Is Thailand Still a Good Place to Spend Time if You're on a Fixed Budget?

[123Stodg]

2 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Thai inflation is 0.4%

False. As of January 2025, Thailand’s annual inflation rate rose to 1.32%, up from 1.23% in December 2024.

[KhunLA]

The query for him is, would he be happy 'without spending much on bars, restaurants, women, and other luxuries.'.   And what about health insurance, or another 'go fund me' in the making.

 

Of course he needs to plop 800k into a bank, or have 65k baht a month income to even qualify to be in TH.  

 

If I had to, I could live on 20k baht a month, but wouldn't want to.

 

PLEASE tell him to stay where ever he is.  Don't think TH wants or needs another poor expat.

[pomchop]

1 hour ago, FriscoKid said:

How much is your rent?

enough to give me a nice condo in an ocean front building in a fantastic location with pleasant ocean and sunset view big pool in a very well run and maintained building with a premium location within easy walking distance of most everything 

[pomchop]

25 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

If you do not want to get ripped off and cheated with excessive prices or bad services, to some extent Bangkok and the entire area around Hua Hin or Phuket, is to be totally avoided. 

 

The north, Isaan area, Chang Mai are far more welcoming and friendly to foreigners and prices are half of what is applied further southbound.

just understand that the air quality is absolutely horrible for several months each year...i know as i lived up north until i finally reluctantly gave it up as i do sort of like to be able to go outside and breathe a bit most everyday....that is not hyperbole...the air is really really bad around cm and chiang rai and many other areas...not that it is perfect in pattaya but nowhere near as bad.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, 123Stodg said:

Medical cost is an important issue as you mentioned. But that is something you would have to consider no matter where you live in the world, unless of course you have free or inexpensive government healthcare provided to you in your home country.

 

55,000 Baht sounds like kind of a lot to be spending to live in a rural part of Thailand, especially if you don't go out drinking on a regular basis. I think a lot of people probably do it for a less than 55K. But I guess two people, and if you have rent to pay and other fixed expenses, then maybe that's what it costs. Golf and restaurants 2 to 3 times a week up country shouldn't be that much extra in terms of cost though, would it?

I probably spend about that much on average every month myself and I'm just one person. Expenses just seem to happen. But as I said, I'm not really on a budget.

 

I have massages 3 times a week, about 2500 baht/month.

 

Golf 3 times a week is about 8000 baht/month. It depends on whether I am playing expensive or cheap courses.

 

Restaurants are not expensive. About 5000 baht/month.

 

It all adds up.

 

I have top level private health insurance in Australia. Medical care in Thailand at the government hospitals is not expensive, except when surgery/anesthesia is needed.

 

A few months ago, I was in hospital for two days with pneumonia. Excellent care, 7000 baht. I thought that was a screaming bargain.

 

I did have the advantage of a Thai GF to assist me through the bureaucracy.

[Yagoda]

42 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

No. Don't be silly. AC, potable water, quality food all have a cost. Maids, drivers and  other support staff have a cost. Know why some people have clothing that never smells like wet dog? They launder using filtered, purified water and that costs.

You can rent a Condo outside the city center on a transit line for $300. I pay electric of about $20 a month, $5 a month for phone data, $500 for food etc and rest misc. If you smoke weed, drink or hit the fleshpots its more. Oh the cleaning girl is $15

[Middle Aged Grouch]

7 minutes ago, pomchop said:

just understand that the air quality is absolutely horrible for several months each year...i know as i lived up north until i finally reluctantly gave it up as i do sort of like to be able to go outside and breathe a bit most everyday....that is not hyperbole...the air is really really bad around cm and chiang rai and many other areas...not that it is perfect in pattaya but nowhere near as bad.

Pattaya is a far better option then Hua Hin.

[TedG]

3 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Most Thais live on less.

That’s true.  They live in 2000 baht/month rooms with no AC, no hot water and no kitchen. 

[short-Timer]

13 hours ago, Yagoda said:

You can live like a king in Bangkok for less than a G USD

If I were living on less than a G in Bangkok then I would be hating life. 

[short-Timer]

11 hours ago, Yagoda said:

You can rent a Condo outside the city center on a transit line for $300.

How many square meters? New building or old building? Most likely old building and probably not well kept, but if new building it's going to be a shoebox. 

[short-Timer]

11 hours ago, KhunLA said:

PLEASE tell him to stay where ever he is.  Don't think TH wants or needs another poor expat.

