Cost To Live In Thailand

[WilliamCave]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

[maccaroni man]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

at first glance this would seem like more than enough however if the kids are of school age and go to an international school the fees will eat into this quickly my friend spend 700k a year for 2 kids that would leave you 300k for 12 months not much

[WilliamCave]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

at first glance this would seem like more than enough however if the kids are of school age and go to an international school the fees will eat into this quickly my friend spend 700k a year for 2 kids that would leave you 300k for 12 months not much

not in full time school yet, and the price of the education is seperate from my budget....so I guess then the question would be can I live a standard comfurtable life style

[dave111223]

Yes. Easily

[maccaroni man]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

at first glance this would seem like more than enough however if the kids are of school age and go to an international school the fees will eat into this quickly my friend spend 700k a year for 2 kids that would leave you 300k for 12 months not much

not in full time school yet, and the price of the education is seperate from my budget....so I guess then the question would be can I live a standard comfurtable life style

so if you break down the 1m into 12 mo. you are loking at 83k a month you already have the car and the house so all you need is food and travel money. imo you will not live like a king but if you watch your spending you can have enough to travel the country with the family once ina awhile and eat western food more than once a week. 2766 per day for 4 people is just under 700 baht a day. not a lot of money when you factor in the extras. have fun watch the spending and you should make it as long as you have health insurance with medivac you should be able to rest at ease

[misterman21]

If you need to ask - then your probably lacking something

[Maigo6]

One million Baht for a year, no problem at all.

I know people who could survive 4 - 5 years on that, I'm one of them!

Then again, you will also get the " I spend 300,000 Baht a month " people.

Just depends how you live your life, could you survive 1 year in New York on 30,000 USD ?

Of course you could, but you wont be going to a top nighclubs paying 500USD for a bottle of bubbly every night.

[bonobo]

You can live easily for that.

As Maccaroni man calculated, you will have some 2700 per day. You can have a very nice meal for 4 for 500-600 baht, lunch for 200 baht. You can cook at home a very nice meal if you like pork or chicken for 400 baht. You can take your family see a movie once a week for 480 baht. Utilities are minimal. I drive a lot, so my gas bill is currently about 1200 baht per week, so you can adjust that as your driving habits would dictate.

So you can see, you will have plenty left over to get a good western meal, to travel, to buy things, to splurge on holidays, etc. One million baht is plenty to live a rather nice lifestyle.

[Gary A]

I have a lot of toys that are bought and paid for. We pay no rent because the house belongs to my Thai wife. My wife contributes to her parents support once a month. Exactly how much does she give them? I really don't know or care. I give my wife 25,000 baht per month. She pays for the cost of food, utilities, clothes and incidental costs of living and running the household. She has money left over at the end of the month to do with whatever she wants. We have no children. I pay for big ticket items and insurance premiums. I own a condo in Jomtien and have leased it to a friend of mine. The rent from the condo more than pays my insurance premiums with some beer money left over. I live exactly as I choose and lack nothing, so, yes indeed, you can live here quite well on 80,000 baht per month even paying rent.

When the condo lease expires, I don't plan to rent it again. Loei gets cold in the winter so I intend to live in the condo during the coldest months. I might add that I have bought my wife two small 10 rai farms. That small amount of income belongs to her. The cold months are the dry season so no farm work needs to be done during our Jomtien holiday.

[JetsetBkk]

I would say that is just about OK - you can't go crazy on it, but you won't starve either.

[Rabeang]

1 Million is roughly 85000 a month. I'm married (without kids) and I average about 40000 a month. Having a family will actually help your finances. There are less distractions, the nightlife etc.

[ilyushin]

It is a good start. You should keep in mind your budget and be thrifty and you will probably have more than half of it left over at the end of the year.

Write down all your expenses and guide yourself into careful spending and be aware of the actual costs in Thailand. You do not need to spend much to live in Thailand it all depends on the way you live in Thailand.

[tgeezer]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

Depends where you are now and if you are hoping to save money. If you are in Dubai for instance and $30000 is sufficient for your family then it will work here with some left over. If you are in Rangoon and $30000 is not enough it will not be enough here. Only you know what you want as a lifestyle, so you are really asking how much cheaper is Bangkok than where you are, where are you?

[12DrinkMore]

Why do these stupid questions keep being asked?

