and internet. The rest i can do with. I can even live in the province, I do not need Aircon. Seychelles have the same climate like Philippines and I have no Ac. Now temperature is 27 degrees 4 am and I am just using a ceiling fan. I live a simple life buy all my groceries for a year and never eat or drink out. I can even do my own laundry, cleaning etc. When I was 16 years old we have a dictatorship president here and it was mandatory for all adolescent to do the national youth service for two years. You left your family for two years and isolate on an island where you are educated, discipline, etc. It was not easy but today that made me what I am.

@Reason4Termination

8 ай бұрын

n my opinion, and as a Filipino, living on an island in Seychelles is way better imo. BGC is very concrete covered, no way to connect to nature. Being connected to nature and soaking all that ions can provide a longer and happier life. BGC is a hyperconsumeristic neighborhood, a goldsink. You can technically live off 10k php a month on food and utility in Ph. Then another 20k php for a decent house for rent in non-BGC area. Luckily, I completed my mortgage payment on my house (i have my own house now), so that made me live off 10k - 15k php a month here in Ph. I plan to downsize, and sell this house later on, then live off of it, far away from the hyperconsumerist lifestyle of Metro Manila.

❤

Great video! I'm gearing up to move over there. We were looking at Makati but we might start looking at BGC. From what I see, the only major difference in living expenses is the place you decide to live. I pay $2,000/mo in the US for a mortgage, so $1,000 is nothing for me. If you like to drink and party all the time, your expenses will go up quite a bit.

What makes you sets apart from others is your excellent creativity and extra effort of making content. Like this one, you can just stay in one place and tell all but no, instead you make a story out of it. 👏

How about a vlog about the digital nomad villages or co-working spaces around BGC?

@earlofbgc

8 ай бұрын

Hmmm this looks like something I could do 🤔

Mergim, why not visit south area like alabang town center, filinvest mall, west gate area alabang check that place.

Mergin why you are not mentioning the Avida Montane?

👍👍👍

Makati is a nice place to live too❤

Mergim you just need to change region in your phone settings so that you can install angkas and other apps in the PH

You have to see aseana city in parañaque

A River Cobbler is a fish from Vietnam which is also called Basa. It's a type of catfish. I prefer my fish with chips to be Cod.

Mergim's monthly expense is equivalent to a brand new iPhone 15 Pro Max 1TB version. Wow! 😮

I don't see you doing groceries and cooking at home or maybe because you are too busy vlogging and editing to do those things. But it can also be a simple content for your vlog to cook something and save a bit.

The Shangra La at the Fort, has built in air-conditioning, the same type of built in system as here in Miami Beach. I wonder what a three bedroom unit would cost monthly for electricity in those units?

TFS

12 peso per kwh - move to Clark... much nice area, international airport.... last year has been variable 2-5peso per kwh

5:25 how about centralized aircon?

Its a high cost sure, but its relatively lower than cost of living in most western cities for the particular lifestyle you live. I think in current times that is mostly due to house prices/rent in the west, some of the other items could be more or less adjustable in many places.

$2,000 usd a month is reasonable and realistic. If you live in the State, probably at least $4,000 usd for the same lifestyle you currently have in the Philippines.

@jjhere2311

3 ай бұрын

Exactly

Still worth watching

You can fly cheaper and closer to El Nido ...via San Vicente Palawan airport.

❤🎉

How long would it take to get out of the city on a motorcycle to get to some motorcycle roads? Is BGC right next to a toll road or something? Thanks

You will at either resto or fastfood there which runs at 500-1k per meal

Standard Starbucks price in Bangkok: Grande : 145 baht x 1.6 = 232 pesos Venti: 160 baht x 1.6 = 256 pesos

Thanks chairman

To combat the heat in the Philippines homes need to have high ceiling and have plenty of vents it works like similar to rocket stove concept and helps if your surrounded by trees. Ever since we upgraded our homes the temperature inside the house are much cooler and there is no need of aircon and ambient through out the day.

@QuicknStraight

8 ай бұрын

In a condo/apartment? 😂

@JEgkt

8 ай бұрын

@@QuicknStraight Its up to the landlord to make that changes obviously, i'm just suggesting that the more vents you have home or apartment hot air wont be trapped. We made that change in our home and made a difference.

@chrisk7118

8 ай бұрын

Correct, that's smart design

@QuicknStraight

8 ай бұрын

@@JEgkt The point is that you can't do that in a condo/apartment.

@JEgkt

8 ай бұрын

@@QuicknStraight All i can say is there is people that "make things happen or watch things happen" its for you to decide.

This gives me more confidence that I can live comfortably with my retirement income. Thanks, Mergim.

@Basta11 Oh dear Heaven's that is Glorious! I just watched a video where a subscriber suggested this for a single fellow like myself .... Minimum to live comfortably in 2024. BGC/Makati - $4000 Rest of Manila - $3500 Cebu - $3000 Davao, Iloilo - $2500 Other Highly Urbanized Cities (Tier 2 cities) - $2000 Municipalities (Tier 3) - $1750 Provincial Town (Rural area) - $1500 I will have $3500 US from ages 55-60 YOA. After age 60, it will increase to $3900.00 US for the rest of my life with cost of living increases annually. It sound's like this budget would be very doable as a single man with no children in BGC. Glad I found this video! 🙏

Renovated? Or furnished?

Isn’t split inverter AC the cheapest to run?