Monthly budget in Thailand

[J Branche]

Unless you put all your expenses in a spreadsheet and total it over many months it is hard to understand how much you need.

 

Rent, Electric, Water, Cable, Internet, Food, Mobile, Shopping (Phone, Clothes, TV, shoes) Insurance, Dental, Travel, Entertainment, transportation, Sporting Membership, Gym Membership, dining out, bar tabs, etc, etc

 

It starts to add up when you are Honest and add up all your expenses.

 

Hopefully everyone can live a nice comfortable, reasonable lifestyle and enjoy their time over here.

[Robert Paulson]

4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I do 2 types:

 

Banana smoothie, 2-3 frozen farang bananas, ripe, 300ml carton soy milk. I wait until bananas are ripe then peel and freeze, no need for added sugar.

 

Berry smoothie, frozen strawberries, mulberries, cranberries (prefer these over mixed berries), 3 tablespoons of white sugar this matches the sweetness of high fructose syrup from shop smoothies.

 

Banana smoothie is like a healthy ice cream if it's thick, depends on the size of farang bananas, some much bigger than others

Those sound good. Yes. I’m often amazed because as you allude to I don’t eat things like ice cream and crazy Swenson desserts anymore, not that I don’t miss them btw, and yet I’m not missing out too much… the funny part is I think many people don’t realize is omce you stop eating crazy sweet foods the simple banana smoothie or even a glass of fresh squeezed oj almost tastes like an extravgent Swenson dessert because your tastes buds now have a lower tolerance for sweetness, or however you’d put it

[cdemundo]

Rent, utilities, taxis to and from work and I am at 20,000 baht.

 

That is before I have eaten the first biscuit.

 

I don't know what my monthly total is.

[Kwaibill]

For whatever it’s worth we as a family of two have north of 140,000/ month. I generally reserve 10,000 for myself and turn the rest over to Mrs. Kwai. She dutifully handles all bills and puts some aside for whatever purpose. She does sometimes help a relative in a small way.

I am pretty satisfied with her management skills which I suspect exceed my own.

[Kwaibill]

18 hours ago, susanlea said:

My favourite restaurant in Bangkok has great 69 baht meals. 3 a day is 207 baht.

My wife frequently orders out from local suppliers at 40 to 70 baht, no delivery fee. I sometimes sneak a small tip in if I answer the door.

[georgegeorgia]

14 hours ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

I like my nuts. Always seemed expensive in Thailand but reasonably priced at Macro e.g. big packs of almonds and cashews. 

Judging by your posts you have a small pair bro

[Gottfrid]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Usually an age gap, money is involved in the relationship as an incentive, house, car, motorbike, expenses, even a monthly wage isn't unusual. Can just look at the two people and can see.

 

Your wife is different yes?

I get really tired of replies like yours, where you did not think at all before posting. Might be that you came to Thailand and never had a relationship before that, or you just don´t get it. Let´s break it down in simple chunks of education.

First we deal with the age gap. Surely a gap over 20 years will be a bigger problem than a smaller one. It will also get harder if the younger one just came out of the teenage years. However, that is not a question or problem related to this thread. Just for you to get an understanding, the age gap between me and my wife is 10 years, which is fairly common and nothing that opens any eyes in the western world either.

 

Moving along to the relationship or marriage. What you seem to have experience from, is massage and bargirls, and that is not something you use as a measurement for regular marriages. I am talking about a girlfriend or wife that had or did not have a regular job when starting the relationship. In my case I had met my wife´s older sister at another friends wedding first, and she introduced me to her sister. At that time they both worked in Bangkok in their cousins shop making replacement teeths. They had a salary of 15k baht per month that has now gone up to 18k baht for her sister who is still working and living in Bangkok.

 

The family is from Isaan, and regular farmers. They already had a fairly big house, a lot of land, car and tractor as well as all the tools needed for farming. However, farming 1 time a year does not give much money for a whole year. Neither does working and living in Bangkok with a salary of only 15k baht. However, we make it short. I liked her and she liked me, so we married and there was not even any talk about a dowry, even as she had never been married nor had any children.

 

We both wanted children, and I made enough money for us which led to that she stayed home, taking care of me, the home and later also our two daughters.

 

Now we come to this! Disregarding if it would be a western stay at home wife, or a Thai wife, do they not need any money for their work with home and children. Does not a western wife expect to have spending money in such situation? Do you hear already how stupid and out of reality you reply was?

