A client from Scottsdale told me that even in one of the most expensive places to live in America, his head was on a swivel.

In BGC, he said, there is security and police on every corner. He sold his luxury car. Now he walks.

That is what Americans love about living here. Ask them what they hate, and the answers get more interesting.

I ask both questions all the time. Here is what they tell me.

What Americans Love

They love walking to everything.

Dileepa noticed it on day one. A supermarket sits under his building and Starbucks is close. He no longer deals with a car, gas, insurance or maintenance.

They love how safe it feels.

One client from Florida said BGC has cleaner streets and no drug addicts walking around the business district. An ex-military client told me he feels safer walking at night here than in any city in the States.

They love watching their money go further.

A retired economics professor said you can only grow your profit two ways, by earning more or spending less. He is living what he taught. When his credit card statements arrive, they are lower than he expected.

And they love how fast they find their people.

One client had been here since 7 p.m. and already felt like he had made five good friends.

What Americans Hate

It is a bubble.

If you want the authentic Philippine experience, BGC is not the place for that. I do not see it as a bad thing, but it is true.

It is expensive.

BGC is the most expensive city in the Philippines. What can I say? You get what you pay for. Rent is higher here than in the provinces or in other major cities.

Getting around outside the walkable zone is hard.

One expat I interviewed said a drive to Quezon City that usually takes 40 minutes took him an hour and a half. He also said Grabs can be hard to find on weekends.

The heat and the distance are real.

He said you can guarantee it will be 93 degrees every day, and he misses the seasons, the sports and his family.

And things move slowly.

What the Ones Who Stay Have in Common

The people who thrive here arrive with curiosity instead of expectations. The Americans who struggle arrive with a fixed picture of how it is supposed to look.

Every item on the hate list is real. The clients who stayed decided they could live with it.

That is why I tell people to scout first. I have never had a client who did a proper scouting trip and then decided not to move.

If you plan to move in the next six months,

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

Travel Well,
Evan Lorezca
The Savvy Expat