Living Well on a Middle-Class Income in the Philippines
Practical money, home, and family guides for the Filipino middle class, whether you’re building your life here or sending it home from abroad.
No more sweldo-to-sweldo or petsa de peligro
The website is just the starting point. Follow us on social media for your daily dose of saktong burgis realities, relatable memes, and thoughts we can all vibe with. See you there!
Money & banking
Budgets, digital banks, and growing your sweldo
Your Dollars (and Dirhams) Buy More Pesos Right Now (2026)
The peso is near record lows, so your dollars and dirhams buy more pesos. Here’s how OFWs can move and grow that money safely, minus the scams.
Family & education
Raising kids and paying for school realistically
The Sandwich Generation: When You’re the Filling Nobody Asked to Be
Why many middle class Filipinos are stuck funding both parent’s meds and the kid’s tuition, what the SSS pension and birth rate data reveal, and how to stop the cycle.
Home & property
Renting, buying, and building without growing broke
The Condo-Only Path: Foreign Ownership Rules When You Are NOT Reacquiring Citizenship
If you are not reacquiring citizenship under RA 9225, the condo is your one clean shot at owning property here. How the 40% foreign ownership cap works, what it costs, and why the land workarounds are riskier than they look.
For OFWs & retirees
Coming home, investing, and building from abroad
The Condo-Only Path: Foreign Ownership Rules When You Are NOT Reacquiring Citizenship
If you are not reacquiring citizenship under RA 9225, the condo is your one clean shot at owning property here. How the 40% foreign ownership cap works, what it costs, and why the land workarounds are riskier than they look.
The guides worth your time
Essential must-reads for those looking to achieve a comfortable middle class lifestyle in the Philippines
How Much Income Do You Need to Buy a House in the Philippines (2026)
Ever wonder if you can afford to buy a house in the Philippines these day? Here’s how much you should be earning to buy a home to call your own.
The latest on middle class living
Check out our latest articles and posts on life as a middle class citizen
Re-acquiring Filipino Citizenship Under RA 9225: The Property and Healthcare Angle
Reacquiring Filipino citizenship under RA 9225 unlocks two things balikbayans care about most: the right to own land outright and access to PhilHealth. Here is how it works.
Work From Home vs. Return to Office: The True Cost Either Way
WFH vs RTO in the Philippines, who really pays? BPO mandates, the ₱3.5B/day Manila traffic bill, and the productivity myth, backed by 2026 data.
How to Build an Emergency Fund on a Middle-Class Filipino Income
Only 3 in 10 Filipinos can survive a financial shock. Here’s what an emergency fund is, why it matters, and how to build one on a middle-class income.
Healthcare on a Middle-Class Budget: PhilHealth vs Private Insurance (2026)
What healthcare really costs in the Philippines on a middle-class budget. PhilHealth 2026 rates, HMO prices, the coverage gap, plus rules for OFWs, SRRV retirees, and Balikbayan visa holders.
Condo vs. House and Lot: Which is Better? (2026)
For the burgis, choosing where to live is often a toss-up between living in a condo versus a house and lot in a subdivision. So which is better?
SRRV vs 13A vs Balikbayan vs Tourist: Which Long-Stay Path Fits You?
Comparing the four ways to stay long-term in the Philippines: SRRV, 13A marriage visa, Balikbayan privilege, and tourist visa extensions. Costs, rules, and who each fits.
Written by people actually living it
Saktong Burgis is managed by middle-class Filipinos working through the same questions you are: where to live, how to budget, what’s truly worth it. No get-rich-quick, no maarte na lifestyle. Just honest, researched takes on living life, sakto lang.
The main writer, Alex, is an editor and a business development consultant. Most recently, he’s helped brands stabilize and grow their businesses through e-commerce. He’s also a former teacher, marketer, and HOA president. He delves in photography in his free time.
What does “Saktong Burgis” mean?
sakto sak·to
a shortened form of “eksakto,” meaning “just right”
burgis bur·gis
from the Spanish “burgués,” a borrowing from the French “bourgeois,” referring to the middle class