Many expats live in Thailand on less than 45,000 baht a month

[james1995]

45,000 isn't bad.  that's almost equivalent in buying power to what a job pays in the us or uk.  well, at least you're living in thailand not some gloomy overcast town.  i hate going back "home".  it's scary and depressing.

[bwpage3]

1 hour ago, james1995 said:

45,000 isn't bad.  that's almost equivalent in buying power to what a job pays in the us or uk.  well, at least you're living in thailand not some gloomy overcast town.  i hate going back "home".  it's scary and depressing.

45,000 baht (US $1,406 month) is not equivalent to any job in the USA except minimum wage (US $9/hour) 46,080 baht (US $1440 month) and has the same earning power or less. Car, gas, western food, you name all more expensive in Thailand.

 

Compare gloomy to 6 months of monsoon rain

 

 

[moontang]

Rent, taxis, internet, restaurants...all cheaper in LOS.

[Nyezhov]

27 minutes ago, moontang said:

Rent, taxis, internet, restaurants...all cheaper in LOS.

Lets see, all are good rounded off approximations, in USD....lets use a 6 month period here in Bangkok

 

I paid $45 USD for 6 months of cell service and unlimited internet. That would cost me $360 in the States.

 

I have to have a car in the US.  Not counting the cost of the car and maintenance, Insurance would be, at my age, about $100 a month. Add $300 for gas. Thats $400 a month or $2400. Here, I basically pay about $5 a day for Taxis and trains and boats. Lets call that $150 a month or $900.

 

Home internet is $120 here, $300 there for 6 months

 

My Electric and water is about $400 here, $1000 there for 6 months

 

My rent is $2000 here, the same place would be at least $4500 there for 6 months.

 

Total it all up. its like 60% more expensive? PLus I could fly today to Phnom Phen or Phuket or wherever for $40? Where is $40 going to get me in the US? I love the Big Mango, filthy and polluted and inefficient as it is. Maybe if I get bored laying around the pool, I will take the BTS to Saphan Thaksin ($1) and then the Slow Boat to Nonthaburi (.45 cents), walk around, have a nice Hoi Tod or Tom Yum Noodles at the Market ($1.20), flirt with some girls, have a nice tasty smoothie (90 cents) and buy a Tshirt for $2.90. Maybe a kilo of fruit for $2. I just amused myself for less than a Big Mac meal. 

[moontang]

I like the Big Mango, too.  The Thais are just as friendly in BKK as they are in the rest of the country.

[Nyezhov]

48 minutes ago, moontang said:

I like the Big Mango, too.  The Thais are just as friendly in BKK as they are in the rest of the country.

I am basically a happy polite smiling sweaty fat bumbling idiot...I dont know if the Grannies feel sorry for me or what but they walk me across the street, help me to shop, etc (I do play more stupid than I am...maybe). I high five and fist bump and salute the security guys and MC guys, joke with everyone...hell yesterday at a Market I got free food everywhere since I was the only white dude around and was just having a good old time...a lady started poking me in the stomach, laughed and gave me a free sausage, a coconut dude got excited because I filmed him cutting coconuts...so he hands me a coconut for free. One lady insisted I take pictures of her pretending to eat live shrimp,  Red Bull girls tried to feed me Red Bull, I said Mee Kap, Kop Khun kap, make me ting tong, me pompwee, too much, no yaabaa me, they thought that was uproarious and then everytime a Red Bull girl saw me she would laugh and try to give me Red Bull and I would hear something like Falang yaabaa and they would all laugh and then a granny would pat me like I was some stupid child ...even if they are making fun of me (I am Millwall) they are all nice....I think Thai people are cool and I am glad I got here this time before high season and folks start getting jaded. It helps that I live off the beaten path a bit so its like, whoa, somchai, there is a fat falang here, WT, maybe he's lost, hey auntie, give him some water, he is sweating. 5555 OMG, he speaks Thai like a baby, here fat falang, have this here Roach on a stick, OMG he ate it, what a trip! High fives and wais. Meanwhile, I get free amusement for my far less than 45000B a month! Yesterday cost me 600B including rent I think....but hey I could be back in the US paying 180B for some Budwhizzer and watching American football as my brain rots....

