How Much Do I Need To Earn To Be Comfortable?

[mrpinknz]

Yo! Im heading over to bangkok in about 2-3 weeks to work for a language school for 12 months. I believe ill be earning around 30-35000 baht to begin with. My question is, is this enough to live? i like having a good time and im keen to stay in a nice pad and live close to the skytrain, as ill be working in the centre. A family friend has offered me a dope studio apartment in central bangkok for 13000 per month, its got a pool gym fully furnished separated wireless net big plasma screen cable and stuff. is this kosha? how much should i be spending on accommodation? how much do beers cost out on the town? how much do dozen packs of beer cost? how much does food cost per day? im not that fussy with food but remember that im white so i need some degree of quality. what does the skytrain cost per month? i like to listen to loud music and play guitar, will this be a problem in an apartment? how much do i need for a good enough night life? and finally how much do ciggies cost? what about green? is it easy to find? any advice or your thoughts and recommendations are totally appreciated. if anyone has similar interests and feels my steeze u may email me privately. thanx to all in advance! oh and if anyone wouldnt mind another tenant in their place let me know! heres a picture of me, and im 24.

Edited September 23, 2008 by mrpinknz

[GungaDin]

Buy a comb and apply again.

[Boater]

looks a bit like dennis the menance

[mrtoad]

Your going to struggle living on 17,000 bhat a month after rent in Bangkok if you want a decent lifestyle.

[goldfish]

Yo! Im heading over to bangkok in about 2-3 weeks to work for a language school for 12 months. I believe ill be earning around 30-35000 baht to begin with. My question is, is this enough to live? i like having a good time and im keen to stay in a nice pad and live close to the skytrain, as ill be working in the centre. A family friend has offered me a dope studio apartment in central bangkok for 13000 per month, its got a pool gym fully furnished separated wireless net big plasma screen cable and stuff. is this kosha? how much should i be spending on accommodation? how much do beers cost out on the town? how much do dozen packs of beer cost? how much does food cost per day? im not that fussy with food but remember that im white so i need some degree of quality. what does the skytrain cost per month? i like to listen to loud music and play guitar, will this be a problem in an apartment? how much do i need for a good enough night life? and finally how much do ciggies cost? what about green? is it easy to find? any advice or your thoughts and recommendations are totally appreciated. if anyone has similar interests and feels my steeze u may email me privately. thanx to all in advance! oh and if anyone wouldnt mind another tenant in their place let me know! heres a picture of me, and im 24.

I think you'll find the cost of a stay in the bangkok hilton affordable

[mrpinknz]

well thats not very nice. i come looking for advice and i get wack comments from lil boys. I shot that a few hours ago as i woke up but i bet im better looking that both of u ha! ill take that dennis the menace comment as a compliment though cos hes the man. girls actually dig the underachiever look. now any advice on topic please.

[Scott]

In the centre of town, I think you'll find it hard to live on what you are making. 13,000 is a lot to pay for a place to stay and it sounds like you might want a cheaper place if you plan on going out. Unlike a lot of Western countries, people spend more time out and about, so the nice pad isn't as necessary as it is in the rest of the world.

Be very careful with some of your extracurricular activities.

Best of luck to you.

[JohnBanPrang]

Women will be your biggest expence.

Be it Thai or farang!!

[mrtoad]

well thats not very nice. i come looking for advice and i get wack comments from lil boys. I shot that a few hours ago as i woke up but i bet im better looking that both of u ha! ill take that dennis the menace comment as a compliment though cos hes the man. girls actually dig the underachiever look. now any advice on topic please.

I think you need to be realistic. 30,000 bht is not enough to live a decent lifestyle on, esp if 13,000 bht is going out on rent. You should certainly ensure that you have some extra cash in savings if you realy want to live above the breadline.Factor in other costs such as elec, water, insurance and day to day consumables, you are going to find it very tight. As mentioned before, getting involved in drugs here in BKK, is realy a very risky business. If you want to role the dice and buy your green, then good luck, but don't cry when they lock you up in Lad Yao.

[mrpinknz]

ha thanks Scott John and mrtoad for your advice, much appreciated

Edited September 23, 2008 by mrpinknz

[AmeriThai]

Yo, yo, yo, mrpinknz! If you're planning on heading for Thailand in 2-3 weeks and planning to stay for a year, you should've already been spending some time finding out about costs, etc. Wouldn't your family friend with the dope studio apt. have given you a heads up on such info? How did the language school job come about?

[midasthailand]

ha thanks Scott John and mrtoad for your advice, much appreciated

Cigarettes range from 45-75 Baht a pack (75 baht for dunhill red in 711) beer out and about ranges from 40 Baht - 180 Baht for a small bottle of Singha, in the supermarket about 23 Baht for a small bottle. You can smoke and drink beer to your hearts content as long as you do it at home, venture out for a night on the town and expect to spend a minimum of 1,000 baht (not including any expenses related to members of the opposite sex). Thais are pretty noise tolerant generally but I don't expect many of your neighbours will be Thai in a 13,000 Baht / month studio! If you have no other income you are going to be spending a lot of time home watching the box. Food on the street is both cheap and good quality providing you eat where there are plenty of others eating.

Good luck young fellah! You should do OK with the Thai ladies though!

[mmushr00m]

if you're making 30k, 13k is alot to spend on a studio. But then again you can always supplement your teaching income by teaching after hours. Corporate teaching should get you at least B500 an hour.

But 13k a month??!!! do you really neeed a pool, gym, plasma tv??? Find out where exactly that studio is located. You might be able to find a studio next door going for B10k or less.

