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

[luckyluke]

3 hours ago, TSF said:

If I was suddenly given an additional allowance of 50K a month I honestly don't know what I'd do with it,

Having  a meal at a Michelin starred restaurant is nice.

So is having  a few drinks at a sky bar.

It will easily help spending the extra 50 K.

 

A lot of things aren't necessary to have a life, but they make life more enjoyable.

 

The  exemples here above, are only 2 of the many available.

Sure there are for every liking one may have.

[JaiLai]

1 hour ago, manjara said:

Seems to be about the same as my wife spends, though perhaps on slightly different things. Less roadtrips, more staff doing jobs. We also have 5 dogs, but we have 3 kids as well, which adds considerably!

It also doesn't include the 80k a month that I pay for school (for 2 of them).

My wife is always telling me it's not an extravagant lifestyle and that she doesn't spend on herself, but it still irks me that whenever there's an unusual expenditure (roof needs fixed or pool needs a new pump) she comes back for more!

 

 

Things in this country are NEVER less than the quoted price - it annoys me too.

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, manjara said:

Seems to be about the same as my wife spends, though perhaps on slightly different things. Less roadtrips, more staff doing jobs. We also have 5 dogs, but we have 3 kids as well, which adds considerably!

It also doesn't include the 80k a month that I pay for school (for 2 of them).

My wife is always telling me it's not an extravagant lifestyle and that she doesn't spend on herself, but it still irks me that whenever there's an unusual expenditure (roof needs fixed or pool needs a new pump) she comes back for more!

 

 

Makes no sense to me and seems selfish on your part.

So where do you expect her to go when your home needs repairs?

S... happens. If you did not want to pay for your house upkeep and families lifestyle, you should not of had one...

[totally thaied up]

I am very surprised here to see how much money some people spend. My wife and I could live a good life for 4 months straight on what some of you guys spent in a month. We have pulled our belt in since the drop of the AUD, and I went from spending 35-40K a month down to 24-28K a month. We don't miss out on much. We decided just only to spend my pension and leave my dividends and main capital under Trust back at home. Once you own everything, I have found it hard to spend money here. We have a nice house, a new car, three motorcycles and three dogs. I am insured; my family trust pays yearly for International Insurance. So far, in the last three years, my insurance has paid out over 400K for me, so I am ahead, but I prefer not to be anywhere near a hospital again for some time. My wife has been sick for the last month (cut her foot badly), and that has taken money off the table as well. She has not been able to work.

 

My costs here have decreased as I want a lot less these days as I age. I am married, not interested in chasing other women, have a few nice hobbies, like riding my Motorcycle around most afternoons, hanging out with my dogs and going for a swim in the mornings. Before falling ill, in a previous life, I was working 14 hours a day on two businesses, never had time to myself and just never had the chance to enjoy myself. I really missed out a lot in life when I was younger, thinking that when I grow old, I will have time to do what I wish. In a way, I was wrong; I should have done a lot more when I was younger. Now I am too sick to enjoy myself, and I am still young. I was always the mind that money can fix most things, but it cannot fix bad health. Our priorities change as we age - I know mine have dramatically.

[JaiLai]

2 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

I am very surprised here to see how much money some people spend. My wife and I could live a good life for 4 months straight on what some of you guys spent in a month. We have pulled our belt in since the drop of the AUD, and I went from spending 35-40K a month down to 24-28K a month. We don't miss out on much. We decided just only to spend my pension and leave my dividends and main capital under Trust back at home. Once you own everything, I have found it hard to spend money here. We have a nice house, a new car, three motorcycles and three dogs. I am insured; my family trust pays yearly for International Insurance. So far, in the last three years, my insurance has paid out over 400K for me, so I am ahead, but I prefer not to be anywhere near a hospital again for some time. My wife has been sick for the last month (cut her foot badly), and that has taken money off the table as well. She has not been able to work.

 

My costs here have decreased as I want a lot less these days as I age. I am married, not interested in chasing other women, have a few nice hobbies, like riding my Motorcycle around most afternoons and going for a swim in the mornings. Before falling ill, in a previous life, I was working 14 hours a day on two businesses, never had time to myself and just never had the chance to enjoy myself. I really missed out a lot in life when I was younger, thinking that when I grow old, I will have time to do what I wish. In a way, I was wrong; I should have done a lot more when I was younger. Now I am too sick to enjoy myself, and I am still young. I was always the mind that money can fix most things, but it cannot fix bad health. Our priorities change as we age - I know mine have dramatically.