Edited October 8, 2018 by Nyezhov

[suzannegoh]

I am basically a happy polite smiling sweaty fat bumbling idiot...I dont know if the Grannies feel sorry for me or what but they walk me across the street, help me to shop, etc (I do play more stupid than I am...maybe). I high five and fist bump and salute the security guys and MC guys, joke with everyone...hell yesterday at a Market I got free food everywhere since I was the only white dude around and was just having a good old time...a lady started poking me in the stomach, laughed and gave me a free sausage, a coconut dude got excited because I filmed him cutting coconuts...so he hands me a coconut for free. One lady insisted I take pictures of her pretending to eat live shrimp,  Red Bull girls tried to feed me Red Bull, I said Mee Kap, Kop Khun kap, make me ting tong, me pompwee, too much, no yaabaa me, they thought that was uproarious and then everytime a Red Bull girl saw me she would laugh and try to give me Red Bull and I would hear something like Falang yaabaa and they would all laugh and then a granny would pat me like I was some stupid child ...even if they are making fun of me (I am Millwall) they are all nice....I think Thai people are cool and I am glad I got here this time before high season and folks start getting jaded. It helps that I live off the beaten path a bit so its like, whoa, somchai, there is a fat falang here, WT, maybe he's lost, hey auntie, give him some water, he is sweating. 5555 OMG, he speaks Thai like a baby, here fat falang, have this here Roach on a stick, OMG he ate it, what a trip! High fives and wais. Meanwhile, I get free amusement for my far less than 45000B a month! Yesterday cost me 600B including rent I think....but hey I could be back in the US paying 180B for some Budwhizzer and watching American football as my brain rots....

Just goes to prove that Dean Wormer was wrong when he sad that "fat, drunk, and stupid is no way yo go through life, son".

[Nyezhov]

15 minutes ago, suzannegoh said:

22 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

I am basically a happy polite smiling sweaty fat bumbling idiot...I dont know if the Grannies feel sorry for me or what but they walk me across the street, help me to shop, etc (I do play more stupid than I am...maybe). I high five and fist bump and salute the security guys and MC guys, joke with everyone...hell yesterday at a Market I got free food everywhere since I was the only white dude around and was just having a good old time...a lady started poking me in the stomach, laughed and gave me a free sausage, a coconut dude got excited because I filmed him cutting coconuts...so he hands me a coconut for free. One lady insisted I take pictures of her pretending to eat live shrimp,  Red Bull girls tried to feed me Red Bull, I said Mee Kap, Kop Khun kap, make me ting tong, me pompwee, too much, no yaabaa me, they thought that was uproarious and then everytime a Red Bull girl saw me she would laugh and try to give me Red Bull and I would hear something like Falang yaabaa and they would all laugh and then a granny would pat me like I was some stupid child ...even if they are making fun of me (I am Millwall) they are all nice....I think Thai people are cool and I am glad I got here this time before high season and folks start getting jaded. It helps that I live off the beaten path a bit so its like, whoa, somchai, there is a fat falang here, WT, maybe he's lost, hey auntie, give him some water, he is sweating. 5555 OMG, he speaks Thai like a baby, here fat falang, have this here Roach on a stick, OMG he ate it, what a trip! High fives and wais. Meanwhile, I get free amusement for my far less than 45000B a month! Yesterday cost me 600B including rent I think....but hey I could be back in the US paying 180B for some Budwhizzer and watching American football as my brain rots....

Just goes to prove that Dean Wormer was wrong when he sad that "fat, drunk, and stupid is no way yo go through life, son".

Yep, It worked for Flounder in the end!

