How much is your true cost of living in Thailand per month?

George,

Three people have voted for 100k plus per month.

Do you think we should have mentioned this poll was for persons living here and not on holiday.

100k+ crikey you could live in a good hotel for 30k or so a month! ???

Gosh, am I just very poor or people here are rich???  My budget is extremely low  compare to some on the poll.  Judging by average Thai standard, some people here do live like a king.  It's not very surprising that lots of Thais think all farang are rich!

60 K is my budget for 3 months, but I don’t have an expensive Thai wife.

I stay in west Pattaya.

Cheers

Alexx

www.geocities.com/pattayaboganvilla/

Well, regarding the over 100K a month budget ...

Put your kids in International school, and you will see that this number is not out of reach. Some may believe that putting your kids in this type of school would give them a better chance of survival, if you were to move back to your home country.

I knew an Australian familly that decided to go back home, when their 3rd kid started to go to school, because they could not afford it (3x international school fees) ... that's one of the difference between a local and expatriate contract ... but that's a different topic ...

Addicted to Broadband Internet  in your previous Life/Country ... that's easily another 8/10K per month.

Singa-traz, it might be more accurate if you explained the purpose of your survey and perhaps provided your definition of "cost of living". i suspect the results would vary greatly depending whether the respondent would choose to include certain items like rent or car allowance etc which may be covered by the company, and whether it is for a single person, a couple, or a family with kids. my response could vary by as much as 300% depending on what the definition is.

TheDude, I agree with you that Cost of Living will depend on your familly situation, your Life Style, and other paramaters ... how many mia noi ...

But for the Rent, Car Allowance, or School Fee, they still are part of the cost of living in Thailand ... except that in some cases, these costs might be covered by your company.

Here are the parameters I used to calculate/evaluate my cost of living in Thailand:

Home

- TV/UBC

- ISP/ADSL

- Telephone

- Utility Bills

- Maid

- Rent

Transport

- ExpressWay

- Parking

- Petrol

Education

- School Fees

- "Lunch Box"

- Transport to school

Food

- Food

Entertainment

- Holiday in home country (once a year)

- Long Week-End Outside Bangkok

- Within Bangkok (Restaurant, Movie, ...)

- Traditional Thai Massage

... as for more detail question for the poll ...

I'm not the administrator who posted this poll. George, is it possible to have multiple questions for a single poll ?

Maybe additional questions:

- Single, Married

- How many family members

- Where do you libe Bangkok/Countryside

-  How old are you ?

- ...

My Filipina wife and myself plan to resettle in Thailand early next year.We currently live in Cyprus, a neat, tidy and rather prosperous small country.

What we really miss, it may sound silly,is the lifestyle in Bkk say or Pattaya where life never seems to come to a stop. Quiet life in a village is considered a punishment by us since all our live has been low pace, the same like life  in a small town in europe where all the facilities are available but there is this sense of sleepiness and the feeling that after 5 pm(shop closing time in winter), the day must be written off.

The fast pace of life in thai cities ,large and small, where practically everything remains open 24 hours a day,exerts a powerful attraction to us. in addition, the fifteen trips to Thailand the past 12 years  gave us a good picture of life in hotels with facilities and comfort. We would like to continue this lifestyle.

1) condo rent 30000  ( 2 bed (children visiting), swimm pool, garden,gym

2) utilities 5000

3) UCB etc 2000

4) maid ,laundry 6000

5) food for two adults ?? (20000? please be so kind to comment. Just ordinary groceries .  )

6) travel home, month allocation 6500

7) Incidentals, madical 3000

total ~70000

Thailand can offer superb accomodation, food, clothes services at a fraction of the cost one gets it in London or Sydney or NY.

Our idea is to enjoy luxury living at discounted prices.

I do not know how my post will be received but i tell you, i am bloody fed up with a nice and quiet life.

This is also depending on wether you stay here

long term (at least 1 year or more) or short term

(2-8 months). Short term you almost always fall back

to more expensive fully serviced appartments.

Also family cost like Internation school can be an issue.

Regards,

AppelDing

My Filipina wife and myself plan to resettle in Thailand early next year.We currently live in Cyprus, a neat, tidy and rather prosperous small country.

What we really miss, it may sound silly,is the lifestyle in Bkk say or Pattaya where life never seems to come to a stop. Quiet life in a village is considered a punishment by us since all our live has been low pace, the same like life  in a small town in europe where all the facilities are available but there is this sense of sleepiness and the feeling that after 5 pm(shop closing time in winter), the day must be written off.

The fast pace of life in thai cities ,large and small, where practically everything remains open 24 hours a day,exerts a powerful attraction to us. in addition, the fifteen trips to Thailand the past 12 years  gave us a good picture of life in hotels with facilities and comfort. We would like to continue this lifestyle.

1) condo rent 30000  ( 2 bed (children visiting), swimm pool, garden,gym

2) utilities 5000

3) UCB etc 2000

4) maid ,laundry 6000

5) food for two adults ?? (20000? please be so kind to comment. Just ordinary groceries .  )

6) travel home, month allocation 6500

7) Incidentals, madical 3000

total ~70000

Thailand can offer superb accomodation, food, clothes services at a fraction of the cost one gets it in London or Sydney or NY.

Our idea is to enjoy luxury living at discounted prices.

I do not know how my post will be received but i tell you, i am bloody fed up with a nice and quiet life.

You will not be alone, we moved from Cyprus 9 months ago to Chiangmai. Do I know you? I know of at least four other couples also in the process of moving from Cyprus to Thailand.

When our house is completed, one month, or Thai time three months! Everything will be paid for, house, car, furniture etc.

