Retirees? What'S Your Thai Living Budget?

[Naam]

If I was 50 or 60 then I doubt I would be wanting a ducati (does that really go away ?? )

yes it does! once you cross 50 you are not satisified anymore with a Ducati or a V8. what you want is a 12-cylindre firing out of four exhausts. and when you cross 60 you want the 12-cylindre plus an ample supply of blue pills and you enjoy a good bottle of wine as well as an "unhealthy" lamb shank more and more.

:jap:

[Naam]

Thailand is very cheap to exist in, and theres a lot of substitution you can make, but lots of things are much more expensive than the west

Thailand has become unbearably expensive for foreigners. just look at the racist 150 Baht which Thai Banks charge when you cash a few hundred Baht from an ATM to finance your Chang or Beer Lao consumption sitting on the steps leading to a 7/11

[LivinLOS]

If I was 50 or 60 then I doubt I would be wanting a ducati (does that really go away ?? )

yes it does! once you cross 50 you are not satisified anymore with a Ducati or a V8. what you want is a 12-cylindre firing out of four exhausts. and when you cross 60 you want the 12-cylindre plus an ample supply of blue pills and you enjoy a good bottle of wine as well as an "unhealthy" lamb shank more and more.

:jap:

Naam you know that car generates the sin of envy.. Please help me to be less sinful today (note less ) by not reminding me.

Ohh how I regret selling mine.

[LivinLOS]

Thailand is very cheap to exist in, and theres a lot of substitution you can make, but lots of things are much more expensive than the west

Thailand has become unbearably expensive for foreigners. just look at the racist 150 Baht which Thai Banks charge when you cash a few hundred Baht from an ATM to finance your Chang or Beer Lao consumption sitting on the steps leading to a 7/11

Dont worry.. BoA are doing their best to balance the east west divide !!

[RidersCorner]

Those are balance sheet items, theu dont hit the P&L 'till they break.

100,000 bht a month seems to be my magic number without watching the pennies, that includes riding (motorcycles) whenever i get the itch

By my count you have spent about 100k a month ON motorcycles since I met you

[Naam]

You bought the bungalow, but it's not longer yours I suppose?

when they carry you to the graveyard or spread your ashes into the sea nothing is no longer yours... i suppose

[mamborobert]

An utterly pointless thread and one that stands to do some harm if a potential retiree wanted to come to CM after having spent a few visits and is now alarmed about the numbers being thrown about here.

So many variables in taste, age, pursuits.....just as if you were in whatever your homeland is. Same as rentals and home/condo purchases you can easily run from 1 million to 5 million without trying hard, and with a minor bit of effort get into the 15 million to 50 million bracket.

What is even more suprising once we get past the "I can live like a Thai because I am more Thai than Thai crowd" is there are a few posters here that have been bemoaning the need to meet the 800 000 baht balance for retirees (that has been unindexed for years), or have been screaming poverty on other threads due to the lower US or UK or Euro exchange rates, or the Baht being too high.....that now appear to be Baht millionaires or multi miliiomnaires on his thread.

There are oodles of posts on expats that live and raise families on less than the 45000 Baht required, likewise for retirees with the 800 000 Baht. and there are others than live well beyond these figures and to my mind get a much higher quality fo life for that outlay than they would in their homeland....good luck to one and all...

But please don't look at what an ideal budget for an expat is, and please be mindful that the budget you provide unless qualified may persuade a potential expat that they can enjoy the luxuries of Veerachai Court or even worse still never have enough to reside in Thailand long term.

Lets not put people off with the my condo is bigger than your condo argument, or all I need is 30 sqares for the rest of my life posts.

Edited October 10, 2011 by mamborobert

[Naam]

If I was 50 or 60 then I doubt I would be wanting a ducati (does that really go away ?? )

yes it does! once you cross 50 you are not satisified anymore with a Ducati or a V8. what you want is a 12-cylindre firing out of four exhausts. and when you cross 60 you want the 12-cylindre plus an ample supply of blue pills and you enjoy a good bottle of wine as well as an "unhealthy" lamb shank more and more.

:jap:

Naam you know that car generates the sin of envy.. Please help me to be less sinful today (note less ) by not reminding me.