[Kadilo]

35 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

...a lady started poking me in the stomach, laughed and gave me a free sausage, 

Ahhh that kind of lady. 

[Nyezhov]

30 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Ahhh that kind of lady. 

Get your ass over here with a cup of coffee and some screen cleaner! Awesome dude, awesome!????????????

[JAG]

1 hour ago, suzannegoh said:

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

I am basically a happy polite smiling sweaty fat bumbling idiot...I dont know if the Grannies feel sorry for me or what but they walk me across the street, help me to shop, etc (I do play more stupid than I am...maybe). I high five and fist bump and salute the security guys and MC guys, joke with everyone...hell yesterday at a Market I got free food everywhere since I was the only white dude around and was just having a good old time...a lady started poking me in the stomach, laughed and gave me a free sausage, a coconut dude got excited because I filmed him cutting coconuts...so he hands me a coconut for free. One lady insisted I take pictures of her pretending to eat live shrimp,  Red Bull girls tried to feed me Red Bull, I said Mee Kap, Kop Khun kap, make me ting tong, me pompwee, too much, no yaabaa me, they thought that was uproarious and then everytime a Red Bull girl saw me she would laugh and try to give me Red Bull and I would hear something like Falang yaabaa and they would all laugh and then a granny would pat me like I was some stupid child ...even if they are making fun of me (I am Millwall) they are all nice....I think Thai people are cool and I am glad I got here this time before high season and folks start getting jaded. It helps that I live off the beaten path a bit so its like, whoa, somchai, there is a fat falang here, WT, maybe he's lost, hey auntie, give him some water, he is sweating. 5555 OMG, he speaks Thai like a baby, here fat falang, have this here Roach on a stick, OMG he ate it, what a trip! High fives and wais. Meanwhile, I get free amusement for my far less than 45000B a month! Yesterday cost me 600B including rent I think....but hey I could be back in the US paying 180B for some Budwhizzer and watching American football as my brain rots....

Just goes to prove that Dean Wormer was wrong when he sad that "fat, drunk, and stupid is no way yo go through life, son".

Well look, he isn't doing anyone any harm, and seems to enjoy himself, and entertain the locals.

 

Wouldn't suit a lean, mean, intense, steely eyed young thruster (like me?) but each to his own...

Edited October 8, 2018 by JAG

[Kerryd]

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

Compare gloomy to 6 months of monsoon rain

Well, the rainy season here doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as the 6(+) months of sleet, snow and ice did "back home" and again, a lot depends on your standards.

 

For example, a couple years ago a friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook of a piece of cauliflower she'd bought at a market in Vancouver. Cost her $8 (Cdn) so at the time it was about $7 US or 240 baht (roughly). For a single head of cauliflower.

I went to a local market and bought a large bag of vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, onions, red chilies, some garlic, tomatoes, green beans and straw mushrooms. Basically enough veggies to last me a week.

Total 180 baht, less than $6 Cdn at the time. 
(Yeah I took a picture of it and posted that on her Facebook page).

I'm also reminded of a trip I made back to Canada in 2008. I stopped at a large grocery store and bought enough food to get me from Friday evening to Monday morning basically (less one supper that I planned on eating at a restaurant). 

2 bags of food - $300 Cdn (about $300 US at the time as the dollar was strong back then, or about 9,600 baht). Basically it was some eggs, bacon, hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, bread, processed cheese and some ketchup/relish/mustard. Nothing fancy - just wanted some stuff that would be quick and easy to cook to get me through the weekend.

 

That weekend's worth of "cheap" food cost as much as what I spend on groceries in a month over here (on average) and I don't even look at prices when I'm shopping. I look for what I want, be it meat,cheese, fruit or deli products, throw it in the cart and when I get to the till is when I find out how much I've bought. I don't compare prices or go for the "cheap" stuff. At current exchange rates I'm spending about $100 Cdn/week on groceries here.

Back in Canada I'd probably be paying 3 times that much for the same stuff (more actually as I wouldn't be buying just hot dogs and hamburgers).

