Cost Of Living In Bangkok

[joey2250]

A friend of mine quoted these prices for living in Bangkok. Are these ballpark figures or are they not realistic at all?

5500 rent

2000 utilities

10,000 food

1500 internet

5000 nightlife

3000 transportation

totaling 27,000 baht/mo

Joe

[backflip]

Does your friend live in Bangkok? Does he have any reason to lead you astray? You've asked a question that has been asked many other times, and it always leads to posters arguing about how other people live their lives. Try using the search function to find out more.

[Doza]

In my opinion 5,500 for rent is not realistic for the way I would want to live. But your friend, and you may be happy with that so the question is completely moot...

Food, internet and transportation are in the ballpark though (depending on how you like to eat - but that is one thing that can be done cheaply most days with a splurge on weekends)

All depends on how you want to live and where - you are better off looking through online real estate guides to see how much your rent is going to cost than ask here...

[thaihome]

In the central district (Sathorn) of Bangkok that I live in, 5,000 baht a month rent gets you just above a slum.

TH

[Paulbangkok]

You will find decent accommodation and food for very little, the transport is relatively cheap but 5000bt a month for nightlife? Yeah if you are going to go out once a month that sounds spot on!!!

Backflip is right everyone has different ideas of what they will be able to live on but if you are new to the city you are going to want to explore it and you'll find a million things to spend money on voluntarily or otherwise.

I'd say a minimum of 40k is required for a comfortable experience. IMHO

Edited June 20, 2007 by Paulbangkok

[pampal]

5500 baht/month for rent is pretty low for a decent apt, unless it's not in the CBD

also 5000 for nightlife sounds ok if you are only drinking beer at a bar

the rest seems ok

Edited June 20, 2007 by pampal

[jdinasia]

What I did NOT see in that budget were visas .... work permit fees .... medical and dental ..... etc etc

If not working (legally) and the OP is under 50 and not married to a Thai .... it just aint likely to be doable if that is all that is budgeted

[julie_f]

I live in the outskirts of Bangkok and pay 6k in rent for 2 bed house but used to pay 12k for apartment in similar area. Depending on where you want to live and what sort of place you are looking for the cost may vary a lot.

Internet is not that much. Only pay 700 per month (i think) for hi speed with true, Tv though 1.5k for UBC

Really all depends on what sort of life you want here.

[geriatrickid]

why not work backwards? How much does it cost you to live where you are? Convert it into TB and then discount it by the factor as per the multiple websites that are all over the place? Start with a reality check though. If you have a "simple" lifestyle now, the savings you think will appear probably won't. One thing for certain is that 5,000B isn't going to get you much more than a low end type of studio hovel. Thailand attracts alot of scummy westerners. If you pick lowend lodgings (i.e. cheap) where they congregate, expect that there will be a higher than average incidence of noise, crime and creepy people around.

[RAZZELL]

A friend of mine quoted these prices for living in Bangkok. Are these ballpark figures or are they not realistic at all?

5500 rent

2000 utilities

10,000 food

1500 internet

5000 nightlife

3000 transportation

totaling 27,000 baht/mo

Joe

How long is a piece of string???

40,000 minimum...more like 70,000 to live a "Western" lifestyle.

RAZZ

[robinbkk]

Well with that budget all you apparently do is eat, be online the whole day in a remotely located apartment and drink a few beers every night called nightlife. Sure it's possible but you won't have much of a life!

Edited June 20, 2007 by robinbkk

[backflip]

"How long is a piece of string??? "

No. Although never a piece of string, Howie Long is a retired NFL foofball player from the US.

Edited June 20, 2007 by backflip

[TenDreams]

A friend of mine quoted these prices for living in Bangkok. Are these ballpark figures or are they not realistic at all?

5500 rent

2000 utilities

10,000 food

1500 internet

5000 nightlife

3000 transportation

totaling 27,000 baht/mo

Joe

If you take the time to look around you can get a decent place for less than 5500.

I stay 5 minutes from the MRT line (15 mins to Sukhumvit for example) in a clean, safe, spacious (huge balcony), fully furnished (all new) apartment with a lovely well maintained pool,where there is 1 other farang that i know of, and it costs 4500B a month. It is not a slum or a dive. All the people I have met there are Thai professionals and families.

I find I can live exactly the way I want while working legally (probably average farang teacher wages) and still have a few baht left at the end of the month if i'm lucky. I pay less per month for all the things you listed except... nightlife...probably more in the region of 15,000 a month!

