Retirement In Thailand-Is It Still Lucrative?

[fletchsmile]

Housing: approximately 50k - 70k per month (Just a balcony and a nice garden. No pool. Near mass transit.)

Electric: estimated 14k per month (she needs whole house 24/7 air conditioning)

Food: approximately 36k per month

These prices seem WAY out of line to me, but maybe she needs top of the line everything. The truth is that someone who is willing to compromise can live on FAR less than anywhere in the US and - at least for me - the things that am compromising on are well worth the reduced costs and superior lifestyle in Thailand.

I agree. She could have a very nice serviced appartment for that rent, which would also have a pool and no utilities bills to pay on top.

I'd also suggest he shows his mother how to close doors and turn off the aircon when not in a particular room. Doors usually open again and aircon will usually restart

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed from view.

[inthepink]

13.2 kms on the trusty Tritons odometer. Off the bus route and MIL can't drive

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

[gregb]

Housing: approximately 50k - 70k per month (Just a balcony and a nice garden. No pool. Near mass transit.)

Electric: estimated 14k per month (she needs whole house 24/7 air conditioning)

Food: approximately 36k per month

These prices seem WAY out of line to me, but maybe she needs top of the line everything. The truth is that someone who is willing to compromise can live on FAR less than anywhere in the US and - at least for me - the things that am compromising on are well worth the reduced costs and superior lifestyle in Thailand.

I agree. She could have a very nice serviced appartment for that rent, which would also have a pool and no utilities bills to pay on top.

I'd also suggest he shows his mother how to close doors and turn off the aircon when not in a particular room. Doors usually open again and aircon will usually restart

Again, this is exactly what I am referring to. She refuses to do that. As stupid as it sounds, she wants to cool an empty room. She doesn't have to wait for climate control in the states, and she won't do it here. She is unwilling to accept even a minute of inconvenience to cool down the room. Yes, you can call her spoiled. All Americans are spoiled, but again, we are trying to do a fair, apples to apples comparison. What do you have in the states, vs. what do you have here.

BTW, serviced apartments are not apples to apples. No private garden as she has back home. Again, what do you have in the West, vs. what do you have here. Could you do it for less if you were willing to move to the sticks in Thailand? Possibly. But there are few homes built in the sticks to exacting Western standards like you can find in Bangkok. She will not accept a home that has exposed wiring or improper grounding for example. It has to have hot and cold running water at every sink. That rules out 99% of all houses in Thailand.

People don't realize until they have someone who truly wants things exactly as they are back home how many compromises we make because we want to stay here. The fact is, cheap homes here are not the same as they are in the West. We simply accept less and say they are equivalent because we want to believe it.

It isn't true. I am happy staying in a 10k/mo. house. My mother, who likes the West and has no desire to stay here other than to see her grandchildren, will not accept the inconveniences.

To each his own, but it is a thought that is worth considering. You are going to have to give up something if you want to stay cheaply.

[craigt3365]

It really isn't that much more to cool every room in a condo. And really easy to have hot and cold taps at every sink. We easily added that to our house as it was also important to us.

[tmwke]

Housing: approximately 50k - 70k per month (Just a balcony and a nice garden. No pool. Near mass transit.)

Electric: estimated 14k per month (she needs whole house 24/7 air conditioning)

Food: approximately 36k per month

These prices seem WAY out of line to me, but maybe she needs top of the line everything. The truth is that someone who is willing to compromise can live on FAR less than anywhere in the US and - at least for me - the things that am compromising on are well worth the reduced costs and superior lifestyle in Thailand.

I agree. She could have a very nice serviced appartment for that rent, which would also have a pool and no utilities bills to pay on top.

I'd also suggest he shows his mother how to close doors and turn off the aircon when not in a particular room. Doors usually open again and aircon will usually restart

Again, this is exactly what I am referring to. She refuses to do that. As stupid as it sounds, she wants to cool an empty room. She doesn't have to wait for climate control in the states, and she won't do it here. She is unwilling to accept even a minute of inconvenience to cool down the room. Yes, you can call her spoiled. All Americans are spoiled, but again, we are trying to do a fair, apples to apples comparison. What do you have in the states, vs. what do you have here.

BTW, serviced apartments are not apples to apples. No private garden as she has back home. Again, what do you have in the West, vs. what do you have here. Could you do it for less if you were willing to move to the sticks in Thailand? Possibly. But there are few homes built in the sticks to exacting Western standards like you can find in Bangkok. She will not accept a home that has exposed wiring or improper grounding for example. It has to have hot and cold running water at every sink. That rules out 99% of all houses in Thailand.