Bonus to shopping here, I get to do it year-round wearing a pair of lightweight pants and a t-shirt.

Was just looking at motorcycle insurance rates in Canada - way more expensive than in Thailand (for "Class 1" insurance equivalent). Seems a lot of people in Canada will insure their bikes in the Spring, for a full year's coverage (to get the cheapest rate) and then cancel the insurance in the Fall when they usually have to park their bikes anyways. A number of people seem to be paying around 21,000 baht per year for 600cc and smaller bikes, which is way under that would be charged for a full sized Harley (in BC the rates jump significantly based on engine displacement and the bigger Harleys are at the top of the rate scale).
I get Class 1 insurance on the Harley here for what I'd pay for regular insurance on a bike less than half the size in Canada.

 

And here I can ride year round, even during "monsoon" season. Although I will admit, during the "winter" months if I am in the northern part of the country I may wear a long-sleeved t-shirt in the morning as it can be a bit chilly.

 

Cab (taxi) fares are also a lot cheaper here. I can get a private taxi from the airport to my house in Pattaya for what, 1,200-1,500 baht or so ? About $50-60 Cdn to go 180 kms.

In Canada (Vancouver), a trip of just 50 kms could cost you nearly $100 Cdn (2,500 baht) according to one site.
A trip of 150kms (say from Vancouver to Hope) could be as much as $315 Cdn (almost 7,900 baht, for a trip that is 30 kms shorter than going to/from the airport over here).

And that's not including short "in city" trips.

Take a ("chartered") baht bus trip around Pattaya that goes around 11-12 kilometers and it'll probably cost you around 300 baht.
In Vancouver you'd be charged about $3.50 the instant you sat in the taxi and then another $1.9 per kilometer travelled. So the same trip would cost you about $25.35 Cdn or about 635 baht (more actually, as they also charge you for the time you sit at every traffic light along the way).

On the other hand, the HiSos just have their servants do their shopping for them, could care less if they even have insurance at all and don't care how much it costs their chauffeurs to drive them around so for them anyone that is spending less than 45k a month must be on the verge of starving to death by comparison.

I seriously doubt that I could live in Canada at all on what I generally spend per month in Thailand. Sheesh, back in 2003 I was living in cheap military housing in Canada (shared barracks - had to pay a small rent as well as pay for our own electricity, water, cable, internet and phone costs). I had sat down at one point and figured out that I was paying over $1,500 a month just in rent and utility bills ! Not including the truck payments, insurance, food or other expenses. (Medical was covered by the military.) (The rent was also considerably cheaper than what I would have paid for if I was living off base.)

That's about 37,500 baht per month at today's exchange rates (and at 15 year old prices) just for rent and utility bills.

I just totalled all my monthly and yearly expenses here including utilities, medical coverage, company registration/balance sheet, Class 1 motorcycle insurance and additional motorcycle accident coverage and it works out to about 22,000 a month.

Add in 10,000 a month on food and I'm paying less now (per month) for all my expenses combined, than I did in Canada just for rent and utilities 15 years ago.

 

And those numbers are just based on my personal experiences. There are numerous websites that estimate the cost of living in various places around the world and I have yet to find one that says it is cheaper to live in the US or Canada than it is to live in Thailand.

So yes, give me the "6 months of monsoon" rain over here where even when it's pouring I can sit on my patio in shorts and a t-shirt and enjoy a cool drink instead of spending 6(+) months bundled up like an Eskimo wondering if I'll freeze to death before my supply of whale blubber runs out.

[totally thaied up]

6 hours ago, Kerryd said:

So yes, give me the "6 months of monsoon" rain over here where even when it's pouring I can sit on my patio in shorts and a t-shirt and enjoy a cool drink instead of spending 6(+) months bundled up like an Eskimo wondering if I'll freeze to death before my supply of whale blubber runs out.