Ohh how I regret selling mine.

ask who else regretted however i'll do my best not to generate envy but draw your attention to the fact that the last shirt has no pockets. so why not indulge in a bit of little boy luxury and play with a toy you might like? drive a Ducati during weekdays and have some fun on the weekends like me and my dogs. the three of us enjoy very much this toy with special seats and harnesses for the dogs:

[LivinLOS]

Those are balance sheet items, theu dont hit the P&L 'till they break.

100,000 bht a month seems to be my magic number without watching the pennies, that includes riding (motorcycles) whenever i get the itch

By my count you have spent about 100k a month ON motorcycles since I met you

Ahh love it... So theres no asset expenditure reporting in this statement of accounts !!

Worse than enron !!

[LivinLOS]

If I was 50 or 60 then I doubt I would be wanting a ducati (does that really go away ?? )

yes it does! once you cross 50 you are not satisified anymore with a Ducati or a V8. what you want is a 12-cylindre firing out of four exhausts. and when you cross 60 you want the 12-cylindre plus an ample supply of blue pills and you enjoy a good bottle of wine as well as an "unhealthy" lamb shank more and more.

:jap:

Naam you know that car generates the sin of envy.. Please help me to be less sinful today (note less ) by not reminding me.

Ohh how I regret selling mine.

ask who else regretted however i'll do my best not to generate envy but draw your attention to the fact that the last shirt has no pockets. so why not indulge in a bit of little boy luxury and play with a toy you might like? drive a Ducati during weekdays and have some fun on the weekends like me and my dogs. the three of us enjoy very much this toy with special seats and harnesses for the dogs:

You put your dogs in the car ??

Right thats it.. Off to see the priest for confession.

[LivinLOS]

That now appear to be Baht millionaires or multi miliiomnaires on his thread.

Dont set that bar too high there !!

Retiring on a baht million.. Hell I know bar girls who make that kind of money annually.. One just chopped in her couple of year fortuna, for a brand new fortuna, for no reason other than some muppets buying a new one for her.

Really who would retire to a country with no safety net with a mil baht assets ??

[Naam]

You put your dogs in the car ??

Right thats it.. Off to see the priest for confession.

i don't allow anyone else in this car, like... humans with dirty shoes and oily fingers

[drnkurmlkshk]

I am not a retiree but I live in CM. I live with a friend and we share a 2 bedroom condo in the middle of town. I think the condo is really nice and is fully furnished with all appliances except no oven, has a 50 inch plasma and surround sound. It is on the top story of the building. My "basic" expenses are:

15k a month on food - a mix of Rimping shopping, ordering in and eating out at Thai. This also includes beverages.

13k for my half of rent

1300 gym

3500 for my half of electicity - we run the AC always

2400 for motorbike rental and gas

1300 for my half of internet - it is for my work so we need a really reliable one... this could be 10 dollars each on a decent plan

300 a month on average for Visa related stuff

Beyond this I don't spend that much since I am a total home body. I do get massages weekly. I also go drinking once or twice a month. This stuff is just way cheaper than back home, though.

I lead a way more comfortable life overall than back home I'd say. The people saying that the cost of living here is not cheaper probably forgot just how expensive home really is (especially if you're European). Not only is it cheaper but the real benefit is that dating here is actually reasonable whereas it is not enjoyable at all back home.

[LivinLOS]

I lead a way more comfortable life overall than back home I'd say. The people saying that the cost of living here is not cheaper probably forgot just how expensive home really is (especially if you're European).

Nope I run a UK household, pay my mums rent, her council taxes, and all her living expenses.. So pretty familiar with what a uk person who doesnt spend a lot costs.

Just bought her a great little diesel car.. Low kms.. Something like 60k baht.

What kills you here is luxury goods.. Dont like plastic polyester bedsheets ?? Seen the price of high tread count linens ?? Some high end speakers I would like which would be a couple of k GBP on uk ebay.. Dealer in bangkok wanted 700k.. 23k USD for some speakers !! Thailand just doesnt have much of a luxury goods market, so everything has to come from the west, pay shipping and import taxes, then get marked up by whoever is reselling it and who is usually a super low volume seller. So if you like nice stuff, it makes total sense why it costs more. But no pretending it doesnt.

