What it costs to live in Thailand, on a budget ?

[KhunLA]

19 minutes ago, bang saen guy said:

If you eat only Thai food. I try to avoid it. Cooking at home mostly

Dining out, western food in not cheap, usually.  Especially if at a 'farang' managed restaurant.  Thai places, not too bad.

 

We cook & dine in mostly, as just do a better job at it.  Have a couple favorite local restaurants, and I'll usual order what we can't or won't make at home.

 

Nice just to get out of the house once in a while, and not have to do dishes.

 

Don't agree with folks saying 'meals' start at 40 baht.  Plates & bowls of food start at 40 baht, but yet to have 1 fill me up, and count as a meal.  A meal out of late, runs about 200 baht for me.  Maybe 300 baht, and I won't have to make a sandwich at the house 2 hours later ????

 

We 'waste' more money on our coffee & sweet tooth stops, as can hit 3-400 baht for 2 of us, easily.  That's only a beverage and pastry each, 40-60 X 2 & 65-125 X 2.  Pretty much our only vice, as neither of us drink alcohol much, and never out of the house.

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, ChrisP24 said:

Sounds like you worked hard enough and long enough to where you didn't have to be a person of extreme thrift.  

 

I as well have (almost) always lived within my means, and am at a point where if I don't do anything stupid, can live very well for the remainder of my years.  I'm exploring Thailand as place to maybe do that part time.

If you are living in the West, or in Oz, good call. The quality of life here is quite good for many of us. And the people are far better adjusted and pleasant. 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Dining out, western food in not cheap, usually.  Especially if at a 'farang' managed restaurant.  Thai places, not too bad.

 

We cook & dine in mostly, as just do a better job at it.  Have a couple favorite local restaurants, and I'll usual order what we can't or won't make at home.

 

Nice just to get out of the house once in a while, and not have to do dishes.

 

Don't agree with folks saying 'meals' start at 40 baht.  Plates & bowls of food start at 40 baht, but yet to have 1 fill me up, and count as a meal.  A meal out of late, runs about 200 baht for me.  Maybe 300 baht, and I won't have to make a sandwich at the house 2 hours later ????

 

We 'waste' more money on our coffee & sweet tooth stops, as can hit 3-400 baht for 2 of us, easily.  That's only a beverage and pastry each, 40-60 X 2 & 65-125 X 2.  Pretty much our only vice, as neither of us drink alcohol much, and never out of the house.

My local eating place run by 2 little old Thai ladies in their 60s.

Pat prik geng gai peeset (large portion rice with chicken in red curry sauce) = 50bht

Almost more than I can eat with quality chicken breast.

 

Auf De Au German buffet in CM, all you can eat for 230bht (lasts me all day).

Including coffee, tea and a selection of puddings.

And the thick cut ham is really nice. 

 

Rajadabar Indian restaurant in Loi Kro, Chicken Masala curry + Naan bread 220bht.

 

Eating out, you just need to pick your spots and not carelessly waste money.

 

As for western foods, cook it yourself at home, most of my meals cost a lot less than 40bht to make.

Cottage pie .......... pork mince + mashed potato, around 20bht for a big portion.

Chicken and chips ........... 25bht.

Bacon, egg and chips ...... 25bht.

 

Just having a double car port built, 40kbht around 900 GBP.

2 builders taking around 4-6 days, steel beams and corrugated aluminium(?) roofing.

How much would that cost me back in the UK?

Edited July 1, 2023 by BritManToo

[Pattaya57]

When I retired I promised myself I'd never make a budget as if I had to micro manage spending than that's not enjoying life.

 

But I had planned to spend 100,000 per month but realistically I thought I would need 60,000

 

Checking my bank, it turns out I spent only 25000-29000 a month over last 4 months in Pattaya, so 1000 a day covers me 

 

While I own my own condo to save on rent I did have 2000 a month average on electricity. This includes always eating out and plenty of Singha. I guess the key is I don't have any hanger ons taking my baht and my "2 week millionaire" trips are quickly done away with once staying longer

 

Edited July 1, 2023 by Pattaya57

[Pink Mist]

A troll post has been removed 

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, bang saen guy said:

If you eat only Thai food. I try to avoid it. Cooking at home mostly

Me too, my days of 'going out' have all but finished, i doubt i even spend 4k a month on food, i have a box of big Leo delivered from D-save and ciggies i probably spend more on those than food. made a nice Quiche yesterday, Frozen food is handy I have found 4 portions of Spaghetti carbonara in Macro for 165b, I buy 2kilo of cheese at a time I do like my sandwiches. Oh and those that say Never Buy always rent, Ho Hum, no rent to pay now ever, I'm not a cheapskate just the way my life has panned out.