[ilyushin]

To live in Bangkok or classified as a long term resident with own home, family, car, all the bells and whistles, an enjoyable social life you would be good from baht 60-100K per month. It really depends on your lifestyle, but that can work for me at present. Could spend far more easily.

Short term, I guess the budget would be okay with adjustments to add min. baht 10,000/mth to nightlife.

Edited June 21, 2007 by ilyushin

[Furbie]

A friend of mine quoted these prices for living in Bangkok. Are these ballpark figures or are they not realistic at all?

5500 rent

2000 utilities

10,000 food

1500 internet

5000 nightlife

3000 transportation

totaling 27,000 baht/mo

Joe

How long is a piece of string???

40,000 minimum...more like 70,000 to live a "Western" lifestyle.

RAZZ

I would push that to 50k min, 80k confomrtable for downtown living. If always communting to the Western food and bars does not bother you, you can cut this down.

[rambling]

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

[ashacat]

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

Pretty accurate for living reasonably in Bangkok I'd say.

[Furbie]

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

Actually, this is not a bad budget. The only things I would say is that:

1) you are light on going out - I would double it at least, as it sounds like you have the resources, which means your gonna spend.

2) unless your GF is doing the homecooking and knows how to shop at local markets, it is usually cheaper to vendorfood. Cooking Western food at home in Thailand is a sure way to spend lots of money.

3) I spend 600 on internet, I used to spend 2,500 but after 4 months realized I was only getting the speed of the 600 baht package anyway.

4) Add 1,500-2,500 for cable.

5) Your visa related it too much per month, unless you are factoring in flying to your home country.

[rambling]

Thanks for your replies.

On the going out part - I work at nights including Friday nights so can't go out even if I wanted to except for Sat + Sun night.

Food - I can handle vendor food on a regular basis for a while but after a few days/weeks I'll be looking forward to just cooking simple meals at home, I also find the activity quite therapeutic :-) and yes the GF will do some cooking occasionally.

Internet - this is for a good ADSL package + some backup like GPRS. I may start with a simple package and see if it's workable but wanted to budget in a case where I'll need more than that.

Cable - good point.

Visa - this is an avg, which includes having to fly out every couple of months or so (in the region) if I can do 60+30 days on tourist alternated with visa exempt. Alternatively ED visa is another option I'm looking at and then I'll have the course fees (which arguably will be even more than 4K a month).

Thanks again.

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

Actually, this is not a bad budget. The only things I would say is that:

1) you are light on going out - I would double it at least, as it sounds like you have the resources, which means your gonna spend.

2) unless your GF is doing the homecooking and knows how to shop at local markets, it is usually cheaper to vendorfood. Cooking Western food at home in Thailand is a sure way to spend lots of money.

3) I spend 600 on internet, I used to spend 2,500 but after 4 months realized I was only getting the speed of the 600 baht package anyway.

4) Add 1,500-2,500 for cable.

5) Your visa related it too much per month, unless you are factoring in flying to your home country.

[Ijustwannateach]

If you're willing to adapt a bit- live with Thais rather than foreigners, for instance, and avoid tourist venues in favour of Thai ones- your housing and nightlife allowances become quite generous.

[qualtrough]

Cooking Western food at home in Thailand is a sure way to spend lots of money.

I respectfully disagree. Most of the raw materials for Western food here are very cheap compared to prices back home so making your own is not very expensive. It only becomes expensive if you buy or use off-the-shelve Western products. I enjoy lots of Western food for very little, for much less than what it would cost back home. A few examples:

Home-made pizzas cost around 120 Baht. I like them better than Pizza hut, etc.

Steak dinner (NZ from Villa) with baked potato, sour cream, corn on the cob, good toast 250 B

Chicken pot pies about 50 B each

Chili, enough for about 5 servings costs less than 30 B per serving

Spaghetti costs very little

Salads with bell peppers, etc. very, very little.

Taco dinner (5 ground beef tacos) costs about 125 Baht...

If you don't have a kitchen that is another matter. I enjoy cooking sometimes, and the wife has learned to cook these foods too. And yes, I enjoy Thai food too!

Edited June 22, 2007 by qualtrough

[highchol]

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

medical insurance is a bit high for 3500 baht you can get yearly cover

http://www.mrlinsurance.co.uk/gap-year-insurance.aspx

[RAZZELL]

Getting there...