Whats really cheap here is anything made domestically and doubly so for things with a high labour component as wages are low. Hence you get your laundry done for a couple hundred baht or your garden worked on by a team all day for a 1000. But it takes an awful lot of cheap laundry to make up for one pair of 700k speakers.

Edited October 10, 2011 by LivinLOS

[NancyL]

I am not a retiree but I live in CM. I live with a friend and we share a 2 bedroom condo in the middle of town. I think the condo is really nice and is fully furnished with all appliances except no oven, has a 50 inch plasma and surround sound. It is on the top story of the building. My "basic" expenses are:

15k a month on food - a mix of Rimping shopping, ordering in and eating out at Thai. This also includes beverages.

13k for my half of rent

1300 gym

3500 for my half of electicity - we run the AC always

2400 for motorbike rental and gas

1300 for my half of internet - it is for my work so we need a really reliable one... this could be 10 dollars each on a decent plan

300 a month on average for Visa related stuff

Beyond this I don't spend that much since I am a total home body. I do get massages weekly. I also go drinking once or twice a month. This stuff is just way cheaper than back home, though.

I lead a way more comfortable life overall than back home I'd say. The people saying that the cost of living here is not cheaper probably forgot just how expensive home really is (especially if you're European). Not only is it cheaper but the real benefit is that dating here is actually reasonable whereas it is not enjoyable at all back home.

Thank you for giving some realistic cost numbers. Now be prepared for other TV posters who say "I don't spend that much for electric; you must be a total hog to use that much", etc. I'm sorry, but that's what will happen. Just develop a thick skin and continue to be honest.

Sounds like you have a nice life here.

[NancyL]

There are oodles of posts on expats that live and raise families on less than the 45000 Baht required, likewise for retirees with the 800 000 Baht. and there are others than live well beyond these figures and to my mind get a much higher quality fo life for that outlay than they would in their homeland....good luck to one and all...

But please don't look at what an ideal budget for an expat is, and please be mindful that the budget you provide unless qualified may persuade a potential expat that they can enjoy the luxuries of Veerachai Court or even worse still never have enough to reside in Thailand long term.

Let's remember that people who aren't meeting the financial requirements of their visas are just one hospitalization away from buying a one-way ticket out of the country. Hospitals are required to report check-ins to Immigration, just as hotels are, and they'll let them know if the patient is claiming poverty. The Veerchai Court crowd is skating on thin ice.

[LivinLOS]

There are oodles of posts on expats that live and raise families on less than the 45000 Baht required, likewise for retirees with the 800 000 Baht. and there are others than live well beyond these figures and to my mind get a much higher quality fo life for that outlay than they would in their homeland....good luck to one and all...

But please don't look at what an ideal budget for an expat is, and please be mindful that the budget you provide unless qualified may persuade a potential expat that they can enjoy the luxuries of Veerachai Court or even worse still never have enough to reside in Thailand long term.

Let's remember that people who aren't meeting the financial requirements of their visas are just one hospitalization away from buying a one-way ticket out of the country. Hospitals are required to report check-ins to Immigration, just as hotels are, and they'll let them know if the patient is claiming poverty. The Veerchai Court crowd is skating on thin ice.

And if your 'raising a family' I would expect you to have the desire to give children a decent education ?? I dont know CM's school fees, but on Phuket you can spend 40k a month just on school fees in the only 2 schools with an international program worth having them in there.

Also theres the kind of stuff that blindsides you more here.. The total unpredictable, couldnt know it was coming stuff. For many thats medical (I had a missus before who got sick and I spent 800k in 6 months trying, and failing, to save her.. I had insurance but I hadnt thought to fully insure her yet) for others thats costly legal disputes, or a vehicle damaged by hit and run, or some as yet undefined mystery problem.

Most people running on the close to the breadline numbers are not budgeting tip top insurance (what does it cost a 60 year old person for full bupa ?) and then when something does happen their plan is to flee back home. To me thats not being commited to living somewhere properly. You cant compare the person with a rental apartment and a suitcase's budget against someone whose planted their flag and said this is where I will base. My lifes here, my homes is here, my wife is here, theres a chance I may die here, whatever happens to me here, I will face it here.

