Rural Thailand

[macb]

Are you thinking of making the move and living in Rural Thailand or maybe we need to re-phrase that and say live in the jungle :

If you are and your not sure what to expect or what preparations to make, feel free to post here and your questions will be answered :

Some points to start you off

1. Money how much

2. Where will I live

3 How big is the Family

4 Are there any debts

5 How much is land

6 How much to build

7 How far is the nearest town/City

8 Will I have electricity and water

9 Mosquitoes

Well there's a few, ask your questions then collate the best answers

Edited July 9, 2007 by macb

[sutnyod]

Are you thinking of making the move and living in Rural Thailand or maybe we need to re-phrase that and say live in the jungle :

Good piece of advice, but many people are in such a state of mind that it is likely the answers will look like this:

If you are and your not sure what to expect or what preparations to make, feel free to post here and your questions will be answered :

Some points to start you off

1. Money how much

Not much, but never mind.

2. Where will I live

On the doormat, but never mind.

3 How big is the Family

238 including second grade cousins, but never mind

4 Are there any debts

You mean for the next 70 years? Sure, but never mind.

5 How much is land

What land?

6 How much to build

Everything is falling apart right now, but never mind.

7 How far is the nearest town/City

The next noodle stall is 40 min by plane, but never mind.

8 Will I have electricity and water

Electricity in April - May (lightning and thunderstorms), water from May till September. But never mind.

9 Mosquitoes

Heaps of them, but never mind.

Well there's a few, ask your questions then collate the best answers

Have seen it happen....

[Luckydog]

Thanks. If I ever feel like going back a hundred years or so, I'll contact you.

But don't hold your breath Pal.

[Thaddeus]

Thanks. If I ever feel like going back a hundred years or so, I'll contact you.

But don't hold your breath Pal.

My mother always taught me that if you haven't got anything nice to say, say nothing.

Saying nothing.

[Tilapia]

Are you thinking of making the move and living in Rural Thailand or maybe we need to re-phrase that and say live in the jungle :

If you are and your not sure what to expect or what preparations to make, feel free to post here and your questions will be answered :

Some points to start you off

1. Money how much

2. Where will I live

3 How big is the Family

4 Are there any debts

5 How much is land

6 How much to build

7 How far is the nearest town/City

8 Will I have electricity and water

9 Mosquitoes

Well there's a few, ask your questions then collate the best answers

Hi Mac.

Get over to my house, and kill a few beers ........You are getting strange now , and it scares me .....To many questions, just do it or dont, people who are in love, tends to think with the smaller of the two heads .....Its a fact !!! Later they will come to there senses, but then its to late ....So they might as well just say that they love it out here

That goes for myself as well

Tilapia.

[roietjimmy]

Thanks. If I ever feel like going back a hundred years or so, I'll contact you.

But don't hold your breath Pal.

My mother always taught me that if you haven't got anything nice to say, say nothing.

Saying nothing.

Don't be too hard on Luckydog. Being to some degree TVs resident cynic, every once in awhile he shows his true nature with his optimistic and kind postings/replies.

[Luckydog]

Thanks. If I ever feel like going back a hundred years or so, I'll contact you.

But don't hold your breath Pal.

My mother always taught me that if you haven't got anything nice to say, say nothing.

Saying nothing.

Don't be too hard on Luckydog. Being to some degree TVs resident cynic, every once in awhile he shows his true nature with his optimistic and kind postings/replies.

Thanks for your kind remark old bean.....

But just remember and I quote "There is native and there's native. But each to their own".

[macb]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

[Tilapia]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Auch !!! I will keep my big mouth shut.

[stament]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Hi Mac,

Pls don't close the topic as I think it will be very infomative. So to start off how much would you say rent is in a rural area in Issan for a 2 bedroom apartment / small house?

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Stam

[Tredz]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

interesting point, i'm interested to know what could be a budget for live in a rural village ?

[Thaddeus]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

interesting point, i'm interested to know what could be a budget for live in a rural village ?

That is a very hard question to answer and is completely dependant on your lifestyle. Do you drink and/or smoke? do you want a car or happy with two wheels, do want to live in a small town or really get out into the sticks? would you be happy with a Thai diet or do you crave western food? how many trips to the bright lights would you need every year? and many other factors.

