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

[nickmondo]

Just now, nickmondo said:

45,000 is easy as you like.

you dont need anything like this.

Here is an example of how you can live in Chiang Mai, in a great location, brilliant accomodation, cleaner once a month, etc, etc:

OUTGOINGS IN THAILAND			CHAING MAI
HOUSE		6,000	6,000
ELECTRIC		500	500
FOOD AT 300 PER DAY		9,000	9,000
GYM		900	900
PETROL		1,000	1,000
PULSE TV		1,000	1,000
INTERNET AND PHONE		210	210
MASSAGES ETC AT 2,500 PER WEEK		10,000	10,000
TOTAL OUT PER MONTH IN THAILAND		28,610	28,610

 

[LomSak27]

Looks like The Nation is getting a bit PO''d with "leaving Thailand after 13 years" or " What's your cost of living here in Thailand?" plus the obligatory 'unexplained deaths' 'roadway deaths and 'death island' posts and letting their true colors fly.

 

Hey its is their site, and obviously this makes them feel better. 

[Odysseus123]

3 minutes ago, amdy2206 said:

There are not that many 'ordinary Thais' living on that much a month. 45,000B would be considerd a high wage (perhaps not in Bangkok) in most areas.

A stupendous wage...where I lived..

 

(Thank you Isaan people for sharing your life with me..)

 

 

 

 

[killala]

Who really cares. Another useless ThaiVisa waste of effort. . Someone out there should make better use of their time. 

[rosst]

6 hours ago, CLW said:

Maybe around 10,000 per month like so many working in retail and service jobs. And they are still alive, have food everyday and lead a passable life. So please TV stop spreading myths and foreigners should stop moaning that you can't survive with or less than 25k per month. Of course if you drink everyday, only eat out and with western food, probably frequent some bars it can be difficult....
But other than that with a moderate lifestyle 25k is doable in BKK, more even in smaller cities or upcountry.

OMG, I wish, 10,000 and living nicely thanks own home and transport in Isaan and loving it. 

[Jonmarleesco]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Many people would see this as subsistence level for living alone - let alone taking care of a Thai girlfriend, wife and kids.

They would? This is LoS, not the West. 

[Kadilo]

2 minutes ago, killala said:

Who really cares. Another useless ThaiVisa waste of effort. . Someone out there should make better use of their time. 

15 pages in 5 hours says you’re wrong. 

[Media1]

4 hours ago, brianp0803 said:

Many Thai people earn less than 15,000 baht a month. If someone make three to four times their salary would be considered rich enough  to have enough money to share with them.

 

Many expat over 50 living in Thailand very likely have assets in their home country in excess of a million dollars.

 

 

Correct

[Thaidream]

The bottom line is that everyone's needs and desires are different and make up their lifestyle.  Some people live high while others are more frugal. Some are wealthy; some have moderate income and others lower income.

 

I know a Westerner who lives in the country in Udorn- doesn't drink; grows a garden; watches only Thai TV and doesn't want a smart phone or internet. He is quite happy. I have no idea how much income he has but i have learned many years ago never to judge a book by the cover.  

 

There are others who are married and live in Bangkok and have higher costs and needs- high school tuition for the children etc.

 

Everyone can live the lifestyle they want to  a degree based upon their income.. I can't live on 25K per month nor can I live on 200K per month (can't afford it).  I personally live a simple life but  my wife and child prefer higher cost items and brand names. Since I can afford it- I am happy to provide it within reason.  I love Thai food, rarely eat any Western food and the wife cooks excellent and healthy Thai food.  Others may not like how I live but everyone to their own.

 

There are many Thais now who make good incomes but there are far more Thais that don't. Almost all foreigners in Thailand still have more income than the average Thai but the gap is starting to narrow as the cost of living goes up- exchange rates change-sometimes for the worse affecting those who are retired.

 

I would expect in the future Thailand will become too expensive for Western retirees and these people will shift to other locations that have good infrastructure and cheaper living standards.  Mongolia;   Uzbekistan. Tarawa and others places beckon.

