Money spent in Thailand per month?

[steve73]

1 hour ago, PerkinsCuthbert said:

Try my old trick of sneaking your laundry into someone else's machine wash. That way you can save 30B per time! Sometimes even more if you can hang it to dry. 

Here's another handy tip - keep your old plastic bottles too, for when the bin lady comes around - I make 4B a week with that ruse!

 

Good hunting!

Even better if you refill your water bottles from one the many water dispensing machines dotted around... a 7-10bt water bottle can be filled for around 50satang.

If you're lucky, there may even be some credit leftover from a previous user, and you might get half a bottle free.....

;-))

Edited May 30, 2018 by steve73

[johnjohn2]

This topic has been posted numerous times and obviously what everyone agrees on is that it depends on what you want to do. But also where you are going. I live here full time now past few years but previously traveled to Thailand twice a year for about 30 days each time for about 10 years. The average I would spend during a 30 day visit was around $3000 USD. This was to Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya. I wasnt hitting every go go I came across but I did eat in the mall restaurants etc. and did not pick the most expensive hotels but rather mid range hotels.  I was able to go about and have a pretty decent time off the money I had. If you are on the low end and want to save some pennies then I would suggest at least $1000 a month. This should suffice for basic accommodations and food.  Also for money covering transportation to and fro the tourist destinations you want to visit. I dont think survival was what he was asking about. As of course much less would be needed. I would purchase travel insurance to cover the duration of your visit prior to your departure. You can get some very good hotel deals off the internet. But make sure to do some checking first. There are some really bad places to rent that are very cheap but in the areas you might want to stay. Make sure you read the hotel reviews or ask someone who knows about the place first. I would also just have some extra money saved separately from what you plan to spend while there. In case of emergency, or for some reason you might have to get back earlier than expected or whatever else might come up. This is Thailand. Alot of unexpected things come up.  Your looking for an apartment not a hotel. So I assume you already know the area you want to stay. Alot of hotels offer pretty good monthly rates as well. Not sure how long your staying. More than a month I would look for an apartment as well. Personally I wouldn't think about it for $500/month. But again as everyone says it depends on the person and what you expect to do and how you want to live while here. 

[Rc2702]

3 hours ago, Minnehaha said:

Khao soi can be found at S&P which are everywhere. just sayin.

Thanks. I ate there at the airport once. Never again. 

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

7 minutes ago, Rc2702 said:

Thanks. I ate there at the airport once. Never again. 

Well I'm damn sure that S & P doesn't do Khao Soi "everywhere" like Minnehaha says - and yes the one at CM airport is bloody awful! In fact I am struggling to think of an S & P anywhere that displays the fresh ingredients required to make Khao Soi..

 

But back to the OP....500 USD a month?  no way..maybe for one month but no longer..

 

I am having great fun trying to live off my 600 quid a month military pension. Not only is it fun, it also makes you get out of your bubble, learn Thai, go shopping, find bargains and start cooking for yourself....and doing the washing up, and cleaning, and laundry yourself..!!

 

But - and there is always a but - I have a financial safety net that I can call on if required .........

[EVENKEEL]

Canarysun.......Where are you, you have a disciple here. Please, show him the way.

[jackdd]

27 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Well I'm damn sure that S & P doesn't do Khao Soi "everywhere" like Minnehaha says - and yes the one at CM airport is bloody awful! In fact I am struggling to think of an S & P anywhere that displays the fresh ingredients required to make Khao Soi..

 

But back to the OP....500 USD a month?  no way..maybe for one month but no longer..

 

I am having great fun trying to live off my 600 quid a month military pension. Not only is it fun, it also makes you get out of your bubble, learn Thai, go shopping, find bargains and start cooking for yourself....and doing the washing up, and cleaning, and laundry yourself..!!

 

But - and there is always a but - I have a financial safety net that I can call on if required .........

So you spend maybe half of this on health insurance and live from 300?

Edited May 30, 2018 by jackdd

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

So you spend maybe half of this on health insurance and live from 300?

Good point, and an important one....I try to budget it in and it works out at 4,500 a month for health insurance (I am 62). Although I have no idea where you pay for health insurance that costs 300 quid a month but that is your choice the same as I have my choice.........but I need to reiterate I have savings to fall back on. I am doing this for self discipline more than anything else..

