Helpful Guide Living In Pasay City As A Foreigner

Living In Pasay City as a Foreigner: The honking of the jeepneys, the humid heat of the sun, and different types of people walking, chattering and noise may be the constant scenario of one of the busiest cities of the Philippines.

Looking at Pasay City through the eyes of a foreigner can be enticing to live. Living in Pasay City as a foreigner may be triggered by various reasons such as studies, for this is the city where you could find some of the oldest schools and universities in the country.

Moving into one of the busiest cities of the Philippines, such as Pasay City, sounds exciting for it is just like having a capsulized city wherein everything you need is accessible such as the Ninoy international Airpot, Bus terminals, Supreme Court, the Philippines General Hospital, big universities, and one of the biggest mall which is the Mall of Asia.

Before you start packing and readying your things, it may be wise if you take a few minutes to read and find out some details about what you will expect while living in Pasay City as a foreigner.

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About Pasay City

You may be intrigued by the name of the city, Pasay. There are various versions of the story behind the name of the city, most of which are primarily based on local folklore.

Filipinos’ way of transmitting their history, culture, and tradition is through telling stories or folklores. The name is part of the folklore of the place, which narrates that once the city was part of Namayan, it was the confederation of barangays. The Namayan ruler had given portions of territories to one of his sons named Pasay.

Interestingly, in the other version, the daughter’s name o the Rajah Sulayman of Manila was a recipient of the territories Culi-culi Pasay and Baclaran with a royal title Dayang-Dayang or the western title for a princess. So the princess’s name was Pasay, and she was the princess of the Namayan Kingdom.

Either version would attest that the city’s name is from the name of a royal. The city may not be that big regarding the land area. It is considered the National Capital Region as the third smallest political subdivision.

The city can be seen as a capsulized city wherein it is just being divided into three districts which is the urban area. The second district is the Aeronautics Administration Complex. This is where the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Villamor Airbase are included. The third district is the reclaimed area from Manila Bay.

Places in Pasay City

These are the places worth every minute of your time for living in Pasay City would entail fun, leisure, and education.

Philippine Air Force Aerospace Museum

It may not take to be an aviator to be delighted to visit this museum for this where the history of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is enshrined where one can see on display are the different PAF aircraft models and types.

It is just like traveling through time as you see the different relics of World War II, such as weapons used, wing badges, and medals. This is the only aviation museum in the country that had opened its doors way back in 2007, located at the PAF Headquarters at Villamor Air Base.

Villamor Golf Club

Since you are already at the Villamor Airbase, you may want to take a stroll at the Villamor Golf Club, which is open for both the locals and foreigners. It is a 50-hectare golf course with the standard for championship tee for it has 18 hole par 72 courses.

It will be a walk through the mahogany and eucalyptus trees, and this golf club has superb facilities and amenities such as a café, swimming pool, and driving range.

SM Mall of Asia

Though this may not be the biggest mall in the world compared to the mall in Dubai, the MOA is classified as the third largest mall globally. Moreover, with four hectares of floor area, one may be delighted with the mall’s interconnected main buildings.

Aside from the fact that it is located in Pasay City Bay, it also houses hundreds of restaurants, both local and foreign, and different retail outlets of clothes, bags, and shoes. If you miss the snow and want to have the feel of ice skating, you can enjoy that at SM MOA, for it has an Olympic-sized ice skating rink.

It also has a wide array of entertainment activities such as an IMAX theater, EXPLOREUM Science Center, SMX Convention Center, and an MOA Eye Ferris Wheel.

Sun Cruises

You can immediately jump off to a sun cruise when you are in the MOA complex, for this is the takeoff area for the sun cruise. The cruise that will take you back to the past of the Philippines as the boat ride will give you a tour of Corregidor Island.

This historical Corregidor Island is strategically located at the entrance of Manila and is fortified to defend the city from any form of attack. As you tour, you will have a glimpse of how this island had played a crucial role during World War II that led the Japanese to be driven off the country.

Oceanarium (Manila Ocean Park)

If the world underwater excites you as you want to feel the marine life, you may go to the Oceanarium. This is where you can closely look at the Philippine Marine Life as you can see the different types of fish underwater. The Oceanarium is considered the first theme park in the Philippines. The rates vary for it is entirely dependent on the type of packages and activities that you may want.

Have fun at Star City

Living in Pasay City as a foreigner will be fun, especially when you have kids to bring with you to Star City. There are various kiddie rides and an indoor playground, such as Dino Island and Winter Fun Land. Just for Php 70.00 entrance fee per head and Php 450.00, you and your family can enjoy the ride-all-you can.

Newport Resorts World

If you got the adrenalin rush for entertainment, you would love the Resorts World Manila, which is tagged as Pasay’s one-stop for total entertainment. It is considered a friendly-tourist Newport Mall that caters to most high-end shops, and dining would be like choosing from about fifty dining outlets. In addition, it has a 24-hour movie theater and Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Coconut Palace

When Saint John Paul, who was a Pope at that time, visited the Philippines in the year 1981, the Coconut Palace was being built which was made out of 100% Philippine indigenous materials such as coconut shells, Philippine hardwood, and banana fiber. The Coconut Palace, which is fondly called “Tahanang Pilipino,” may be the epitome of Philippine architecture, and it is located at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP) Complex.

Cost of Living in Pasay City As A Foreigner

Pasay City is in the top 31% of the least expensive cities, this is based on the ranking the 6340th from the 9294 global lists. In the Philippines, it ranked 8th among the 86 Cities.

To summarise, to live comfortably as a foreigner in Pasay city you will need around $1300 – $1600 per month. Nonetheless, total costs can be much lower depending on your lifestyle and living arrangements.

The cost of living in Pasay City will be different if you have a family. The estimated monthly living cost for a family with four members would be around $1357, including the rent (basic costs only).

The city that caters to young professionals has affordable rates for eating out, such as $2.61 for a lunch menu. Although, a fast-food chain meal, it is around $2.74, dining out in a restaurant for two individuals will cost you $11.9. Cappuccino is priced at $1.86.

Is Pasay City Safe For Foreigners

Pasay City is one of the oldest cities in the Philippines and is dubbed a tourist-friendly city. Therefore, you can see a lot of foreigners enjoying life in Pasay City. Such friendliness of the locals would be an assurance that this place is safe for foreigners.

As one expat had exclaimed that “generally the Pasay area near MoA is safe. However, a few dark areas do exist – just avoid any dark, badly lit street”.

Same with other cities, you have to take precautions, for you may always expect some evildoers that have just been lurking around the corner.

Pasay City crime is moderate to high in some areas in terms of statistics. However, petty crimes such as pickpocketing and scams are very common, so it’s always best to be vigilant as a foreigner living in Pasay City.

Is Pasay City A Good Place To Live For Expats

Dubbed as the city which is the “gateway to the world” for you to fly to different countries for it is where the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is located. It caters to international and domestic flights. It is one of the highly urbanized cities in south Manila.

The city is ideal for young or not-so-young professionals who are into the craze of professional growth. It is suited for a single individual and even for a family. There will be no dull moments when you live in the Pasay City premises, for you have many options ranging from historical travel to entertainment.

It is also a starting point for your family’s out-of-town adventure to the southern provinces like Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas. You can access the South Luzon Expressway and the Cavite Expressway in this city.

The city is a fantastic place to live as it has a lot to offer foreigners; however, those who enjoy a peaceful, relaxed and quieter lifestyle may be more suited in other areas such as Davao or Iloilo City.

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