I'm new here and looking into the possibility of retiring there..First question of the day..Are medication prices there…

I'm Canadian and take a few of the typical heart and cholesterol pills the over-60 crowd takes. If I stick to generics, I pay less than I do in Canada with my 20% deductible and covered health plan. Three huge benefits: -usually no prescription needed -zero dispensing fees -no limit on how much you buy (I've bought a full year's supply)

You can check your specific medications. Here's a list of pharmacies. They'll accept a Western prescription, or you can just bring in the bottle: eHealth Plus PH - https://ehealthplusph.com Emma Flor Drug - https://www.emmaflordrug.com Generika: https://www.generika.com.ph GetMeds PH - https://getmeds.ph Lazada Meds - https://www.lazada.com.ph/shop/med-option MedExpress - https://www.medexpress.com.ph MedGrocer - https://medgrocer.com/epharmacy/order PACH Pharmacy - https://pachpharm.com Medsgo.PH - https://medsgo.ph Rose Pharmacy - https://www.rosepharmacy.com Southstar Drug - https://southstardrug.com.ph TGP (The Generic Pharmacy) - http://www.tgp.com.ph Watsons Online https://www.watsons.com.ph Mercury Drug has a website too, but you have to register to search: https://www.mercurydrug.com

It depends on what you need. Some are fine in any country.

I have no idea what you pay in Canada, but take a vacation, bring a list of your meds with dosages, and visit a few pharmacies to get prices. Lots of people move without bothering to check, and then I see posts here about how they can't get their meds or that they cost $400 a month. Take an exploratory trip to see how the weather and food are, and find out how much a doctor visit and medication cost, since you'll be paying for everything out of pocket.

🤔 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO....let me say first that I love living in the Philippines, this is just an FYI... Don't even consider moving until you've lived there for at least 3 months. It's nothing like you think. It's a developing country, and you have no idea what that means until you experience it. Yes, there are beautiful places, but most are almost impossible to get to, and that's only a tiny part of living there. Also, flooding happens often on every island. Foreigners can't own land. Be careful — buy land and she can run you off, and she keeps the land. It happens. You can own a condo, but renting is usually the best option. There's no higher authority to complain to. If you think you've been wronged, walk away and chalk it up to experience. Medicare doesn't apply outside the country. Buy accident and medical insurance. Some people think the VA hospital in Manila will treat them — wrong. It's an outpatient clinic for military-related injuries and illnesses. In many cases, medical care is cash up front before admission, no matter how serious it is. That's true in many places, but remember you can't choose where you have an accident or a heart attack. The jeepney driver will take you to the nearest hospital or the one he has a deal with. I know from personal experience. If you're in an accident, you're automatically at fault and have to settle at the scene, so carry plenty of cash. An acquaintance is currently lying unconscious in a hospital in Dumaguete after a motorcycle accident. 25 beds in one room, 2 people in most beds. The hospital is demanding payment, but no one knows how to access his bank account or ATM card — things we don't think about. He has since passed away. Ambulances are few and far between, and traffic in most cities is awful, so it's a long trip to the hospital. Not all doctors are trustworthy. One person said his doctor told him he needed open-heart surgery, so he went back to the US for a second opinion and was told there was nothing wrong with his heart. If you need prescription drugs from the US, you're probably out of luck. Prescription drugs must be sent by a pharmacy with proper documentation; controlled substances and any prescription drugs mailed by a private individual are strictly forbidden. Lawyers and bankers...be careful..they don't always act in your best interest, and there's nothing you can do about it. One expat bought a resort through his wife, only to find out the seller didn't own the property. There's a skin tax, a foreigner tax, a markup. Foreigners get charged more. They think you're rich, and compared to them, you are. Most areas are oppressively hot and humid. Mail, electricity, internet, phone service, and water are on-and-off and unreliable. They shut down the power plants for maintenance every week. It's very noisy: dogs barking, loud talking, everyone seems to have two roosters that crow all night, karaoke blasting all night. That's their thing, so don't complain. You are a g...