Why Makati is one of the best places to work remotely in the Philippines
The Urban Oasis: Discover the Allure of Remote Work in Makati's Vibrant and Connected Hub
Makati is known as the central business district of Manila. If you want to work remotely in the Philippines, then Makati is one of the best places. Makati has a good infrastructure and many facilities are readily available. To give you a holistic overview, we will discuss some cons and pros of being a remote worker in Makati.
Cons
1. Traffic
Traffic biggest hindrance in Makati (and Manila overall) becoming a great city. Although transportation is cheap, traffic is very poor. Makati has the potential to become the best city for remote working in all of Asia, if the traffic could be properly managed. Some roads are missing sidewalks so pedestrians might form a crowd. During the rush hour, you may find yourself sometimes traveling at 1 km per hour. This can be overwhelmingly frustrating at times.
2. Rent
If you want to rent a place in Makati, then most places will require you to deposit a few months’ rent. Additionally, they will ask you to deposit postdated checks from your Philippine bank. If you are just starting out as a remote worker, then this can be a problem because you can’t just deposit a huge amount of money for a year’s rent.
It is recommended that you search for places which charge rent on a monthly basis. You will have to look hard, but if you are lucky, then you will find a place which you can rent on a monthly basis. Airbnb is another option, but it is quite expensive unless you have exceptional negotiation skills.
The best thing that you can do is to go for a Co-working space. A Co-working space provides accommodation and other facilities to remote workers and entrepreneurs on a sharing basis. They will charge around PHP 4000–5000 per month and provide you with free coffee, high- speed internet, personal lockers, conference rooms, and much more.
Pros
1. Weather
The weather is not too hot or unbearable. April and May are a bit hot, but after that, the intensity starts diminishing. You will be surprised by how nice the weather can be, and you will especially love it in the winter months.
2. Cheap transportation
According to Numbeo, most rides will cost around PHP 200–300, and you can even find rides as cheap as PHP 100. Grab and Uber are readily available so you won’t have to worry about moving around the city. If you need a private ride to a neighboring city, then you can easily rent a car on at a competitive price. For example, an 8-person van from Makati to BGC costs around PHP 800.
3. Cafes to work in
One of the best parts about working in Makati is that there are plenty of amazing cafes where you can go for work. They will serve awesome coffee, and the staff will never complain about how long you stay. You will feel more productive once you are hooked with your favorite coffee, and the high-speed internet will make your job easier. Make sure to try out different cafes before settling down in your favorite one.