How do you know he's poor? He might have the 800k to put in the bank. He could also have a pension of $3,000 a month or more. We have no idea. Nobody said he was poor or how much he has for a monthly budget. You're just making this up as you go.

[BritManToo]

20 hours ago, 123Stodg said:

A friend of mine who lives overseas and is retiring this year sent me an email asking if I think Thailand is still a good place to spend long periods of time if you are on a limited fixed budget. Specifically, he wanted to know if it is still possible to enjoy life here without spending much on bars, restaurants, women, and other luxuries.

 

I could not really answer his question from that perspective since I have never had to watch my spending in Thailand too closely, but it got me wondering. For those living in Thailand on a tighter budget, can it still be enjoyable, or has the cost of living, especially with rising inflation over recent years, made it much more difficult to be happy in Thailand?

 

Monthly

Condo in central Chiang Mai 5,000bht (Emporium residence Santitham), electricity and water 500bht, 3 hot meals a day from 7-11 opposite (110bht x 30) 3,300bht. wifi included.

That's all your living essentials for 8,800bht a month (under $300).

[Mason45]

How do you know when you're to old for Pattaya? There's a simple answer, it's when what you used to do all night now.takes you all night to do now.

[Ralf001]

28 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

 

3 hot meals a day from 7-11 opposite (110bht x 30) 3,300bht. 

 

 

Whats that... 1 ham cheese toasty and a small water each meal ?

[BritManToo]

24 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Whats that... 1 ham cheese toasty and a small water each meal 

2x cow pat gung, 1x grapow moo = 120bht.

Why pay for bottled water when what comes out the tap is perfectly good?

 

And if you don't like water, typhoo tea is 120bht for 100 bags, use each one twice.

[Yolando]

16 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I haven't been to Vietnam but some on here say it's much cheaper than Thailand 

I guess where in Vietnam?

Da Nang ? 

Like anywhere, it depends on how you live.  I find I spend more in Da Nang than I do in Hua Hin.  But that's mainly because in Da Nang I frequently go to high quality but expensive restaurants, and Hua Hin doesn't really have any expensive restaurants worth going to.

 

If you are on a budget and want to live cheaply, I don't think there is too much difference between Thailand and Vietnam.  Both can be very inexpensive if you try.

[save the frogs]

I don't think eating Thai food daily is healthy. You will save money, though.

A lot of stuff is not cheap at all. Goat yogurt is expensive. Prune juice is expensive (I guess Thais don't drink it and it's imported?). 

 

[Yolando]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

3 hot meals a day from 7-11 opposite (110bht x 30) 3

 

You move to Thailand, and then eat out of 7-11?   What a waste.  Why not go to a local night market or food court in a mall, and eat tasty Thai food for the same price or less?

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, short-Timer said:

How many square meters? New building or old building? Most likely old building and probably not well kept, but if new building it's going to be a shoebox. 

You can find good accommodations for 9k, or less, but add utilities, and you're back to 9k.   Remember, he is trying to live on the cheap, so it may be lacking the extras of higher priced places; pool & gym.

 

Krung Thep (BKK) is huge, and as always, location location location when it comes to RE.  Personally, I'd go for a townhouse, more room & full kitchen, eat better & cheaper, if one knows how to cook.

 

3 hours ago, short-Timer said:

How do you know he's poor? He might have the 800k to put in the bank. He could also have a pension of $3,000 a month or more. We have no idea. Nobody said he was poor or how much he has for a monthly budget. You're just making this up as you go.

 

Yes, you are correct, though implied, I should have stated ... IF ... doesn't have the 800k or 65k a month, or health ins, the stay the F in home country.

 

As I did state, and everyone knows, you can live on the cheap in TH, but, do you really want to ?  20k would be my minimum per month, 10k for housing, 10 for food.  A bare existence.

 

We actually live on <20k a month (2 adults & dog) ... BUT ... all bought in, no house, car, electric, or petrol bills, which would add; 20k, 15k, 5k & 5k respectfully, if having those bills.  Turns that 20k monthly budget, into, 65k ... hmm, I think IMM knows exactly how quality expats wish to live 

 

And I don't have health ins, so and additional oops fund, or 800k, should be mandatory for all expats if on the 65k a month visa requirement, if not more ...  IMHO.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Remember, he is trying to live on the cheap, so it may be lacking the extras of higher priced places; pool & gym.