We all have our reasons for being here. I came for a few things. Some come for the girls, others go totally 'Jungle' and the rest of us, try to live a normal life. Give me a monsoon over the cold any day of the week. As long as it is not at 'Typhoon Philippine' type of monsoon.

 

My reason was my work life was cut down in my prime. At 32 I got seriously sick and I did not really ever recover from it. I did all the right things in my life. I went to school, I studied, I got a good job, I saved my money, invested but at 32, you are really only just starting to build wealth. I had only 8 years of real work under my belt and the promotions were only just starting for real money. I still have the nest egg now but instead of it being in the millions from a full working life, I did not get there due to the time factor. When you are totally cut down and you realize, hell, for the rest of my life there is a very good chance that I will never have employment again, it is a sobering thought and until it happens to you, you will never be prepared. I tried to work in my parent's Company till I was 39 but I was more times off sicker then working and in the end, I was pensioned off.

 

Thailand suits me now. It is nowhere near being perfect and with currency rates terrible now, some of the gloss is taken off being Australian. I will never say I will not go back home as that is always possible but for some of us, we do have our reasons for being here and living off around that 45,000 baht a month market, does give you a slightly better standard of life if you want to live the Asian way. Forget about it if you truly want to live a Western lifestyle because it would be cheaper to do so back in the States just only on the fact, you don't have to jump through hoops to work there and of course, your wage would be much better if you are in some formal standard, educated. 

 

Of course, I would like to live a higher life, be able to travel more if I was able to psychically but I was given pretty much a lemon at 32 but yet somehow Thailand let me drink lemonade. Its all not that bad and there are a lot of other people worse off than me. Being positive helps.

[Fex Bluse]

Most of the calculations, @Nyezhov, are illogical. You guys are comparing the two places but earning in one. Or comparing things of different quality. 

 

Quality in most western countries is relatively less expensive than similar quality in Thailand. In other words, value is better. Cost is not interesting, but value is

 

 

[Nyezhov]

27 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Most of the calculations, @Nyezhov, are illogical. You guys are comparing the two places but earning in one. Or comparing things of different quality. 

 

Quality in most western countries is relatively less expensive than similar quality in Thailand. In other words, value is better. Cost is not interesting, but value is

 

 

That makes no sense.

[moontang]

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Most of the calculations, @Nyezhov, are illogical. You guys are comparing the two places but earning in one. Or comparing things of different quality. 

 

Quality in most western countries is relatively less expensive than similar quality in Thailand. In other words, value is better. Cost is not interesting, but value is

 

 

For those, who have to teach or worse while in Thailand, the equation is much different.  The only thing illogical is not piling up some cash in your home country.  Yet, there is a revolving door of people with less than a few months expenses to their name, willing to teach for some sleazy agency, without any assurances of legality.  

[Thian]

12 hours ago, moontang said:

Rent, taxis, internet, restaurants...all cheaper in LOS.

Restaurants are not cheaper if you're a steaklover who also drinks german/belgium beer.

 

Internet is also cheaper in Europe and faster plus more reliable. Internetshopping in Europe is sure cheaper than in Thailand with the importtax.

[Nyezhov]

4 minutes ago, Thian said:

Restaurants are not cheaper if you're a steaklover who also drinks german/belgium beer.

 

Internet is also cheaper in Europe and faster plus more reliable. Internetshopping in Europe is sure cheaper than in Thailand with the importtax.

Well Im a beef lover, but I am resigned to the fact I wont a fat TBone or a Prime Rib  for a few months. ON the other hand, the pork, seafood and chicken is great.

Edited October 8, 2018 by Nyezhov

[CharlieH]

6 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Well Im a beef lover, but I am resigned to the fact I wont a fat TBone or a Prime Rib  for a few months. ON the other hand, the pork, seafood and chicken is great.

Why ? Makro has both of those in the freezer ! Not sure from memory of origin but it is imported.

[Nyezhov]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Why ? Makro has both of those in the freezer ! Not sure from memory of origin but it is imported.