[ludditeman]

There are oodles of posts on expats that live and raise families on less than the 45000 Baht required, likewise for retirees with the 800 000 Baht. and there are others than live well beyond these figures and to my mind get a much higher quality fo life for that outlay than they would in their homeland....good luck to one and all...

But please don't look at what an ideal budget for an expat is, and please be mindful that the budget you provide unless qualified may persuade a potential expat that they can enjoy the luxuries of Veerachai Court or even worse still never have enough to reside in Thailand long term.

Let's remember that people who aren't meeting the financial requirements of their visas are just one hospitalization away from buying a one-way ticket out of the country. Hospitals are required to report check-ins to Immigration, just as hotels are, and they'll let them know if the patient is claiming poverty. The Veerchai Court crowd is skating on thin ice.

And if your 'raising a family' I would expect you to have the desire to give children a decent education ?? I dont know CM's school fees, but on Phuket you can spend 40k a month just on school fees in the only 2 schools with an international program worth having them in there.

Also theres the kind of stuff that blindsides you more here.. The total unpredictable, couldnt know it was coming stuff. For many thats medical (I had a missus before who got sick and I spent 800k in 6 months trying, and failing, to save her.. I had insurance but I hadnt thought to fully insure her yet) for others thats costly legal disputes, or a vehicle damaged by hit and run, or some as yet undefined mystery problem.

School is free (but Uniforms and books are about 4,000bht a year)

Health care is free for Thais (and foreigners with a Yellow book)

[LivinLOS]

There are oodles of posts on expats that live and raise families on less than the 45000 Baht required, likewise for retirees with the 800 000 Baht. and there are others than live well beyond these figures and to my mind get a much higher quality fo life for that outlay than they would in their homeland....good luck to one and all...

But please don't look at what an ideal budget for an expat is, and please be mindful that the budget you provide unless qualified may persuade a potential expat that they can enjoy the luxuries of Veerachai Court or even worse still never have enough to reside in Thailand long term.

Let's remember that people who aren't meeting the financial requirements of their visas are just one hospitalization away from buying a one-way ticket out of the country. Hospitals are required to report check-ins to Immigration, just as hotels are, and they'll let them know if the patient is claiming poverty. The Veerchai Court crowd is skating on thin ice.

And if your 'raising a family' I would expect you to have the desire to give children a decent education ?? I dont know CM's school fees, but on Phuket you can spend 40k a month just on school fees in the only 2 schools with an international program worth having them in there.

Also theres the kind of stuff that blindsides you more here.. The total unpredictable, couldnt know it was coming stuff. For many thats medical (I had a missus before who got sick and I spent 800k in 6 months trying, and failing, to save her.. I had insurance but I hadnt thought to fully insure her yet) for others thats costly legal disputes, or a vehicle damaged by hit and run, or some as yet undefined mystery problem.

School is free (but Uniforms and books are about 4,000bht a year)

Health care is free for Thais (and foreigners with a Yellow book)

OK.. No way I would start my childs learning education in the free thai schooling.

Or use the 30b healthcare from what I have seen of it.

[Naam]

I lead a way more comfortable life overall than back home I'd say. The people saying that the cost of living here is not cheaper probably forgot just how expensive home really is (especially if you're European).

Nope I run a UK household, pay my mums rent, her council taxes, and all her living expenses.. So pretty familiar with what a uk person who doesnt spend a lot costs.

Just bought her a great little diesel car.. Low kms.. Something like 60k baht.

What kills you here is luxury goods.. Dont like plastic polyester bedsheets ?? Seen the price of high tread count linens ?? Some high end speakers I would like which would be a couple of k GBP on uk ebay.. Dealer in bangkok wanted 700k.. 23k USD for some speakers !! Thailand just doesnt have much of a luxury goods market, so everything has to come from the west, pay shipping and import taxes, then get marked up by whoever is reselling it and who is usually a super low volume seller. So if you like nice stuff, it makes total sense why it costs more. But no pretending it doesnt.

Whats really cheap here is anything made domestically and doubly so for things with a high labour component as wages are low. Hence you get your laundry done for a couple hundred baht or your garden worked on by a team all day for a 1000. But it takes an awful lot of cheap laundry to make up for one pair of 700k speakers.

why not just run of the mill 24 carat gold plated speakers without diamond studding?