 

Many Americans retire in Mexico, Central and South America  as these countries are closer.  I have been told that after 6 months in Mexico- a foreigner can actually buy into the Mexican Social Security system for healthcare at the same rate as locals.  Thailand should consider something like this- it would create a huge pool of funding for its medical system and provide an affordable scheme for expats who cannot get health insurance.

 

For the most part my Thai family and I are doing just fine in Thailand  living a lifestyle that suits our income and expect the majority of long term expats are also.

[Odysseus123]

4 minutes ago, killala said:

Who really cares. Another useless ThaiVisa waste of effort. . Someone out there should make better use of their time. 

But..it's interesting-most "farangs" that I met in Thailand had the miserable shrivelled souls of accountants..

 

Where the difference between 40 and 45 baht was like something out of Dante's 'Inferno'

 

To be moiled upon until the Mekong freezes..

[balo]

Are we discussing this again?   What about the other 30 page thread.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Sheist]

2 hours ago, lubfishin said:

The moment I moved from the United States to Thailand, I became a multi-millionaire.............. In Thai baht.

?

 

Now this reply makes me smile.  More.  :)

[alzack]

I returned to uk 2 years back due to this very reason. Twin daughters at UNI, 10 year old son private school, all of which was working fine when there was 55/50 baht+ per pound. But once it dropped to 41/42 it was to hard. i watched my pensions go down from 70k pm to about 40K /month .

It was Hard getting back  into the UK system/visa etc, but now real income doubled with help from the state. free school, free health , free transport, pension went up by 30% (fixed in Thailand)  Child tax relief (could not have in Thailand) no loss on moving money every month.  food cheaper in UK  so we are better off. 

In the final years in Thailand my Thai wife was cooking for the school kids after school time which gave us our daily cash. 

of course miss a lot of Thailand, but now finally better off here and better for my son out of a dictatorship state, slowly interfering with education

all the best to you guys

[david555]

11 minutes ago, alzack said:

I returned to uk 2 years back due to this very reason. Twin daughters at UNI, 10 year old son private school, all of which was working fine when there was 55/50 baht+ per pound. But once it dropped to 41/42 it was to hard. i watched my pensions go down from 70k pm to about 40K /month .

It Hard getting back  into the UK system/visa etc, but now real income doubled with help from the state. free school, free health , free transport, pension went up by 30% (fixed in Thailand)  Child tax relief (could not have in Thailand) no loss on moving money every month.  food cheaper in UK  so we are better off. 

In the final years in Thailand my Thai wife was cooking for the school kids after school time which gave us our daily cash. 

of course miss a lot of Thailand, but now finally better off here and better for my son out of a dictatorship state, slowly interfering with education

all the best to you guys

proves that every persons situation can be different , certainly the west gives more social support for medical support , study an living conditions ….hence why half of the poor country 's populations like to com in like an invasion at risk of drowning ..

[kannot]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Depending of what circles one walks in, I know Thais that are earning as much a month, as many a farang expat would spend in a year...?

would be so  much better if people just gave out the figures than all the vagueness............ Many real estate agents in BKK get way more than this monthly and until about 18  months ago 5-600k a  month was  possible. The market is now saturated with people doing it everyone from the maid to the office  staff but you can still get 100-200kk a month + if you put  in the effort.

No I DONT work.

[kannot]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

 

[kannot]

27 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

45,000 is easy as you like.

you dont need anything like this.

Here is an example of how you can live in Chiang Mai, in a great location, brilliant accomodation, cleaner once a month, etc, etc:

OUTGOINGS IN THAILAND			pranburi MAI
HOUSE		0	6,000
ELECTRIC		1500	500
FOOD AT 300 PER DAY		200	9,000
GYM		0	900
PETROL		1,000	1,000
PULSE TV		0	1,000
INTERNET AND PHONE		600	210
MASSAGES ETC AT 2,500 PER WEEK		0	10,000
 TOTAL OUT PER MONTH IN THAILAND		3200	2

more like this for me

[Deli]

Would be very interesting to see how the income is generated, and, specially when it comes to the better earners, if they have a foreign expat contract or if they are employed locally and by whom.