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Me too, my days of 'going out' have all but finished,

Living the dream.....????

[FritsSikkink]

On 11/8/2022 at 10:01 AM, BritManToo said:

I don't understand what so many foreigners spend all the money on.

My electricity bill has been over 6800 the last 2 months and I pay directly to the electricity company (in BKK). 10 year old 3000, 18 year old 5400 thb spending money per month. Rent 25000 per month for a house.

That is already over 40K and only a few costs.

[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

My electricity bill has been over 6800 the last 2 months and I pay directly to the electricity company (in BKK). 10 year old 3000, 18 year old 5400 thb spending money per month. Rent 25000 per month for a house.

That is already over 40K and only a few costs.

My electricity bill was 160bht last month.

Wasting electricity and renting an expensive home is a lifestyle choice, not a need.

[Ralf001]

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

4,000bht for the ground floor shop-front.

2,500bht each for the upper 2 floors (extra if you want them to fit air-con).

Each 2 condos share a staircase (free wifi, double bed, wardrobe, study desk).

Covered parking for m/cs round the back, parking for cars in the front.

Tesco/7-11/BigC, restaurants, bars, swimming pool all within 500m.

 

Where are these, Am looking to rent a shophouse for private workshop but would happily rent the shop front and both "condo's" for 9k a month and move out of the house Iam currently in.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

Where are these, Am looking to rent a shophouse for private workshop but would happily rent the shop front and both "condo's" for 9k a month and move out of the house Iam currently in.

MaeJo, in the road between the police station and the post office.

[roo860]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My local eating place run by 2 little old Thai ladies in their 60s.

Pat prik geng gai peeset (large portion rice with chicken in red curry sauce) = 50bht

Almost more than I can eat with quality chicken breast.

 

Auf De Au German buffet in CM, all you can eat for 230bht (lasts me all day).

Including coffee, tea and a selection of puddings.

And the thick cut ham is really nice. 

 

Rajadabar Indian restaurant in Loi Kro, Chicken Masala curry + Naan bread 220bht.

 

Eating out, you just need to pick your spots and not carelessly waste money.

 

As for western foods, cook it yourself at home, most of my meals cost a lot less than 40bht to make.

Cottage pie .......... pork mince + mashed potato, around 20bht for a big portion.

Chicken and chips ........... 25bht.

Bacon, egg and chips ...... 25bht.

 

Just having a double car port built, 40kbht around 900 GBP.

2 builders taking around 4-6 days, steel beams and corrugated aluminium(?) roofing.

How much would that cost me back in the UK?

If you ever fancy Burmese food, Cherry's Restaurant on Changklan Rd is excellent.

[Ralf001]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

MaeJo, in the road between the police station and the post office.

Ahh Chiang Mai.... explains the price.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Living the dream.....????

Yes I am, nice house, beautiful spot & view, good food, good wife, nice car, money in the bank,  I don't Need to go out. You?

Edited July 2, 2023 by brianthainess

[parafareno]

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

No need to pay more than 5k THB for comfy housing, if that's your choice.

 

Personally I'd choose townhouses over condos, as probably wouldn't use the amenities, (pool/gym) if having.  Prefer less neighbors, ground floor entrance, and parking right in front of the house.

 

Usually more m² for the same price w/kitchen for home cooking, vs a condo or rented room, on that low end price point.

how much u pay for townhouse? 

[Olmate]

14 minutes ago, parafareno said:

how much u pay for townhouse? 

Townhouse IMO are roomier but neighbours drive u mad. Condo prob double the price.

[sammieuk1]

As the UK flounders in the cost of living crisis I look from afar as my cost of living appears to be falling over the last couple of months but I still haven't summoned up the courage to buy a new can of pledge furniture polish from villa market for an eyewatering equivalent of £11 as its a step to far ???? 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, parafareno said:

how much u pay for townhouse? 

Last townhouse, 2 yrs ago, was ฿6000, but we have dog, as a few doors down, exact same townhouse (same builder), and only ฿3500.

 

Nice neighborhood, carport, nothing I'd call a back yard/pad.  But wife had a jungle back there.   Decent size.   1st floor main room, bath, then full size (bare), actually large kitchen.  2 bdrm & bath on 2nd floor w/balcony.   1.7 kms from surf, easy walk & 0.5 km to park, on the way.  7-11 about 200m away.  

 

Really liked it, except didn't own it.  If single, or wife same age, could have stayed there.

 

Owning, you eventually live, housing free.  Just pay in advance, and get it all back when selling.