But 500 for mobile phone and clothing is a bit on the low side

RAZZ

[Fred Sanford]

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

you're getting warmer pal. make it a nice round 100K to be safe

[rambling]

Thanks. Looks like a traveller's insurance. I'd probably be looking at getting something more health focused as I've already got annual travel insurance which covers me for up to 90 days per trip.

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

medical insurance is a bit high for 3500 baht you can get yearly cover

http://www.mrlinsurance.co.uk/gap-year-insurance.aspx

[rambling]

I doubt I'll reach 100K unless I decide to make some big purchases. I'm comfortable with a balanced mix of local and western lifestyle. Been living and traveling in Asia for 10 years now.

I do agree with the mobile phone comment above though, will likely need to up it a bit. On the clothes part - I'm a cheapskate when it comes to clothing

What do you guys think about this:

Food (mostly Thai + home cooking) 9,000

Transportation 2,150

Internet 2,500

Rent 18,000

Medical Insurance 3,500

Electricity 3,500

Entertainment (beers/movies, no redlight stuff) 10,750

Mobile phone 300

Visa related 4,000

Spending budget (books, computer accessory etc.) 4,000

Clothing 500

Web Hosting 500

Vacation / getaways in TH (15K quarterly) 5,000

Maid (part time cleaner based on 500 Bht per day) 2,150

Contingency ( = 10% of total above) 6,585

Total THB 72,435

USD $2,130

you're getting warmer pal. make it a nice round 100K to be safe

[coldcrush]

How do you guys live on these amounts! I could not live on that for a day or two nevermind a month... I think you must have a very restricted life in some cases. Why goto a country that has everything andf then try and curb any luxuries in life, whats the point!

Goodluck to you all on your futures and I hope that you all have enough shells and beads to pay your bills! Just kidding guys...

Edited June 24, 2007 by coldcrush

[sfokevin]

Clothing 500...

That's a lot of white socks...

Edited June 24, 2007 by sfokevin

[Jimjim]

Once again, another thread about how much money is need to live nicely in Bangkok/Thailand.

27,000 is certainly getting towards the minimum. But it's not that bad, depending on who you are. I tend to be quite frugal so for even 60,000 would be more than enough. I like to save no matter what amount of money I'm getting.

It just really depends. All attempts to argue about this subject are useless as everyone has different standards due to what they're used to at home and how much they're used to having to spend.

For rambling, your budget looks great and you won't hit the maximum for a lot of the parts of your budget I bet. 4,000 for visa stuff per month is way on the high side.

For Sanford, not everyone needs 100K to be comfortable, pal. I think 70,000 is safe already.

[Furbie]

Cooking Western food at home in Thailand is a sure way to spend lots of money.

I respectfully disagree. Most of the raw materials for Western food here are very cheap compared to prices back home so making your own is not very expensive. It only becomes expensive if you buy or use off-the-shelve Western products. I enjoy lots of Western food for very little, for much less than what it would cost back home. A few examples:

Home-made pizzas cost around 120 Baht. I like them better than Pizza hut, etc.

Steak dinner (NZ from Villa) with baked potato, sour cream, corn on the cob, good toast 250 B

Chicken pot pies about 50 B each

Chili, enough for about 5 servings costs less than 30 B per serving

Spaghetti costs very little

Salads with bell peppers, etc. very, very little.

Taco dinner (5 ground beef tacos) costs about 125 Baht...

If you don't have a kitchen that is another matter. I enjoy cooking sometimes, and the wife has learned to cook these foods too. And yes, I enjoy Thai food too!

Sorry qualtrough, I need to disagree with you on this.

I am more of a purist when it comes to my Western food. Even for something like pizza, if I am going to go through the trouble of making it, I am certainly going to make a real pot of sauce and use decent tomatoes (not the local stuff they claim are tomatoes), red onions, etc. This runs into quite a bit of money. Buying a pizza from say Ronnies, would be better than me making a pizza with inferior ingredients, and you can get one for 299. However, even if I was to skimp, it would still be more expensive than basic Thai food options. Even a decent jar of salsa is over 200 baht, as the local stuff is pitiful. Do you have a local taco shell option you prefer, as the imports are pricey, but tasty? I think they are more than the whole taco budget you listed. The list goes on, as I have never been impressed with local attempts at Western food basics – they just can’t get it right.