How Much Money Are You Spending In Thailand?

[Kananga]

As you've finally bit after your previous sarcastic responses may we ask where you rent for 75k a month ??

The thread was started by someone with obvious knowledge requests but you giving it the big "I am" has trashed it.

Back to Bournemouth sunshine..

Really, I thought it was you taking offense with how strangers spend their money that really trashed it. Perhaps people should put disclaimers in their posts like Please tell me how much you spend per month, but if you spend over 50k a month on housing please don't tell us because Chivas will take offense and start an argument with you.

You've obviously got an agressive/jealous streak so giving you any information about where I live is probably not a good idea.

Get on buddy keep it up-most amusing.

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

Well, it would be the most logical explanation for your frothy outburst. I'm not sure what is more baffling about your behavior, the fact that you get so wound up by strangers spending habits, or that you think 75k is a large amount of money for a 4 bedroom house with a pool in central Bangkok in the 21st century.

[Jebhead]

As you've finally bit after your previous sarcastic responses may we ask where you rent for 75k a month ??

The thread was started by someone with obvious knowledge requests but you giving it the big "I am" has trashed it.

Back to Bournemouth sunshine..

Really, I thought it was you taking offense with how strangers spend their money that really trashed it. Perhaps people should put disclaimers in their posts like Please tell me how much you spend per month, but if you spend over 50k a month on housing please don't tell us because Chivas will take offense and start an argument with you.

You've obviously got an agressive/jealous streak so giving you any information about where I live is probably not a good idea.

Get on buddy keep it up-most amusing.

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

As already mentioned it's all relative, if you're making 1M a month, 75K a month is no big deal..... A decent 2 or 3 bedroom condo in certain areas of BKK you will pay double or more than that.

I spend on average 150 - 200K a month, all inc.

JH

[Axpat]

As you've finally bit after your previous sarcastic responses may we ask where you rent for 75k a month ??

The thread was started by someone with obvious knowledge requests but you giving it the big "I am" has trashed it.

Back to Bournemouth sunshine..

Really, I thought it was you taking offense with how strangers spend their money that really trashed it. Perhaps people should put disclaimers in their posts like Please tell me how much you spend per month, but if you spend over 50k a month on housing please don't tell us because Chivas will take offense and start an argument with you.

You've obviously got an agressive/jealous streak so giving you any information about where I live is probably not a good idea.

Get on buddy keep it up-most amusing.

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

It would certainly appear that way. Try not to let the successes of others affect you negatively. It's not healthy.

[Chivas]

As you've finally bit after your previous sarcastic responses may we ask where you rent for 75k a month ??

The thread was started by someone with obvious knowledge requests but you giving it the big "I am" has trashed it.

Back to Bournemouth sunshine..

Really, I thought it was you taking offense with how strangers spend their money that really trashed it. Perhaps people should put disclaimers in their posts like Please tell me how much you spend per month, but if you spend over 50k a month on housing please don't tell us because Chivas will take offense and start an argument with you.

You've obviously got an agressive/jealous streak so giving you any information about where I live is probably not a good idea.

Get on buddy keep it up-most amusing.

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

Well, it would be the most logical explanation for your frothy outburst. I'm not sure what is more baffling about your behavior, the fact that you get so wound up by strangers spending habits, or that you think 75k is a large amount of money for a 4 bedroom house with a pool in central Bangkok in the 21st century.

There you go bud-quite easy wasn't it...

[Kananga]

Really, I thought it was you taking offense with how strangers spend their money that really trashed it. Perhaps people should put disclaimers in their posts like Please tell me how much you spend per month, but if you spend over 50k a month on housing please don't tell us because Chivas will take offense and start an argument with you.

You've obviously got an agressive/jealous streak so giving you any information about where I live is probably not a good idea.

Get on buddy keep it up-most amusing.

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

Well, it would be the most logical explanation for your frothy outburst. I'm not sure what is more baffling about your behavior, the fact that you get so wound up by strangers spending habits, or that you think 75k is a large amount of money for a 4 bedroom house with a pool in central Bangkok in the 21st century.

There you go bud-quite easy wasn't it...