Everybody has their own expectations and requirements. I could live on 10,000 Baht/month but I wouldn't have much fun. I could also very easily spend 150,000 Baht/month. Above that I would have major health problems in coping with the volume of food, girls and booze.

The only way to answer these daft "Is This Enough?" questions is to state, "Come and try it".

[FarangFatal]

I going at about 180K per month with rent ( no buying <deleted> in Thailand after learing of the Hua Hin Dance Club) Looking at 50K per month for house and utls etc with 130 per month /4= 32.5 per week for travel and sanuk mahk! That works for me!

[Maigo6]

I going at about 180K per month with rent ( no buying <deleted> in Thailand after learing of the Hua Hin Dance Club) Looking at 50K per month for house and utls etc with 130 per month /4= 32.5 per week for travel and sanuk mahk! That works for me!

And the English translation is ?

[Maigo6]

I have a lot of toys that are bought and paid for. We pay no rent because the house belongs to my Thai wife. My wife contributes to her parents support once a month. Exactly how much does she give them? I really don't know or care. I give my wife 25,000 baht per month. She pays for the cost of food, utilities, clothes and incidental costs of living and running the household. She has money left over at the end of the month to do with whatever she wants. We have no children. I pay for big ticket items and insurance premiums. I own a condo in Jomtien and have leased it to a friend of mine. The rent from the condo more than pays my insurance premiums with some beer money left over. I live exactly as I choose and lack nothing, so, yes indeed, you can live here quite well on 80,000 baht per month even paying rent.

When the condo lease expires, I don't plan to rent it again. Loei gets cold in the winter so I intend to live in the condo during the coldest months. I might add that I have bought my wife two small 10 rai farms. That small amount of income belongs to her. The cold months are the dry season so no farm work needs to be done during our Jomtien holiday.

Gary, don't tell too many here about Loei....

You know what will happen, we'll be invaded by masses of huge fatazzed farangs, then again, I could always open up a Pizza shop..........

[WilliamCave]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

should also say that not included in this budget is other expensies like if I want to buy a new couch set or other big ticket items comes out of another budget, so this budget is a monthly living budget, not to purchase and big ticket items, and travel is not included it. travel is a different expenice. so anything out side the regular living is not included in the monthly budget.

so from what I read from others it is a standard living and wont go hungry

[philliphn]

Why do these stupid questions keep being asked?

Everybody has their own expectations and requirements. I could live on 10,000 Baht/month but I wouldn't have much fun. I could also very easily spend 150,000 Baht/month. Above that I would have major health problems in coping with the volume of food, girls and booze.

The only way to answer these daft "Is This Enough?" questions is to state, "Come and try it".

I disagree with your opinion that this is a "stupid" question.

It is a question of great interest to a lot of people including myself. It is obvious that everybody has their own expectations and requirements. A good answer will illuminate these diffferences.

An intelligent person needs to have some idea about the costs of things and the different life styles that varying amount of funds may provide. To say "just come and try it" is a foolish over simplification. Their is nothing wrong with asking for information from people who have more information than your self. If you personally have no interest in this question. I suggest that you just don't respond to the thread!

I congratulate you on having all this figured out for your self.

[Gary A]

Gary, don't tell too many here about Loei....

You know what will happen, we'll be invaded by masses of huge fatazzed farangs, then again, I could always open up a Pizza shop..........

Talking about pizza, my wife bought me a pizza (?) from somewhere up here. It actually didn't look too bad but it didn't smell right. It turned out that what should have been cheese and what looked like cheese was mayonnaise. And no, it wasn't fit to eat.

I went to Jomtien/Pattaya for Thanksgiving Turkey. I think I have been here too long. I don't think I'll even bother next year. I went down by myself and was anxious to get back home to get some good home cooked Thai food.

[yogi]

yes 1 million is more than enough for 1 year,85000 bht a month.........i think you save something if you have an average life style

cheers

[Kf6vci]

Every little helps! My condo village has the usual no frills eateries and a restaurant with waiters. Guess where the food is better?

160 Baht for 5 main dishes and free ice water - or 1000 Baht for inferior food.

Do you drink water or only lemonade?

It's the everyday stuff costing so much.

*****

Shop around for that house. You will find huge differences in price and within a neighborhood.

Consider converting a car to natural gas for 11 Baht a liter.

