Living In Thailand

[horke999]

Not many things in Thailand are 4 times cheaper than in England. I live a western lifestyle and it costs a lot more than 25 % of what it does in the UK. Of course, that's not really relevant to the OPs question as I'm sure he doesn't want to lead a western lifestyle. Still think 20,000 is a bit low, especially for someone who is inexperienced. As the exchange rate is currently at 73 Baht/Pound, that works out at 274 pounds/month, Or  3288 pounds for a year. I'd have thought it should be possible to bring a little more than that just to be on the safe side.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There are people posting here who are paying 7 to 15 thousand Bhat a month on rent : try paying that little in London ! You'll be lucky to find a room for less than £70 a week and a one bedroom flat will cost you £600 pcm minimum = about 42,000 B .

Yes , London is expensive and other parts of the country are cheaper but most countries are the same in that living in the capital costs more . I spend about £300 (21000 pcm on food in the uk - just for myself and that doesn't include any restaurants .

My council tax alone is £100 pcm .That's about 7000 B .

I spend £140 pcm just on my train ticket to get to work : about 10,000 B

These are just some of my basic living expenses : they aren't optional extras .

So someone could easily be paying 42,000 on rent , 21,000 on food , 7000 on council tax and 10,000 on fares : that's about 80,000 , very basic expenses not including utility bills .It doesn't include running a car , petrol etc ; it doesn't include

going to bars , "entertainment"or paying money to "a girlfriend" or buying books , cd's or dvd's . It is clear that it is possible to live in BK for 30,000 and that this could pay for modest accommodation , food from shops rather than Western restaurant food and utility bills . That's why I said it's about 25% of the cost of living in the UK . Of course , if you live a less frugal lifestyle , the figures will be different but in terms of basic living expenses , LOS is much cheaper for those with western currency .

Horke

[chonabot]

Something I've said before (and got slated for) ...

before doing these kind of sums and thinking about how little money you can live on just remember that one day you might want to return to farang land. My advice to anyone who wants to work here on a Thai wage is to bear in mind that when you return home your final months wages wont go very far while you try and sort yourself out with job and a pad in London 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Plus, the gaping hole in your c.v. is unlikely to impress anyone interviewing you when you decide to return to gainful employment!

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Said by someone who will never leave their home country in fear of life itself.

Great advice , for a chickensh1t

[konangrit]

There are people posting here who are paying 7 to 15 thousand Bhat a month on rent : try paying that little in London ! You'll be lucky to find a room for less than £70 a week and a one bedroom flat will cost you £600 pcm minimum = about 42,000 B .

Yes , London is expensive and other parts of the country are cheaper but most countries are the same in that living in the capital costs more . I spend about £300 (21000   pcm on food in the uk - just for myself and that doesn't include any restaurants .

My council tax alone is £100 pcm .That's about 7000 B .

I spend £140 pcm just on my train ticket to get to work : about 10,000 B

These are just some of my basic living expenses : they aren't optional extras .

So someone could easily be paying 42,000 on rent , 21,000 on food , 7000 on council tax and 10,000 on fares : that's about 80,000 , very basic expenses not including utility  bills .It doesn't include running a car , petrol etc ; it doesn't include

going to bars , "entertainment"or  paying money to "a girlfriend" or buying books , cd's or dvd's . It is clear that it is possible to live in BK for 30,000 and that this could pay for modest accommodation , food from shops rather than Western restaurant food and utility bills . That's why I said it's about 25% of the cost of living in the UK . Of course , if you live a less frugal lifestyle , the figures will be different but in terms of basic living expenses , LOS is much cheaper for those with western currency .

Horke

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As you suggest, it's not really fair to compare London with the rest of the UK as prices are much higher than the rest of the country. An average salary in London is also much higher than the 20K you quoted for the country as a whole.

If you want to use figures for the price of things in London to put across your argument, then you should have used average wages in London and not average wages in the UK when you made your original point.

[horke999]

There are people posting here who are paying 7 to 15 thousand Bhat a month on rent : try paying that little in London ! You'll be lucky to find a room for less than £70 a week and a one bedroom flat will cost you £600 pcm minimum = about 42,000 B .

Yes , London is expensive and other parts of the country are cheaper but most countries are the same in that living in the capital costs more . I spend about £300 (21000   pcm on food in the uk - just for myself and that doesn't include any restaurants .

My council tax alone is £100 pcm .That's about 7000 B .

I spend £140 pcm just on my train ticket to get to work : about 10,000 B

These are just some of my basic living expenses : they aren't optional extras .

