Zane had been to nine countries in eight months.

Thailand. Vietnam. Malaysia. Singapore. Indonesia. Taiwan. Japan. South Korea. And the Philippines — twice.

When it came time to pick a home base he had one real decision to make. Bangkok or BGC.

He chose BGC.

Here is why.

Zane is honest about this and so am I. Thailand is cheaper. Considerably cheaper.

Accommodation in Thailand is better value than almost anywhere in Asia. A modern villa on the beach with a private pool runs $400 to $500 per month. Food is also cheaper — and Zane argues Thai food might be the best food in the world.

If you are purely optimizing for cost Thailand and Vietnam are the clear winners. Zane estimates Thailand runs about 20% cheaper than the Philippines overall.

The one exception where Thailand loses badly is visas. The Thailand Elite Visa costs $26,000 for five years. In the Philippines that same $1,500 gets a military veteran permanent residency for life. For non-veterans the SRRV retirement visa starts at $10,000 with pension and never expires.

Zane gave three reasons why he chose the Philippines as his base. He called them The Big Three.

Language. English is a national language in the Philippines. Zane has never had a single language issue here. In Thailand and Vietnam striking up a casual conversation with a local requires real effort. In BGC you can talk to anyone anywhere without thinking about it.

Visa flexibility. Americans can stay in the Philippines legally on a tourist visa for a very long time. When it expires you take a one-day trip to a nearby country and come back. Thailand's visa situation is considerably more restrictive and expensive to manage long term.

The people. If you have never been to the Philippines it is shocking how friendly people are. Not customer service friendly. Actually friendly. Zane walked around one of Manila's oldest districts at night on his first trip and felt completely safe. Someone jumped out just to say welcome to the Philippines.

He was not expecting that.

Bangkok is a great city. Strong metro system. Incredible food. Vibrant nightlife. BGC does not have a metro connection yet and Manila traffic is genuinely brutal.

But BGC edges Bangkok on the dimension that matters most to American expats — it feels like home.

Zane's exact words. BGC is the closest thing to Singapore without the crazy prices. Clean. Organized. Walkable. English everywhere. When he first arrived he immediately thought he was back in the United States.

He found a one-week Airbnb at One Uptown Residence for $250. He ate out every meal. His total weekly spend in BGC was less than most other cities he visited across Asia.

If you want the cheapest cost of living go to Thailand or Vietnam.

If you want a city that feels like America, where everyone speaks English, where your visa is simple and affordable, and where the warmth of the people genuinely changes your daily life — the Philippines wins and it is not close.

Zane spent $3,200 per month across nine countries eating every meal out, staying in quality hotels, and flying the airlines he actually wanted. He is a 31-year-old entrepreneur who has been to more Southeast Asian cities than most expats will ever visit.

He chose BGC.

If you want someone to handle every part of your move — the rental, the visa, the bank account, the healthcare — click here and our team will map it all out for you.

For most Americans making this decision the comparison is not really about cost. It is about where you actually want to wake up every morning.

Click here to start your move to the Philippines the right way

Travel Well,
Evan Lorezca
The Savvy Expat