1 M should do nicely.

[Mali1964]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

You always have that few million baht in gold you mention in that cost of gold topic you did, if you fall short just sell some Gold she'll love you for that

That is how I picked my wife up after we were together for a month i bought her a friendship bracelet and she was floored by that because no one had ever give her a present like that before she told me later. (when she learnt better english)And my wife never asks me for anything all year and even our wedding her family paied for it and got all my dowery back (2000 people at the wedding) so buying gold for my wife is a romatic thing between us. we have every thing else we need so gold is for a present not an investment purpose, we have a few million bt in gold and her eyes still light up when I give her jeweler because she reminds me of when I gave her her first piece of jewelery. So for the romance part it is priceless.

thanks all be back in thailand soon.

[nopainnobrain]

Having a family will actually help your finances. There are less distractions, the nightlife etc.

[So1DoG]

I have a lot of toys that are bought and paid for. We pay no rent because the house belongs to my Thai wife. My wife contributes to her parents support once a month. Exactly how much does she give them? I really don't know or care. I give my wife 25,000 baht per month. She pays for the cost of food, utilities, clothes and incidental costs of living and running the household. She has money left over at the end of the month to do with whatever she wants. We have no children. I pay for big ticket items and insurance premiums. I own a condo in Jomtien and have leased it to a friend of mine. The rent from the condo more than pays my insurance premiums with some beer money left over. I live exactly as I choose and lack nothing, so, yes indeed, you can live here quite well on 80,000 baht per month even paying rent.

When the condo lease expires, I don't plan to rent it again. Loei gets cold in the winter so I intend to live in the condo during the coldest months. I might add that I have bought my wife two small 10 rai farms. That small amount of income belongs to her. The cold months are the dry season so no farm work needs to be done during our Jomtien holiday.

Whats that last got to do with anything?

[So1DoG]

Having a family will actually help your finances. There are less distractions, the nightlife etc.

Tell me about it

[Super Hans]

I going at about 180K per month with rent ( no buying <deleted> in Thailand after learing of the Hua Hin Dance Club) Looking at 50K per month for house and utls etc with 130 per month /4= 32.5 per week for travel and sanuk mahk! That works for me!

And the English translation is ?

Loadsamoney!

[benjamat]

The thai government seems to think that 400kb is all you need to live here for a year as a farang. Thats about £150 or $225 a week.

By the way, this would fall within the range of the basic state pension in the uk with a few additions (serps etc)

Edited December 8, 2008 by benjamat

[freitag1]

You always have that few million baht in gold you mention in that cost of gold topic you did, if you fall short just sell some Gold she'll love you for that

That is how I picked my wife up after we were together for a month i bought her a friendship bracelet and she was floored by that because no one had ever give her a present like that before she told me later. (when she learnt better english)And my wife never asks me for anything all year and even our wedding her family paied for it and got all my dowery back (2000 people at the wedding) so buying gold for my wife is a romatic thing between us. we have every thing else we need so gold is for a present not an investment purpose, we have a few million bt in gold and her eyes still light up when I give her jeweler because she reminds me of when I gave her her first piece of jewelery. So for the romance part it is priceless.

thanks all be back in thailand soon.

You are kidding right? Next thing you tell us is that your wife is 20 years younger...

So many men in Thailand are just living in their own dreamworld (and pay for that)

[dave9988]

Hello, was woundering if 1 million baht (30thousandUS) is a good level of money to live in thailand for a year, I budget this for my family and have no bills rent a house and have a vehicle, I have 2 kids and my wife,,,,was just woundering about others opinions,,,

You always have that few million baht in gold you mention in that cost of gold topic you did, if you fall short just sell some Gold she'll love you for that

That is how I picked my wife up after we were together for a month i bought her a friendship bracelet and she was floored by that because no one had ever give her a present like that before she told me later. (when she learnt better english)And my wife never asks me for anything all year and even our wedding her family paied for it and got all my dowery back (2000 people at the wedding) so buying gold for my wife is a romatic thing between us. we have every thing else we need so gold is for a present not an investment purpose, we have a few million bt in gold and her eyes still light up when I give her jeweler because she reminds me of when I gave her her first piece of jewelery. So for the romance part it is priceless.

thanks all be back in thailand soon.

why is it that whenever people brag it always makes me think taht they are insecure? i guess the motive to try and prove yourself to others reeks of desperation