I agree, it's a fine balance between planning / saving for the future and enjoying life while still in good health.

 

Nice dog.

[Nyezhov]

51 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

Having  a meal at a Michelin starred restaurant is nice.

So is having  a few drinks at a sky bar.

It will easily help spending the extra 50 K.

 

A lot of things aren't necessary to have a life, but they make life more enjoyable.

 

The  exemples here above, are only 2 of the many available.

Sure there are for every liking one may have.

But if you don't drink? If u have a roof garden in your condo?

 

If u don't feel like standing on line for a $30 crab omelette on the street just because it has a star?

 

If u have been there and done that and thrown away the t shirt in the west the most priceless thing you can have is discovering something new. And that's pretty cheap here.

 

 

[bkk6060]

On the education commitments here.

I know a US falang married to a Thai their daughter was in a high end international school in Chiang Mai.

The year tuition plus application fees etc. are more then 45,000 b a month.  She was getting very high marks and she recently took the US SAT test as they wanted her to attend an Ivy league type school in the US.

Her SAT score was so low they are now talking about junior college.  So unprepared for even a lower level university.

Seems like such a sad waste.

[totally thaied up]

6 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

I agree, it's a fine balance between planning / saving for the future and enjoying life while still in good health.

 

Nice dog.

If I could reiterate to anyone anything- your health is number one. I saved my guts out when I was young and worked hard, lost a great deal due to a bad business venture in my 30's, just got back on track to be killed with sickness in my 40's. If you can keep a good balance, just don't think your elderly years are going to be great. You got to treat every moment as precious.  

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, khunpa said:

I can't quite follow your "reproduction-argument", in relation to us sending our kid to an international school or spending money on good insurances? 

How many can you afford to spend 17k/month on?

[Zikomat]

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

Great! Thank you for contributing to abusing the tourist visa system, by living in Thailand on them. Now we can see the result out of too many people have been doing that for too long time. Congratulations, you all achieved your purpose.

Abuse is a word of vague meaning. Do I violate any laws? Certainly not, otherwise I would not be allowed into the country or would be deported the same moment I contact authorities. What I do contribute (and this is an obvious one) are the thousands and thousands of baht spent by me every day in Thailand to buy things and services from the Thai people. Not a single baht I spend here is earned in Thailand. I am actually the Thai economy's donor (albeit a microscopic one). But , somehow, I am an abuser in your eyes (and in the eyes of some Thai government people). If not a secret, what visa type do you stay in Thailand on?

[FarFlungFalang]

33 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

I really missed out a lot in life when I was younger, thinking that when I grow old, I will have time to do what I wish. In a way, I was wrong;

I did all my enjoyment of life whilst young and said I wasn't getting married until the age of 35 which turned out to be 37 after which I worked my ring off and was lucky enough to end up on a good earner for 12 years in the iron ore boom in the Pilbara and managed to retire at 54.So still have plenty of time left for enjoyment but on a much smaller budget which I can easily do as most of my life has been spent on a limited budget so I can enjoy myself without the larger expense as we are pretty well set up and have everything we need except the "a lot money" the misses keeps reminding me about so I keep telling her I gave her "a lot money" already!5555I get by quite happily on less than 15K a month while the misses works her ring off working all the land she bought trying to make "a lot money" but is still going backwards.At least we are getting a lot of rain now which helps.

[Zikomat]

36 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

I am very surprised here to see how much money some people spend. My wife and I could live a good life for 4 months straight on what some of you guys spent in a month. We have pulled our belt in since the drop of the AUD, and I went from spending 35-40K a month down to 24-28K a month. We don't miss out on much.

I wished I had a wife (or a girlfriend) like your one. The moment I inform my Thai GF that we start to live on 25 k a month will be the last moment I see her. What about those famous obligations of every Thai girl/woman towards her parents? My GF's father bought a car on bank loan the second day we started to live together with his daughter. Guess who is paying out that loan for 4 years already? Even more, my GF bought a car for herself too. Also on loan. The same scheme: they take a loan, you pay for it. The only consolation for me is that "I pay as I go".  The moment something goes wrong - they are left with their bloody loans, not me.

[totally thaied up]

2 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

What about those famous obligations of every Thai girl/woman towards her parents?

When we bought the car, her Dad stumped up a large sum to help me pay for it. He tested me out first but with his daughter for the first year or so before he softened up to me. Same was with my parents. You get a good family, you don't get the famous obligations and if any family did that to me, I would have been on the first train out of town. My Dad-in-law is cool. I just got to say, I am pretty lucky.