So someone could easily be paying 42,000 on rent , 21,000 on food , 7000 on council tax and 10,000 on fares : that's about 80,000 , very basic expenses not including utility  bills .It doesn't include running a car , petrol etc ; it doesn't include

going to bars , "entertainment"or  paying money to "a girlfriend" or buying books , cd's or dvd's . It is clear that it is possible to live in BK for 30,000 and that this could pay for modest accommodation , food from shops rather than Western restaurant food and utility bills . That's why I said it's about 25% of the cost of living in the UK . Of course , if you live a less frugal lifestyle , the figures will be different but in terms of basic living expenses , LOS is much cheaper for those with western currency .

Horke

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As you suggest, it's not really fair to compare London with the rest of the UK as prices are much higher than the rest of the country. An average salary in London is also much higher than the 20K you quoted for the country as a whole.

If you want to use figures for the price of things in London to put across your argument, then you should have used average wages in London and not average wages in the UK when you made your original point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see what you mean and I do agree that prices in London are higher ,as they are in Bangkok compared with other parts of LOS . I would point out that salaries for public service workers are not significantly higher in London than they are in other parts of the country . For example , the London allowance for teachers in schools in outer London is only a few thousand pounds a year more although house prices are significantly higher in the capital .The average wage for people working in London is not of much help or relevance to someone who is a nurse or teacher or fireman .

However , wherever you live in the uk , it would be very difficult to live on about £400 a month( about 30,000B) if you have to pay for food , accommodation , utilities bus fares ect .

That amount of money will undoubtedly buy you a higher standard of living in LOS.

[konangrit]

However , wherever you live in the uk , it would be very difficult to live on about £400 a month( about 30,000B)  if you have to pay for food , accommodation , utilities bus fares ect .

That amount of money will undoubtedly buy you a higher standard of living in LOS.

I don't disagree with that, but I don't think someone living on 1600/month in the UK would have the same standard of living (materialistically) in Thailand on a quarter of that. Don't forget that you'll have additional costs such as medical insurance and visa runs/extentions aswell as the usual things such as clothes, these will all eat into that ฿30,000.

Of course, standard of living isn't just measured in financial terms, happyness is more important. So if someone's happier living here on 30K,20K, or even 10K, than they would be slaving away back in their home country, then good luck to them.

[Lancelot]

Budgets are always subjective-what works for one won't for another.

But I live comfortably, in Bangkok, on B40k per month.

[Queers for Fears]

I live contently on 80K per mo. in BKK but I need to watch my spending to do that. Much discipline is required or it is quite easy to exceed. I dont recommend anyone attempting to live on less than 60K. That would be a very peasantly existence. People who do that have really lowered themselves to a migrant who get mired into an abyss and can never ever recover. They have 3rd worldized themselves in a mass transformation from their upbringing. It is a pitiful way to go for a once proud farang. A person doing this would likely be a penniless, homeless beggar living in a cardboard box on the street

Edited March 3, 2005 by Queers for Fears

[Ijustwannateach]

Gosh, really?

Do you know where I can read any books about these "once proud farang?" Do they have a leader? What kind of shrines do they keep?

"Steven"

[Queers for Fears]

it's called going from a 1st world existence to a 3rd world existence. It is a devastating decision to make because you can never go back. You are stuck in an abyss

[Ijustwannateach]

Well, gawrsh, good thing you told me... by the way, do the Thais know this?

[thaihome]

Well, gawrsh, good thing you told me...  by the way, do the Thais know this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course they do. That is why the immigrant visa line at most western embassies is so long.

Certainly don't see long lines of westerners wanting to immigrate to 3rd world countries do you.

TH

[Ijustwannateach]

Well, gooooollllly, no, you've got a good point there... and they *certainly* wouldn't set up boards or websites discussing how to get visas to do so, either... no way, you're certainly correct!

[thaihome]

Well, gooooollllly, no, you've got a good point there...  and they *certainly* wouldn't set up boards or websites discussing how to get visas to do so, either... no way, you're certainly correct!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Uh, sorry, but there is rather large industry revolved around getting visas for Thais to western countries. Every one of my wife's magazines have adverts about it. I bet there are websites discussing it as well.

TH

[Ijustwannateach]

<*whoosh*> Went right over your head. Try picking a different antecedent for "they," and savor the irony.

P.S. My lunch cost 20B today. Where's my cardboard box?

[bkkmadness]

I live contently on 80K per mo. in BKK but I need to watch my spending to do that. Much discipline is required or it is quite easy to exceed. I dont recommend anyone attempting to live on less than 60K. That would be a very peasantly existence. People who do that have really lowered themselves to a migrant who get mired into an abyss and can never ever recover. They have 3rd worldized themselves in a mass transformation from their upbringing. It is a pitiful way to go for a once proud farang. A person doing this would likely be a penniless, homeless beggar living in a cardboard box on the street

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ridiculous comments. How can you compare living in Thailand on 40 K-50K a month to living like you would in the third world?

