cost of living Chaing Mai/provinces

[puffy]

15 hours ago, chickenrunCM said:

i guess your kids going to thai school, but in the case of the OP i guess they are foreign so they not speaking thai, and then any international school is about 30.000 thb/month/kid. I pay in Chiang Mai avarage more than 30.000 thb/ month for my 16 year old son, then more than 10.000 for living for him.(food, drink, motorbike, clothes, pocket money)

with foreign kids you can´t live with 65000 thb, with thai kids may be. And why living in Chiang Mai when then live outside 25 km, you need then a car what add the costs you save with cheaper rent.

We are living in the moat with our own bussines, gas we have may be 1500 thb if you live outside (what we did before) your gas is more 7-10.000 if you have to come to town every day.

You can live a nice life with 65000 thb, if you not going out often and buy only what you need, but the kids make the differnece, education costs a very high in Thailand, or you let your kid be dump for the rest of their life and send them to a thai school.

Sorry, your post is very difficult to comprehend, and your guessing about where my children go to school has absolutely zero relevance to the original post.

[chickenrunCM]

10 minutes ago, puffy said:

Sorry, your post is very difficult to comprehend, and your guessing about where my children go to school has absolutely zero relevance to the original post.

 

10 minutes ago, puffy said:

Sorry, your post is very difficult to comprehend, and your guessing about where my children go to school has absolutely zero relevance to the original post.

of course it has, because you are writing that you live with this budget with kids, than this means they are going to a Thai school. 

[BuddyDean]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

That's not my experience and I've been living here for over 15 years, accident-free.

 

And the sample budget I posted earlier included 3k a month for diesel which more than covers my almost daily trips into Chiang Mai (22kms). 

The foreigners, who have crashed going to the outskirts reads like a phone book.  Baghdad was safe for most, so is Detroit or Chicago, but don't underestimate the risks.  It takes three times longer to get to town from Hang Dong during rush hour, than it did ten years ago.  Maybe there will be a light rail, after 10 years of even worse traffic.  Apparently, the airport is going to continue at ball to the wall, but even if it was to be moved, still could take 10-20 years, which is a lot quicker than SWAMPPY.

[simoh1490]

2 hours ago, chickenrunCM said:

i guess your kids going to thai school, but in the case of the OP i guess they are foreign so they not speaking thai, and then any international school is about 30.000 thb/month/kid. I pay in Chiang Mai avarage more than 30.000 thb/ month for my 16 year old son, then more than 10.000 for living for him.(food, drink, motorbike, clothes, pocket money)

with foreign kids you can´t live with 65000 thb, with thai kids may be. And why living in Chiang Mai when then live outside 25 km, you need then a car what add the costs you save with cheaper rent.

We are living in the moat with our own bussines, gas we have may be 1500 thb if you live outside (what we did before) your gas is more 7-10.000 if you have to come to town every day.

You can live a nice life with 65000 thb, if you not going out often and buy only what you need, but the kids make the differnece, education costs a very high in Thailand, or you let your kid be dump for the rest of their life and send them to a thai school.

Again, I live in Mae Rim which is 22 kms out. If I drove into CM every day that would 1,320 kms a month which is about one and a half tanks of diesel or 2,500 baht. You'd only spend 7-10,000 baht a month on fuel if you lived a seriously long way out, AND you drove a performance car or a gas hog.

[BuddyDean]

But gas is only about 1/4 the cost of operating a car.  IRS says its 55 cents per mile....not to be generous on your mileage expenses.

[Mansell]

Your Vigo insurance sounds high.....my Thai lady does insurance. She did my five year old  Mazda 2 first class coverage for 8,000 and change. Contact me privately if you want a quote.

i know I'm not in CM, but in Korat, but we got a five year old house, two floors, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, security complex, for 10,000 a month....lots of large rooms etc. and countryside all around.

you can live on that money, but it will be a squeaker....and what about health insurance for you and the kids?

Anything is possible, but try to salt away 10,000 a month for those unknown unknowns. 

And good luck.

