Thailand is still among the most affordable destinations for expat retirees

[webfact]

Thailand is still among the most affordable destinations for expat retirees

 

FILE photo

 

Thailand is one of the most affordable destinations in the world for expat retirees, according to International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index 2019.

 

Thailand finished in 3rd place, with a score of 94 points out of 100, behind Cambodia (1st) and Vietnam (2nd) in the Cost of Living category, with the Land of Smiles, finishing in 9th place overall.

 

The report details the best place for foreigners to retire in 2019, with Thailand being recognised for offering expat retirees an excellent quality of life at low cost.

 

"Lured by the rich culture, first-class healthcare, and low cost of living, an increasing number of expats are calling Thailand home," the report said.  

 

“The country’s second-largest city, Chiang Mai, is well known as being one of the top places for retirees and digital nomads to settle—a place to upgrade their lifestyle.

 

“The chance to live an opulent, resort lifestyle is at your fingertips,” says Rachel Devlin, IL’s Chiang Mai correspondent.

 

“You’ll find the top resorts offering gym memberships to local expats—they’re a bargain. For just over $500 a year, you can have a membership to the Rati Lanna Resort & Spa.

 

“Or you can play in the footsteps of royalty at the Gymkhana Golf Club. Established in 1898, this club has been visited by kings and queens, consuls, and even the novelist William Somerset Maugham. For under $5, a nine-hole game may be just what you need; and all within view of an ancient and famous Yang Na tree that has been ordained as holy.

 

“And Chiang Mai is now rivalling Bangkok for elite dining experiences. Just recently, the Shangri-La Hotel has been hiring Michelin-ranked chefs to offer divine culinary meals at very affordable prices. For example, nine dishes set over a seven-course lunch costs only $44 per person. For $17, you can add a glass of wine to each of the first five courses—specifically chosen to complement the dishes on offer.”

 

Thailand was also noted for its excellent standard of healthcare, finishing third overall in the report’s Healthcare Index.

 

“There’s lots to love about Thailand— its beauty and budget friendliness, with welcoming locals and expats at every turn. Thailand is also renowned for its excellent healthcare throughout the country”, the report said.

 

For the fourth consecutive year, Cambodia took 1st place in the Cost of Living category, scoring full marks of 100 out of 100.

 

“Centrally located in the beating heart of Southeast Asia it is a country undergoing a renaissance thanks to 15 years boom in economic growth and tourism centered around the world-renowned temples of Angkor Wat”, the report said.

 

“When folks dream of visiting Cambodia they are initially more likely influenced by the exotic draw of these ancient temples, royal palaces and saffron-robed monks or the beautiful beaches and undeveloped islands on the southern coast than anything else.

 

“But the cost of living leaves them astonished”, the report added.

 

“Living in Cambodia has been a game changer for me,” says Paul Howard, 68.

 

“The lifestyle I can afford is amazing and I feel a real sense of financial freedom compared to my old life.

 

The news comes after other destinations popular with expats in Thailand, such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, were found to be some of the most expensive places to live in ASEAN.

 

The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2019

 

10. Spain

9. Thailand

8. Peru

7. Portugal

6. Colombia

5. Malaysia

4. Ecuador

3. Mexico

2. Costa Rica

1. Panama

 

The 5 Most Affordable Retirement Havens of 2019

 

- (tie) 4. Bolivia

- (tie) 4. Peru

3. Thailand

2. Vietnam

1. Cambodia

 

 *source: Internationalliving.com

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-02-12

[SammyT]

I'm just here to read the angry comments from the retirees who also can't afford to retire in their own country but feel they have a god-given right to retire cheaply in Thailand and will complain like there's no tomorrow if they have to pay more than they did 10 years ago for something. 

 

P.s. I've heard the Philippines is nice this time of year... 

 

 

[Pattaya46]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

4. Ecuador

3. Mexico

2. Costa Rica

1. Panama

No need to say it's the result of a survey made in USA.  

