Retirees? What'S Your Thai Living Budget?

[hml367]

deleted after more thought

MSPain

Edited October 11, 2011 by hml367

[ludditeman]

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.

Every Thai is registered in a House book somewhere. Look on her ID card, her registered address is in small Thai script at the bottom.

That will give the Tambon where she is entitled to free health care.

(If it's not local, bribe a local to put your wife in their house book, I pay an old lady 1000bht per person)

I agree, Thais love someone else to pay private hospital fees for them, but they don't need it.

PS

She had to show her house book to get a Thai passport.

Edited October 11, 2011 by ludditeman

[Priceless]

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

I bought a new audio set-up myself about 1½ years ago (though nowhere near as expensive as what you are looking at) and looked around for the price difference between Thailand and the West. I found that Thailand was more expensive, but not by that much. For that reason I checked up on what you are saying. Your 700,000 THB for the B&W 802s may well be correct, but your "couple of k GBP" does not seem to be. Prices I've found are ~11,500 GBP, which turns out as something like 560,000 THB. More expensive I agree, but not that ridiculous considering that they are clearly luxury items in a very small market.

Maybe you should revisit your market research?

/ Priceless

Edited October 11, 2011 by Priceless

[OriginalPoster]

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-wi...02-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

I bought a new audio set-up myself about 1½ years ago (though nowhere near as expensive as what you are looking at) and looked around for the price difference between Thailand and the West. I found that Thailand was more expensive, but not by that much. For that reason I checked up on what you are saying. Your 700,000 THB for the B&W 802s may well be correct, but your "couple of k GBP" does not seem to be. Prices I've found are ~11,500 GBP, which turns out as something like 560,000 THB. More expensive I agree, but not that ridiculous considering that they are clearly luxury items in a very small market.

Maybe you should revisit your market research?

/ Priceless

It may have changed in recent years but I recall from a few years ago that B&W's prices were much higher in the US compared to the UK as well. It was that way on a number of other high-end Euro and British brands as well, from a US perspective some of them actually looked cheap in Thailand. On US high end brands though, the Thai prices always seemed way high.

[LivinLOS]

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

I bought a new audio set-up myself about 1½ years ago (though nowhere near as expensive as what you are looking at) and looked around for the price difference between Thailand and the West. I found that Thailand was more expensive, but not by that much. For that reason I checked up on what you are saying. Your 700,000 THB for the B&W 802s may well be correct, but your "couple of k GBP" does not seem to be. Prices I've found are ~11,500 GBP, which turns out as something like 560,000 THB. More expensive I agree, but not that ridiculous considering that they are clearly luxury items in a very small market.

Maybe you should revisit your market research?

/ Priceless

Couple of k on ebay you may notice.. thats the thing lots of hobbyiest stuff is out there which just isnt here. They can generally be had in uk new 8k and if you hunt maybe 6 plus, last time I checked, but I freely admit this was a couple of years since I got the pricing. Maybe prices have gone up since then but the 700k was back then also. Once I saw the Thai pricing I just put it in the 'not until the house issue is settled' mindset so its not something I have looked at since my last villa was destroyed.

But thats just one of many many examples, I see stuff all the time thats many 100% higher here.. linen high thread count bedsheets I just had to do having moved house.. My espresso machine I shipped over when I moved years back finally died a death, a decent bean to cup delonghi here ?? 28k for the crappest one, 40k for middle of the range one. I got my brother to bring one next time he flew for 6k baht. My motorbike bits (all has to be imported).. I even buy a lot of my clothing in the west and post it, and stock up when I go back, because its not easy buying clothes or shoes my size (lots easier in CM than Phuket actually).

Actually I am lucky in that my brother is back and forth from Bali to the UK every few months, so I just buy stuff there and have him hand carry it over a lot of the time.

I just find so much of the stuff I need or want to buy, I end up buying from 'there' and not here, for quality reasons, for sizes, because its simply not here, etc.