[khunPer]

On 11/17/2017 at 8:59 AM, Clive said:

...possible to live a comfortable life in Chaing may or similar for 1 adult and 2 children (not including school costs) on £1500 a month?

Now that is a question of life-style and definition of "comfortable"...

 

For comparison, I can, or rather we can live comfortable at little more up-priced Koh Samui – more expensive than Chiang Mai, because it's an island – for a 69,000 baht a month budget, covering two grown-ups and one nearly teen child ; almost same as £1,500 or 65,000 baht. However my budget includes school tuition fee for a (relative expensive) EP (English Program) School.

 

In my opinion: Yes, you can live comfortable in Chiang Mai for 65,000 baht a month excluding school costs...

 

– but, your family, and my family, may not have same life-style, which can make a difference. Furthermore I own a car, which may make transportation cheaper, but you can still get a lot around with public transportation, and some taxis, for just the costs of running a car (without the initial buying sum). Furthermore I own a house, but even so the costs of maintenance and other expenses outweigh the costs of renting something acceptable, (but not as big, and not at same kind of location).

 

In overall terms my 69k/month budget in THB looks like:

15.000 Housing expenses (incl. electric)

15.000 Food for a family (500 thb/day)

  3.000 Other housekeeping expenses (cleaning materials, laundry etc. etc.)

10.000 Allowances
  5.000 Transportation (car running costs)

  5.000 Insurances (not car)

  4.000 Various, incl. cable-TV, and set aside for pleasure and travelling

12.000 School fees and other costs related to school

 

Some major expenses, like buying new stuff or travelling abroad, I need to find the money from my savings – or save up inside the budget – but if you exclude school costs from the comparing budget of mine, you may have enough air (some 140k baht a year). Furthermore, for comparison, my budget include two adults, but my girlfriend however has other small income of her own, which is not included in our family budget, bringing her personal "allowance" up.

 

Wish you good luck with your plans...

[bazza73]

5 hours ago, thenewgoo said:

I suggest you look at the rental prices in CM. 5000-9000 B a month doesn't seem to get much these days. 

In CM proper, yes. Places such as San Kamphaeng, San Puloei and Mae Rim are still quite cheap. A friend rented a huge house on 2 acres for 8000 baht a month in San Puloei not so long ago.

[SinKhaPoChin]

O.K.
 
Ours has never been less than 425 over the last 11 years; usually around 485 and even more during the hot season when we water the garden usually twice a day and shower frequently. Our neighbor's bills are more like 600-800 but they have bigger gardens than we do.

2 live in the house. Both do shower morning and evening. Bathe the dog twice weekly. About half of our meals are cooked at home. Water the few shrubs daily when it doesn't rain.
Water bill has never been more than 200 baht.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[BuddyDean]

Electric, sounds like a leak..if it is only 5 THB per unit....you would have a 5000 THB water sewer bill in most of the US, even in places where it rains s frequently.  

[bruceamstutz]

Need to take into consideration the rate of exchange for your income....I've seen it at 55 baht for USD during mid 1990 and since to as low a 28 baht for USD....So be prepared for good and bad changes to your local income....  

[simoh1490]

14 hours ago, BuddyDean said:

Electric, sounds like a leak..if it is only 5 THB per unit....you would have a 5000 THB water sewer bill in most of the US, even in places where it rains s frequently.  

You're confused. Domestic electricity is 4.8 baht per kwh, municipal water is about 10.2 baht per 1k litres - there is no sewage system hence there is no sewage charge.

[BuddyDean]

Actually, electric (I was a addressing Electrified) is closer to 3.8, delivered.  Condo water is 17-40..depends, per unit, and last time I had a house it was 5.  99.8% of people with municipal water have municipal sewer in the US, so your bill would be for water and sewer...but even at 10 per unit, he is using 1500 liters per day, which is excessive.  Maybe not a leak, but high use.  

[simoh1490]

15 minutes ago, BuddyDean said:

Actually, electric (I was a addressing Electrified) is closer to 3.8, delivered.  Condo water is 17-40..depends, per unit, and last time I had a house it was 5.  99.8% of people with municipal water have municipal sewer in the US, so your bill would be for water and sewer...but even at 10 per unit, he is using 1500 liters per day, which is excessive.  Maybe not a leak, but high use.  