Some expats staying in condos with pool & gym are paying around 20K 

Outside gym is 1K per month

But pool is a nice perk ... guess you can find a hotel with a day pass for a pool. 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Yolando said:

 

You move to Thailand, and then eat out of 7-11?   What a waste.  Why not go to a local night market or food court in a mall, and eat tasty Thai food for the same price or less?

Night market where the cooks don't wash their hands after taking a poop, and the food sits out in the sun all day ...... 7-11 food is sealed, safer and microwaved in front of you!

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Night market where the cooks don't wash their hands after taking a poop, and the food sits out in the sun all day ...... 7-11 food is sealed, safer and microwaved in front of you!

what makes you so sure the 7-11 cooks wash their hands?

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

and the food sits out in the sun all day .

i've seen a bunch of flies on fish in some of those markets ... you do need to watch how they handle the food

[KhunLA]

Just now, save the frogs said:

Some expats staying in condos with pool & gym are paying around 20K 

Outside gym is 1K per month

But pool is a nice perk ... guess you can find a hotel with a day pass for a pool. 

Our municipal pool & gym was 1k a year.  Was a member for 1 yr, and think we used it maybe 5X 

 

Olympic size pool w/boards & full gym.  Quite the bargain, and amazed a couple times, we were the only ones there.  They revamped it, and we didn't rejoin.  I really should 🤔  It's even in the shade after 1400 hrs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Yolando]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Night market where the cooks don't wash their hands after taking a poop, and the food sits out in the sun all day ...... 7-11 food is sealed, safer and microwaved in front of you!

 

I wouldn't eat 7-11 food even if I thought it was safer.  It's not worth eating to me.  

 

I would Just cook at home if I wanted to be healthy and safe, and I'm sure that would cost even less anyway.

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Night market where the cooks don't wash their hands after taking a poop, and the food sits out in the sun all day ...... 7-11 food is sealed, safer and microwaved in front of you!

7-11 Rocks .

 

... just for that reason.  Consistent & clean, with selections.  Soup, salad, sandwiches/burgers, whole meals & dessert, all washed down with water to spirits.   It doesn't get any better 

[jas007]

23 hours ago, 123Stodg said:

A friend of mine who lives overseas and is retiring this year sent me an email asking if I think Thailand is still a good place to spend long periods of time if you are on a limited fixed budget. Specifically, he wanted to know if it is still possible to enjoy life here without spending much on bars, restaurants, women, and other luxuries.

 

I could not really answer his question from that perspective since I have never had to watch my spending in Thailand too closely, but it got me wondering. For those living in Thailand on a tighter budget, can it still be enjoyable, or has the cost of living, especially with rising inflation over recent years, made it much more difficult to be happy in Thailand?

The first question is this: what kind of income does the person have?  Thai baht? Some other currency?  And how is that income ever to be stabilized? No matter what you do, prices fluctuate.  Even if you own a condo in your name, what's to keep every other cost in the world from increasing?  People in the USA are right now seeing the fallacy of home ownership as some sort of shelter.  They may own the home, but if every cost associated with home ownership increases as the value of the dollar decreases, where are they?  Property taxes, homeowner's insurance, maintenance costs.  As the Fed inflates, the value of their house declines.  

 

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, Yolando said:

 

I wouldn't eat 7-11 food even if I thought it was safer.  It's not worth eating to me.  

 

I would Just cook at home if I wanted to be healthy and safe, and I'm sure that would cost even less anyway.

Many, most apparently, haven't got a clue how to "cook" at home.  And for most, it might be way more expensive anyway.  Especially living out of a box.  Really hard to manage fresh ingredients.

[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, jas007 said:

The first question is this: what kind of income does the person have?  Thai baht? Some other currency?  And how is that income ever to be stabilized? No matter what you do, prices fluctuate.  Even if you own a condo in your name, what's to keep every other cost in the world from increasing?  People in the USA are right now seeing the fallacy of home ownership as some sort of shelter.  They may own the home, but if every cost associated with home ownership increases as the value of the dollar decreases, where are they?  Property taxes, homeowner's insurance, maintenance costs.  As the Fed inflates, the value of their house declines.  

 

Not much in the way of property tax, insurance or maintenance costs on a rented home in Thailand. Rents in Chiang Mai haven't risen in the past 15 years either.

 

My village in the burbs (12Km from moat), 3 bed house rented for 10kbht/month when it was built 12 years back, now they rent for 8kbht/month.

[jas007]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Not much in the way of property tax, insurance or maintenance costs on a rented home in Thailand.

Again, where is it etched in stone that that will always be the case? For now, you're right.  But don't think for a second that couldn't change.