Just for everyday living expenses, food, clothes, laundry, cleaning, fuel, power etc you can get away for between 15 to 20k a month (wait for the flames) and that would include having a couple of western niceties thrown in.

Make allowances for car insurance, hospital bills, the odd holiday etc and it can increase by quite a bit.

[roietjimmy]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Mac,

Don't close it! I think you're on to something informative with this topic. There are plenty of folks interested in moving up here to the sticks who would like some pointers. Nothing better than a FAQ or a check list topic to give people an idea of what to expect. I am sure you will get plenty of good replies so hang in there.

Roiet Jimmy

[Tredz]

That is a very hard question to answer and is completely dependant on your lifestyle. Do you drink and/or smoke? do you want a car or happy with two wheels, do want to live in a small town or really get out into the sticks? would you be happy with a Thai diet or do you crave western food? how many trips to the bright lights would you need every year? and many other factors.

Just for everyday living expenses, food, clothes, laundry, cleaning, fuel, power etc you can get away for between 15 to 20k a month (wait for the flames) and that would include having a couple of western niceties thrown in.

Make allowances for car insurance, hospital bills, the odd holiday etc and it can increase by quite a bit.

thanks for your answer now i have a better idea for a budget !

[Monkeypants]

Great thread mac,

You know I always ask you these questions every time we meet.

Oh and BTW, get that pot of stew going, I will be there in September.

[vision]

I have only been out in Issan for a few months now but to put in my .02 ..... For me it only costs about 10K to 12K (Thai baht) to pay the utilities and food, we have a family of 5.

The real answer was as Thaddeus said, more about how many western niceities you need. I only NEED to spend 10K a month to live but I end up at about 20K with satellite TV, broadband Internet, western food/restaurants, trips to the city, chips and beer, running the AC and buying the occasional small appliance. For instance as an occasional drinker I spend about 3K on gin tonic and beer a month. I am not sure if it would kill me to stop drinking but until money gets that tight i have no intention of finding out.

[roietjimmy]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Hi Mac,

Pls don't close the topic as I think it will be very infomative. So to start off how much would you say rent is in a rural area in Issan for a 2 bedroom apartment / small house?

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Stam

Stam,

As with anywhere in Thailand or the rest of the world for that matter, cost depends greatly on the type of lifestyle you want or can afford. If you go completely local (native) monthly cost is likely to be less than 10,000 baht per month. This is not an option for most expats as living conditions are "very" basic. For a more western lifestyle (not knowing more of your desired lifestyle), cost would range from 20,000 to 50,000+ per month. You mention you have a wife and a couple of kids. Do your wife and kids speak Thai? Education costs can be quite high if your kids go to a private school and even higher if they go to an international school. The local village schools are almost free (you pay for uniforms, books and supplies) but totally inadequate. Sorry for the broad ranges in cost here but give me a little more detail on your lifestyle expectations and I will be happy to give you a much more accurate extimation of cost and location. Have you spent any time in Isaan?

Roiet Jimmy

[Tilapia]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Hi Mac,

Pls don't close the topic as I think it will be very infomative. So to start off how much would you say rent is in a rural area in Issan for a 2 bedroom apartment / small house?

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Stam

In Buri-Ram a 2-3 bedroom house will cost between 3000-5000 baht/month depending how many furniture there is, and if it has aircon.

Electric bill will run between 1500-2000 baht/month with one aircon and normal house-holds.

Tilapia.

[binnsy]

Hi Mac

It is interesting to see the things that us wanabee's may have considered or may have not and i am sure that some other posters on the issan forum could add the odd thing or two.

Using the lessons that you have learn't will help us wannabe's.

carry on posting

[swain]

I live in Chiang Mai now, but have been to Issan and loved it. Very beautiful, the heat was pounding, the mosquitoes overwhelming, but I loved it none the less.

What part of the "jungle" are you guys talking about Just so I can look up these areas on the map as we are talking?