[Naam]

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

i too have a soft spot for exquisite and expensive things. but not in my wettest and wildest dreams i'd spend 700k Baht on speakers on the other hand... there might be things i own which you would consider "wet and wild²"

[LivinLOS]

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

i too have a soft spot for exquisite and expensive things. but not in my wettest and wildest dreams i'd spend 700k Baht on speakers on the other hand... there might be things i own which you would consider "wet and wild²"

No.. you may notice I didnt either.. at a western price I might allow myself the luxury, after a good few trades, or some other reward. But at 700k, no, theres other things that would bring more pleasure.. The balance has gone then. I was just trying to use it as an example in how luxury items are often way way (not 10% or 30%) more.

My problem is I have champagne tastes but only allow myself a beer budget..

[OriginalPoster]

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-wi...02-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

I bought a new audio set-up myself about 1½ years ago (though nowhere near as expensive as what you are looking at) and looked around for the price difference between Thailand and the West. I found that Thailand was more expensive, but not by that much. For that reason I checked up on what you are saying. Your 700,000 THB for the B&W 802s may well be correct, but your "couple of k GBP" does not seem to be. Prices I've found are ~11,500 GBP, which turns out as something like 560,000 THB. More expensive I agree, but not that ridiculous considering that they are clearly luxury items in a very small market.

Maybe you should revisit your market research?

/ Priceless

Couple of k on ebay you may notice.. thats the thing lots of hobbyiest stuff is out there which just isnt here. They can generally be had in uk new 8k and if you hunt maybe 6 plus, last time I checked, but I freely admit this was a couple of years since I got the pricing. Maybe prices have gone up since then but the 700k was back then also. Once I saw the Thai pricing I just put it in the 'not until the house issue is settled' mindset so its not something I have looked at since my last villa was destroyed.

But thats just one of many many examples, I see stuff all the time thats many 100% higher here.. linen high thread count bedsheets I just had to do having moved house.. My espresso machine I shipped over when I moved years back finally died a death, a decent bean to cup delonghi here ?? 28k for the crappest one, 40k for middle of the range one. I got my brother to bring one next time he flew for 6k baht. My motorbike bits (all has to be imported).. I even buy a lot of my clothing in the west and post it, and stock up when I go back, because its not easy buying clothes or shoes my size (lots easier in CM than Phuket actually).

Actually I am lucky in that my brother is back and forth from Bali to the UK every few months, so I just buy stuff there and have him hand carry it over a lot of the time.

I just find so much of the stuff I need or want to buy, I end up buying from 'there' and not here, for quality reasons, for sizes, because its simply not here, etc.

Prices for 802's on eBay & Audiogon are going to be all over the map because B&W has been using that model number for probably 25 years and earlier versions, while not by any means cheap, were not stratospherically expensive.

[kjhbigv]

On the point if having a car/truck, that was the first purchase I made in CM and so glad I did.....gives you freedom and mobility with reasonable petrol and maintenance costs.....easy to do visa runs, easy to go to a beach, easy to travel around.....bought it 3.5 years ago and due to exchange rates, still worth the same in GBP as when I bought it...even excluding exchange rates it has probably only dropped 20% in 3 years....and now has 45000km on it and given me independence.

If you can afford it, buy in my opinion, you can always sell it at a later date.

[dingdongrb]

...there will be either medical insurance ( a total waste of money IMHO)...

Brilliant financial advice! Glad you are not my financial adviser. Got a few hundred thousand Baht socked away if you need cardiovascular or liver surgery since you "smoke and drink a lot of beer" I would imagine???

Insurance (health, accident, auto, motorcycle, etc.) should be on the top of the list for expats moving here.

anyone here who does not have at least 1 million baht tucked away for medical emergencies is IMO either stupid or just poor. You will find that yes they will pay 1500 baht a day for stay in hospital even pay for surgery and rest if your over 60and check your medical costs over last 5 years your insurance premiums will have been well over costs of insuring yourself and dont give me any of that if you do it before your 60 you can still get cover up to 75 you will find if you have long term expensive treatment needed they will start raising premiums hugely each year. IMO

Has got to be the longest run-on sentence I have every witnessed in TV...... Now what does it really mean?

