One afternoon along Manila Bay

Walking along the Manila Bay in the afternoon just before the sun set, will reward you a fascinating view of the famous Manila bay sunset. It never disappoint. 

Right after I arrived Manila from the Corregidor tour, I have my afternoon food intake in one of the restaurant at Harbor Square that have an overlooking view of the Manila bay. Right after  that I walk along  Baywalk  with my Nikon in hand.

I can never get tired spending afternoon here whenever I am in Manila.

A day tour in Manila, Fort Santiago

After four days in the province, I went back to Manila to spend the rest of the remaining days of my vacation before I go back to Singapore. While in Manila aside from the usual malling and bar hopping, I continue my list of places to visit while on vacation. Tagaytay and the Manila Ocean Park concludes the list. Originally my plan was to visit Corregidor since I have never been there, but due to bar hopping the night before, I woke up late so I opted for Tagaytay instead. It's been my nth times to Tagaytay since back in college some of my dorm mates where from within the area, so every time they went home on weekends we tag along and spend hours in Tagaytay before heading to their house.

First day in Manila was spent on touring Fort Santiago in Intramuros. From the hotel, I took the LRT and alighted at Central station. From there I passed by at the Liwasang Bonifacio, and took some pictures of the leader of Katipunan with the imposing Manila Central Post Office building on the background.

Cheap daw ang Manila

According to survey Singapore is ranked 10th most expensive city worldwide kasunod ang Hongkong though labas ang Hongkong sa top 10 kasi ranked 11th sila. Tokyo and Osaka topped as the world's most expensive cities for expatriates taking the position of 1st and 2nd respectively. 

I am mentioning here only cities in Asia na pasok as most expensive cities  ranked by EIU.

Singapore is ranked first and Bangkok is second kung pag-uusapan naman ang cities within the southeast asia, being Bangkok on the 72th worldwide and Kuala Lumpur is 90th.

The basis of the survey was by comparing the cost of products and services of the 140 cities. Survey was aimed at helping companies calculate allowances for executives and their families being sent overseas

 

I am not an expatriate, but let me see really how much it cost me to stay here in Singapore.

My small room in an HDB flat cost me $400 a month all inclusive. The room is not air-conditioned but comes with a stand fan. It has a single bed, a wardrobe, a dresser, and a small working table. I brought in my tv set.

I am taking MRT when reporting to work, occasional taxi, and bus. My transportation expenses in a month is $150 on average.

I cook sometimes on weekend whenever I crave for home cooked food. I know how to cook adobo, sinigang, nilaga, tinola, no pork allowed. As cooked fish is expensive, if I want to eat one I cook  and always by the oven. But most of the time I buy my food outside. Lunch just now is Mc chicken burger meal that cost $6.10 in nearby Mc Donalds. My monthly food expense is $500.

I watch movie, malling, occasional beer night-out and my budget for these is $200. If I bought something in a mall I charged it. Last night while on my way home I pass by the mall since it was raining, had dinner and purchased 2 backpacks (sale kasi) that costs me $125. 

My monthly mobile phone bill is $110 on average. My internet, landline, and cable tv monthly pay is $115.

So that's the reason why I still end up not earning much at the end of the month.

If I stay in Manila I would be spending just a fraction of that.

Which brings to this, according to the same survey Manila is one of the cheapest city to live worldwide being rank 98th, in the same level of Kathmandu, New Delhi, Mumbai where the slumdog millionaire came from. And Karachi ang pinacheap. 

Cheap nga siguro talaga sa Manila o cheap nga ba talaga?