Otherwise these statistics are not really helpful.

[alzack]

6 minutes ago, kannot said:

more like this for me

no kids no uni

[Felt 35]

Uhu...some days we are  serious criminals (some are said to have overstayed their visa) now we are poor to......the National propaganda foot kicks hard these days...?

[robblok]

2 hours ago, falangjim said:

I'm sure this post will rub some people the wrong way, but if you are an educated, well-mannered, hard working expat who has been living in the country over 5 years,  and you are not living large, that's completely on you.  I wouldn't dream of working for under 80K baht a month, let alone a paltry 45K.  I have a family ... and a lifestyle to support, which include the basics: mortgage on a condo, house in the countryside, tuition for two young kids at a Thai school,  and food.  And then the trimmings which make life tolerable and enjoyable here:  a swimming pool, night(s) out on Pat-pong, cable TV, and craft beer or pizza delivery every now and then; just to name a few creature comforts.  And I put away for retirement, too.  

 

I get it. If you're young and single, and Thailand is just a pit-stop to bigger and better, 50K a month is enough to enjoy yourself, maybe even sock away a few bhat.  

 

When I see or hear about guys in their 60s who live on less than 1500 USD a month, I cringe.  *insert sad story about some tart up in Issarn and blah blah blah*  Wow.  I imagine those who live like that couldn't even take the survey because they can't afford stable Internet.  Or maybe they are banging away on a grimy keyboard in a game-room somewhere, a Fanta with a straw next to them.  

 

To me the survey says this group of expats don't like Thailand; they like 'cheap.'  And there is a difference. 

 

 

 

 

Your reading it wrong its about spending not making that much money. I spend 45k but make quite a lot more. Dont worry I read it like that at first too. Why would one have to spend a lot here ?

 

If you have a family.. that is different its a lot more expensive.

 

[Megasin1]

6 hours ago, david555 said:

Not showing yourself as rich is the best thing to do to stay rich in (especially ?) Pattaya ….so.....

You forgot to also say ….. alive !!

[smotherb]

5 hours ago, david555 said:

I believe you ….but....are they beautiful too …??? ?

Ah, so you are not sure if nice girls can be beautiful? 

[david555]

1 minute ago, Megasin1 said:

You forgot to also say ….. alive !!

it was lost in the typing ….. but it was in my mind …… good to see more are aware of that ?

[smotherb]

17 minutes ago, robblok said:

Your reading it wrong its about spending not making that much money. I spend 45k but make quite a lot more. Dont worry I read it like that at first too. Why would one have to spend a lot here ?

 

If you have a family.. that is different its a lot more expensive.

 

Have to spend, or want  to spend?  Not sure who it would be making you spend; other than yourself. In that case, it would be want to spend, wouldn't it?  I want to spend more to make a better life for my family. I guess I could spend less and make them get by on less, but I don't want to.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, falangjim said:

I wouldn't dream of working for under 80K baht a month, let alone a paltry 45K. 

Why do you assume this thread is only for people that work.

I haven't worked for nearly 20 years, when I reached the stage of having more money that I could reasonably expect to spend in my life, I stopped working.

Sorry to hear you haven't made that stage in your life yet (if ever).

[david555]

9 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Ah, so you are not sure if nice girls can be beautiful? 

Could be …. but more  likely amongst the 24 karat gold digger bitches ….?

[bkk6060]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Why do you assume this thread is only for people that work.

I haven't worked for nearly 20 years, when I reached the stage of having more money that I could reasonably expect to spend in my life, I stopped working.

Sorry to hear you haven't made that stage in your life yet (if ever).

Sure, yes.

How about not working at all for 3 times 80.  The best!!

[kannot]

49 minutes ago, alzack said:

no kids no uni

no  booze  no women either, some says its  dull, not  me

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Sure, yes.

How about not working at all for 3 times 80.  The best!!

When I was working in the 90s, they paid me 20kbht/day, and I could work every day in the year if I wanted.

These young guys that think 80kbht is a lot of money ....... 555.