 

After that, it´s quite normal for me to have economy together when living as husband and wife. Never had a problem with that in Thailand, but there was a bigger problem with that in my first marriage in Sweden. Okay, I do not share all the saving and invested capital with her, as we all need a security in life. However, she is aware of that and accept as well as understand.

 

Of course I have built a house, bought a car and is spoiling her with different occasional gifts. Exactly like it would have been being married to a western woman. Probably less expensive then the western option. Anyway, that is something we do wherever we settle down in life. Sure, you can bring up all about that I can not own my house and bla bla bla. We are quite secure in our relation, but if it should go sideways, she is more than welcome to keep the house. Mostly that would be what happens in a divorce with a western woman when children involved anyway.

 

And, after the children has grown up a little bit, she wanted to work. Then I saw it like a good idea she work for herself like I do. Therefore I invested and opened a shop for her, with savings money coming from our shard economy. So, now she have something to do and are happy with life. Isn´t that what you should do to each other in life? She makes me happy, and in return, I make her happy.

So, as a conclusion, I have no idea what you are talking about. Must just be a great lack of experience. And, no! My wife is not very different to other Thai women that are not from the bar and massage scene. I am pretty sure that there are many foreigners on this forum, that can relate to my scenario in parts or as a whole.

Edited Wednesday at 02:45 AM by Gottfrid

[susanlea]

1 minute ago, Gottfrid said:

I get really tired of replies like yours, where you did not think at all before posting. Might be that you came to Thailand and never had a relationship before that, or you just don´t get it. Let´s break it down in simple chunks of education.

First we deal with the age gap. Surely a gap over 20 years will be a bigger problem than a smaller one. It will also get harder if the younger one just came out of the teenage years. However, that is not a question or problem related to this thread. Just for you to get an understanding, the age gap between me and my wife is 10 years, which is fairly common and nothing that opens any eyes in the western world either.

 

Moving along to the relationship or marriage. What you seem to have experience from, is massage and bargirls, and that is not something you use as a measurement for regular marriages. I am talking about a girlfriend or wife that had or did not have a regular job when starting the relationship. In my case I had met my wife´s older sister at another friends wedding first, and she introduced me to her sister. At that time they both worked in Bangkok in their cousins shop making replacement teeths. They had a salary of 15k baht per month that has now gone up to 18k baht for her sister who is still working and living in Bangkok.

 

The family is from Isaan, and regular farmers. They already had a fairly big house, a lot of land, car and tractor as well as all the tools needed for farming. However, farming 1 time a year does not give much money for a whole year. Neither does working and living in Bangkok with a salary of only 15k baht. However, we make it short. I liked her and she liked me, so we married and there was not even any talk about a dowry, even as she had never been married nor had any children.

 

We both wanted children, and I made enough money for us which led to that she stayed home, taking care of me, the home and later also our two daughters.

 

Now we come to this! Disregarding if it would be a western stay at home wife, or a Thai wife, do they not need any money for their work with home and children. Does not a western wife expect to have spending money in such situation? Do you hear already how stupid and out of reality you reply was?

 

After that, it´s quite normal for me to have economy together when living as husband and wife. Never had a problem with that in Thailand, but there was a bigger problem with that in my first marriage in Sweden. Okay, I do not share all the saving and invested capital with her, as we all need a security in life. However, she is aware of that and accept as well as understand.

 

Of course I have built a house, bought a car and is spoiling her with different occasional gifts. Exactly like it would have been being married to a western woman. Probably less expensive then the western option. Anyway, that is something we do wherever we settle down in life. Sure, you can bring up all about that I can not own my house and bla bla bla. We are quite secure in our relation, but if it should go sideways, she is more than welcome to keep the house. Mostly that would be what happens in a divorce with a western woman when children involved anyway.

So, as a conclusion, I have no idea what you are talking about. Must just be a great lack of experience. And, no! My wife is not very different to other Thai women that are not from the bar and massage scene. I am pretty sure that there are many foreigners on this forum, that can relate to my scenario in parts or as a whole.

Cheaper to get massages than buy a wife. He does have a point.

[Surasak]

19 hours ago, Alpha84 said:

I'm planning to eat all meals out, stay in a nice services apartment, hire a car and driver, send my laundry out, have a maid come in every other day to clean my place, go designer clothing shopping once a week in the big malls, hit the nightlife 2-3 times a week, will 600-800K a month be enough? 