[ludditeman]

OK.. No way I would start my childs learning education in the free thai schooling.

Or use the 30b healthcare from what I have seen of it.

I use both and they are fine. (Doesn't cost 30bht any more, free now)

Hospital, bit of hanging around, but then I'm in no hurry, plenty of attractive nurses to talk with.

School, well at least they learn to read and write Thai, which they might miss out on in an International school.

Don't knock it, until you've tried it.

Edited October 11, 2011 by ludditeman

[OriginalPoster]

OK.. No way I would start my childs learning education in the free thai schooling.

Or use the 30b healthcare from what I have seen of it.

I use both and they are fine. (Doesn't cost 30bht any more, free now)

Hospital, bit of hanging around, but then I'm in no hurry, plenty of attractive nurses to talk with.

School, well at least they learn to read and write Thai, which they might miss out on in an International school.

Don't knock it, until you've tried it.

Have you used the "30 baht" medical care for anything complicated?

[OriginalPoster]

OK.. No way I would start my childs learning education in the free thai schooling.

Or use the 30b healthcare from what I have seen of it.

I use both and they are fine. (Doesn't cost 30bht any more, free now)

Hospital, bit of hanging around, but then I'm in no hurry, plenty of attractive nurses to talk with.

School, well at least they learn to read and write Thai, which they might miss out on in an International school.

Don't knock it, until you've tried it.

Have you used the "30 baht" medical care for anything complicated?

Also, as a foreigner, how do you gain access to that medical care. Are you entitled to it just by virtue of having a non-Imm visa?

[ludditeman]

Also, as a foreigner, how do you gain access to that medical care. Are you entitled to it just by virtue of having a non-Imm visa?

You need a Yellow house book, so would need a Thai wife with property, or a condo, or a lease, etc.

Health care is linked to the Thai house book, not a persons nationality, it is only free in the area your house book is registered.

Same for foreigner and Thai.

If a Thai is registered in Korat, but gets ill in Bangkok, they can't get free health care until they travel back to Korat

This is why so many Thais pay extra for private health care, they work in an area where they are not registered as living.

Edited October 11, 2011 by ludditeman

[OriginalPoster]

Also, as a foreigner, how do you gain access to that medical care. Are you entitled to it just by virtue of having a non-Imm visa?

You need a Yellow house book, so would need a Thai wife with property, or a condo, or a lease, etc.

Health care is linked to the Thai house book, not a persons nationality, it is only free in the area your house book is registered.

Same for foreigner and Thai.

If a Thai is registered in Korat, but gets ill in Bangkok, they can't get free health care until they travel back to Korat

This is why so many Thais pay extra for private health care, they work in an area where they are not registered as living.

I don't own property; am married to a Thai woman but she doesn't have property either. Does that mean that she can't get the now-free "30 baht" care even though she's a Thai national?

In my (or her) case there's another factor though. Both she and her family steadfastly refuse to even consider the 30 Baht care. It's just a non-negotiable item. I think that it's because they just hate Taksin too much to accept it, and because they know that eventually I'll give in and foot the bill.

[LivinLOS]

I lead a way more comfortable life overall than back home I'd say. The people saying that the cost of living here is not cheaper probably forgot just how expensive home really is (especially if you're European).

Nope I run a UK household, pay my mums rent, her council taxes, and all her living expenses.. So pretty familiar with what a uk person who doesnt spend a lot costs.

Just bought her a great little diesel car.. Low kms.. Something like 60k baht.

What kills you here is luxury goods.. Dont like plastic polyester bedsheets ?? Seen the price of high tread count linens ?? Some high end speakers I would like which would be a couple of k GBP on uk ebay.. Dealer in bangkok wanted 700k.. 23k USD for some speakers !! Thailand just doesnt have much of a luxury goods market, so everything has to come from the west, pay shipping and import taxes, then get marked up by whoever is reselling it and who is usually a super low volume seller. So if you like nice stuff, it makes total sense why it costs more. But no pretending it doesnt.

