How much does a Retirement Home cost in Thailand?

[Lacessit]

9 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I researched retirement facilities in Thailand.  Prices for a very decent facility start from 17,000 THB/month.  This was a facility which caters mainly to Thais, but happily accepts foreigners.  Being able to speak some Thai and happy with Thai food would help!  Of course that price was room and food and general care, no specialist services provided at that price, but ideal for a 'frail but healthy' person.

It depends on a foreigner's comfort level with what Thais regard as normal.

I can speak from experience, having done 14 days COVID quarantine in a Thai provincial hospital. Very basic, with mattresses about 2 inches thick. Getting strawberry jam on a ham and salad roll as mayonnaise was a new culinary adventure for me. As was showering and fending off mosquitoes simultaneously.

Where are the retirement facilities you speak of located?

[Lacessit]

11 minutes ago, newnative said:

    I don't think 90,000 baht a month would be 'beyond the financial reach of most retirees.'  Some, yes, but not most.  That works out to a yearly cost of around $31,000 American dollars.   My job was low-paying but with my pension and SS I easily make more than that a year.  The median 2022 retirement income for American retirees was $47,620, so most could also easily afford $31,000, as well.

    Where I, and other USA 'median income retirees', would run into difficulty, would be paying for a decent retirement home in the US.  My mother was in one and the last year she was alive, 2019, it cost $70,000 a year; it would be more now, nearly 4 years later.   If I ever need to go into a retirement home, I'm better off being here than in the US.

I've known Americans here who were far from the income level you are quoting, they were getting about USD 1550/ month. Your median of $47K is probably biased by much more wealthy retirees of independent means.

Be that as it may, British and Australian pensioners do not fare as well.

Australia is the same as the US, retirement homes are all about money and profits. Many are owned by overseas investors.

[No Forwarding Address]

6 hours ago, pomchop said:

How long is a piece of string?

Beat me too it.............????

[Dene16]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

My sister, recovering now, waited about 7-8 months. 

l was looking for my mother early  last year. Thankfully the doctor had made an error and x-rays proved otherwise.

Numerous people online had paid for the operation after being quoted 2 years waiting list and we were geared up ready to pay for it

Online it still states it should be a maximum of 18 weeks 

Unless waiting lists have suddenly been shortened I can only assume it is dependent on hospital and area

https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/response/2022-12-08/our-response-latest-nhs-elective-care-waiting-times

 

 

[renaissanc]

I am married in Thailand. We have our own home in a rural area. My wife and I are our "retirement home carers". I can't imagine paying a place 70,000+ Baht per month to look after us in this country.

 

When one of us dies eventually, the surviving person will still be able to look after him-/herself. We're not worried about this, but rather that we need to outlive the 19 cats we look after because no neighbours would look after them. 

[Elkski]

5 hours ago, DjSilver said:

This is just a big BS ????

Pretty wel written BS.  I would wager a Thai didn't write this sales brochure. 

[newnative]

36 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I've known Americans here who were far from the income level you are quoting, they were getting about USD 1550/ month. Your median of $47K is probably biased by much more wealthy retirees of independent means.

Be that as it may, British and Australian pensioners do not fare as well.

Australia is the same as the US, retirement homes are all about money and profits. Many are owned by overseas investors.

     Actually, the average USA retirement income in 2022 was $75,254.  That's the figure that is likely to be more misleading regarding wealthy Americans bumping the average up.  The median was, as I said, $47,620.   If $1550 a month was the income of some Americans you knew, they were likely just getting USA social security.  I've said it before, if you have a very low income, you're likely better off here than in most home countries.  How, pray tell, would those Americans you've known live on just $1550 in the US?  I can answer, very badly. 

    If they can manage to scrape up the 800,000 requirement, they can live here.  $1550 a month equals about 54,000 baht.  10,000 baht rent for a roof over your head, rather than a refrigerator box under a highway overpass in the US, leaves 44,000 baht to live on, about 1,400 baht a day.   400 baht for meals still leaves 1,000 baht.   Of course, they are not living like kings, but neither are they homeless or just scraping by, as they likely would be in the US.