You skin-flint, you.🤑

[Gottfrid]

Just now, susanlea said:

Cheaper to get massages than buy a wife. He does have a point.

Did you read anything? Where were I buying any wife? 

[susanlea]

Just now, Gottfrid said:

Did you read anything? Where were I buying any wife? 

House,car etc. You bought a wife. Not saying it is wrong just reality. You bought 1 expensive book, he borrows books from the library. Different approach to life. He drops the book to the library while you own the book.

[Gottfrid]

3 minutes ago, susanlea said:

House,car etc. You bought a wife. Not saying it is wrong just reality. You bought 1 expensive book, he borrows books from the library. Different approach to life. He drops the book to the library while you own the book.

Darn, it it only weird people on this forum? Tell me what is the difference from being married to a western stay at home mom?

It´s not buying a wife. It´s like one person is working to bring in the dough, and another working with home and children. Both are working, and should therefore have salary. Therefore shared economy is good in a marriage. As the economy is shared, all that is bought is coming from both persons work, right.

It´s like that in the whole world. What don´t you get?

 

Or are you going the same way with house as you did with your silly book example? Some people rent and others buy. Moronic!

Edited Wednesday at 02:53 AM by Gottfrid

[susanlea]

Just now, Gottfrid said:

Darn, it it only weird people on this forum? Tell me what is the difference from being married to a western stay at home mom?

It´s not buying a wife. It´s like one person is working to bring in the dough, and another working with home and children. Both are working, and should therefore have salary. Therefore shared economy is good in a marriage. As the economy is shared, all that is bought is coming from both persons work, right.

It´s like that in the whole world. What don´t you get?

Some western women need to be bought too. You either find an independent woman or you buy one or you borrow from the library or you don't bother. If you paid 100% of car, house etc then you bought a wife whether Thai or farang. If you only paid 50% then it is shared. He choose to use the library.

[jerrymahoney]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Your wife is different yes?

Yes. A prodigious set of knockers.

[susanlea]

4 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

It´s like that in the whole world. What don´t you get?

Not really. Some women have good jobs and go 50/50. A female doctor doesn't need help to buy a house or car.

[Gottfrid]

6 minutes ago, susanlea said:

Some western women need to be bought too. You either find an independent woman or you buy one or you borrow from the library or you don't bother. If you paid 100% of car, house etc then you bought a wife whether Thai or farang. If you only paid 50% then it is shared. He choose to use the library.

Your comment is so stupid so it really nothing to bother about. I am just going to explain one more time for you, but I am sure you will not understand.

I wanted her to stay in home with our children, take care of me and our home. Therefore she is entitled to a salary for her work. Something that means our shared budget is combined out of her salary and a same big portion from my salary. How do you figure that to be now. 

Just for not sound like I buy in your eyes, you would see it better that she do all the work for me, children and home as a slave for free, and I demand that she contributes with 50% without having a salary for her work? 

As I explain it for you, it means she is working, having a salary and are contributing that way.

Now she have the shop I mention, which means she do not have money from me. She is making about 30-40k from the shop every month.

Edited Wednesday at 03:03 AM by Gottfrid

[susanlea]

10 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

, it it only weird people on this forum? Tell

It isn't weird to tell it like it is.

[susanlea]

Just now, Gottfrid said:

Your comment is so stupid so it really nothing to bother about. I am just going to explain one more time for you, but I am sure you will not understand.

I wanted her to stay in home with our children, take care of me and our home. Therefore she is entitled to a salary for her work. Something that means our shared budget is combined out of her salary and a same big portion from my salary. How do you figure that to be now. 

Just for not sound like I buy in your eyes, you would see it better that she do all the work for me, children and home as a slave for free, and I demand that she contributes with 50% without having a salary for her work? 

As I explain it for you, it means she is working, having a salary and are contributing that way.

You are living in denial. But whatever. Nobody really cares. What Kramer said is right though.

[susanlea]

5 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Therefore she is entitled to a salary for her work

So you are the boss and she is the employee. Is that right? You hired an employee? 

[Gottfrid]

16 minutes ago, susanlea said:

Not really. Some women have good jobs and go 50/50. A female doctor doesn't need help to buy a house or car.

11 minutes ago, susanlea said:

It isn't weird to tell it like it is.

