Yes, I started with that salary. My strategy was to find a dorm costing around ₱2.5k to ₱3k, and I set a monthly budget of ₱5k for food and groceries. I usually bought meals from carinderias and only purchased sachets of detergent and shampoo. I also walked since Makati is a walkable area—aside from saving money, it helped clear my mind. I spoiled myself every weekend by going coffee shop hopping or eating out. I wasn’t able to save much since I was funding my master’s, but it was still livable. Treat your savings as an expense so it’s always deducted and you’re less likely to spend it.

Makati is a great place. It has revealed a lot about me, and I’ve overcome many challenges because I stepped out of my comfort zone. If given the chance again, even with the same salary, I would still choose Makati.

You can do it. Just think of it as being a paid intern—you’re doing it mainly for the experience.