Interestingly enough I met an American there that bought a large piece of land with his Thai wife and had been living there for about 3 years. He proceeded to tell me how bad it was to live out there. Negatives and more negatives could not say anything positive about being there. They were drinking and offered me a drink as well. We got to know each other after a bit and then he told me the real story. He truly believes this is paradise on earth and now that he has gotten to know me... (3 hours into drinking the local brew) he believes I am worthy enough for the truth. He says he tells everyone that its hel_l on earth because he doesn't want farangs coming and mucking it all up. I have begun to take much more of what I am hearing from people with a grain of salt. I know if I want the real story I am going to have to go and live it myself.

[hank69]

hi,

ive just woke up cannot sleep! dad home !

i would say suck it and see, if you cannot live here well on small money then you will have a problem in europe.

hank

I live in Chiang Mai now, but have been to Issan and loved it. Very beautiful, the heat was pounding, the mosquitoes overwhelming, but I loved it none the less.

What part of the "jungle" are you guys talking about Just so I can look up these areas on the map as we are talking?

Interestingly enough I met an American there that bought a large piece of land with his Thai wife and had been living there for about 3 years. He proceeded to tell me how bad it was to live out there. Negatives and more negatives could not say anything positive about being there. They were drinking and offered me a drink as well. We got to know each other after a bit and then he told me the real story. He truly believes this is paradise on earth and now that he has gotten to know me... (3 hours into drinking the local brew) he believes I am worthy enough for the truth. He says he tells everyone that its hel_l on earth because he doesn't want farangs coming and mucking it all up. I have begun to take much more of what I am hearing from people with a grain of salt. I know if I want the real story I am going to have to go and live it myself.

[Mike45]

Great Post Mac Thanks in advance

Here is some of my questions...maybe you fellas can help me with your best approximations.

1. Money how much.

Yea this is the big one isn't it! I assume from what i have read that it is all about how much you spend. But lets face it you MUST have money in the bank to move to Thailand. So how many American dollars are we talking about? Maybe you can answer that after I tell you more about my expected life style in Thailand.

2. Where will I live.

My wifes family lives 50 minutes outside Ubon Ratchathani. I feel that her moo ban is too rural for me. I will need to be closer to the city of Ubon for the weekly KFC, Big C and movie night at the cinema (God I hope they get English language films soon.) Initially I want to rent something...when i am sure of where i want to live I will build a 4 bedroom house with a pool and air. Oh and a smaller building on the other side of the pool just for me.. my computer, air and snoozing sofa for some alone time.

3 How big is the Family

Right now just the two of us but we hope for more....two kids would be great! I understand that kids schools can be a big expense. My wife has a bachelors degree and she went to the local school system of Ubon. That kind of education and additional home schooling education from me is what I expect to do for my kids. When they are older they can move to the USA and join the National Guard etc. and get a western education for free if they want to.

4 Are there any debts

I don't understand this one? I don't intend to have any debts when I leave the USA. I won't borrow money when I live in Thailand.

5 How much is land

6 How much to build

Number 5 & 6 I expect will be 2.5 million baht if I have it built myself. I expect that will change with my time horizon.

7 How far is the nearest town/City

I want to live within 20 minutes of Ubon

8 Will I have electricity and water

I expect too!

9 Mosquitoes

Nothing I can do about this.

10 A car

I expect to buy a new Camry or Accord when I arrive

11 Alcohol and Cigs

I don't smoke or drink. My wife and I are pretty much home bodies.

12 Air-con usage

I expect to use the air quite a bit at least in the portion of the house that I am in at the time.

13 Medical Insurance

Got to have it! But only for major coverage. I expect to pay the doctors visits out of pocket

So what do you think? How much money do I need in the bank and what will my monthly expenses likely be?

Thanks

Mike

[stament]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Hi Mac,

Pls don't close the topic as I think it will be very infomative. So to start off how much would you say rent is in a rural area in Issan for a 2 bedroom apartment / small house?

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Stam

Stam,

As with anywhere in Thailand or the rest of the world for that matter, cost depends greatly on the type of lifestyle you want or can afford. If you go completely local (native) monthly cost is likely to be less than 10,000 baht per month. This is not an option for most expats as living conditions are "very" basic. For a more western lifestyle (not knowing more of your desired lifestyle), cost would range from 20,000 to 50,000+ per month. You mention you have a wife and a couple of kids. Do your wife and kids speak Thai? Education costs can be quite high if your kids go to a private school and even higher if they go to an international school. The local village schools are almost free (you pay for uniforms, books and supplies) but totally inadequate. Sorry for the broad ranges in cost here but give me a little more detail on your lifestyle expectations and I will be happy to give you a much more accurate extimation of cost and location. Have you spent any time in Isaan?

