Remote Work in Bacoor: Is it a Digital Nomad Paradise?
so i moved to bacoor for a month, thinking it'd be this chill digital nomad paradise. i mean, it's close to manila, rents are cheap, and the internet-well, that's another story. let's just say i had more coffee breaks waiting for pages to load than actually working.
first off, the weather here? it's like someone left the shower on full blast and forgot to turn it off. humidity slaps you in the face the second you step outside. but hey, at least it's green. lots of trees, lots of birds yelling at each other before sunrise. kinda peaceful if you're into that.
rent? yeah, you can find a decent place for like 10k-15k pesos a month. not bad. but don't expect your landlord to know what "fiber internet" means. i had to buy my own router, my own sim card, and still spent half my zoom calls looking like a glitchy ghost.
here's a quick breakdown of what i spent in a month:
| Expense | Cost (PHP) |
|---|---|
| Rent (shared) | 12,000 |
| Food (groceries) | 6,000 |
| Internet (mobile) | 1,500 |
| Transport | 2,000 |
| Coffee & snacks | 3,000 |
| *Total | 24,500 |
not terrible, but not exactly "paradise" either. especially when your neighbor's karaoke sessions sound like they're auditioning for a metal band at 2am.
i asked a local barista once, "is bacoor good for remote workers?" she laughed and said, "only if you like buffering and brownouts." fair point.
but here's the thing-if you're flexible, it's not all bad. sm bacoor is just around the corner, so you can always camp out there with your laptop and pretend you're being productive while inhaling mall air conditioning. there's also a bunch of coworking spaces popping up, though most of them look like someone's garage with extra chairs.
and if you ever get bored, tagaytay is just an hour away. perfect for when you need to escape the noise and stare at a volcano lake while questioning your life choices.
one more thing: safety. i never felt unsafe walking around, even at night. people are friendly, maybe a little too curious about what you're doing with that "magic book" (aka laptop). just don't flash your gadgets around like you're in a tech commercial.
so, is bacoor a digital nomad paradise? nah. but it's a decent crash pad if you're on a budget and don't mind a little chaos. bring a power bank, a sense of humor, and maybe some earplugs.
places i actually liked:*
- The Brew Coffee & Beer - decent coffee, strong wifi when it works
- SM Bacoor - mall life, but it works
- Local co-working spots - check reddit for updates, they change fast
- Tagaytay day trips - for when you need a breather
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