10 minutes ago, susanlea said:

You are living in denial. But whatever. Nobody really cares. What Kramer said is right though.

5 minutes ago, susanlea said:

So you are the boss and she is the employee. Is that right? You hired an employee? 

 

Having a meltdown now, or hard to concentrate? 4 replies instead of one. Hilarious! 

You are not telling it like it is. Instead you are twisting the information to fit your agenda that must be based on total  lack of experience and knowledge.

No, I am not the boss. Where did you get that from? She was doing work in home, instead of working a regular work. Therefore I paid her a part of my salary as I wanted her to be at home.

Sure some have good jobs, but they will not change that for staying at home being a loving and caring mother for my children. If they would, they will also want compensation for loss of income.

It´s you that are living in denial, even when you are explained to. Now I will let you be, as you will never get it.

[susanlea]

1 minute ago, Gottfrid said:

 

Having a meltdown now, or hard to concentrate? 4 replies instead of one. Hilarious! 

You are not telling it like it is. Instead you are twisting the information to fit your agenda that must be based on total  lack of experience and knowledge.

No, I am not the boss. Where did you get that from? She was doing work in home, instead of working a regular work. Therefore I paid her a part of my salary as I wanted her to be at home.

Sure some have good jobs, but they will not change that for staying at home being a loving and caring mother for my children. If they would, they will also want compensation for loss of income.

It´s you that are living in denial, even when you are explained to. Now I will let you be, as you will never get it.

You are living in denial. 90% of people would say you bought a wife. I'm not the weird one. I'm in the majority. 

[susanlea]

10 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Instead you are twisting the information to fit your agenda that must be based on total  lack of experience and knowledge.

Which info did I twist? Is the house and car in your name? Does your wife pay half the food bills? 

[Robert Paulson]

21 hours ago, Hummin said:

How many people and animals is in your budget? 

 

Rent or owning appartment house? 

 

Need a breakdown on your expenses to make sense.

 

 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

28 minutes ago, susanlea said:

Which info did I twist? Is the house and car in your name? Does your wife pay half the food bills? 

So all relationships involve a bought relationship unless it's 50 50? Or is there a range of motivations based on a need for love, trust, and security to build a family and that is a normal relationship as compared to paying a lady for a half hour or a few days to hang out with you and have someone to eat with in Pattaya. 

I notice Trump supporters tend to see things in black and white rather than grey and that's how he tricks you. I mentioned Trump. 

Edited Wednesday at 04:00 AM by Fat is a type of crazy

[London Boy]

19 hours ago, OnTheLash said:

PCM

1 x international school fee. 60,000 baht.

1 x uni fee + condo and allowance. 45,000 baht.

Rent. 35,000 baht. If I pay 1 year up front (good deal).

Socialising/eating out. 40,000 baht. Can be a little less but I eat out and go out everyday.

Missus. Incudes bills, garden, pool, petrol, toiletries, food etc. etc. 70,000 baht. Electric has been up to 15,000 baht.

Others. 2 x cars and bike (paid for cash) servicing. 5000 baht. Not to mention depreciation.

Family medical insurance. 15,000 baht.

Holidays. not much since Covid. Plus kids have grown up. Was approx 20,000 baht.

+++++??

 

Grand total: Minimum 290,000 baht PCM

I agree with OntheLash. Having a child, and paying international school fees, dramatically increases costs. I spend around 200k a month atm and that's just with one child.

[Celsius]

if you are single and your monthly budget is 15k or 30k that is perfectly ok... as long as you save at least 3x that amount every month.

[Robert Paulson]

3 minutes ago, London Boy said:

I agree with OntheLash. Having a child, and paying international school fees, dramatically increases costs. I spend around 200k a month atm and that's just with one child.

Should home school. Any response you have see attached meme 

[BritManToo]

Just now, Celsius said:

if you are single and your monthly budget is 15k or 30k that is perfectly ok... as long as you save at least 3x that amount every month.

As a pensioner nearing death (like most forum members), I'd like to know why I need to save 45kbht a month?

[Yellowtail]

3 minutes ago, London Boy said:

I agree with OntheLash. Having a child, and paying international school fees, dramatically increases costs. I spend around 200k a month atm and that's just with one child.

If retired, just move someplace with a decent government or Catholic school. 

[kevin612]

I spend 100 k monthly. 20-30 k , just stay home and drink beer