Roiet Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

I've visited Issan a few times but only for days at a time with my TG. I've also stayed in Chiang Mai for a couple of months.

As regards western luxuries, I wouldn't be interested in any of those to be honest apart from mayeb cable tv if it were possible and the internet.

I eat thai food all the time never western food - btw I'm English. I also drink Singha when I go out or whisky and coke. I would run a motorbike but the cost on that is minimal and I'd buy that so wouldn't be a monthly expense. I guess what I'm asking is cost fo the following items:

Rent

Food - eating at home most of the time or buying food from the market. Eating out maybe 2 times a week at a thai restaurant or bbq.

School fee's for the local school

I said I was interested in finding out about cost for a tife and two kids, not because I have them now, but want to know a rough idea for the future.

Thanks all for posts

Stam

ps Would also be interested to know how much it would cost to rent a 1 bedroom modern condo in a bigger town/city like Ubon, Si Saket, Khorat, etc. Just to give me a comparison to Chiang Mai in terms of rent, etc.

Keep the good work up!

[macb]

First Sorry for the harsh rhetoric earlier, but sometimes its needed on certain Topics to keep them on track :

No it was not all pointed at you TALAPIA (See you Saturday mate)

Good reply from Thaddeus re monthly expenditure:

Well lets assume you found the women of your dreams :

You going to build a house/ bungalow (There are plenty of threads on the Forum covering house building) So you got to decide on what your wallet can afford:

How much can I take from lets say the UK into Thailand in my pocket If I am not mistaken its Ten thousand pound Sterling correct me if I am wrong:

Visa Retirement,marriage,No-Imm 'O'

Heres a few costings

UBC 1568 bht per month

TOT Ipstar for internet 256/128 1605 bht per month 3750 installation

Electricity can vary I run 36000 BTU unit in the evenings and every night 9000 BTU unit in the bedroom and with usual appliances 2500 bht per month

Water well if you got a bore its just the cost of making your bore (you cant drink this)

5 Gallon drinking water 100 bht deposit then 15 bht to exchange (But we collect rain water so costs us nothing except initial expenditure buying the tanks:

Renting apt and houses varies around Thailand from 4000 bht to 24000 bht

I sometimes think I eat to much Farang food as I now like a lot of Thai food and have now become acclimatised to it being spicy:

A filling Thai dish can cost 30 bht

But in General everything is cheap

If your buying credit for mobile phone take this into account it all adds up (The hidden extras)

Then if you live in the Family compound there is also extra cost here

[Tilapia]

Hi Mac.

You spelled my name wrong......No beers for you on saturday...You can share a glass of warm milk with your baby daughter...I will take care of the beer :-)

Tilapia.

[macb]

TILAPIA

Now hows that, well no beer no steak then lol

[macb]

Great Post Mac Thanks in advance

Here is some of my questions...maybe you fellas can help me with your best approximations.

1. Money how much.

Yea this is the big one isn't it! I assume from what i have read that it is all about how much you spend. But lets face it you MUST have money in the bank to move to Thailand. So how many American dollars are we talking about? Maybe you can answer that after I tell you more about my expected life style in Thailand.

2. Where will I live.

My wifes family lives 50 minutes outside Ubon Ratchathani. I feel that her moo ban is too rural for me. I will need to be closer to the city of Ubon for the weekly KFC, Big C and movie night at the cinema (God I hope they get English language films soon.) Initially I want to rent something...when i am sure of where i want to live I will build a 4 bedroom house with a pool and air. Oh and a smaller building on the other side of the pool just for me.. my computer, air and snoozing sofa for some alone time.

3 How big is the Family

Right now just the two of us but we hope for more....two kids would be great! I understand that kids schools can be a big expense. My wife has a bachelors degree and she went to the local school system of Ubon. That kind of education and additional home schooling education from me is what I expect to do for my kids. When they are older they can move to the USA and join the National Guard etc. and get a western education for free if they want to.

4 Are there any debts

I don't understand this one? I don't intend to have any debts when I leave the USA. I won't borrow money when I live in Thailand.

