22 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

I know these videos are inspiring people to move to Chiang Mai. A whole house for $77/month in Lamphun or a $120/month box in the Chiang Mai suburbs. Both of these houses are intended for students and the working poor but we have YouTubers on DTV's competing for them now. Madness.

Houses like that always have a catch, you not learned in your entire life that if things sound to good to be true they are? You will have flooding, leaking, not good working AC or no AC at al, high AC bills if having one, bad neighbors likely, noises, rats and more.

Have done real estate up north for over the past 12+ years, tell me something new. If it was at least locals or people from countries where this is the base standard or already a upgrade, I could have sympathy for it. To hear it from westerners is just pathetic.

Then we not go into detail that they are often positioned in the middle of nowhere, which means a lot more transportation costs aside from needing to pay for taxi's that not want to bring you that far at night or needing to drive drunk, or needing to stay at home every night.

That last one adds up fast today too, you talk easily 4-5K a month in gasoline alone for those remote renters, they pay the difference in gas. Anyone that knows the rules of urban survival, which this effectively is, means that you might be smarter to rent as central as possible for the lowest price, hence the 2-3K rooms.

58 minutes ago, Spider5511 said:

Houses like that always have a catch, you not learned in your entire life that if things sound to good to be true they are? You will have flooding, leaking, not good working AC or no AC at al, high AC bills if having one, bad neighbors likely, noises, rats and more.

Have done real estate up north for over the past 12+ years, tell me something new. If it was at least locals or people from countries where this is the base standard or already a upgrade, I could have sympathy for it. To hear it from westerners is just pathetic.

Then we not go into detail that they are often positioned in the middle of nowhere, which means a lot more transportation costs aside from needing to pay for taxi's that not want to bring you that far at night or needing to drive drunk, or needing to stay at home every night.

That last one adds up fast today too, you talk easily 4-5K a month in gasoline alone for those remote renters, they pay the difference in gas. Anyone that knows the rules of urban survival, which this effectively is, means that you might be smarter to rent as central as possible for the lowest price, hence the 2-3K rooms.

Complete nonsense,

Many of us don't drink much and like to live in a rural area where we can hike and cycle evey day.

At night I'm at home reading or watching TV, same as normal retired people back in the UK.

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19 hours ago, atpeace said:

keeping up with the jones never brings satisfaction

Never keep up with the Joneses; drag them down to your level.

6 hours ago, GoodieAfterDark said:

That was cheap. if you would go out to eat where I live you can expect to spend at least $ 150. for two people. Food is extremely expensive right now. You can expect to spend around $ 500. in groceries per week. Add the cost of fuel and insurance, and it is easy to understand why so many people are living in their cars. The commercial real estate market is collapsing. Many houses are for sale but no buyers. I have seen so many restaurants come and go. A local Thai restaurant that was in business for over 30 years just closed. Their landlord double their lease at time of renew.

I still think it is expensive considering we both had 1 beer and shared chicken wings. Just a quick get together for 30 minutes. It was in an expensive area and it would have been much more expensive if it was dinner and drinks.

19 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

Who needs a car ? will have my firestick with decent tinternet for all my English TV, jump on the bike and travel down to Udon thani for the weekend watching the footy with my friends then back to the Village Monday. Cost of living is killing most in the UK now over 160 baht for a loaf same as eggs 4 apples in Asda over 300 baht .

Tesco Finest Sirloin Steak 227G

3.4 stars (138 Reviews)

£7.80

£34.36/kg

Not many need a car but if you have the spare cash, it is nice to have. The last 6 months I rarely use the car and definitely wouldn't suffer if I didn't have it.

You seem to have a good life and that is all that really matters. Having a little understanding of your future needs helps but chronic anxiety about the future is a terrible way to live. Make a decision and deal with it is how I have tried to live.

14 hours ago, Legal Lifeline said:

through 35000 in a night

It would be enough for my monthly expenses. I live in my own though. 😁

16 hours ago, BumGun said:

I retired at 40 and am now 60, looking back, my only regret was not retiring earlier.i had a near death experience at 35 that really clarified what was important in life to me, (sold my business, left me then wife etc) I'd recommend it to everyone, with the emphasis on the near.

Retiring early is fine if one hates his job and has finances covered.

The ideal is to find work one enjoys (easy to get up each morning) that also pays a living. Very few are able to do that.

As regards your NDE, were you confronted by any so called beings of light who coerced you (or forced you) to go back?

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Some of us just don't support the health insurance Mafia. Thailand has very good public hospitals and we have the ability to participate at a fraction of what it would cost back home. Many of us choose to self-insure and in my particular case I've saved millions of baht by doing so.

It is fine to self insure but for 14k a year for 4 mil (100k deductible) coverage with AXA as a 59 yo, it is worth it for the peace of mind. I wonder if they have a plan that only covers public hospitals. Doesn't matter much because it is cheap for me but what happens when I'm 70+ is up in the air. They told me it would be easy enough to renew my policy to 80 but saying and doing....

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Complete nonsense,

Many of us don't drink much and like to live in a rural area where we can hike and cycle evey day.

At night I'm at home reading or watching TV, same as normal retired people back in the UK.

But we better weather, cheaper entertainment.

23 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Where are you eating in Bangkok? The finer establishments add the service charge and VAT on top.

Which part of him paying 45 baht for his meal did you not quite understand?

6 minutes ago, Keeps said:

Which part of him paying 45 baht for his meal did you not quite understand?

Genuine question but if you are being served meat for 45 baht ... is it going to be of any quality ?

21 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

Genuine question but if you are being served meat for 45 baht ... is it going to be of any quality ?