[jackdd]

4 minutes ago, Jeremia Juxtaposed said:

Good point, and an important one....I try to budget it in and it works out at 4,500 a month for health insurance (I am 62). Although I have no idea where you pay for health insurance that costs 300 quid a month but that is your choice the same as I have my choice.........but I need to reiterate I have savings to fall back on. I am doing this for self discipline more than anything else..

When you said pension i assumed you are 65+ and with 65 all insurers have a significant price hike, so 300 a month is realistic then. Luckily im younger, so my insurance is cheaper

[Jeremia Juxtaposed]

6 minutes ago, jackdd said:

When you said pension i assumed you are 65+ and with 65 all insurers have a significant price hike, so 300 a month is realistic then. Luckily im younger, so my insurance is cheaper

Totally understand. My old age pension kicks in at 67, so as health insurance increases so does my income..

 

 

 

[Rori ban khun fang]

How much you need in your home country is the answer. Compare it to your lifestyle at home.

 

Also depending where you stay.

Hua-Hin and Cha-am a small studio for rent will be at about 10.000 - 15.000 bath a month

Jomtien you can find from 8.000 bath up.

I know a swedish man living in Uttaradit City in a resort paying 5.500 bath a month for the room.

But water and electric are excludede. Depending on the use of aircon yes or no consider for water and electric 250 - 600 bath per month.

 

Hotels or else consider starting at 500 bath a nght. longer stay maybe at 10.000 bath negotionable.

 

Food is easy when buy a Lotus-Texso, Big-C or at the market. After 7 pm go to the fresh, ready products, fish, meat and breaad department. Food end of date up to 70% in discount.

The swedish man is living with his wife monthly for at about 900 Euro a month is roughly 34.000 bath.

 

I am driving in own car at about 3000 km per month using 360 - 400 liter gasoline at 39,67 bath per liter a month.

 

So you cannot just ask how much I need in Thailand to live.

 

Minimun wage is 300 - 325 bath a day. at 7 working days a month. But then it is hardly calling living

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2018 by Rori ban khun fang
forgot to add the discount after 19.30 in lotus and big C

[OzMan]

10 hours ago, mstevens said:

Personally, I would need at least 80,000 baht a month which my guess is would be about average for Westerners in Bangkok.

Would 80,000baht a month be for a retired person to live on in bkk?

[hatewaitin]

Mate of mine just got back from there for about 50 days. 

Spent 700 000  yes that right not a typo. 

For me on average I could spend about 60 000

Depends on what your appetite is and what you are expecting from your stay. 

 

[poanoi]

well, he clearly wants to live budget life so lets keep to that specific topic.

yep, 500 usd will land you the most basic life: a room and cheap food,

and the occasional bike taxi, like twice a week.

it does not cover anything else, so hope you like laying on the beach all day

and stay in the room every evening.

a word of caution tho: the sun here really burn white skin quickly,

best to stay indoors until 2 pm and then cover up in sun protection,

if you intend to live the beach life.

 

ed: come to think of it, it would be money well spent on a cheap gym, that way you can be productive

in the morning when the sun is too strong,

it will yield tangible results at a low cost,

and fill you with a sense of meaningful occupation

as oppose to just staying in the room,

and even work as incentive not to piss away

the muscles gained on drinking beer and giving ladydrinks, a good motivation that i think you are going to need to live that cheap

Edited May 30, 2018 by poanoi

[balo]

Let's say 2 meals a day, could you eat bugs and stuff like that? I love them.
Could I live with 500$ monthly?

I smell a troll.

[bermannor]

The OP is either a troll or not the sharpest knife in Mom's kitchen drawer. He did nor reply either. The question is similar to the question: How long will I still live when I stay in bed the rest of my life.

He seems to have no idea what he has to factor in, e.g. how long he will stay total and in one place, kind of travel, entertainment or live of 7-eleven or tap water. He thinks bugs are cheaper than noodle soup, so Isaan is the place to stay.

[jenny2017]

11 hours ago, sanemax said:

There is an easy way to get free clothes .

When you are washing your clothes , some cheapskate will often throw his clothes in with yours , when you are not looking .

   Make sure that you stand by the washing machine when its finishing and then take all his clothes as well .

  Free set of clean clothes  

And he might catch some panties/knickers and have some free fun with them. 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

30,000 baht a month has been a gold standard for years. That's the cheap Charlie amount for the folks like myself.