Ok, so you move in small non affluent circles. There's nothing wrong with that, but please try to understand that in this day and age 75k is not a lot of money for a decent sized property in central Bangkok. In fact you can pay 3 or 4 times that amount for single house dwellings these days. Whether it is 'ludicrous' or not to do so would depend on what percentage of your income was spent on the housing. How much is your monthly income?

[chiangmaibruce]

Do we REALLY need to do this AGAIN? Anyone wanna come up with a list of links to all the previous threads of this type? That list alone would be a page or more, I'm sure.

Here is a link to the last thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/494208-poll-regarding-expat-expenditure-in-thailand

[Jigger]

There have literally been 100's of threads like this before, why start another?

Your girlfriend sounds like she has a right catch with you. 20 pounds for a lunch for 3? My goodness! I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I spent that.

I like to live and not exist like a Thai,so I cannot get by on less than 120k a month.

To not exist like a Thai you need to spend at least AUD$4000 a month?

Thats roughly the average income of an Australian Family after tax.

Good on you for having such a good time, but come on - the statement I have bolded is complete wanke_r talk :jap:

[Naam]

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

i'm sure that your housing is not free Chivas. you might be referring to the fact that you don't pay rent, but owning a home does not mean free housing.

like you i don't pay rent but using a fair estimate of blocked capital that does not generate income and maintenance my indirect living cost is not a single Satang less than 200,000 per month (the amount is most probably higher).

[Jigger]

I should also point out that my COL is about 300,000 to 400,000 (not including my monthly visit to Sinagpore).

I like to live it up

[Naam]

To the other poster the cost of my housing is zero. But am obviously jealous of some fruit chucking out 75k a month...

i'm sure that your housing is not free Chivas. you might be referring to the fact that you don't pay rent, but owning a home does not mean free housing.

like you i don't pay rent but using a fair estimate of blocked capital that does not generate income and maintenance my indirect living cost is not a single Satang less than 200,000 per month (the amount is most probably higher).

i meant of course cost for housing only, not total living cost.

[JurgenG]

Based on my personal experience and what I've read in previous similar threads, if you're middle aged expat living in Bangkok who want to socialize with other middle aged expat, eat where other middle aged expat eat, send your kids to the same school and allow your wife to have a social life with other middled age expat wives, 150-200K monthly is a minimum .

Only for housing, I don't think you can find a nice place for a family, conveniently located, for less than 50K / month. I'm talking about Bangkok of course.

Now if you're younger, single or live in the sticks, you can survive comfortably with much less.

[kerryk]

This year is not interesting. But two years ago I didn't spend anything. My job included housing, food, transportation, maid/GF and health care.

It was a family business and I had known the family for years.

I eventually quit. It was too Thai. Total immersion in the culture and family life. You know the drill, weddings, funerals everyone called me uncle and I had 0 privacy and the maid was not young and pretty but the family reminded me that no one called me a snake head. I actually don't really mind being called a snake head every once in a while.

[McGarty]

A lot of I am so big headed that I can do this, this this, at 200K p.m.

Back to the OP's question.

6k to the lady in my life.

8k to rent 3 bed 3 bath house.

8k socialising.

4k + food (for the house)

300 fuel for the bike.

2k cigs

< 1200 electric

< 250 water

< 700 internet

4k incidentals

That about sums it up and I am content. I have a wonderful woman who works and earns 7K p.m. We get out each weekend and during the week too for a drink. We have T.V. the car (used rarely), the bike, plenty of room in the town house the internet and some good friends. We cook at home, shop at BigC and the local markets. As I say, I am content.

[nocturn]

It is becoming more difficult.

With the ever dwindling Thai bahts for foreign currancies plus inflation, that old belt is getting tighter and tighter each month.

I think especially with social. Just is too expensive these days and having to stay home a lot more.

great, we will look forward to a jump in your post count

[nocturn]

Family of 4

Rent - 75k

Money for wife for housekeeping etc - 40k

Beer money - 30k

One child school 28k (345,000/12)

Local holiday weekend break fund - 10k

The rest goes into retirement funds etc

So you drink roughly 500 beers per month, or 17 beers per day? Impressive.

Thanks. Although I should point out that beer money is a term that covers not only beer but all forms of alcohol. There is also no law that dictates I have to spend my beer money on alcohol either, its just there in case I do need to drink 500 beers in a month. Men have been known to spend their beer money on cheeseburgers and or whores in addition to beer.

