I live in Iloilo. Public transportation here isn’t that amazing, but getting around here is doable. It’s a small bustling city so it’s pretty easy to reach any other place in the city. I guess it helps that I work essentially within a 100 meters of where I live, but that doesn’t mean I have places which I need to go that are a bit farther than that. I don’t own a car. I’d be lying if I told you I haven’t struggled without a car. Sometimes, I’ve almost given in to purchasing one.

From a recent article, I realized that owning a car is a giant money sucker. The estimated annual costs of owning a car is Php 202,584.06. In that sense, I don’t know why Filipinos, get too excited over getting a car. The daily car expense could include fuel, parking (depending on your location), toll fees, maintenance costs, car insurance, LTO renewal and/or car registration. For a middle class Filipino, owning and maintaining a car is can really be a burden on budgeting.

Living in Iloilo or elsewhere in the world, owning a car gives you the convenience. But do you really need it? Here’s my personal thoughts. The choice to own a car would depend on one’s financial stability, necessity and and practical use.

If you’re living in Iloilo, the need of a car is usually less. I’ve usually relied on taxis and jeepneys (and walking). I take the jeepney to go around most of the time. But if I have number of things to carry or when it’s raining heavily, I would take the taxi instead. Taxis here are cheaper compared to bigger cities (like Metro Manila), and they are usually quite easy to find.

Share your thoughts! Do you need a car? Can you live without a car?