[insertmembernamehere]

If you really want to spend your retirement years here eating 30 baht noodles, watching Thai TV to save on UBC costs and live in the country with the chickens and pigs, go for it. It will be cheap.

But if you want to live higher on the hog, you will have to open the purse a bit more.

I know a number of foreigners living in Thailand who for one reason or other live like they are in poverty compared to back in their own countries. If this is a lifestyle choice, it is a bizarre one.

Live to the fullest potential your budget will allow. Why not? Retirement is supposed to be the culmination of and the reward for a lifetime of work.

[LJW]

If you really want to spend your retirement years here eating 30 baht noodles, watching Thai TV to save on UBC costs and live in the country with the chickens and pigs, go for it. It will be cheap.

But if you want to live higher on the hog, you will have to open the purse a bit more.

I know a number of foreigners living in Thailand who for one reason or other live like they are in poverty compared to back in their own countries. If this is a lifestyle choice, it is a bizarre one.

Live to the fullest potential your budget will allow. Why not? Retirement is supposed to be the culmination of and the reward for a lifetime of work.

I think any retiree who lives sooo cheap probably does it because of their percieved need.

If they had more money, don't you think they would live better?

[muchogra]

Live within your means and not be too wasteful unnecessarily should be kept in mind.

[NancyL]

The problem is that you don't really know when you're going to die. My financial planner did a plan with spreadsheets and multi-color graphs that ended once I reached aged 92. I asked what happens after that, should I live so long. He didn't have a good answer. He's too much of gentleman to voice the correct answer (you're scr...wed)

[LivinLOS]

If you really want to spend your retirement years here eating 30 baht noodles, watching Thai TV to save on UBC costs and live in the country with the chickens and pigs, go for it. It will be cheap.

But if you want to live higher on the hog, you will have to open the purse a bit more.

I know a number of foreigners living in Thailand who for one reason or other live like they are in poverty compared to back in their own countries. If this is a lifestyle choice, it is a bizarre one.

Live to the fullest potential your budget will allow. Why not? Retirement is supposed to be the culmination of and the reward for a lifetime of work.

A perfect reply IMO.

[LivinLOS]

If you really want to spend your retirement years here eating 30 baht noodles, watching Thai TV to save on UBC costs and live in the country with the chickens and pigs, go for it. It will be cheap.

But if you want to live higher on the hog, you will have to open the purse a bit more.

I know a number of foreigners living in Thailand who for one reason or other live like they are in poverty compared to back in their own countries. If this is a lifestyle choice, it is a bizarre one.

Live to the fullest potential your budget will allow. Why not? Retirement is supposed to be the culmination of and the reward for a lifetime of work.

I think any retiree who lives sooo cheap probably does it because of their percieved need.

If they had more money, don't you think they would live better?

Not if posters in this (and the many many many others) are to be believed..

The whole "why do you need to shop at rimping, or live in a house costing more than 8k a month" crowd. As soon as someone says they use a lot of water (having a pool and ponds and fountains) or electricity pumping it, people jump on it and call them liars.

[uptheos]

If you really want to spend your retirement years here eating 30 baht noodles, watching Thai TV to save on UBC costs and live in the country with the chickens and pigs, go for it. It will be cheap.

I'm OK with the noodles, chickens and pigs bit......but if I had to watch Thai TV, then that's the time to call it a day.

[elektrified]

"...But isnt that the case others are saying ?? I mean I always find it kind of comical, when I meet someone (usually in their first 3 years here) who is raving about how cheap life is, still living from a suitcase in a small apartment, often with no insurance, riding a scooter for transport, when hes comparing his costs of living to being in the west..."