People don't realize until they have someone who truly wants things exactly as they are back home how many compromises we make because we want to stay here. The fact is, cheap homes here are not the same as they are in the West. We simply accept less and say they are equivalent because we want to believe it.

It isn't true. I am happy staying in a 10k/mo. house. My mother, who likes the West and has no desire to stay here other than to see her grandchildren, will not accept the inconveniences.

To each his own, but it is a thought that is worth considering. You are going to have to give up something if you want to stay cheaply.

Y0u are correct,but this lot will never understand. Sad realy !

[Bizz]

[it's possible to rent a reasonable, unfurnished home in the outskirts of Chiang Mai for about 10,000 baht a month. I can't speak for other farang friendly cities. I think it's more practical to rent rather than buy. If there's any problem, as there often is, you can easily pack up and leave. I try to follow the advice to never buy anything in Thailand that you can't walk away from with only a few regrets.

Thai meals in cafes traditionally cost under 40 baht per serving. In a warm climate I seldom need more than two meals a day and supplement that with fruit. If you cook for yourself it's probably similar in cost because you'll splurge on more expensive items. I can't factor in alcohol because everyone is different but it's certainly cheaper in the small stores than it is at bars. Some guys bar bill would break me.

I live in a furnished 3 bedroom house 20km from CM .....7,000bht a month (near Doi Saket)

Moving to a furnished 2 bedroom house next month 10km from CM ..... 5,000bht a month (about 2km from Huay Tung Tao)

I looked at a new unfurnished 2 bedroom house ......... 2,500bht a month (12km from CM near Bo Sang)

The local restaurant near my new home (100yds) charges 25bht a dish (inc rice)

Ian, you are a very big spender!

(or maybe I am a cheap Charlie)

Good on you Man. you are obviously Happy

Anyways, you can rent a nice house for 5,000 baht a month, unless you want it in the center of Bangkok.

true! rent a palace like this one for even less:

oh Namm stop being the economist we all know where you came from and where you live, now cant you Live and Let Live.

for me it has been hard like allot of retiree's have lost a substantial portion of there retirement income for me it was 54% so had to rethink.

Back working offshore in deepest Africa,yes ut i have a dream and have 11 years left to do it. YES retire here it is heaven on earth for those who can leave the shi--.

behind.

It's Cool To Be Kind

[Ulysses G.]

Again, this is exactly what I am referring to. She refuses to do that. As stupid as it sounds, she wants to cool an empty room. She doesn't have to wait for climate control in the states, and she won't do it here. She is unwilling to accept even a minute of inconvenience to cool down the room. Yes, you can call her spoiled...

... My mother, who likes the West and has no desire to stay here other than to see her grandchildren, will not accept the inconveniences.

To each his own, but it is a thought that is worth considering. You are going to have to give up something if you want to stay cheaply.

Many people would be more than happy to to adjust slightly to different circumstances to live much much more cheaply and more comfortably in most regards. If they wouldn't, they should simply stay where they are.

Personally, I am quite happy to be able to pay a minimal amount to pay someone else to do my laundry and clean my house instead of keeping the air-con going in a room that I am not using, but maybe that is just me.

[jfchandler]

I'm assuming this place has hot running water at every tap, right???

Especially in the summer time...

Anyways, you can rent a nice house for 5,000 baht a month, unless you want it in the center of Bangkok.

true! rent a palace like this one for even less:

[Naam]

oh Namm stop being the economist we all know where you came from and where you live, now cant you Live and Let Live.

for me it has been hard like allot of retiree's have lost a substantial portion of there retirement income for me it was 54% so had to rethink.

Back working offshore in deepest Africa,yes ut i have a dream and have 11 years left to do it. YES retire here it is heaven on earth for those who can leave the shi--.

behind.

It's Cool To Be Kind

Bizz,

i can't hold back when i read a silly advice such as "you can rent a nice house for 5,000 baht a month, unless you want it in the center of Bangkok" which (in Bangkok) can only be a shack.

by the way, the Mrs and myself spent our happiest years in "deepest Africa" far away from the goodies others enjoyed. and if i was twenty years younger (your age) i'd possibly envy you.

[fletchsmile]

It really isn't that much more to cool every room in a condo. And really easy to have hot and cold taps at every sink. We easily added that to our house as it was also important to us.

Have to disagree on that one. I'm sure gregb's mother could easily half her electricity bill, and be a little kinder to the environment, leaving some resources for generations to come

I used to have a bill for 8,000 baht electricity on a 4 bed house here. Also had a private swimming pool BTW.