Hardly a mass tranbsormation for many people. On 40K-50K amonth can live in a comfortable appartment with UBC and internet, eat plenty of good farang food, afford to go out on the weekend, and afford some enetretainment in the week like the cinema or a meal out etc. That's many peoples lives back in the West too, so wheres the transformation?

How would these people be beggars on the street? Why could they not be proud, there are many teachers that work hard out there educating kids that can certainly be proud of themselves. Pride does not depend or money earned and spent, there are many other factors to having pride.

Seems funny that you spend 80K a month and consider people living on less to be below you. What about the people out here that spend 200K month living, and look down on you? Or do you not look at things from other people's viewpoint?

[kat]

Gosh, really?

   

   

   

Do you know where I can read any books about these "once proud farang?"  Do they have a leader?  What kind of shrines do they keep?

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[TizMe]

P.S.  My lunch cost 20B today.  Where's my cardboard box?

I had a 10B bowl of noodle soup. The lady that owns the NS Shop has told me that she will soon have to put the price up to 15B. Oh no, how will I survive.

[Lola8288]

<*whoosh*>  Went right over your head.  Try picking a different antecedent for "they," and savor the irony.

P.S.  My lunch cost 20B today.  Where's my cardboard box?

   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Still laughing.

[toastwars]

I am skint till I go back to the UK in three weeks, got about 4000bt,

1800bt rent to pay, electricity bill for 400bt, I will keep you up on how I do for some real cheap living in BKK should be an interesting thread, My bargain of the day. Invited to Pak Kret for lunch, got the bus from muang thong and back for 4bt each way all inclusive...touch..ate piles at my buds and saved myself a bunch out my budget. I rekon on living on 100bt a day excluding rent, I smoke which limits the budget a bit but my local food place love me as I cook for them sometimes so I am always getting called over to try something or other. I will be back on track soon just gotta head back to iron out some problems...heigh ho

[Rumpole]

and their government sucks...

Er ........ ahem .........cough ...... cough.

Edited March 3, 2005 by Rumpole

[DP25]

It seems like some people who claim spending under 80k a month is living in poverty are living in a different Thailand than I am. I spend under 40k per month, and I live quite a nice lifestyle. I go out drinking 20 days per month (and usually end up drunk), I buy all the DVDs and PS2 games I want, I have a nice, if small studio, and I buy books and magazines whenever I want.

I think the difference is, I don't like being around large numbers of other foriegners. As such I never step foot inside any Western oriented bar, instead I hang out in the Thai bars and discos, where you get a bottle of whiskey + mixer for 400-700 baht. I don't sleep with prostitutes. I don't pay for my girlfriend, she has quite a good job and doesn't need any money from me. I eat Western and Thai food, but there's lots of cheap Western food out there. Mexican Buffet at Bourbon St is only 250 B, Sizzler is cheap as well, and the best of all is 13 Coins, where everything except beef is about 140 B per meal. A large pizza from PC is only 219 if you get it delivered and have a coupon.

I'm being completely honest that I don't know how I would spend 80k a month in Thailand, unless I was spending 50k on rent, which I never would because I think that is a ridiculous amount to pay for rent in a country like this. There just isn't really anything I want to spend my money on, other than video games and alcohol, and that stuff is dirt cheap here. I actually think I spend too much money, I should really cut down on the amount of partying I do, and try to eat Thai food more often, but I'd only save about 200$ per month so I don't bother.

[bkkmadness]

Some fair points there, as in no prozzys and not paying 10-20 k for a gf and having a gf than can support herself as well.

Drink 20 times a month? Theres 30 days in a month, your wasting time man,

Even really your eating can be cheap for good farang meals if you learn to cook a few dishes yourself. I do 2 large chicken kievs and mash for about 70 baht and some time. Slab of steak costs what, 40-50 baht? Flavoured properly it's nice. I don't eat cheap all the time mind you, and I can easily spend 80-100K a month for my rent/going out/dvds/food etc. Those New York steaks at villa are about 250 baht each but well tasty.

You might think 50K a month rent is ridiculous until your've been to someones 50K a month appartment and see how much better life is in one of them. I've lived in 5K places before and though comfortable was happy to get to a larger 20K place, and will be happier still when I finally get the 50K a month pimp pad .

Don't know about your 400-700 baht whiskey though, has to be a bottle of Black for me.