[Matzzon]

35 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

Abuse is a word of vague meaning. Do I violate any laws? Certainly not, otherwise I would not be allowed into the country or would be deported the same moment I contact authorities. What I do contribute (and this is an obvious one) are the thousands and thousands of baht spent by me every day in Thailand to buy things and services from the Thai people. Not a single baht I spend here is earned in Thailand. I am actually the Thai economy's donor (albeit a microscopic one). But , somehow, I am an abuser in your eyes (and in the eyes of some Thai government people). If not a secret, what visa type do you stay in Thailand on?

It´s just a time before they close the little hole in the net you are crawling in and out of. 

No, my visa is not any secret at all. I am extending a Non-O for one year at the time at my local immigration office.

Now, when that was out of the closet, I sincerely hope that the money you are talking about that are not earned in Thailand, are not something you are earning while you are staying in Thailand without a workpermit because then you are breaking the law and abusing the system? Nah, waiting for the answer. If it´s not a secret like you asked me.

[mommysboy]

4 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you & have you given any thoughts to your retirement as saving 4K pm isn’t going to get you very far.

 

i’m guessing you’re young & if so, you should have a long hard think about making the most of your maximum earning years (30ish-50ish)

 

<deleted>, I’m 53 & was earning 10 times your salary 23 years ago... 

 

 

'I’m 53 & was earning 10 times your salary 23 years ago... '

 

We were all earning a lot more 20, 10, and 5 years ago.

 

Times have really changed.  Good jobs are hard to find.

 

 

 

[jerojero]

Many don't have a choice but to live on whatever finances they have, regardless of country residence. You seem to think those with lesser finances choose to retire on lesser funds. Cost of living is higher in many other countries, so Thailand retirement makes good financial sense to many. Your 100,000 vs 40,000 comments sound a bit arrogant or at least lack of understanding of those who are less financially fortunate than you.

I bring in over 100,000 baht a month into Thailand which is just one of my income sources (VA pension income). I couldn’t imagine living here on less than at least 60,000 baht a month! But living here on less than 40,000 baht a month is very possible to do although if you’re retired would you really want to live on that little? Probably not I know we couldn’t maintain our standard of living on that little.
 

[Zikomat]

53 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

When we bought the car, her Dad stumped up a large sum to help me pay for it. He tested me out first but with his daughter for the first year or so before he softened up to me. Same was with my parents. You get a good family, you don't get the famous obligations and if any family did that to me, I would have been on the first train out of town. My Dad-in-law is cool. I just got to say, I am pretty lucky.

Yes , it all comes down to the family background. My one's is the poorest of the poor. Sometimes I think I should not expect anything better for myself being a total stranger in this country. 

[Zikomat]

31 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

It´s just a time before they close the little hole in the net you are crawling in and out of. 

No, my visa is not any secret at all. I am extending a Non-O for one year at the time at my local immigration office.

Now, when that was out of the closet, I sincerely hope that the money you are talking about that are not earned in Thailand, are not something you are earning while you are staying in Thailand without a workpermit because then you are breaking the law and abusing the system? Nah, waiting for the answer. If it´s not a secret like you asked me.

It is definitely a secret )

[elliss]

8 hours ago, gearbox said:

Sounds grim.

 

I would say at old age the lack of health is a much bigger constraint than money. There are heaps of old folks with money which can't live the life they want because of health issues. 

And then there are the expectations. The society expects the old folks to sit in the backyard and watch the bamboo grows until they die. If one succumbs to these expectations, 45K per month should be plenty.

 

         Sounds grim, but true.  Where to die ?.   Los or our beloved homeland , on Nhs.

             I feel a new topic coming on . 

           Fyi , i can  enjoy a reasonable life style here on 45K / mounth . 

            

[Isaanbiker]

^{_{Many expats live in Thailand on less than 45,000 baht a month}}

 

^{Before I call my lawyer, is that a crime?}

[elliss]

41 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

^{_{Many expats live in Thailand on less than 45,000 baht a month}}

 

^{Before I call my lawyer, is that a crime?}

 

          Who knows .   Time will tell , more hoops ..

 

[garyk]

58 minutes ago, elliss said:

 

         Sounds grim, but true.  Where to die ?.   Los or our beloved homeland , on Nhs.

             I feel a new topic coming on . 

           Fyi , i can  enjoy a reasonable life style here on 45K / mounth . 