Really? Reasonably priced? The prices in Fresh Mart are stupid.....

[moontang]

Thailand doesn't play fair on the import game, but coming to a country, where most don't eat beef, and thinking it should be like home....I have been drinking Sierra Nevada pale ale at 500 THB per 12 pack while visiting the folks....would cost a fortune in Thailand, so I simply switch to Tiger and Heineken...not much of a sacrifice.  Parents water/sewer bill is 5000 THB per month, cable/internet about the same, and lunch at a diner without drinks is 1000 THB, for 2.

Edited October 8, 2018 by moontang

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, Nyezhov said:

Really? Reasonably priced? The prices in Fresh Mart are stupid.....

Don't think you will find a prime rib at Makro.  Ribeye steak maybe.  Saw prime ribs at foodland but you have to have an oven that can slow roast a 5 or 6 pounds is what I remember. 

[Fex Bluse]

47 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Well Im a beef lover, but I am resigned to the fact I wont a fat TBone or a Prime Rib  for a few months. ON the other hand, the pork, seafood and chicken is great.

Pork, seafood and chicken are generally of far lower quality in Thailand. But, who cares when it's doused in chillies and deep fried. 

Edited October 8, 2018 by Fex Bluse

[bwpage3]

9 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Well, the rainy season here doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as the 6(+) months of sleet, snow and ice did "back home" and again, a lot depends on your standards.

 

For example, a couple years ago a friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook of a piece of cauliflower she'd bought at a market in Vancouver. Cost her $8 (Cdn) so at the time it was about $7 US or 240 baht (roughly). For a single head of cauliflower.

I went to a local market and bought a large bag of vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, onions, red chilies, some garlic, tomatoes, green beans and straw mushrooms. Basically enough veggies to last me a week.

Total 180 baht, less than $6 Cdn at the time. 
(Yeah I took a picture of it and posted that on her Facebook page).

I'm also reminded of a trip I made back to Canada in 2008. I stopped at a large grocery store and bought enough food to get me from Friday evening to Monday morning basically (less one supper that I planned on eating at a restaurant). 

2 bags of food - $300 Cdn (about $300 US at the time as the dollar was strong back then, or about 9,600 baht). Basically it was some eggs, bacon, hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, bread, processed cheese and some ketchup/relish/mustard. Nothing fancy - just wanted some stuff that would be quick and easy to cook to get me through the weekend.

 

That weekend's worth of "cheap" food cost as much as what I spend on groceries in a month over here (on average) and I don't even look at prices when I'm shopping. I look for what I want, be it meat,cheese, fruit or deli products, throw it in the cart and when I get to the till is when I find out how much I've bought. I don't compare prices or go for the "cheap" stuff. At current exchange rates I'm spending about $100 Cdn/week on groceries here.

Back in Canada I'd probably be paying 3 times that much for the same stuff (more actually as I wouldn't be buying just hot dogs and hamburgers).

Bonus to shopping here, I get to do it year-round wearing a pair of lightweight pants and a t-shirt.

Was just looking at motorcycle insurance rates in Canada - way more expensive than in Thailand (for "Class 1" insurance equivalent). Seems a lot of people in Canada will insure their bikes in the Spring, for a full year's coverage (to get the cheapest rate) and then cancel the insurance in the Fall when they usually have to park their bikes anyways. A number of people seem to be paying around 21,000 baht per year for 600cc and smaller bikes, which is way under that would be charged for a full sized Harley (in BC the rates jump significantly based on engine displacement and the bigger Harleys are at the top of the rate scale).
I get Class 1 insurance on the Harley here for what I'd pay for regular insurance on a bike less than half the size in Canada.

 

And here I can ride year round, even during "monsoon" season. Although I will admit, during the "winter" months if I am in the northern part of the country I may wear a long-sleeved t-shirt in the morning as it can be a bit chilly.