In theory we should be able to live very comfortably, enjoy the nightlife or not. Fly to Bangkok and then the beach in Jomtien if we want too.

Come on in the water is fine.

That's insane if you ask me. I live quite comfortably and I don't spend more than 100-200 baht per day on all expenses.

Just depends on what area you live in and what kind of food you eat.

Hmm...think my ex-BG GF is costing me 100,000 bht a week, let alone a month

Do you think I can trade her in and get maybe 4 cheaper GFs at 25,000 bht each?  Would seem to be a better deal

Hahaha... there you go Simon. 4 for the price of 1!  :laugh:

Or was it 1 for the price of 4!

Or do you think I could turn it round the other way and start charging them?! I note the other thread re male escorts....

Simon Bigalow: Male Gigalo

...hmmm... hahahaha  ::

Male gigalo??  I'm a working guy who has no choice! My parents live in Sunderland where they scratch a living from selling bits of coal off the beach.  They were forced to send me to the bright lights of the city to dance in a skimpy swimsuit for overweight Thai women who savour the delights of a puny white farang body...

Sure - I sometimes find a nice woman who promises to keep me in chip butties and Marlboros, so long as I smile sweetly as I dive down for the umpteenth time(!) But for some reason I find the dancing option much more preferable...

I'm a working guy who has no choice!

Yeah yeah, my pimp tells me to tell everyone that too!  ::

...j/k of course...

Here is kind of what I think it costs a [single] guy to live pretty good in Pattaya:

Condo Rent (2 Bedroom):  28,000 baht / $688

Utilities:  4,000 baht / $100 (Air Cond)

Food:  12,000 baht / $295 (Eating home and out)

Internet ADSL:  1,700 baht / $42

Basic Cable TV:  500 baht / $12

Phone:  800 baht / $20

Laundry:  1,000 baht / $25

Miscellaneous Household Expenses:  2,000 baht / $50

Miscellaneous Personal Items:  4,000 baht / $100  

Transportation:  1,500 baht / $37

Visa Fees:  1,000 baht / $25

Bar (drinking only):  12,000 baht / $295

Live-In Girlfriend:  11,000 baht / $270

_

TOTALS:  84,500 baht / $1,960 US  

I don't include the price of medical insurance since Blue Cross is paid by the US Gov for me already.

Ron,

That seems to be a HUGE amount of money to me. I must be VERY POOR......:

For a single guy without any responsibilities, one can live very comfortably for under 40,000.

10,000 Good room very close to skytrain

2,000  Utilities, air-con

1000 internet

7000 food

2000 transportation

2000 health and general traveller's insurance

This comes out 24,000 to live a comfortable life with all your basics covered.

Throw in extra money for clothes, beer, entertainment, girlfriend, one time big items like a computer or vcd player, and it is still rather hard to push that 40,000 limit.

Life is good in Thailand.

My budget is 80,000 baht per month.  Normally no problem keeping within this except when I have a long term girlfriend

I live quite comfortably and I don't spend more than 100-200 baht per day on all expenses.

Bht 200 may just cover half my beer bill.

If we are taking into consideration quality of life.

housing (hotel/ monthly utilities)                                               22,000

the 3 to 5 day get out town trip each month        15,000

entertainment/ bar hops, eat at the beach a few rounds with the home folk a couple nights out with the locals, golf, fishing           30,000

food, laundry, internet, TV and incidentals                20,000  

90,000 would be reasonable and very comfortable and not cheap, cut 30% off if you want to economize and read 7 or 8 books a month or take up a reasonable hobby.

Those days where you just 'nip out' to BigC or Tesco, but for no particular reason  - Everytime I go to those places, I spend thousands on all kinds of rubbish. The nice cool environment has me browsing in no time. Take the girlfriend and that really pushes up the costs...

Indeed, partners are expensive baggage. Many a time i have persuaded, neigh begged her to come to the local shopping centre, so i can have a big mac and a peruse, and then we end up coming home with bags of her underwear, shoes and hadbags.

Whats "no its too bloody expensive and you look fat in that" in thai anyone ?

./P

Home

- TV/UBC waste of money

- ISP/ADSL LOL dial up 1300-1400

- Telephone 450-600 (dtac 1500)

- Utility Bills 700

- Maid (arai nah?)

- Rent 2500

Transport

- ExpressWay we dont have one

- Parking free

- Petrol 60 bt/week

Education

- School Fees 3000 per semester supposedly

- "Lunch Box" included

- Transport to school 7 baht per day

Food

- Food 220 bt per day

Entertainment LOL

- Holiday in home country (once a year) why?

- Long Week-End Outside Bangkok every weekend is outside Bangokok. Been there twice

- Within Bangkok (Restaurant, Movie, ...) ??

- Traditional Thai Massage LOL

... as for more detail question for the poll ...

I'm not the administrator who posted this poll. George, is it possible to have multiple questions for a single poll ?

Maybe additional questions:

- Single, Married --Married

- How many family members--4 (not incl the dog)

- Where do you libe Bangkok/Countryside North definitely o/s BKK

-  How old are you ? #### near 50

- ...

I just did my sums as well

Phazey sounds like you need to teach your girl some farang

culture namely :

"Window shopping" or "Shopping Window" as my girl calls it,

saves me a packet !  

in my opinion(from having to thailand a few times now)if you eat local food(not in restaurant)but from vendors on the street and you are carefull with your money,you need at least 1000 Bath/day to live includind your rent and what have you.So at least 30 000 bath per month is my guess...i see a lot of people in the poll underestimating cost of living in thailand.

best of luck

take care