This couple left city life and spent $85,000 on an off-grid home in the Philippines. Now they grow their own food

For years, Matthew Straight and April Pasilang lived with the noise and congestion of Cebu City. Then, during a short trip to another Philippine island, they came across a piece of land they had not been looking for and decided to buy it. What followed was an $85,000 experiment in slower living. The couple purchased a 15,500-square-foot plot in Corella, Bohol, for around $23,000 and eventually spent another $62,000 building a two-bedroom home, guesthouse, garden, pond and pool. Their new property is designed to rely heavily on solar power and harvested rainwater rather than conventional utilities.

A two-night trip changed their plans

Straight, 46, originally from New Zealand, met Pasilang, 44, in the Philippines in 2016. He moved from Australia to Cebu City in 2024, but the couple soon found themselves wanting a quieter life. The constant traffic was one of the biggest frustrations. Straight told Business Insider that they could rarely open their windows because of the noise. Pasilang, who grew up on the outskirts of Cebu City, was also attracted to the idea of returning to a lifestyle where growing food and having more open space were part of everyday life.

The couple had initially imagined making the move several years later. Instead, a two-night visit to Bohol accelerated the plan. They found the property in Corella, a relatively quiet area that was still within driving distance of shops, a major market and the coast. They bought it almost on impulse.

Their $85,000 off-grid setup

Construction began in October 2024. The main house has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with an open-plan design intended to maximise natural light and airflow. A separate one-bedroom guesthouse sits nearby. Outside, the couple created a vegetable garden and pond, alongside a swimming pool. They spent about 4.84 million Philippine pesos, roughly $62,000 on construction and related expenses, including appliances, furniture, fencing, drainage and the solar system. Combined with the land purchase, their investment came to about $85,000. Rainwater storage tanks provide another important part of the property's self-sufficiency.

From supermarket shopping to growing their own food, the couple moved into the property in April. Their plans go beyond simply having solar electricity. They are gradually turning the land into a small food-producing homestead, growing eggplant, okra and chillies and planning to raise chickens and tilapia. They also regularly share excess produce with neighbours, helping them build relationships in the local community. The change comes as renewable energy itself is becoming increasingly important in the Philippines.

Why more Filipinos are looking at solar

The Philippines has traditionally relied heavily on fossil fuels for electricity, while households face relatively high power costs. That trend is now beginning to influence consumer behaviour. Reuters reported in June 2026 that the Philippines had become the world's biggest market for solar-panel imports over a recent three-month period, with $407 million worth of panels imported, as households increasingly looked for ways to reduce electricity costs.

A slower version of everyday life

The couple's new routine is deliberately simple: tending to plants, planning their food production, using solar power and collecting rainwater. For Straight, the move also reflects a desire to spend time more deliberately after experiences that changed how he viewed city living and personal priorities.

Their property is not completely disconnected from civilisation. Corella's shops and markets are nearby, but the home gives them something they felt they were losing in Cebu: space, quiet and greater control over how they use everyday resources. The couple did not set out to build an isolated homestead. They simply took a short trip to Bohol, found a piece of land they liked and decided to make a different kind of life there.

Now, an $85,000 property with solar power, rainwater storage, a vegetable garden and plans for chickens and fish is their answer to the crowded city life they once knew. For them, going off-grid is less about disappearing from the world and more about deciding what they actually need from it.