Is my budget right?
I've put together a budget for moving to the Philippines, around BGC. I'm a single man, 40-49 years old. I plan to use the military visa. I'm not planning to bring household goods.
Are these costs realistic? Am I missing anything?
Monthly budget
Housing & utilities ($1,750)
BGC rent (2 bedrooms + maid's room): $1,500
Utilities (electricity & water): $200
High-speed fiber internet: $50
Household & groceries ($900)
Food & groceries (for two): $550
Live-in maid salary: $350
Healthcare & insurance ($100)
Local expat HMO: $100
Leisure & transport ($200)
Leisure & transport: $200
Monthly total
Total monthly expenses: $2,950
One-time moving budget
Visa & documents ($4,900)
SRRV bank deposit (refundable): $3,000
SRRV application fee: $1,400
Apostilles & courier fees: $500
Move-in & setup ($7,000)
Security deposit (refundable): $3,000
Advance rent (months 1 & 2): $3,000
Bedding and household setup: $1,000
Flights & temporary lodging ($1,800)
One-way flight: $800
Temporary hotel (first 14 days): $1,000
Total upfront costs: $13,700
Why get a two-bedroom as a single guy? Get a one-bedroom or studio and cut your rent by $1k. In BGC I ate out every meal, didn't cut costs much, and spent under $2k a month. Most condos come furnished, so setup is basically just toiletries. Also, $5k for a visa sounds absurd. Just do a tourist visa. Way less work, and you can still stay up to 3 years without any SRRV deposits.
I'm assuming you've been there before and done some legwork on the ground, on neighborhoods and costs. If you haven't, bank your money, get a hotel, look for an Airbnb and then check out housing. Go slow..
Nothing too weird here, but I think $100 a month for health insurance is cutting it thin at your age. Local HMOs cover maybe 250-350k a year at most, which means you're in serious trouble if you get something serious that needs specialists or going abroad. Does military mean you have extra insurance you didn't list here? If so it's fine, otherwise rethink it to about $4,500-5,000 a year.
You're missing a few things - shopping (household stuff, electronics, etc.), entertainment, travel, and uncovered medical costs (dental, things you shouldn't claim on insurance, etc.)
Seems more like showing off than asking for budget help. If you're ex-military you're not rich, so plan to spend much less than you can afford. I've seen guys with average incomes raise their spending to match their income and end up completely broke.
Lol bro, just clean your own place. It's a two-bedroom. I've got a jacked-up back and a jacked-up neck from a mortar round... and I can still clean
At first glance your budget looks realistic to me, with actually quite a bit of comfort margin. I assume you've set aside an emergency fund for things like major health events, family situations that require you to travel home, and other surprises.
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