[Speedhump]

If you don't want to rent, a decent house, small car and health insurance with an international company (important) are the basics. 6 million Baht to kick off the first year. If you have a Thai wife you will pay 3 times as much for the house as Thais only want to buy new property so new house prices are ridiculously high. Eat Thai food eat cheap, eat farang food eat expensive. A house in a housing development usually means fees every month.

[bignok]

5 hours ago, mokwit said:

Presumably they are not worrying about the visa rules changing after they sold up to move here.

Get Elite.

[bignok]

3 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

If you don't want to rent, a decent house, small car and health insurance with an international company (important) are the basics. 6 million Baht to kick off the first year. If you have a Thai wife you will pay 3 times as much for the house as Thais only want to buy new property so new house prices are ridiculously high. Eat Thai food eat cheap, eat farang food eat expensive. A house in a housing development usually means fees every month.

Just silly.

[mokwit]

36 minutes ago, newnative said:

     Actually, the average USA retirement income in 2022 was $75,254.  That's the figure that is likely to be more misleading regarding wealthy Americans bumping the average up.  The median was, as I said, $47,620.   If $1550 a month was the income of some Americans you knew, they were likely just getting USA social security.  I've said it before, if you have a very low income, you're likely better off here than in most home countries.  How, pray tell, would those Americans you've known live on just $1550 in the US?  I can answer, very badly. 

    If they can manage to scrape up the 800,000 requirement, they can live here.  $1550 a month equals about 54,000 baht.  10,000 baht rent for a roof over your head, rather than a refrigerator box under a highway overpass in the US, leaves 44,000 baht to live on, about 1,400 baht a day.   400 baht for meals still leaves 1,000 baht.   Of course, they are not living like kings, but neither are they homeless or just scraping by, as they likely would be in the US.

Only problem is it is becoming increasingly evident that Thailand doesn't want people who can't afford to retire in their own country. As evidenced by the terms of new visa types, it only wants "rich" retirees.

Edited August 14, 2023 by mokwit

[hotandsticky]

12 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Only problem is it is becoming increasingly evident that Thailand doesn't want people who can't afford to retire in their own country. As evidenced by the terms of new visa types, it only wants "rich" retirees.

 

 

You need to be rich to have 800k in the bank - or an income of 65k?   

 

 

Is that "rich" in your country?

[Ralf001]

5 hours ago, Moonlover said:

The article is about care homes, not health care! Have you ever looked into the cost of care homes in your (precious) home country?

Costs me more in my home country than here in Thailand thats for sure.

[Speedhump]

28 minutes ago, bignok said:

Just silly.

Rather poor reply but not unusual for this forum.

 

I see now my post was off topic but too late to edit or delete it.

 

Perhaps we both can try a bit harder? ????

[Speedhump]

34 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

If you don't want to rent, a decent house, small car and health insurance with an international company (important) are the basics. 6 million Baht to kick off the first year. If you have a Thai wife you will pay 3 times as much for the house as Thais only want to buy new property so new house prices are ridiculously high. Eat Thai food eat cheap, eat farang food eat expensive. A house in a housing development usually means fees every month.

My post was off topic. Please ignore rather then post any childish responses, thanks.

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

Rather poor reply but not unusual for this forum.

 

I see now my post was off topic but too late to edit or delete it.

 

Perhaps we both can try a bit harder? ????

6m spend is silly unless you have plenty or know the country well.

[JimTripper]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

    I don't think 90,000 baht a month would be 'beyond the financial reach of most retirees.'  Some, yes, but not most.  That works out to a yearly cost of around $31,000 American dollars.   My job was low-paying but with my pension and SS I easily make more than that a year.  The median 2022 retirement income for American retirees was $47,620, so most could also easily afford $31,000, as well.

    Where I, and other USA 'median income retirees', would run into difficulty, would be paying for a decent retirement home in the US.  My mother was in one and the last year she was alive, 2019, it cost $70,000 a year; it would be more now, nearly 4 years later.   If I ever need to go into a retirement home, I'm better off being here than in the US.

???? It’s more like $120k USD a year now for a nice/semi luxury place if you need some care.