Her electricity bill is about 3 times what we now pay on a condo with people sleeping in 3 separate rooms and aircon in each bedroom for around 8 hours a day instead of 24 . Aircon is your biggest electricity expense.

His overall point about changing/ adapting/ wanting the same as back home is perhaps valid. The bit about the aircon unfortunately undermines it, as it isn't normal or even reasonable. Back in the west people are more likely to have heating than aircon, and most normal people don't leave their heating on 24/7 365 days a year. They will also be prepared to wait for a minute when you turn the heating on

[craigt3365]

It really isn't that much more to cool every room in a condo. And really easy to have hot and cold taps at every sink. We easily added that to our house as it was also important to us.

Have to disagree on that one. I'm sure gregb's mother could easily half her electricity bill, and be a little kinder to the environment, leaving some resources for generations to come

I used to have a bill for 8,000 baht electricity on a 4 bed house here. Also had a private swimming pool BTW.

Her electricity bill is about 3 times what we now pay on a condo with people sleeping in 3 separate rooms and aircon in each bedroom for around 8 hours a day instead of 24 . Aircon is your biggest electricity expense.

His overall point about changing/ adapting/ wanting the same as back home is perhaps valid. The bit about the aircon unfortunately undermines it, as it isn't normal or even reasonable. Back in the west people are more likely to have heating than aircon, and most normal people don't leave their heating on 24/7 365 days a year. They will also be prepared to wait for a minute when you turn the heating on

I hear ya. Electricity is for sure our biggest expense. I've got a 3 BR house with pool and separate waterfall. We run the AC in our bedroom every night and in the late afternoons we usually run the big unit for the LR/DR. Otherwise, windows are open and we are in and out of the pool. Our bill is about 5,000B/month.

We had a condo in Bangkok a few years ago. The elec bill was not that much and we ran the AC all the time. I was trying to say that if this is a really big deal to her, for a few thousand baht more per month, she could have her 24/7 AC. Not really that much money.

My mom lives near Las Vegas. You can't really open your windows due to the dust. For 4+ months of the year, AC is mandatory. For 4+ months of the year, heating is mandatory. Lousy weather. She has a thermostat that is set for a range of 73 for heat, 78 for cooling year round. Bills range from $150/month to $450/month. It's a large 4br house with an open floor plan...so can't really close off many rooms.

Unfortunately, AC is a necessity for many of us here in Thailand. I could not live here without it.

[phetaroi]

I know a lot of people disagree with me, but for the 1.5 years I lived in Bangkok, I didn't find it cheaper, and in fact, I would have to say I found it a tad more expensive.

I know some be shocked that I say that, but I didn't want to live "poorer" in Thailand. I wanted to maintain a somewhat equal style of life. Our rented condo was more per month than my mortgage here, but of course I own here and rented in Bangkok. But on the other hand, while our condo in Bangkok was "nice", it was significantly below the townhouse I own here.

The one thing I found much cheaper in Thailand...except maybe perhaps in Bangkok itself, was travel around the country. The cost of hotels (other than in Bangkok) is so much cheaper it's laughable.

So my advice to the OP is to ask your question based on how you want to live.

Not talking about anyone on here, from time to time over the years I would stop by expats "apartments", and they would rave about how cheap is to live in Thailand, but in the States, even when I was in college, I never lived in conditions that were as poor as what they were living in.

[Ulysses G.]

from time to time over the years I would stop by expats "apartments", and they would rave about how cheap is to live in Thailand, but in the States, even when I was in college, I never lived in conditions that were as poor as what they were living in.

This is a point, but one reason is that there are not the social pressures on Expats here that there are at home.

I have always been perfectly comfortable with a clean single room with a private bath, but in San Francisco that would be looked down on for an adult - especially by desirable females. It is great not having to be concerned about such things.

[mark45y]

Excellent point. Keeping up with Somchai is not the same as keeping up with the Joneses.

In the States I kept a room and clothes at my mother's house and at my girlfriend's house and of course at my own home. My wife kicked me out at least once a month because I refused to stop seeing my GF. My GF kicked me out as frequently because I refused to divorce my wife. Mom was always happy to see me because she was widowed and had a fix it list taped to my closet door. Mom also kept hard salami and aged cheddar cheese in the fridge for my late night arrivals.

In Thailand I don't find the need for a large home. I have a one bedroom condo in an older building with one AC unit in the bedroom.

I don't have women kicking me out of my condo here. I stay and they leave. I keep a drawer with spare padlocks and locked door knobs which allows me to change locks within a few minutes of the woman's departure.

I use government hospitals or Thai oriented private hospitals and that is more expensive than the States where my Veterans benefits provided free medications and free health care for the most part.