5 How much is land

6 How much to build

Number 5 & 6 I expect will be 2.5 million baht if I have it built myself. I expect that will change with my time horizon.

7 How far is the nearest town/City

I want to live within 20 minutes of Ubon

8 Will I have electricity and water

I expect too!

9 Mosquitoes

Nothing I can do about this.

10 A car

I expect to buy a new Camry or Accord when I arrive

11 Alcohol and Cigs

I don't smoke or drink. My wife and I are pretty much home bodies.

12 Air-con usage

I expect to use the air quite a bit at least in the portion of the house that I am in at the time.

13 Medical Insurance

Got to have it! But only for major coverage. I expect to pay the doctors visits out of pocket

So what do you think? How much money do I need in the bank and what will my monthly expenses likely be?

Thanks

Mike

I will answer these soon unless someone else does but under weather today must have ate something wrong

[roietjimmy]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Hi Mac,

Pls don't close the topic as I think it will be very infomative. So to start off how much would you say rent is in a rural area in Issan for a 2 bedroom apartment / small house?

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Stam

Stam,

As with anywhere in Thailand or the rest of the world for that matter, cost depends greatly on the type of lifestyle you want or can afford. If you go completely local (native) monthly cost is likely to be less than 10,000 baht per month. This is not an option for most expats as living conditions are "very" basic. For a more western lifestyle (not knowing more of your desired lifestyle), cost would range from 20,000 to 50,000+ per month. You mention you have a wife and a couple of kids. Do your wife and kids speak Thai? Education costs can be quite high if your kids go to a private school and even higher if they go to an international school. The local village schools are almost free (you pay for uniforms, books and supplies) but totally inadequate. Sorry for the broad ranges in cost here but give me a little more detail on your lifestyle expectations and I will be happy to give you a much more accurate extimation of cost and location. Have you spent any time in Isaan?

Roiet Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

I've visited Issan a few times but only for days at a time with my TG. I've also stayed in Chiang Mai for a couple of months.

As regards western luxuries, I wouldn't be interested in any of those to be honest apart from mayeb cable tv if it were possible and the internet.

I eat thai food all the time never western food - btw I'm English. I also drink Singha when I go out or whisky and coke. I would run a motorbike but the cost on that is minimal and I'd buy that so wouldn't be a monthly expense. I guess what I'm asking is cost fo the following items:

Rent

Food - eating at home most of the time or buying food from the market. Eating out maybe 2 times a week at a thai restaurant or bbq.

School fee's for the local school

I said I was interested in finding out about cost for a tife and two kids, not because I have them now, but want to know a rough idea for the future.

Thanks all for posts

Stam

ps Would also be interested to know how much it would cost to rent a 1 bedroom modern condo in a bigger town/city like Ubon, Si Saket, Khorat, etc. Just to give me a comparison to Chiang Mai in terms of rent, etc.

Keep the good work up!

Based on what you have told me, expect your monthly costs (based on my estimates below) would be:

10,100 to 12,300 baht to live in a town

11,600 to 16,300 baht to live in a city

There are other costs such as clothing, entertainment, motorbike petrol/maintanence, etc. that need to be factored in. Costs vary from province to province but hopfully this will give you some benchmark.

You should be figuring on a budget of 15,000 to 20,000 per month

Rent small 2 bedroom house in amphore center (town) - 1500 to 3000 baht

Rent 1 bedroom condo in mueng (city) - 3000 to 7000 baht. Note many of the cities do not have condos/apartments. More likely to be a house.

Electric (no Air con) and water - 1000 to 1500 baht

Food at home - 3000 baht

Food at resturant (twice a week) - 2400 baht

Beer and whiskey - you'll have to estimate this one yourself

UBC TV - 1600 baht

Internet - 600 to 800 baht. If a telephone line is not available you will have to purchase a wireless system which has installation charges. See Mac's reply re IPStar. Also, CAT Telecom offers a system which works via the mobile phone network. Not as good as IPStar speed but may be adequate for your needs. It also gives you a home phone number. Initial cost 5500 baht.

Motorbike (new) - 40,000 to 60,000 depending on model. Registration 500 baht per year.

[stament]

I started this Topic so as to give pointers and useful information for the wannabes or the going to bes .