I don't see how some of the people that I meet around here, retirees or other, call staying in a cheap one room apartment, living out of a suitcase, 'living' or 'retirement'. It's more like existing. I didn't live that way when I was in college. I certainly would not want to live that way when and if I ever retire - which I doubt I would ever do any way. I think it looks silly (and somewhat shameful) for a guy in his mid-late 60's-80's to live like a Thai college student or a pauper. I would not criticize people who choose to get around on a 'scooter' as the other poster wrote. That is their choice. But the ones that drive without helmets and/or no insurance are fools.

[Ulysses G.]

I'm OK with the noodles, chickens and pigs bit......but if I had to watch Thai TV, then that's the time to call it a day.

Even I am willing to pay for WETV for the English channels.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[elektrified]

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)

I've never met a Thai who sends their kids to a free school. What do you think they would learn there? Heck the Karen woman who cleans my house has both her kids in Dara!

The free healthcare in sub-standard. Most Thais will not use it.

Get real!

[elektrified]

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.

You are completely out of touch with reality.

[hml367]

I've never met a Thai who sends their kids to a free school. What do you think they would learn there? Heck the Karen woman who cleans my house has both her kids in Dara!

The free healthcare in sub-standard. Most Thais will not use it.

Get real!

I wonder where all the students in the free schools come from....

MSPain

[ludditeman]

I've never met a Thai who sends their kids to a free school. What do you think they would learn there? Heck the Karen woman who cleans my house has both her kids in Dara!

The free healthcare in sub-standard. Most Thais will not use it.

Get real!

The state class-rooms are full of children (parents meeting last month, packed with parents and children)

The state hospitals are full of patients (had a 3 day stay there 2 weeks ago)

The state Sunday high school (catch up) is also very busy (visited last month, class-room full)

You are completely out of touch with reality.

I wonder which one of us is really out of touch (with reality).

Edited October 15, 2011 by ludditeman

[philliphn]

"...But isnt that the case others are saying ?? I mean I always find it kind of comical, when I meet someone (usually in their first 3 years here) who is raving about how cheap life is, still living from a suitcase in a small apartment, often with no insurance, riding a scooter for transport, when hes comparing his costs of living to being in the west..."

I don't see how some of the people that I meet around here, retirees or other, call staying in a cheap one room apartment, living out of a suitcase, 'living' or 'retirement'. It's more like existing. I didn't live that way when I was in college. I certainly would not want to live that way when and if I ever retire - which I doubt I would ever do any way. I think it looks silly (and somewhat shameful) for a guy in his mid-late 60's-80's to live like a Thai college student or a pauper. I would not criticize people who choose to get around on a 'scooter' as the other poster wrote. That is their choice. But the ones that drive without helmets and/or no insurance are fools.

Lets take a look at some of your assumptions.

For instance myself. I have a million USD in assets, and a pension. I am 56 years old. I have no dependents. Likely I will triple this sum due to fortunate, but sad circumstances, in the not too distant future. I hope this eventuality will occur later rather than sooner. I live in the USA. I have a large 3 story home, on 5 acres. Which I wish I could sell. Then I could live in Thailand, and Florida on the beach. I never go upstairs in my house. I live in my Master bedroom, and kitchen. The size of the area that I live in is about the size of a medium/large sized Studio condominium. I could easily be very happy, and comfortable living in a medium sized Studio Condominium. I live on my adequate, but not huge pension, which includes world wide Medical Coverage. I essentially live on my pension. I don't spend my assets. I am not very materialistic. I don't buy the most expensive car that I can afford. Though I drive a 2012 car. I don't get the biggest, or the best. On my next vacation to Thailand in Chaingmai, I will stay at Verachai Court Hotel. I can afford better. In Pattaya, I stay at Siam Sawasdee on Soi Bukuao. I wear a very cheap watch. I dress in Blue Jeans, and a nice shirt. I fly second class. I drink very very little alcohol. I do travel some. When people find out my situation. Which most don't. They comment. He does not look like a millionaire. I have a Masters degree, but never lived in a dorm. The point is even if you can afford it. You don't have to have the biggest, best, most expensive. To be happy.

