We did rent for about 7 months, and yes it was a lot cheaper, however I never got around to buying an aircon or a decent bed, and after a while, everyone knows where you live and just shows up at your door randomly... I didn't like that part, and prefer to be on the move.
One night the Barangay Tanod told me I should move because there was a known robber who would come visit my next door neighbors. Apparently he was a real bad apple, and they actually feared for my and my girlfriend's safety. They told me, "some day we're gonna have to kill him." So, when the police tell you you should move, its time to move.
Since then I've been living in a combination of cheap hotels and AirBnBs.
I didn't quite get this part... How do you live in a place like that if it's so dangerous? The US passport can provide access almost to any country, why did you choose this? But I think that's a great experience anyway.