Loud music and guitar? well I hope you have the courtesy to turn it down at nite.

As to extracuricular activities thats up to you aint it?

Green, yes, available but dont ask me where or how.

[spacemunk]

After paying the rent.

U wont even have enough to go out partying.

SO just stock up the fridge with beer and get afew bottles of Sangsom and enjoy.

[mrpinknz]

thanks everyone, all good~!

Edited September 23, 2008 by mrpinknz

[JohnBanPrang]

One more advice.

Some people on ThaiVisa don't like when we speak about........food.

No inside joke.

So take care out there.

[Cuban]

...dozen packs of beer cost?

24 cans of Leo are about 475 Baht.

...food cost per day?

I think fast food (McD) can be 200 Baht per 'meal', fried rice etc 20-25 Baht a go, and about the same per kilo for dry rice that you cook yourself.

Many basic Thai office workers will get 10-15,000 Baht a month and rent a room for 2-2,500 Baht per month. Do you currently spend over 40% of your income on housing?

For most people 20-25% is considered a maximium for a normal lifestyle.

Do you have a financial safety net? Maybe be ready to sell your guitar, or check that your WP allows busking.

Don't forget that you will be paying taxes out of that 30,000 Baht as well.

We look forward to hearing your progress.

[Gumballl]

I sure hope the OP does not become "poster boy" representative of the foreign teachers in Thailand.

Based on his questions, I wonder if he has even been here? Probably not.

[anthonyu]

30k a month should be fine if you're not going out to get smashed every night. Do what the Thais do and switch to drinking whisky with mixers. Will save you a lot vs. beers. 13k for a centrally located pad with all the trimmings is pretty good deal but you'll be budgeting a bit for the other 17k. Don't mind the cynics here and you'll be fine. PM me if you need any more specific info.

[glyph]

"heres a picture of me, and im 24."

That's terrif and, if I was playing for the other team, I'd SMS you.

[Moonrakers]

OP.

The posts above are pretty much spot on IMO. What I will add though is that if you are wanting to find some green then keep it anonymous, preferably by not revealing your identity with a mugshot.

Good luck

[keemapoot]

Seems to be a handsome, young guy. He can get chicks for free at RCA, and I think he can live large on his earnings.

[bendix]

This is a disaster waiting to happen . . . .

Who would be so clueless as to enquire about the accessibility of drugs in Thailand and then post his picture?

Edited September 23, 2008 by bendix

[mrpinknz]

I sure hope the OP does not become "poster boy" representative of the foreign teachers in Thailand.

Based on his questions, I wonder if he has even been here? Probably not.

my mum lived in thailand, india and bangladesh for 8 years, thats why ive been offered an apartment, so yes ive been there before. haha assumptions are the mother of all <deleted> ups. whos getting schooled now

[yabaaaa]

Yo! Im heading over to bangkok in about 2-3 weeks to work for a language school for 12 months. I believe ill be earning around 30-35000 baht to begin with. My question is, is this enough to live? i like having a good time and im keen to stay in a nice pad and live close to the skytrain, as ill be working in the centre. A family friend has offered me a dope studio apartment in central bangkok for 13000 per month, its got a pool gym fully furnished separated wireless net big plasma screen cable and stuff. is this kosha? how much should i be spending on accommodation? how much do beers cost out on the town? how much do dozen packs of beer cost? how much does food cost per day? im not that fussy with food but remember that im white so i need some degree of quality. what does the skytrain cost per month? i like to listen to loud music and play guitar, will this be a problem in an apartment? how much do i need for a good enough night life? and finally how much do ciggies cost? what about green? is it easy to find? any advice or your thoughts and recommendations are totally appreciated. if anyone has similar interests and feels my steeze u may email me privately. thanx to all in advance! oh and if anyone wouldnt mind another tenant in their place let me know! heres a picture of me, and im 24.

Yo! are you for real? "I like loud music" WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOUR EITHER SIDE AND ABOVE AND BELOW?

You sound like and ideal tenant, noisy, a smoker,heavy drinker.................. they'll be queing up for you I should think.

I suppose you have a degree like most I know, but not an ounce of common sense........ you'll fit in just fine here

I do like your English skills by the way, you should be very well suited to teaching Bangkok Engrish........... green?????? OH dear!!

[Gumballl]

I sure hope the OP does not become "poster boy" representative of the foreign teachers in Thailand.

Based on his questions, I wonder if he has even been here? Probably not.

my mum lived in thailand, india and bangladesh for 8 years, thats why ive been offered an apartment, so yes ive been there before. haha assumptions are the mother of all <deleted> ups. whos getting schooled now

Hopefully it won't be you teaching my children!

[Wrong Turn]

I sure hope the OP does not become "poster boy" representative of the foreign teachers in Thailand.

Based on his questions, I wonder if he has even been here? Probably not.

Regardless, I think the OP, is coming to Bangkok to have a good time, and use "studying Thai" as the excuse and way to get the visa.

Nothing wrong with this.

But the additional questions and likes of his, mean that 17,000 Baht is not going to be enough in Bangkok.

[yabaaaa]

This is a disaster waiting to happen . . . .

Who would be so clueless as to enquire about the accessibility of drugs in Thailand and then post his picture?

Iv'e got to give him credit................ it's the funniest post Iv'e ever read on T.V . Dope......... yes he is

[Who, me ?]

nice entertainment ! Just the beginning of it, I am sure .

I can't wait to see Bendix forecast come true....

[soundman]

This is a disaster waiting to happen . . . .

Who would be so clueless as to enquire about the accessibility of drugs in Thailand and then post his picture?

Exactly! - gotta be a wind up.