Whats really cheap here is anything made domestically and doubly so for things with a high labour component as wages are low. Hence you get your laundry done for a couple hundred baht or your garden worked on by a team all day for a 1000. But it takes an awful lot of cheap laundry to make up for one pair of 700k speakers.

why not just run of the mill 24 carat gold plated speakers without diamond studding?

Well at a couple of K GBP I dont think them extreme.. I was thinking of replacing my 5 marble drums (nice 9.0's from norh) with the Bowers and Wilkins 802's (that do have 'diamond' tweeters actually ) http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers/Home_Audio/800_Series_Diamond/802-Diamond.html .. For a couple of k GBP.. I would.. But 700k baht its just not happening. Bloody heavy and fragile to ship also.. The cherry ones are simply superb but I will suffer on .. what did Buddha say about desire ??

Maybe once the house is built and I have put the projector setup back in a real theater room I can see if I can import some. Thai prices simply makes it not a value proposition.

Now I understand, lots of people dont shop this stuff, hence have no idea just how mind blowingly more expensive Thailand is, for these sort of items. It easily erases the gains in the cheap stuff with one big ticket item you get. If you like the luxury stuff, US and European supplies for it is simply much cheaper, plus theres a whole second hand and hobbyist market for these things which just doesnt exist here.

But of course then I have to pay taxes

Edited October 11, 2011 by LivinLOS

[hml367]

Also, as a foreigner, how do you gain access to that medical care. Are you entitled to it just by virtue of having a non-Imm visa?

You need a Yellow house book, so would need a Thai wife with property, or a condo, or a lease, etc.

Health care is linked to the Thai house book, not a persons nationality, it is only free in the area your house book is registered.

Same for foreigner and Thai.

If a Thai is registered in Korat, but gets ill in Bangkok, they can't get free health care until they travel back to Korat

This is why so many Thais pay extra for private health care, they work in an area where they are not registered as living.

I don't own property; am married to a Thai woman but she doesn't have property either. Does that mean that she can't get the now-free "30 baht" care even though she's a Thai national?

In my (or her) case there's another factor though. Both she and her family steadfastly refuse to even consider the 30 Baht care. It's just a non-negotiable item. I think that it's because they just hate Taksin too much to accept it, and because they know that eventually I'll give in and foot the bill.

Does your wife have a Thai ID?

MSPain

[LivinLOS]

OK.. No way I would start my childs learning education in the free thai schooling.

Or use the 30b healthcare from what I have seen of it.

I use both and they are fine. (Doesn't cost 30bht any more, free now)

Hospital, bit of hanging around, but then I'm in no hurry, plenty of attractive nurses to talk with.

School, well at least they learn to read and write Thai, which they might miss out on in an International school.

Don't knock it, until you've tried it.

Have you used the "30 baht" medical care for anything complicated?

A cousin compounded his leg and was being treated terribly under the 30b scheme.. I paid to move him to a Thai hospital that had a private setup for better care.

My father in law developed cancer.. They gave him some pain killers and sent him home to die 6 months later.. 30b wasnt going to give him proper oncology care. Just wasnt in the budget.

[LivinLOS]

School, well at least they learn to read and write Thai

As an added bonus, they get to play dress up as Nazis.

[OriginalPoster]

Also, as a foreigner, how do you gain access to that medical care. Are you entitled to it just by virtue of having a non-Imm visa?

You need a Yellow house book, so would need a Thai wife with property, or a condo, or a lease, etc.

Health care is linked to the Thai house book, not a persons nationality, it is only free in the area your house book is registered.

Same for foreigner and Thai.

If a Thai is registered in Korat, but gets ill in Bangkok, they can't get free health care until they travel back to Korat

This is why so many Thais pay extra for private health care, they work in an area where they are not registered as living.

I don't own property; am married to a Thai woman but she doesn't have property either. Does that mean that she can't get the now-free "30 baht" care even though she's a Thai national?

In my (or her) case there's another factor though. Both she and her family steadfastly refuse to even consider the 30 Baht care. It's just a non-negotiable item. I think that it's because they just hate Taksin too much to accept it, and because they know that eventually I'll give in and foot the bill.

Does your wife have a Thai ID?

MSPain

Yes, and a Thai passport.