 

The places get REAL BAD in the USA if you can’t pay much. It’s like living in a hospital. I visited an extended family relative in a cheap one years ago and it was very depressing and I was only there a couple hours! Suicide level stuff if your just stuck there.

 

Ramble over, but something to consider if your going back to the USA.

[mokwit]

22 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

You need to be rich to have 800k in the bank - or an income of 65k?   

 

 

Is that "rich" in your country?

800k in the bank - or an income of 65k is not the new visa types. Do try to keep up.

 

New = $80k PA pension* for one type, Bt3m in the bank for OX. I wasn't talking about the O extension - I was making exactly the point that they regard being able to afford 800k as too low a barrier.

 

*You would have had to have worked for US Govt/UN/Red Cross etc to have that kind of pension.

[Confuscious]

7 hours ago, nausea said:

To save you time scrolling through the original article, the answer to the question "how much" is 70 to 150,000 baht.

 

Incidentally, the last I heard it's not free in the UK if you have substantial assets; in particular, a home with equity.

 

 

The price for a health insurance above 65 is enormous compared to health care in most places in your own country or even countries neighboring Thailand.
And most people of 65 years of age have already existing diseases which are NOT COVERED by any health insurance in Thailand.

About the rest of the OP, it's complete bulls.t and I don't even want to answer that drivel.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

     Actually, the average USA retirement income in 2022 was $75,254.  That's the figure that is likely to be more misleading regarding wealthy Americans bumping the average up.  The median was, as I said, $47,620.   If $1550 a month was the income of some Americans you knew, they were likely just getting USA social security.  I've said it before, if you have a very low income, you're likely better off here than in most home countries.  How, pray tell, would those Americans you've known live on just $1550 in the US?  I can answer, very badly. 

    If they can manage to scrape up the 800,000 requirement, they can live here.  $1550 a month equals about 54,000 baht.  10,000 baht rent for a roof over your head, rather than a refrigerator box under a highway overpass in the US, leaves 44,000 baht to live on, about 1,400 baht a day.   400 baht for meals still leaves 1,000 baht.   Of course, they are not living like kings, but neither are they homeless or just scraping by, as they likely would be in the US.

Average assumes data is normally distributed. In the US, it is more likely to be Gaussian.

The Americans I knew were mostly on social security alone. I very much doubt they met the 800K requirement, far more likely they were paying an agent to fudge the yearly extension.

As you say, they were not living like kings, but they were not poverty stricken either. One I knew would put aside money from his SS to fund 1-2 week holidays in other Asian countries, he especially liked Vietnam. Another ate McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut exclusively. He died when his digestive system ground to a halt.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

Only problem is it is becoming increasingly evident that Thailand doesn't want people who can't afford to retire in their own country. As evidenced by the terms of new visa types, it only wants "rich" retirees.

    Nonsense.  The requirements are the same as when I came here in 2010.  The only difference is the health insurance requirement for a certain visa--either O or O/A, I can never remember which.  Easy solution, get the one that doesn't require insurance.  

[mokwit]

11 minutes ago, newnative said:

    Nonsense.  The requirements are the same as when I came here in 2010.  The only difference is the health insurance requirement for a certain visa--either O or O/A, I can never remember which.  Easy solution, get the one that doesn't require insurance.  

In 2010 you were not required to keep 400k in the account year 'round - or are you going to tell me it hasn't changed because it is still 800k like Hapkarn did?

 

Don't remember any risk of being caught out by falling through the cracks with TM30 e.g. landlord dies at an inopportune moment.

 

It doesn't matter what they were it is what they will be. Are you sure that there will be no changes going forward and we can all retire with peace of mind? You need to come out from under your coconut.

 

What do you do when you are 60+ and now all visas require insurance?

 

When they make changes they don't think things through and people fall through the cracks - possibly being unable to extend until things are adjusted - if they ever are. This seemingly happened when the compulsory insurance was introduced for OA - seems over 70's were excluded initially.

Edited August 14, 2023 by mokwit

[simon43]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It depends on a foreigner's comfort level with what Thais regard as normal.