The result would be very different with a survey made in Europe...

[Sheryl]

Meanwhile elsewhere we have this thread

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1083489-cost-of-living-in-bangkok-phuket-pattaya-and-chiang-mai-among-the-highest-in-asean/page/6/?tab=comments#comment-13829171

 

[crazykopite]

No doubt this report was completed before the Immigration Burea decided to introduce financial penalties in order to obtain the retirement visa .

[sup3r1or]

Affordable if you were a CEO of a company with a nice retirement package.

[sammieuk1]

It helps a lot if you don't smoke drink wine fall foul of the daily crackdown and the ensuing ridiculous fines.  but the first class healthcare must be a typo being gassed in the PM 2.5 smog haze should be the correction otherwise welcome if you can afford it ???? 

[SammyT]

1 minute ago, sup3r1or said:

Affordable if you were a CEO of a company with a nice retirement package.

 

Presumably still more affordable than your home country, hence why you're here?

[darksidedog]

Figures might be a bit different if they factored in how dangerous moving around in the country is. And that world class health care they talk about, most definitely is not at all cheap.

[crazykopite]

14 minutes ago, SammyT said:

I'm just here to read the angry comments from the retirees who also can't afford to retire in their own country but feel they have a god-given right to retire cheaply in Thailand and will complain like there's no tomorrow if they have to pay more than they did 10 years ago for something. 

 

P.s. I've heard the Philippines is nice this time of year... 

 

 

????It sounds as if you are as angry as those you write about ????

[Kelsall]

This is one reason Thailand can tighten up on its immigration requirements.  Huge demand.  Thailand doesn't need to put up with those who can't demonstrate that they can pull their own weight.

[RotBenz8888]

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand finished in 3rd place, with a score of 94 points out of 100, behind Cambodia (1st) and Vietnam (2nd) in the Cost of Living category, with the Land of Smiles, finishing in 9th place overall.

Question is where Thailand will be in a few years ahead?

[bkk6060]

8 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

This is one reason Thailand can tighten up on its immigration requirements.  Huge demand.  Thailand doesn't need to put up with those who can't demonstrate that they can pull their own weight.

Yes.

They are so sick of them.

Low life complainers who will argue with a waitress over the price of a beer.

Note: You are not the "Kings" of this place like you think you once we're.  And there is only one group of people to blame..

Dispicable..

 

[Bkkthebest]

I am surprise that they didn't even mention about bargirls. 

[Bkkthebest]

1 minute ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

You can call it home but it never will be a permanent home when you are on a Non-Immigrant visa.

 

Clue is in the name and plan accordingly for sudden changes in requirements to continue living here.

 

You are only here for as long as your current visa allows and in certain cases not even as long as that!

Exactly. However, such statement are viewed as bitter or hard truth by some. 

[Krataiboy]

20 minutes ago, SammyT said:

 

Presumably still more affordable than your home country, hence why you're here?

Ah, the joys of white privilege!

[Trandewinds747]

Factor in the rip off theivery, con artistry, conniving Island mafia and under cover gangsters, corrupt BiB/officialdom, not to mention many of the opposite gender waiting to prey on naive farang men mis-judging the “come on” smiles as welcoming friendliness, get feet under table and pay heavy price, with all of these somewhat intangibles, Thailand is not as rosy as some of the other countries in the survey.

 

Sorry to be negative to those obviously happy in the LoS, not intended to take away from your good luck, but there are costable dangers that need factoring when doing the DD on this subject.

[ThomasThBKK]

Yeah mate, Mexico is for sure a safer country for us... We'll go there instead... ????

[Thaiwrath]

5 minutes ago, Trandewinds747 said:

Factor in the rip off theivery, con artistry, conniving Island mafia and under cover gangsters, corrupt BiB/officialdom, not to mention many of the opposite gender waiting to prey on naive farang men mis-judging the “come on” smiles as welcoming friendliness, get feet under table and pay heavy price, with all of these somewhat intangibles, Thailand is not as rosy as some of the other countries in the survey.