 

Present house, actually cost about the same.  Nicer of course, on 1/2 rai.   But if wife lives 30 years, all in, ฿2M, works out to about ฿5555 a month.

 

She owns it, can sell if she needs the money, no rent increase, and added plus of having solar, so no PEA bill.

 

That alone saves about ฿3k a month, along with another ฿3k a month, charging the EVs vs petrol.

 

We have a water bill and <฿200 a month.

 

That's it, for mandatory monthly bills ... does take a 'pay in advance' investment, but well worth it.  IF ... you or spouse/partner will live that long.   Daughter gets it afterwards.

 

Play the long game, always better.

Edited July 2, 2023 by KhunLA

[FritsSikkink]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My electricity bill was 160bht last month.

Wasting electricity and renting an expensive home is a lifestyle choice, not a need.

Yes, it is my life style choice. Rent is not expensive for a 2 story, 6 room house with garden, close to schools and work in BKK.   

[Ben Zioner]

8 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, it is my life style choice. Rent is not expensive for a 2 story, 6 room house with garden, close to schools and work in BKK.   

Yeah, some guys would boast about their 162.47 electricity bill and forget to tell that they've just spent half a million on solar panels...

 

My answer to  the OP would be 100K if single, 200K to 300K for a family of four. The latter is my situation  out in Surin, and I consider my standard of living as modest. But I don't try to compare myself to the locals, as I watch them in amazement.

[KhunLA]

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

My electricity bill has been over 6800 the last 2 months and I pay directly to the electricity company (in BKK). 10 year old 3000, 18 year old 5400 thb spending money per month. Rent 25000 per month for a house.

That is already over 40K and only a few costs.

A 10 yr old with a 3000 baht allowance ????

18 yr old with 5400 ... if not in Uni or going to, needs to get a job, and be self sufficient.

 

My daughter in between HS and Uni, lived with us, and even got a job, knowing she didn't have to, but didn't want 'our' money.  I didn't raise her that way.   You want - you earn.  Didn't think she'd take it that serious ????  Got to love her.

 

She know she didn't have to, and I'd support her for those few month, but she wouldn't have it.

Edited July 2, 2023 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Yeah, some guys would boast about their 162.47 electricity bill and forget to tell that they've just spent half a million on solar panels...

-0- electric bill and only 445k for solar system ????

 

Beats giving PEA 3-6K a month, and charges the EV, saving another 3k a month.  Worth every baht ????

[BritManToo]

42 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, it is my life style choice. Rent is not expensive for a 2 story, 6 room house with garden, close to schools and work in BKK.   

I've got the same in Chiang Mai, but the mortgage repayments are only 10kbht/month.

[Ben Zioner]

53 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

-0- electric bill and only 445k for solar system ????

 

Beats giving PEA 3-6K a month, and charges the EV, saving another 3k a month.  Worth every baht ????

Well, if  I take a 4.5k  midpoint of your billing  range, that's a 100  months payback. So over 8 years without any maintenance charges. Makes it a questionable investment  IMHO. I.e when will you need to replace your panels, inverter, etc...

 

Ok, let's not highjack this thread. But I was thinking of getting solar panels, but only of the roofs exposed for maximal yield. Now I am  thinking there may be a better use for my [little] money.

Edited July 2, 2023 by Ben Zioner

[xylophone]

I spend around 100,000 baht a month on average, but I do live a good lifestyle, with wine being one of my major purchases!!!!! However I do eat out on occasion, whilst cooking my own meals at home, which I enjoy doing. And I never scrimp and save on any food which I want/crave – – I just buy it.

 

I did buy a house when I first arrived here 17 years ago, but sold it around five years later and moved into a rental apartment as an interim stage to finding another house, but I became so used to the small/compact, easy to clean apartment that I have been here ever since!

 

I do provide my unofficially adopted Thai daughter with a 15,000 baht monthly allowance, and she's now in her last year at university, and is truly a lovely young lady, but soon she will have to go out on her own and find a job, earn a salary and find her own way in the world, but I don't think she's actually thought that through, so a chat with her a little later down the line is on the cards! Having said that I don't mind supporting her for a few more years if necessary, but she has to realise what the world is all about.

 

Occasionally I cook a Thai meal and enjoy spicy food, so my diet is quite varied, and today I'm going to cook a traditional French beef bourguignon to have with a lovely bottle of wine, whereas yesterday I had pasta with a side salad, and the evening before that an Indian curry – – I live well enough and hopefully have enough money to see me through to the end of my life.

 

I do know guys who scrape by on their UK pensions, and one who doesn't quite make it on his Australian pension, so often looks for a handout. I couldn't live that way I'm afraid.