I agree with UG in that a one room or one bedroom apartment in the States would be looked down on by desirable females. In Thailand I rarely if ever bring desirable females home for the night.

When I was new to Thailand I did but found it almost impossible to get them to leave. Even if one lives modestly, as I do, they think Falang's are rich and I must have money stashed under the mattress.

“Sweetheart, I take a bus because I am not rich.” “No, no you take a bus because you like to look ladies on the bus I know falang.”

One of the big savings here is the cost of serial monogamy. It will take at least three years of refusing to make major purchases and upgrade the lifestyle of the family before you are completely written off and she leaves to try greener pastures.

The cost of entertainment at home is also much less here. In the West a dinner party was a major expense. Here it is a big fish, some vegetables and a bottle of Thai whiskey. Nor do Thai women seem to mind a party with no Thai men in attendance or at least don't mind after half a bottle of whiskey is consumed. You see I am old and don't really need the competition.

I will admit I don't bring the ladies with the Ph D's in physics home much because they don't like to sit on the floor cook normally inedible parts of animals for dinner.

Five years ago my pension was 80,000 baht per month now it is 50,000 and I have made some adjustments. I entertain less and with older women who don't dance on a pole for a living. I moved from a new condo to an older one and take a bus instead of a plane when I want to travel. I also work occasionally and bring in 50,000 a month when I want to do something or someone special.

I buy good clothes and wash them by hand so they last.

I buy seconds not knockoffs. I take the seconds to a tailor to repair the minor flaws that made them seconds.

I have the time to shop because I am not a wage slave most of the time.

I lived for 20 years on the West coast of Florida. A lot of retired British and Canadian people have homes there and spend 6 months a year in a climate very much like Thailand. They search the immaculate white sand beaches for seashells during the afternoon, and spend the evenings in search early bird dinner specials. The women seem happy enough but the men all have a look of quiet desperation that is only remedied by happy hour. Me, I spend my afternoons searching for slim raven haired beauties with flashing white smiles that light up night with Issan radiance.

[Naam]

Have to disagree on that one. I'm sure gregb's mother could easily half her electricity bill, and be a little kinder to the environment, leaving some resources for generations to come

I used to have a bill for 8,000 baht electricity on a 4 bed house here. Also had a private swimming pool BTW.

Her electricity bill is about 3 times what we now pay on a condo with people sleeping in 3 separate rooms and aircon in each bedroom for around 8 hours a day instead of 24 . Aircon is your biggest electricity expense.

His overall point about changing/ adapting/ wanting the same as back home is perhaps valid. The bit about the aircon unfortunately undermines it, as it isn't normal or even reasonable. Back in the west people are more likely to have heating than aircon, and most normal people don't leave their heating on 24/7 365 days a year. They will also be prepared to wait for a minute when you turn the heating on

not necessarily. even though my attitude is "i did not move to Thailand to save x-amount of income tax and then sweat because i am saving a tiny percentage of said x-amount on electricity". the share of cooling our home exceeds 50% (all areas are kept at a moderate but acceptable temperature any time of the day) only one or two months a year (april/may). during the other months it varies, depending on season and ambient temperatures, between 30 and 40%.

reasons:

-5 occupants (wife, myself and three live-in employees) who use hot water for showers

-laundry for 5

-clothes dryer for 5

-pool

-pond

-pond waterfall

-deepwell

-house water supply

-5 fridges, one freezer

-garden irrigation

-cooking

-lighting

-TVs

-computers

-external lighting

these are the facts which i listed to provide a feast for tree-huggers, carbon-footprint aficionados and global warming believers.

[dmax]

cambodia much better, pay $20 at immagration and stay the rest of your life for free !! no hassles !! no worries !!

[Jingthing]

cambodia much better, pay $20 at immagration and stay the rest of your life for free !! no hassles !! no worries !!

Cambodia may be easier for visas (is actually) but it doesn't rate at all for a retirement destination as it doesn't offer decent medical care. Anything at all complicated and you have to evacuate to Thailand, if you can.

Edited December 25, 2010 by Jingthing

[GreenSnapper]

cambodia much better, pay $20 at immagration and stay the rest of your life for free !! no hassles !! no worries !!

Cambodia may be easier for visas (is actually) but it doesn't rate at all for a retirement destination as it doesn't offer decent medical care. Anything at all complicated and you have to evacuate to Thailand, if you can.

Exactly. The infrastructure, including shopping and medical service, is much better in Thailand. Retiring in really poor countries (this includes the Philippines) is short sighted. Cambodia is fine for a holiday, but not much else.