I can speak from experience, having done 14 days COVID quarantine in a Thai provincial hospital. Very basic, with mattresses about 2 inches thick. Getting strawberry jam on a ham and salad roll as mayonnaise was a new culinary adventure for me. As was showering and fending off mosquitoes simultaneously.

Where are the retirement facilities you speak of located?

It was a couple of years ago from a link in a CM forum thread. (Sorry I can't recall the exact thread). The photos of the place looked absolutely fine, certainly zero comparison with a government Covid facility.

 

As others have suggested, get a live-in/daily visit retired nurse.  I'm living in Luang Prabang (Laos), but as I am getting older and because the local hospital has very basic facilities, I'm checking out living on the quiet side of Vang Vieng (I'm assured that there is a quiet side!). VV is on the new motorway and train line to Vientiane where there is a new private hospital and other cheaper medical options. (The best medical option in LP is maybe the local vet...)

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

In my opinion, 99% of retirees here are older men,  that in itself speaks volumes to me

It is more difficult for foreign women to retire here, they need more social interaction than men, and may be ignored by Thais unless they are fluent, or can find a foreigner enclave.

My choice was not difficult, low cost of living and a GF 23 years younger than me. In Australia, rentals are through the roof, and most women available are wrinkled whales.

Edited August 14, 2023 by Lacessit

[newnative]

3 minutes ago, mokwit said:

In 2010 you were not required to keep 400k in the account year 'round - or are you going to tell me it hasn't changed because it is still 800k like Hapkarn did?

 

Don't remember any risk of being caught out by falling through the cracks with TM30 e.g. landlord dies at an inopportune moment.

 

It doesn't matter what they were it is what they will be. Are you sure that there will be no changes going forward and we can all retire with peace of mind? You need to come out from under your coconut.

 

What do you do when you are 60+ and now all visas require insurance?

    Yes, I am going to say it hasn't changed because it is still 800,000, not 1MB or 2MB or any other new amount.  Same with the 65,000 baht income requirement, no change.  So, Thailand is still looking for regular retirees, not just rich ones.   I hadn't noticed the 400,000 baht left in the bank business as I always just keep things simple and leave the 800.000 in all the time.   Future hypotheticals, landlord issues, etc.,  have nothing to do with your initial statement that I responded to.

[mokwit]

1 minute ago, newnative said:

So, Thailand is still looking for regular retirees, not just rich ones. 

I think the current requirements are an unwanted legacy. We had Hapkarn recently saying it was "too easy". I think he was referring to the fact that all you need is the financials and to be over 50. Presumably he was thinking of other criteria being needed, but likely if changes are made the financials will be increased. The new long stay visas require Bt3m on deposit.

 

All it took for OA insurance requirement was ONE person (Anutin) to get a bee in his bonnet. Likewise the 400k year 'round.

 

 

[Irish star]

People need to work on reading comprehension before replying , Retirement Homes , there cheaper here than the West a few in Hua Hin look affordable if you can’t care for yourself 

[mokwit]

15 minutes ago, newnative said:

Future hypotheticals, landlord issues, etc.,  have nothing to do with your initial statement that I responded to.

I used the term "requirements" without specifying solely financial requirements. The TM30 is a requirement to do an extension now.

[Purdey]

Of you own a condo with a spare room you can pay for a carer to stay, I suppose. 

[BritManToo]

12 hours ago, still kicking said:

Health care for Farangs? What a heap of BS I get it free in my country, who writes that nonsense?

Subject is 'care homes' which cater for people who can no longer cope with living on their own.

Health care is an entirely different topic, and usually furnished in hospitals.

 

Care homes generally provide, food, accommodation, and 24hr monitoring/assistance.

Plenty of old folk needing care homes but not needing health care. 

 

BaanLaLisa in Chiang Mai start from 20kbht/month (4 sharing a room).

Seems to use the same photo as that in the OP.

https://baanlalisa.com/nursing-home-chiang-mai-thailand/

They provide transport to and from the home to the hospital if you get sick at no extra cost (obviously you need to pay the hospital).

Edited August 14, 2023 by BritManToo