John California Expat Exposed: The City Most Expats Get WRONG

John the California expat has lived and run businesses in Cebu City, Davao, and BGC (Bonifacio Global City). In this interview at Mike's Coffee Shop, I ask him which city is really the best place to live if your retired and living on Social Security or digital nomad looking to start a business. John breaks down the real rent per square meter — BGC under 1,000 pesos is cheaper than Cebu and Davao right now — why hiring is easier in Davao, why Cebu is the best landing spot for first-time expats, and why BGC is the easiest to live in without a car. He also shares where to go for a great birthday dinner — Dr. Wine in BGC and Tales and Feelings in Cebu — and ranks the airports. Cebu #1, Manila much improved, Davao last. If you are thinking about moving to the Philippines and trying to choose between Cebu, BGC, or Davao, John's honest comparison will help you decide. ☕ Welcome to Mike's Coffee Shop! Join me as I share real, unscripted looks at everyday life, retirement, and local culture around Negros Oriental, Philippines. 🔔 Subscribe for more Coffee Shop conversations from Dumaguete. ✅ Tell us your own story in the comments — we read every one. ✅ Share your experiences in the comments! Thank you for your support BUY ME A COFFEE https://buymeacoffee.com/mikesphiliX PayPal https://paypal.me/MikesPhilippine Privacy Notice 🌟 Thank you for being part of this channel! We sometimes capture video or audio in public spaces here in the Philippines. We always aim to respect everyone’s privacy and do our best to blur or mask faces, especially children and bystanders. If you happen to appear in any of our videos and you'd like us to make changes, please feel free to reach out anytime at mikesphilippineretirement@.gmail.com We’re happy to help! We appreciate your support and understanding as we share stories and experiences from our journey. HEIDI CAJES- C&G CONSULTING VISA AND SRRV / 13A INFO https://cgconsulting.ph/mike HOW TO GET YOUR MAIL BACK HOME CHECK OUT iPostal1 The Complete Digital Mailbox a href="https://ipostal1.com/?ref=3647" target="_blank" AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning, at NO additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe FACEBOOK Check out my Facebook page Mikes Philippine Retirement https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079610481824 EMAIL MY E MAIL ADDRESS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS mikesphilippineretirement@gmail.com TIMESTAMPS 00:28 John first came in 2019 02:43 Why Cebu is the best landing spot - not too big, not too small 03:48 Hiring skilled staff - character over college degree 06:08 Living and hiring in Davao vs Cebu 10:07 Rent per sqm shock - BGC cheaper than Cebu and Davao 12:07 Where to eat - Dr. Wine BGC and Tales and Feelings Cebu 16:19 Is your business AI proof? John's banana farm and diversification 17:49 Airport ranking - Cebu, Manila, Davao --- Welcome to Mike's Coffee Shop — Pull up a chair, grab your favorite brew, and join the conversation. I'm Mike, a 72-year-old American living in Dumaguete City, Philippines. This channel is casual conversations and walk & talks with real expats and locals about real life in the Philippines. Watch more Exposed interviews: Bud Brown Exposed and Weng's Exposed are up now. John's channel: California Expat [add link here] Please like and subscribe to Mike's Coffee Shop. Until next time guys - leave a comment down below, let me know what you think. #cebu #bgc #expatphilippines