If its going to slide off track and become a silly comment Topic I will; have the Mods Close it :

Hi Mac,

Pls don't close the topic as I think it will be very infomative. So to start off how much would you say rent is in a rural area in Issan for a 2 bedroom apartment / small house?

Secondly, how much do you think you need per month to live on if you have a wife and couple of kids? Perhaps you could give us some idea of the costs, e.g. food, rent, electric, etc. I don't mean your monthly costs, but more of a guideline on how big/small a budget one would require to live in a rural village.

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Stam

Stam,

As with anywhere in Thailand or the rest of the world for that matter, cost depends greatly on the type of lifestyle you want or can afford. If you go completely local (native) monthly cost is likely to be less than 10,000 baht per month. This is not an option for most expats as living conditions are "very" basic. For a more western lifestyle (not knowing more of your desired lifestyle), cost would range from 20,000 to 50,000+ per month. You mention you have a wife and a couple of kids. Do your wife and kids speak Thai? Education costs can be quite high if your kids go to a private school and even higher if they go to an international school. The local village schools are almost free (you pay for uniforms, books and supplies) but totally inadequate. Sorry for the broad ranges in cost here but give me a little more detail on your lifestyle expectations and I will be happy to give you a much more accurate extimation of cost and location. Have you spent any time in Isaan?

Roiet Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

I've visited Issan a few times but only for days at a time with my TG. I've also stayed in Chiang Mai for a couple of months.

As regards western luxuries, I wouldn't be interested in any of those to be honest apart from mayeb cable tv if it were possible and the internet.

I eat thai food all the time never western food - btw I'm English. I also drink Singha when I go out or whisky and coke. I would run a motorbike but the cost on that is minimal and I'd buy that so wouldn't be a monthly expense. I guess what I'm asking is cost fo the following items:

Rent

Food - eating at home most of the time or buying food from the market. Eating out maybe 2 times a week at a thai restaurant or bbq.

School fee's for the local school

I said I was interested in finding out about cost for a tife and two kids, not because I have them now, but want to know a rough idea for the future.

Thanks all for posts

Stam

ps Would also be interested to know how much it would cost to rent a 1 bedroom modern condo in a bigger town/city like Ubon, Si Saket, Khorat, etc. Just to give me a comparison to Chiang Mai in terms of rent, etc.

Keep the good work up!

Based on what you have told me, expect your monthly costs (based on my estimates below) would be:

10,100 to 12,300 baht to live in a town

11,600 to 16,300 baht to live in a city

There are other costs such as clothing, entertainment, motorbike petrol/maintanence, etc. that need to be factored in. Costs vary from province to province but hopfully this will give you some benchmark.

You should be figuring on a budget of 15,000 to 20,000 per month

Rent small 2 bedroom house in amphore center (town) - 1500 to 3000 baht

Rent 1 bedroom condo in mueng (city) - 3000 to 7000 baht. Note many of the cities do not have condos/apartments. More likely to be a house.

Electric (no Air con) and water - 1000 to 1500 baht

Food at home - 3000 baht

Food at resturant (twice a week) - 2400 baht

Beer and whiskey - you'll have to estimate this one yourself

UBC TV - 1600 baht

Internet - 600 to 800 baht. If a telephone line is not available you will have to purchase a wireless system which has installation charges. See Mac's reply re IPStar. Also, CAT Telecom offers a system which works via the mobile phone network. Not as good as IPStar speed but may be adequate for your needs. It also gives you a home phone number. Initial cost 5500 baht.

Motorbike (new) - 40,000 to 60,000 depending on model. Registration 500 baht per year.

Thanks Jimmy and Mac - most helpful.

I'll be out there later on this year - around November and would love to meet up with a couple of you guys on the board. I'll be in the Khun Han / Ubon / Si Saket area. If anybody wants any marmite or anything brought from England - drop me a mail and I'll see what I can do!!!

Cheers

Stam

[Tilapia]

TILAPIA

Now hows that, well no beer no steak then lol

I would have prefered blue, but I guess red will have to do

And you are back on the beer-list again, we will get some chang-girls to serve, I have noticed that the beer taste much better when they are around, and the wife is on family visit, "somewhere far away"

Tilapia