What's the relevance of the continual referral to things in the US, car running costs, water sewage system ratio's, it's irrelevant and tiresome. 

[BuddyDean]

It is a baseline...running an auto has very similar costs here.  You could call it 10 THB per KM, so your 44 KM per day is 440 THB X 30=13,200 per month, but you're a genius for having cheap rent and barking dogs on the outskirts.  

[simoh1490]

16 hours ago, BuddyDean said:

It is a baseline...running an auto has very similar costs here.  You could call it 10 THB per KM, so your 44 KM per day is 440 THB X 30=13,200 per month, but you're a genius for having cheap rent and barking dogs on the outskirts.  

One of the huge advantages of car ownership in Thailand is that maintenance and repair costs are extremely low, parts don't need to be imported since the vehicles are assembled here plus labour costs are seriously low - road tax equivalents are also lower than in the West. It's for those reasons that used car prices are so high as vehicles retain their value for much longer.

 

We own our home and I think the trade off in prices between Chiang Mai proper and where we live 22 kms out is very worthwhile, after living in this location for three years we now don't need to go into Chiang Mai since everything we need is easily accessible locally, albeit we do so out of choice.

[Scooby and Puppy]

On 18/11/2017 at 10:20 AM, chingmai331 said:

Many 2nd hand clothing shops in/near CM.  And best of all, no need for mittens, woolen caps, long underwear and the like.

 

Kid schooling very costly here, if good English instruction wanted.  

 

At 65K baht per month, you can survive  but will soon dislike all the pinching and scraping you will need to do to avoid loans.

 

What kind of visa can you get?  Retirement? Then you will need a large bag of cash up front.  No working here, except special cases.

 

If wife not Thai then life in the suburbs very boring with hardly any social life for farangs.

If you read his OP,  You will find he said ‘NOT including school fees’. So that puts your theory out the window.  65K/month is easily do-able, with school fees extra.

[totally thaied up]

14 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

We own our home and I think the trade off in prices between Chiang Mai proper and where we live 22 kms out is very worthwhile, after living in this location for three years we now don't need to go into Chiang Mai since everything we need is easily accessible locally, albeit we do so out of choice.

Distance is a big thing.

 

We own our home outright (well as much as any farang in Thailand with a Thai wife can). We are 11km out from Promenada, 18km from Central Festival and 21km to Tha Phae Gate. I have measured these distances on my bike. It makes things much more comfortable and yes cheaper in some ways if you do live closer.

 

I once live 52km from town and fuel was a big thing. Riding a motorcycle in to save fuel was dangerous. Anything 20km or under out (using Tha Phea Gate as a central location point) is not too far, but from having the experience of living in the centre in the city to out here, I would not like to be much further out than 10-20km even if it meant saving money.

 

Traffic at peak times, even on the edge of San Kamphaeng on parts of the 1006 is not much better than in town. The Super Highway (1317) at peak times at traffic lights is nuts as well. Just past 7-11 from Promenda heading out of town to the Springs at times is plain nuts, and I have seen a few deaths now in this particular area. 

 

Also the number of fatalities I have seen on the 121, 1006 and 1317 late at night on trips home has made me limit my late night driving. 

 

These are things to take also into consideration, not in addition to cost. Sometimes I wished we had a Condo in town walking distance to most things just to keep off the road. Like most of us here, I have had one too many close calls, and even though I love driving, I do now limit my road time.

Edited November 21, 2017 by totally thaied up

[EricTh]

The Baht if getting stronger and stronger, so you might choose other countries instead.

 

 

[InMyShadow]

The Baht if getting stronger and stronger, so you might choose other countries instead.
 