Any real man would know this already.

Since I settled down I have saved a fortune on whores, although I now have to support the missus and kid which is probably more than my net spend was per month on whores.

Woman get your money one way or another.

while i don't support the Missus, i have a nanny and a kid to support and i resemble this remark

[nocturn]

Family of 4

Rent - 75k

Money for wife for housekeeping etc - 40k

Beer money - 30k

One child school 28k (345,000/12)

Local holiday weekend break fund - 10k

The rest goes into retirement funds etc

Why on earth are you paying around 1500 sterling a month for rent ??

(Please the answer is not because I can)

I know its not ideal, but its all I can afford. Like I said, I'm not on any form of package. I get the same benefits as the Thai staff.

Ludicrous amount no matter what package................. Always one....

judgmental cun_t who cannot understand that people may have different expectations, needs and requirements than himself ....... there is always one.

[nocturn]

Based on my personal experience and what I've read in previous similar threads, if you're middle aged expat living in Bangkok who want to socialize with other middle aged expat, eat where other middle aged expat eat, send your kids to the same school and allow your wife to have a social life with other middled age expat wives, 150-200K monthly is a minimum .

Only for housing, I don't think you can find a nice place for a family, conveniently located, for less than 50K / month. I'm talking about Bangkok of course.

Now if you're younger, single or live in the sticks, you can survive comfortably with much less.

I think this is pretty realistic.

[geriatrickid]

Do we REALLY need to do this AGAIN? Anyone wanna come up with a list of links to all the previous threads of this type? That list alone would be a page or more, I'm sure.

In fairness, it is relevant because there have been some very sharp increases in a great many costs. For example, airfare is up 10-20% depending upon class and route. Imported food costs have skyrocketed due to FX changes as well as logistics costs. Although rent, electricity, water costs have remained stable, try replacing the compressor on the A/C or the water filtration system and you are in for sticker shock from a few years ago. School costs jumped too. My friend at Uni didn't see tuition increases, but he is being bahted about with a 200 baht extra fee for this and 1000 baht for that. He used to do quite nicely at 20,000 baht of expenses a month 2 years ago, but now his subsistence lifestyle costs 30,000 baht/month in Patong. He's Thai and lives like a Thai. Proprietary medications have increased in costs and it must be hurting some of the elderly TVFers. It must be rather difficult for some people living on a fixed income that hasn't kept pace with the increased costs over the past two years. In my little bubble, I haven't had a salary adjustment in 4 years and the discretionary bonuses that used to cover my frivolous discretionary spending shrivelled away like my pecker getting out of the shower. A couple years ago, I had no understanding of the difficulty some people have. Now I get it. Everything is more expensive and investment income doesn't even cover those increases.

That's why I ask for patience, as the thread is educational and gives a real time indication.

[geriatrickid]

I should also point out that my COL is about 300,000 to 400,000 (not including my monthly visit to Sinagpore).

I like to live it up

Does that mean you splurge and order the hot dog on the Air Asia flight? sorry couldn't resist.

[Furbie]

Based on my personal experience and what I've read in previous similar threads, if you're middle aged expat living in Bangkok who want to socialize with other middle aged expat, eat where other middle aged expat eat, send your kids to the same school and allow your wife to have a social life with other middled age expat wives, 150-200K monthly is a minimum .

Only for housing, I don't think you can find a nice place for a family, conveniently located, for less than 50K / month. I'm talking about Bangkok of course.

Now if you're younger, single or live in the sticks, you can survive comfortably with much less.

For this group, frankly, I think your minimum amount would be before school, especially if it is more than one child. Its dam_n expensive now.

[Kananga]

Based on my personal experience and what I've read in previous similar threads, if you're middle aged expat living in Bangkok who want to socialize with other middle aged expat, eat where other middle aged expat eat, send your kids to the same school and allow your wife to have a social life with other middled age expat wives, 150-200K monthly is a minimum .

Only for housing, I don't think you can find a nice place for a family, conveniently located, for less than 50K / month. I'm talking about Bangkok of course.

Now if you're younger, single or live in the sticks, you can survive comfortably with much less.

For this group, frankly, I think your minimum amount would be before school, especially if it is more than one child. Its dam_n expensive now.