Anyway, conclusion of this thread I think without everybody showing off what money they spend here is that people can live on different budgets from 30 K to 500 K a month and be equally happy or miserable, much like back home. For all of you that think your living well on your 100 Ks and dissing those that live on 30K, think of all the people that are spending 200-500K a month out here and are thinking that you are in poverty.

[chonabot]

I need around 1 million baht per hour to get the kicks I need in Los.........

Yes I'm talking about my own army of Farang Volunteer police to guard me 24/7.

[Boo]

I've heard of a few you can get for free in pattaya

[Queers for Fears]

It seems like some people who claim spending under 80k a month is living in poverty are living in a different Thailand than I am.  I spend under 40k per month, and I live quite a nice lifestyle.  I go out drinking 20 days per month (and usually end up drunk), I buy all the DVDs and PS2 games I want, I have a nice, if small studio, and I buy books and magazines whenever I want.

I think the difference is, I don't like being around large numbers of other foriegners.  As such I never step foot inside any Western oriented bar, instead I hang out in the Thai bars and discos, where you get a bottle of whiskey + mixer for 400-700 baht.  I don't sleep with prostitutes.  I don't pay for my girlfriend, she has quite a good job and doesn't need any money from me.  I eat Western and Thai food, but there's lots of cheap Western food out there.  Mexican Buffet at Bourbon St is only 250 B, Sizzler is cheap as well, and the best of all is 13 Coins, where everything except beef is about 140 B per meal. A large pizza from PC is only 219 if you get it delivered and have a coupon.

I'm being completely honest that I don't know how I would spend 80k a month in Thailand, unless I was spending 50k on rent, which I never would because I think that is a ridiculous amount to pay for rent in a country like this.  There just isn't really anything I want to spend my money on, other than video games and alcohol, and that stuff is dirt cheap here.  I actually think I spend too much money, I should really cut down on the amount of partying I do, and try to eat Thai food more often, but I'd only save about 200$ per month so I don't bother.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let's see now, 20 times drinking x 700 baht (no tipping permitted for cheapos like you) 14,000. eating buffets, PC pizza, sizzler whatever=400 per day (we cant pay for gf, that would be wrong and trash our image as cheapskate)=12,000. OK so we spend 26,ooo baht/mo w/o ruining our ultra cheap charlie miser image in the eyes of our thai peers. hopefully we dont have to spend money on anything else and we can perhaps be under 40k. the joys of being a self proclaimed miser

[jayenram]

Monthly income = Bht 40,000.00

Monthly expenditure:

Beer - Bht 15,000.00

Where the h*ll the rest goes, I haven't a clue!

[Queers for Fears]

ROFLMMFAO

[charles]

Let's see now, 20 times drinking x 700 baht (no tipping permitted for cheapos like you) 14,000. eating buffets, PC pizza, sizzler whatever=400 per day (we cant pay for gf, that would be wrong and trash our image as cheapskate)=12,000.  OK so we spend 26,ooo baht/mo w/o ruining our ultra cheap charlie miser image in the eyes of our thai peers. hopefully we dont have to spend money on anything else and we can perhaps be under 40k. the joys of being a self proclaimed miser

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Am I right in thinking you and Monochaser are the same person?

In any case, you need to learn that you won't be viewed as a "cheap charlie" by decent Thai people if you don't pay your girl 20k month or give large tips in bars/restaurants.

If you're doing this, your Thai friends and certainly the recipients themselves will just be thinking your a bit stupid, not some top unmiserly bloke. You ever seen how much the Thais tip? As for a girlfriend, it is the same, unless it is some kind of Sukhmvit Soi 4 long-termer. Having a girlfriend should mean spending more money in some areas and probably saving on others (depending on what your lifestyle would be like if you didn't have a girlfriend). But I doubt that a decent Thai girl would be comfortable or even willing to accept payment of 20K a month for a bit of shopping or pocket money.

You gotta think beyond Soi 4 matey...

[horke999]

The Price of a Pint in London

Is about £3 = about 210 B .It's cheaper to drink in Thailand .

It costs even more in other western european cities .

Horke

[konangrit]

The Price of a Pint in London

Is about £3 = about 210 B .It's cheaper to drink in Thailand .

It costs even more in other western european cities .

Horke

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The price of a 275ml bottle of Heineken in Pattaya is around ฿75 in most bars, which works out about 2 pound/pint. there's not a big difference between drinking out in Thailand and drinking out in the UK. In clubs you can expect to be paying more than 3 pound/pint. Of course you can always drink beers such as Chang for cheaper, but then you would have lowered your standards.

If you drink Guinness or cider it's going to work out a lot more expensive in Thailand.

Edited March 12, 2005 by konangrit