 

Overall I'm happy with my lot and see no reason to go back to NZ or the UK for that matter, where my standard of living would drop quite markedly.

[Sandboxer]

In Pattaya I average about 150 baht a day (3x50) for food. That three full Thai meal like krapao/pad thai etc.

 

Water cost is zero. Many hotel lobbies provide free iced water.

 

If I get hungry later in the evening, there's always a bar somewhere that's having a birthday party with free food for anyone (just leave before they look like they're gonna ask you what you want to drink).  Or hang out and hover nearby until some simp who can only buy his friends ring the bell.

 

Internet - plenty of free public places or businesses where you can use free wifi. Just download whatever you want to watch later.

 

Love - if you're handsome like me, picking up horny Russians on the beach is easy.

 

Transport - free hotel shuttle buses

 

Clothes - just need 1 pair of shorts per year, it's a beach town after all!

 

Oh, forgot about rent. What rent? The beach is free and there are so many empty half-built condo shells ruins that all the developer scammers left behind.  You can mov into a new penthouse every night!

 

As for medical care - my insurance company policy is 100% free. Look up "gofundme"....

 

My only real expense is the 368 baht it cost me per day for my 5 yr Elite visa, but that's a one-time expense every 5 years so it's not that noticeable.

 

 

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

5 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Yes I am, nice house, beautiful spot & view, good food, good wife, nice car, money in the bank,  I don't Need to go out. You?

Not been out for a while, months, other than out to eat. Must give her a couple of days off per week. 

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Not been out for a while, months, other than out to eat. Must give her a couple of days off per week. 

My missus works all day, everyday, many times not home till after I've eaten, her choice, i mainly do my own cooking anyway.

I don't enjoy the bar/pub scene anymore, I'm not a mans man,

I never used to go to the pub from work like soo many others did, same my dad NEVER went to a pub or drank, I live a normal life, boring for others maybe, not for me though. Normal watch Tv on the sofa, in fact my dad used to call the TV ''the trash box''

[The Fugitive]

12 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

My missus works all day, everyday, many times not home till after I've eaten, her choice, i mainly do my own cooking anyway.

I don't enjoy the bar/pub scene anymore, I'm not a mans man,

I never used to go to the pub from work like soo many others did, same my dad NEVER went to a pub or drank, I live a normal life, boring for others maybe, not for me though. Normal watch Tv on the sofa, in fact my dad used to call the TV ''the trash box''

Spot on about the pub. That was when there were a lot more open! Guys I used to work with would drink up to five pints at lunch time and then go in again after work. Weekends involved some serious drinking! 

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

Well, if  I take a 4.5k  midpoint of your billing  range, that's a 100  months payback. So over 8 years without any maintenance charges. Makes it a questionable investment  IMHO. I.e when will you need to replace your panels, inverter, etc...

 

Ok, let's not highjack this thread. But I was thinking of getting solar panels, but only of the roofs exposed for maximal yield. Now I am  thinking there may be a better use for my [little] money.

No highjack, on topic, cost of, how to stretch, invest for the long game, or pay as you go.

 

Our solar system is on the high end of pricing, since installed, and with better components, hopefully.

 

Don't expect any oops for 10-20 yrs, hopefully, though won't be around if any.  Our ROI should be in the 5-8 yr range, probably the latter, but all good in that aspect.

 

Depending on your monthly usage & bill now.  Some guys have a system, supplements or almost carries them through the whole month. 5kWh tie in systems are not expensive.  It's the ESSs, batteries, that add to the cost, (185k for ours) if wanting to be off grid, unofficially.  We're still conx, but don't need the grid.

 

EV & solar just compliments each other and adds to the value of both.

 

But it does depend on your finances, lifestyle, age, possible ROI or not.  If out of the house all day, then solar wouldn't be much use, or a more expensive system, and impractical, or very long ROI.

 

I've been here for a while, retired/home all day, and wife is younger, so a no brainer for me.   If just arriving, and 65 ish years old, then no, unless planning of living 20 more years, or have someone to leave it to.   

 

Simply rent something or buy a comfy condo & enjoy.  

 

Couple mill for a house, 1 mill for a car, goes a long way to one's monthly budget if not needing or wanting either.   Many places a car isn't even needed, and probably our biggest monthly expense, especially if ICE, considering buy in, petrol & maintenance over the life of the vehicle.  Definitely a luxury item, if not needed for out & about or local getting around.  Plenty of inexpensive options also, if just knockin' around town.

 

We really don't need a car, it's just a convenience, as everything is <5 kms away.

 

If single, I could easily live very minimalistic.  All personal choice, and plenty of here.

 

ENJOY