 

shortest post making the most sense

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 11:27 AM, BuddyDean said:

What I see is many underestimating the living costs for kids.  It's kind of like going gambling. and giving kids money for the arcade....cost a lot more than nickel slots.  "Fashion" is heavily taxed here, and unfortunately, that includes basic cross trainers.  Growing kids could need new clothes at a much faster rate.  If they can't eat Thai food; there goes the grocery budget.  Tops is basically double what I am used to paying.  Some condiments maybe four times more.  Wine/cheese?  Obscene.  Beef?  Cheaper to worship it; than eat it.  There are some great alternatives, but many can't make the change.  9000 per month for three puts you in a place, where you will have a lot of transport expenses.  Look at the bright side, your kids won't have to see you bring home bar girls...you won't be able to afford it.  Trips home?  You could spend three months worth on a two week trip home.

Time to man up and learn to say no to the offspring, with their tiresome demands for the latest version of fashion footwear. Thais clothe their kids on a limited budget without problems.

If they won't eat "Thai food" let them starve, I say. Hunger will soon see them coming around.

Cheese- I presume you mean of the fancy variety. I haven't eaten such, along with lamb since I came to reside in these happy lands, and chicken is far healthier than coronary inducing beef.

If a westerner has to live as though he were still in a western country, why would he be here in the first place?

 

[BuddyDean]

Obviously, but many can't make an instant switch, if at all.  Agree about the Thai clothes, big exception would he the shoes, and it really hurts them in athletics.  Most are very poor runners, and so few have proper shoes for being on a track or field.  The sandals don't give much arch support to a rapidly growing foot.  Their own medical experts have stated lack of real milk has hurt their IQs, with the average Thai kids is closer to 90, than 100..and that is downright frightening.

Edited November 24, 2017 by BuddyDean

[suzannegoh]

It depends upon how experienced you are at living frugally.  If you're accustomed to living on some multiple of that budget and if you don't presently need to watch every penny that you spend, then once here you might find it might to be difficult to downgrade your lifestyle enough. 

Edited November 24, 2017 by suzannegoh

[superglue]

4 of us live very comfortably. Spacious home. No smokers & little alcohol.

B20k/month.

[Sparkles]

On ‎11‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 10:34 PM, SinKhaPoChin said:

 

 

2 live in the house. Both do shower morning and evening. Bathe the dog twice weekly. About half of our meals are cooked at home. Water the few shrubs daily when it doesn't rain.
Water bill has never been more than 200 baht.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

In Mooban Banwangtan,Hang Dong we water most days apart from rainy season ,every day in hot season,sometimes twice a day.

 

Water bill from the village has never exceeded 140 baht, for the month, in 11 years .In winter 100-120 baht.

 

2 people, long cycle washing machine.95% of meals at home. Min 4 showers in summer per day, and you know how long it takes a Thai lady to wash her long hair

 

Presuming water comes from the same source, under Gov control, the price fluctuation is questionable but no complaints from us

[anto]

On 11/24/2017 at 5:01 PM, superglue said:

4 of us live very comfortably. Spacious home. No smokers & little alcohol.

B20k/month.

10 of us live on B5000 a month . ( B500 a month each ) 

Edited November 25, 2017 by anto

[chingmai331]

Sounds like an 'anthill', Anto.  Good on ya, mate to save a coin.

[elektrified]

On 11/18/2017 at 10:20 AM, chingmai331 said:

Many 2nd hand clothing shops in/near CM.  And best of all, no need for mittens, woolen caps, long underwear and the like.

 

Kid schooling very costly here, if good English instruction wanted.  

 

At 65K baht per month, you can survive  but will soon dislike all the pinching and scraping you will need to do to avoid loans.

 

What kind of visa can you get?  Retirement? Then you will need a large bag of cash up front.  No working here, except special cases.

 

Absolute rubbish!

[elektrified]

On 11/18/2017 at 11:16 AM, colinneil said:

How many people in your home?

Here there is me and the wife, who showers 2/3 times every day.

I use the water for chickens/turkeys/rabbits/fish.

The bill that came 3 days ago, is for 108 baht.

4 people.

[elektrified]

On 11/18/2017 at 12:47 PM, chickenrunCM said:

we have a restaurants with 2 toilets and our apartment and 2-300 guests a day who using the toilet, and 3 people take shower every day and we have 400 avarage

Don't know what to say. That is what our bill is. No, we don't have a leak.