            

Been thinking about that lately.  I'm from the US. I shutter to think about dieing there in a old folks home.  Hopefully I will go quick while traveling

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, garyk said:

Been thinking about that lately.  I'm from the US. I shutter to think about dieing there in a old folks home.  Hopefully I will go quick while traveling

You can afford an old folks home in the U.S.? 

[Nyezhov]

3 minutes ago, garyk said:

Been thinking about that lately.  I'm from the US. I shutter to think about dieing there in a old folks home.  Hopefully I will go quick while traveling

Dude I almost bought it here last year. It was weird because I wasn't scared about it I was just......detached. We are all gonna go but I'm with you, quick and fast while doing something I enjoy.

 

My momma is hitting 90, millions of dollars she can't or won't spend, all she can do now is watch the boobtube and feel the aches and pains. She traveled all over the world up till about 10 years ago, first class. Now...the same thing every day, broken up by Dr visits....sit in the chair. While I guess every day is a good day when ya wake up, sometimes I wonder....

[Ron jeremy]

3 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

If I could reiterate to anyone anything- your health is number one. I saved my guts out when I was young and worked hard, lost a great deal due to a bad business venture in my 30's, just got back on track to be killed with sickness in my 40's. If you can keep a good balance, just don't think your elderly years are going to be great. You got to treat every moment as precious.  

I've seen so many people make this mistake, work work work, save save save for golden years.

in most cases, not all, your Golden years aren't such.

too many people don't even make it this far.

the time to travel is when you have your health and can enjoy yourself.

 

[Bangkokazy]

I have a pension budget of 2500 ฿ per day. I am homeless and run around Bangkok laughing and living on my Thai friends. So it is possible to live cheaply in Thailand

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, Ron jeremy said:

I've seen so many people make this mistake, work work work, save save save for golden years.

in most cases, not all, your Golden years aren't such.

too many people don't even make it this far.

the time to travel is when you have your health and can enjoy yourself.

 

Being old, broke, and very sick in Thailand doesn't bear thinking about!  The only out would likely be a spell in IDC and some charity stepping in to repatriate you, although you'd probably die beforehand.

 

If all the above in Blighty, I believe there would be some nursing/social care duty, although the nursing home might resemble an overcrowded dog kennel.  Actually, as it currently stands, a pauper would likely enjoy/endure much the same conditions as someone with a bit of capital, and the latter would likely have self-fund until almost broke.

 

Sweet dreams!

[Ron jeremy]

1 hour ago, mommysboy said:

Being old, broke, and very sick in Thailand doesn't bear thinking about!  The only out would likely be a spell in IDC and some charity stepping in to repatriate you, although you'd probably die beforehand.

 

If all the above in Blighty, I believe there would be some nursing/social care duty, although the nursing home might resemble an overcrowded dog kennel.  Actually, as it currently stands, a pauper would likely enjoy/endure much the same conditions as someone with a bit of capital, and the latter would likely have self-fund until almost broke.

 

Sweet dreams!

I was speaking about travelling and enjoying yourself beforw you get to this stage of your life. Hard to spend your cash with a depend on in a nursing home.

[sirineou]

1 minute ago, Ron jeremy said:

I was speaking about travelling and enjoying yourself beforw you get to this stage of your life. Hard to spend your cash with a depend on in a nursing home.

Not everything is black and white, there are many shades in between.

All work is not drudgery, some people like, enjoy, and take pride in their work,it gives meaning to their life.

One can balance enjoying once self  while saving for the future and taking care of one's responsibilities, and if they can do it in a job they enjoy..... 

    But this thread is about living in Thailand on 45k baht a month. which I would find very difficult.

I don't think the survey reflected in the OP is accurate  If I was asked "how much I live on in Thailand I might have responded 45k  per month which might be accurate, but I have a much higher income, and assets in Thailand and back home. So If I was asked what is your monthly income , the  correct answer would be much higher than 45k,but the answer I give would be 

" None of your Business, who are you my accountant?" 

 

[gk10002000]

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 7:50 PM, yellowboat said:

Another intellectually stimulating article about money, dosh, moola, coin, fat stacks, scratch, dough, cabbage, cheddar, dead presidents, dinero.   Been broke once in my 30 years living in Asia.  I know how it feels.  I also know the only way out is through education and effort.   The struggle is interesting worthy of prose, laughs, tears.  The struggle, though hard, is a great intellectually driven adventure.  One you never forget.  The counting money is not something you can tell your friends.  That is boring and in bad taste.   The journey is important.  I wish those who are with little means the best of luck.