 

Sorry to be negative to those obviously happy in the LoS, not intended to take away from your good luck, but there are costable dangers that need factoring when doing the DD on this subject.

Classic first post (unless you are "ScammedinThailand" in disguise).

You will do well on here !

????????????????????????

[JAG]

12 minutes ago, Bkkthebest said:

I am surprise that they didn't even mention about bargirls. 

Presumably cheaper in Cambodia?

[whitemouse]

Oh, really?

 

Let's see in about a year from now. 

Thailand may be affordable, but if Thailand  is actively pushing out expats, especially retirees, country may be affordable, yet impossible to live in.

 

It's not most affordable, of course, every country in the region, except Malaysia is more affordable.

 

So BS all around.

[SammyT]

8 minutes ago, Trandewinds747 said:

Factor in the rip off theivery, con artistry, conniving Island mafia and under cover gangsters, corrupt BiB/officialdom, not to mention many of the opposite gender waiting to prey on naive farang men mis-judging the “come on” smiles as welcoming friendliness, get feet under table and pay heavy price, with all of these somewhat intangibles, Thailand is not as rosy as some of the other countries in the survey.

 

Sorry to be negative to those obviously happy in the LoS, not intended to take away from your good luck, but there are costable dangers that need factoring when doing the DD on this subject.

 

Been here 3 years, I've experienced none of that. 

 

If an overweight 65 year old can't work out that the 22 year old Thai bar girl isn't with him for his beer gut and crappy dad-jokes, then that's just a "stupid tax" she is imposing on him when she takes all his money. TBH.

[Pinot]

International Living .com Mag can't be a source for anything. It's basically a shill rag for selling condos in Panama. Some of the places on the list may, in fact, be places you can retire to but don't put any faith in conclusions reached by these people. 

[MrMo]

29 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Figures might be a bit different if they factored in how dangerous moving around in the country is. And that world class health care they talk about, most definitely is not at all cheap.

Try using and paying the State Health system for surgical matters.   Experience has taught me that it is way cheaper than the private system and way, way, way cheaper and quicker than back in the "old country".   As to the quality of health care, yes, world-class.   However, the nurses need to learn to nurse rather than just administer what the doctor tells.

My treatment was in a relatively small province.   Not one of the major centres.

[JAG]

2 minutes ago, whitemouse said:

Thailand may be affordable, but if Thailand  is actively pushing out expats, especially retirees, country may be affordable, yet impossible to live in.

Are they actively pushing out foreigners, or just enforcing the longstanding rules?

 

Incidentally, for how many of us would a 7 course lunch (with wine) for $44 be the clincher?

[MrMo]

And Thailand has four of the ten cities with the highest cost of living.   And those four are the major retiees areas.   Ummmm!

[realenglish1]

 Actually I have been here for 15 years and it is not that affordable anymore

I am considering a different country One that does not require you to tie up a lot of money

[whitemouse]

Just now, JAG said:

Are they actively pushing out foreigners, or just enforcing the longstanding rules?

 

Incidentally, for how many of us would a 7 course lunch (with wine) for $44 be the clincher?

Yeah, it is how you choose to look at it. 

[chainarong]

Undoubtedly Thailand will be in the mix for years as far as retirement goes, however because of the new immigration rules from on arrival cards  to retirement extensions, newbies seeking adventure will now divert their attention and favour the more easy path to Cambodia or Vietnam, that's not to say in twenty tears time those countries will be upping the antae on their boarders as well , then maybe Somalia and so it goes. 

[realenglish1]

18 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Yeah mate, Mexico is for sure a safer country for us... We'll go there instead... ????

 Actually I have lived in Panama and it is a really nice country Very friendly do expats and very very easy to live there and work there No 90 day reporting or other ridiculous  requirement  Good infrastructure and hospitals as well What Thailand does not understand is they must compete with the rest of the world for expats money or there will be a breaking point for people will not come anymore