Exactly. How some of these chumps here expect you to house a family comfortably and provide a comparable standard of living to what you would have back home, put the kids through a decent school that promotes thinking and creativity, feed and clothe four people, have comprehensive medical cover and the occasional vacation for less than 80k a month is beyond me.

For some reason Thailand seems to attract a large amount of these types who seem to think living here has to be a pissing contest of spending as little as possible and heaven forbid those of us actually want our families to live in comfort relative to what we can afford or are accustomed to.

[Ijustwannateach]

I would agree with various previous posters that if you have to support people, things are naturally more expensive.

I would argue though that for the sake of this thread, if any of you are on expense accounts which cover housing, you leave that money out of the mix (because it is not technically money you're spending from wages or could keep in another form).

GK, I see your point and I'm not in a big hurry to close this thread as long as it stays civil. It just feels like it was yesterday....

[Kananga]

I would agree with various previous posters that if you have to support people, things are naturally more expensive.

I would argue though that for the sake of this thread, if any of you are on expense accounts which cover housing, you leave that money out of the mix (because it is not technically money you're spending from wages or could keep in another form).

GK, I see your point and I'm not in a big hurry to close this thread as long as it stays civil. It just feels like it was yesterday....

I disagree. It is no different to wages as it is money that is used to provide a necessity and is taxed the same as a base salary. Its all income at the end of the day and relevant to the question of how much people are spending here and what they get in terms of cost of living for that expenditure. Some people will just get a salary, others will get a salary, housing allowance, car allowance, bonuses etc, its all just money and its all taxable income, just split into subsections.

[PattayaParent]

Been averaging around 135,000 Baht a month for the last 3 years now, although that doesn't include overseas holidays that are paid for on the credit card.

[carmine]

Been averaging around 135,00 Baht a month for the last 3 years now, although that doesn't include overseas holidays that are paid for on the credit card.

How on earth do you live off 13500 baht per month?

[thaiIand]

Seriously its always the kids that make the $ go higher. If you dont party life is pretty "cheap" (sub100k) even if you eat good expensive food.

Then the kids come.. the lowest you can expect to pay is 15k per month for a good school and the price goes up every year they grow.

I have met a bunch of kids from farangs that go to public or thai private(like 30k per year) and these kids are dumb as hell compared. But they do sit pretty and they can learn by heart a bunch of lists of useless crap.

Personally i spend 100-150k but i have lived off 30k the last 3months having money trouble. Pretty easy to ease off for a little bit here.

[PattayaParent]

Been averaging around 135,00 Baht a month for the last 3 years now, although that doesn't include overseas holidays that are paid for on the credit card.

How on earth do you live off 13500 baht per month?

Ooops 135,000 a month average.

[thaihome]

I would argue though that for the sake of this thread, if any of you are on expense accounts which cover housing, you leave that money out of the mix (because it is not technically money you're spending from wages or could keep in another form).

Actually if you are receiving a housing, education, transportation, and/or cost of living allowance it is considered part of your salary and is included in your taxable income so I disagree it should be left out of this discussion because you are not “spending from wages”.

TH

[rgs2001uk]

I would argue though that for the sake of this thread, if any of you are on expense accounts which cover housing, you leave that money out of the mix (because it is not technically money you're spending from wages or could keep in another form).

Actually if you are receiving a housing, education, transportation, and/or cost of living allowance it is considered part of your salary and is included in your taxable income so I disagree it should be left out of this discussion because you are not "spending from wages".

TH

If you were not receiving these allownaces why would you even consider working here?

I personally know people receiving 200k per month, and thats not at the top end of what will be paid.

Trying sending two kids to a decent school and rent a house and see how far the 200k actually goes.

[jeffgood]

]Posted Today, 00:35

Kananga, on Today, 00:22 , said:

Family of 4

Rent - 75k

Money for wife for housekeeping etc - 40k

Beer money - 30k

One child school 28k (345,000/12)

Local holiday weekend break fund - 10k

The rest goes into retirement funds etc

So you drink roughly 500 beers per month, or 17 beers per day? Impressive

60 Baht a beer!! I haven't bought a beer for 60 Baht for about 8 years! I assume you don't live in BKK?...