Could be edible but hardly gourmet. That's at the top end of Rocky's budget. Plus he is too tight/skint to tip.

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6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Complete nonsense,

Many of us don't drink much and like to live in a rural area where we can hike and cycle evey day.

At night I'm at home reading or watching TV, same as normal retired people back in the UK.

You contradict yourself for the second time in that case, because in that case you confirm my point, you could do that anywhere and your quality of life is not elevated by living there at all. Aside from less protection both in health and legal, and by air quality. As well you confirm exactly what i said, a isolated life for cheaper rent far outside or the costs as a difference to compensate for it.

You could live on that exact same budget in most of Europe as well, in a better house and with social welfare protection. So then it boils down to what i said multiple times on this forum, that this is about people defending their choice, rather than being non-biased and realistic.

3 hours ago, Rockyroad said:

But we better weather, cheaper entertainment.

I prefer UK weather .

Thailand is horrendously hot and unpleasant

On 6/13/2026 at 2:53 AM, Packer said:

I don't believe this man is only 45.

Builder, hard manual work, outside a lot and prob divorced. Many look older at.his age.

17 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

I prefer UK weather .

Thailand is horrendously hot and unpleasant

Thai weather is great. No need for long pants and jumpers!

20 hours ago, wil iam not said:

My Mrs has not worked since 2012 after we were both working in Pattaya. I was making enough to move up here when I got my State Pension. I find 35k is enough for us, and her son at University learning to be a Muay Thai teacher.

Uni for muay thai???

25 minutes ago, Nemo. said:

Builder, hard manual work, outside a lot and prob divorced. Many look older at.his age.

And quite possibly an ex Mrs who nagged and looked like a bulldog chewing an angry wasp. Puts years on you. Luckily, not speaking from experience.

My best mate in the UK - his Mrs looks like Taggart - the original one (one for the Brits of a certain age).

On 6/13/2026 at 7:06 PM, Rockyroad said:

Why? I have not been to a doctor in 4 years and I'm older than him. Doctors are for sick people.

And for preventative maintenance. Identify and treat an issue before it becomes a problem.

On 6/13/2026 at 7:25 PM, SAFETY FIRST said:

The Thai tax department are coming down heavy on these content creators.

Most of content creators are misaligned, unhinged, not normal. He'll be taxed.

Only taxed if he makes money. I get the feeling that many do not in any significant amount.

If the guy loves local hole in the wall Thai food his daily food budget is only 150 to 200 baht. I always enjoy those noodle shops or grandma rice shops. To me that is real Thailand.

Probably living in some 32sqm bed-sit with not much else. He's still young enough that he probably doesn't have a lot of health issues but you never know. What kind of VISA is he on? Maybe a DTV which is good for five years but as I understand it that isn't renewable.

17 hours ago, GoodieAfterDark said:

That was cheap. if you would go out to eat where I live you can expect to spend at least $ 150. for two people. Food is extremely expensive right now. You can expect to spend around $ 500. in groceries per week. Add the cost of fuel and insurance, and it is easy to understand why so many people are living in their cars. The commercial real estate market is collapsing. Many houses are for sale but no buyers. I have seen so many restaurants come and go. A local Thai restaurant that was in business for over 30 years just closed. Their landlord double their lease at time of renew.

$500 a week for groceries? Even in expensive america that is a lot of groceries unless you are living on salmon and prime meats or feeding a clan. $500 a week on rent? Absolutely or more.

12 hours ago, Spider5511 said:

Houses like that always have a catch, you not learned in your entire life that if things sound to good to be true they are? You will have flooding, leaking, not good working AC or no AC at al, high AC bills if having one, bad neighbors likely, noises, rats and more.

That guy rented the cheap house in Lamphun and is doing renovations on it. Says he broke and that's all he afford. It seems too cheap to me too but it's very rundown and off the highway in the middle of nowhere so I can believe it.

as for the other one, well it's a tiny box, ~20 sqm so no surprises there.

yes it's pathetic, that one Scottish guys seems to be at the end of the road and trying to survive off YouTube. Don't want to kick people when they're down but it bothers me people do this because it just puts tensions between us and Thai's.

On 6/12/2026 at 6:20 PM, Tyke said:

The main thing I miss is the English countryside. Thailand just ain't the same for hiking.

I agree. We spend six months in Thailand and six months in the US. We have considered selling our house and moving permanently to Thailand. But, despite the <deleted> show that the US is right now, we would miss the hiking and wilderness that I can find here. It is something that Thailand is surely missing.

On 6/12/2026 at 8:34 PM, atpeace said:

Wow, Europe must be much different than America :) Sure rice is cheap in both places but I do like to add some other staples. Meat is at least tripple the cost and spices and vegies even more.

Most of the time the guys who insist that the cost of living is just as reasonable in America and Europe are guys who would like to be living in Thailand, but for one reason or another can't be here. It's kind of a defensive mechanism to justify their current lifestyle, and being forced to be stuck back there.

1 hour ago, Issan girl said:

I agree. We spend six months in Thailand and six months in the US. We have considered selling our house and moving permanently to Thailand. But, despite the <deleted> show that the US is right now, we would miss the hiking and wilderness that I can find here. It is something that Thailand is surely missing.

That is definitely one thing that the US truly has over Thailand. The pristine wilderness areas, the extraordinary national parks, national forests, national monuments and the kind of air quality that we can only dream about in Thailand in those remote areas.

On 6/13/2026 at 5:24 AM, Georgealbert said:

GBP800 a month

Why can't we just say: Pounds Sterling.....

GPB is too confusing to me.