[OriginalPoster]

"...But isnt that the case others are saying ?? I mean I always find it kind of comical, when I meet someone (usually in their first 3 years here) who is raving about how cheap life is, still living from a suitcase in a small apartment, often with no insurance, riding a scooter for transport, when hes comparing his costs of living to being in the west..."

I don't see how some of the people that I meet around here, retirees or other, call staying in a cheap one room apartment, living out of a suitcase, 'living' or 'retirement'. It's more like existing. I didn't live that way when I was in college. I certainly would not want to live that way when and if I ever retire - which I doubt I would ever do any way. I think it looks silly (and somewhat shameful) for a guy in his mid-late 60's-80's to live like a Thai college student or a pauper. I would not criticize people who choose to get around on a 'scooter' as the other poster wrote. That is their choice. But the ones that drive without helmets and/or no insurance are fools.

Lets take a look at some of your assumptions.

For instance myself. I have a million USD in assets, and a pension. I am 56 years old. I have no dependents. Likely I will triple this sum due to fortunate, but sad circumstances, in the not too distant future. I hope this eventuality will occur later rather than sooner. I live in the USA. I have a large 3 story home, on 5 acres. Which I wish I could sell. Then I could live in Thailand, and Florida on the beach. I never go upstairs in my house. I live in my Master bedroom, and kitchen. The size of the area that I live in is about the size of a medium/large sized Studio condominium. I could easily be very happy, and comfortable living in a medium sized Studio Condominium. I live on my adequate, but not huge pension, which includes world wide Medical Coverage. I essentially live on my pension. I don't spend my assets. I am not very materialistic. I don't buy the most expensive car that I can afford. Though I drive a 2012 car. I don't get the biggest, or the best. On my next vacation to Thailand in Chaingmai, I will stay at Verachai Court Hotel. I can afford better. In Pattaya, I stay at Siam Sawasdee on Soi Bukuao. I wear a very cheap watch. I dress in Blue Jeans, and a nice shirt. I fly second class. I drink very very little alcohol. I do travel some. When people find out my situation. Which most don't. They comment. He does not look like a millionaire. I have a Masters degree, but never lived in a dorm. The point is even if you can afford it. You don't have to have the biggest, best, most expensive. To be happy.

You hear about cases like that occasionally in the States too, where some old guy living alone in a trailer park turns out to have $1M in assets or more when he dies. Not sure that I'd any more prefer to do that in Thailand than in the US.

[lounger]

50,000 Baht a month seems to be the magic amount,and if you rent maybe 15,000pm bills water,elect about 3,000pm,internet and phone about 1,500pm + running a car or motor bike and the cost of the most important FOOD around 10,000pm. then you may fancy a beer ???? and extra cost like a chick or 2 per month Price ummm sky's the limit.this is a rough guide only.oh if you have kids they will need school etc 30,000-50,000 baht each per term

How can 50,000 be the magic amount. It doesnt reconcile with the exchange rate changes, average pension drawdowns or the immigration requirements.

These would produce figures of say 1) 70,000 ( 50,000 + exchange loss), 2) UK: 20,000 ( pension 100quid a week), 3) 33,333/66,666 ( 400k/800kpa)

The average of these three amounts is surprisingly about 50,000pm! oh well

I guess it depends where you take the sample. In my village in rural Thailand there are some guys who cant afford the immigration requirements and do visa runs. One chap never goes out and lives on chicken feet soup. Others like holidays(!) in Bangkok etc and that can may be 5,000baht per day ( TAT figures)

[muchogra]

Quote: "One chap never goes out and lives on chicken feet soup..."