 

Cab (taxi) fares are also a lot cheaper here. I can get a private taxi from the airport to my house in Pattaya for what, 1,200-1,500 baht or so ? About $50-60 Cdn to go 180 kms.

In Canada (Vancouver), a trip of just 50 kms could cost you nearly $100 Cdn (2,500 baht) according to one site.
A trip of 150kms (say from Vancouver to Hope) could be as much as $315 Cdn (almost 7,900 baht, for a trip that is 30 kms shorter than going to/from the airport over here).

And that's not including short "in city" trips.

Take a ("chartered") baht bus trip around Pattaya that goes around 11-12 kilometers and it'll probably cost you around 300 baht.
In Vancouver you'd be charged about $3.50 the instant you sat in the taxi and then another $1.9 per kilometer travelled. So the same trip would cost you about $25.35 Cdn or about 635 baht (more actually, as they also charge you for the time you sit at every traffic light along the way).

On the other hand, the HiSos just have their servants do their shopping for them, could care less if they even have insurance at all and don't care how much it costs their chauffeurs to drive them around so for them anyone that is spending less than 45k a month must be on the verge of starving to death by comparison.

I seriously doubt that I could live in Canada at all on what I generally spend per month in Thailand. Sheesh, back in 2003 I was living in cheap military housing in Canada (shared barracks - had to pay a small rent as well as pay for our own electricity, water, cable, internet and phone costs). I had sat down at one point and figured out that I was paying over $1,500 a month just in rent and utility bills ! Not including the truck payments, insurance, food or other expenses. (Medical was covered by the military.) (The rent was also considerably cheaper than what I would have paid for if I was living off base.)

That's about 37,500 baht per month at today's exchange rates (and at 15 year old prices) just for rent and utility bills.

I just totalled all my monthly and yearly expenses here including utilities, medical coverage, company registration/balance sheet, Class 1 motorcycle insurance and additional motorcycle accident coverage and it works out to about 22,000 a month.

Add in 10,000 a month on food and I'm paying less now (per month) for all my expenses combined, than I did in Canada just for rent and utilities 15 years ago.

 

And those numbers are just based on my personal experiences. There are numerous websites that estimate the cost of living in various places around the world and I have yet to find one that says it is cheaper to live in the US or Canada than it is to live in Thailand.

So yes, give me the "6 months of monsoon" rain over here where even when it's pouring I can sit on my patio in shorts and a t-shirt and enjoy a cool drink instead of spending 6(+) months bundled up like an Eskimo wondering if I'll freeze to death before my supply of whale blubber runs out.

Everything you mentioned is cheaper in Africa.

 

When you moving?

[madisongy]

own a one bedroom condo.   Electricity (high side) 3000, Cable/Internet/Phone:  2500, condo fee 3000, Groceries  15,000 (two people), Transportation 1500,  Going out maybe 10,000.  so that's 35,000 per month.   I think the condo would rent for about 30,000, so all in, I'd say 65000 per month for me.  

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed.

[CharlieH]

Troll comment and response removed.

[The manic]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Well Im a beef lover, but I am resigned to the fact I wont a fat TBone or a Prime Rib  for a few months. ON the other hand, the pork, seafood and chicken is great.

Try the specialist organic meat shop.on Pattaya Klang. Or go to Bangkok to the Argentine butcher restaurant 19 or near soi 29. Brilliant.  

[marcusarelus]

47 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

Everything you mentioned is cheaper in Africa.

 

When you moving?

The thread is about "Many expats live in Thailand on less than 45,000 baht a month."

 

What do prices in Africa have to do with it?  Try an African war zone cheap housing I bet.  But nothing to do with the thread. 

[marcusarelus]

9 minutes ago, The manic said:

Try the specialist organic meat shop.on Pattaya Klang. Or go to Bangkok to the Argentine butcher restaurant 19 or near soi 29. Brilliant.  

Prime rib of beef or a ribeye steak?  Below is prime rib.