[Different]

Is this guy saying could he live on 16000 baht a month, if so I need him to be my financial coach.

[rickudon]

Theoretically you can survive on $500 (say 15,000 baht) a month. Survive,. When i came to Thailand to live i thought 30,000 baht a month was doable. With a partner, and soon a daughter, it never was. More like 50,000 baht a month, eat out rarely and very little in the ways of days or  nights out, And i drink little and do not smoke. 60,000 to be comfortable.

[cyril sneer]

if you like women and alcohol and don't see how it's possible

[MyFriend You]

Whatever it costs in your home country, subtract 25%  - thats how much you need to survive well in Thailand,  of course, he doesn't say where he wants to live, city, beach country,Island, turns raps, I could go on and on but whats the point.

[smokie36]

13 hours ago, steve73 said:

Even better if you refill your water bottles from one the many water dispensing machines dotted around... a 7-10bt water bottle can be filled for around 50satang.

If you're lucky, there may even be some credit leftover from a previous user, and you might get half a bottle free.....

;-))

 

I fill my water bottles for the cost of the water bill I am sent each month which including showers for both of us is around 60 Baht.

[smokie36]

Actually I could live for free here but that's my story....hehehe.

[balo]

6 hours ago, rickudon said:

With a partner, and soon a daughter, it never was. More like 50,000 baht a month, eat out rarely and very little in the ways of days or  nights out, And i drink little and do not smoke. 60,000 to be comfortable.

It depends on where you live and what you pay in rent.  Many farang/thai families live on less than 50k . 

 

You can rent a town house for 6000 baht , others pay 30k in a condo , so that will decide your total budget .   But if you have to pay for everything yourself , including insurance and education for your daughter , and if you're wife is not working , then I understand you need more money . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bandito]

It's not the amount of money you need but what the Thai girl you eventually fall for needs and that's a lot.

[tebee]

I's a perennial subject this, the problem is everybody's lifestyle expectations will be different, everybody's circumstances will be different - we all live if different parts of the country and there is a lot of variation in different areas - both in housing costs  and the cost of buying everyday essentials 

[Rc2702]

On 5/30/2018 at 7:23 AM, RichardColeman said:

Due to having to go back to the UK every 9 month, I currently live on about $1150 a month - BUT that is for me and the wife and our 2 year old daughter. Rent is about $280 a month for 2 bed house (free communial pool), electric $60-70, water $8, internet $15-20. Everyone knows nappies and  milk aint cheap. We budget what s left over, but treat ourselves, cinema etc. We have little left at the end of the month. I have a pension at 55 next year which will give me $1000 a month, so that will make life far more comfortable  for a family.

 

I think you could 'survive; on $500 a month, but you would be pretty much housebound with the odd trip to the 7/11.

 

That said if you only want to use $500 as a amount for daily use excluding women and bars then its ok. But then you'd be adding about $1,000-2,000  a month for hookers if thats what you are into and single. 

 

As for eating bugs - you can eat the roaches in our kitchen for free if it helps any.

 

 

Saved a fortune breastfeeding and there is no better nourishment for babies.

[watcharacters]

On 5/30/2018 at 1:40 AM, poanoi said:

a public squat toilet,

 

 

Nice.

[whiteman]

MONTHLY INCOME			MONTHLY EXPENSES
Item	Amount		Item	Amount
Income 1	$115,400.00		INTERNETT	$4,610.00
Income 2	$16,000.00		Electric	$5,000.00
Other	$5,700.00		TV	$833.00
			EDD WAGERS	$9,600.00
			Groceries	$20,000.00
			TIM HEALTH COVER	$17,333.00
			PETROL	$2,000.00
			tim merc insurance	$2,685.00
			PILLS	$4,200.00
			koi life cover	$700.00
			mazda insurance	$1,472.00
			koi medical	$3,515.00
			tim nz life cover	$2,400.00
			rates	$1,666.00
			pet food	$7,500.00
			vet	$4,000.00
			cars 2 maintain	$5,000.00
			travel and treats	16000
			visa cell netgame	$5,000.00
			smarty school	1000
			edds heath	4000
			waterfilters+tank	1000
outgoinging 119,000 bhat  month   health cover costs a lot and I have the best internet one can get  + 3 dogs and 9 cats ? life is still good at 71 ?

Edited June 20, 2018 by whiteman

[Dick Crank]

Yep, you can live on that and less. Next topic...