Chicken feet soup is good. I made some last week. My recipe: boil peanuts (with the skin) till it's getting soft. Dump in all the chicken feet and add several good black mushroom. Boil till they are soft. Add salt and it's done. Dip chicken feet in soy sauce with chilli powder or paste to serve. Yummy or yukky?

[insertmembernamehere]

I live on about 50,000 a month I guess.

My rent is about 15,000/month. I could find a place for less, but if you saw where I live, you, like me, would feel it is worth it.

I live a normal life money-wise.

I could spend more, and on some months I do splash out (I flew to Bangkok for the opening day of the movie Avatar, for example; I bought a chopper because I wanted one), and I suppose I could cut back and spend less, but not much less. And people who say they can live on 25,000 a month must be living very frugal lives indeed. I am sure it is possible, but I think you'd be doing without any luxuries or even domestic travel for pleasure.

I believe that part of the retirement visa requirement is that if you have a pension (plus money in a Thai bank), that monthly sum must be at least 60,000 baht. So if that is right, then someone must have made some study on the subject to come up with that as a reasonable amount.

[NancyL]

"...But isnt that the case others are saying ?? I mean I always find it kind of comical, when I meet someone (usually in their first 3 years here) who is raving about how cheap life is, still living from a suitcase in a small apartment, often with no insurance, riding a scooter for transport, when hes comparing his costs of living to being in the west..."

I don't see how some of the people that I meet around here, retirees or other, call staying in a cheap one room apartment, living out of a suitcase, 'living' or 'retirement'. It's more like existing. I didn't live that way when I was in college. I certainly would not want to live that way when and if I ever retire - which I doubt I would ever do any way. I think it looks silly (and somewhat shameful) for a guy in his mid-late 60's-80's to live like a Thai college student or a pauper. I would not criticize people who choose to get around on a 'scooter' as the other poster wrote. That is their choice. But the ones that drive without helmets and/or no insurance are fools.

Lets take a look at some of your assumptions.

For instance myself. I have a million USD in assets, and a pension. I am 56 years old. I have no dependents. Likely I will triple this sum due to fortunate, but sad circumstances, in the not too distant future. I hope this eventuality will occur later rather than sooner. I live in the USA. I have a large 3 story home, on 5 acres. Which I wish I could sell. Then I could live in Thailand, and Florida on the beach. I never go upstairs in my house. I live in my Master bedroom, and kitchen. The size of the area that I live in is about the size of a medium/large sized Studio condominium. I could easily be very happy, and comfortable living in a medium sized Studio Condominium. I live on my adequate, but not huge pension, which includes world wide Medical Coverage. I essentially live on my pension. I don't spend my assets. I am not very materialistic. I don't buy the most expensive car that I can afford. Though I drive a 2012 car. I don't get the biggest, or the best. On my next vacation to Thailand in Chaingmai, I will stay at Verachai Court Hotel. I can afford better. In Pattaya, I stay at Siam Sawasdee on Soi Bukuao. I wear a very cheap watch. I dress in Blue Jeans, and a nice shirt. I fly second class. I drink very very little alcohol. I do travel some. When people find out my situation. Which most don't. They comment. He does not look like a millionaire. I have a Masters degree, but never lived in a dorm. The point is even if you can afford it. You don't have to have the biggest, best, most expensive. To be happy.

You hear about cases like that occasionally in the States too, where some old guy living alone in a trailer park turns out to have $1M in assets or more when he dies. Not sure that I'd any more prefer to do that in Thailand than in the US.

Perhaps some of that 1M USD in assets is tied up in real estate. Not exactly liquid. We discovered our U.S. real estate wasn't worth nearly as much as we thought when we decided to liquidate and move here in 2008.

[amexpat]

"I believe that part of the retirement visa requirement is that if you have a pension (plus money in a Thai bank), that monthly sum must be at least 60,000 baht. So if that is right, then someone must have made some study on the subject to come up with that as a reasonable amount."

Why on earth would you believe that?