Where To Live In South East Asia For $1,000 Usd Per Month

[londoedan]

Having just returned from a few days in Phnom Penh, I reckon a $1000 budget is easily manageable, and much more so than in the major cities in Thailand.

I'm not sure I would want to do it - I would want a budget 2 or 3 times that much, but it could easily be done.

I found several places on the waterfront offering large jugs of the local draft beer for as little as US$2 all day long. Khmer beergardens even cheaper.

Spot on bendix, air-con room at Paragon on Riverside $15, all you can eat brunch $3 , western style dinner $5.

Thats your accom and 2 meals and $10 a day left in your pocket,decent Guest Houses at $8 and noodle or Khmer type meals leaves you $20 in your pocket.

There used to be a saying , "Live like a Prince in Cambodia on $1000 a month.for $1500 live like a King".

As bendix says, beer at $2 a jug,cigs at 30 cents a pack,visa at $1 aday, ST female company $10.

A roof over your head, belly full and lifes little luxuries all on $1000 a month.

Interesting info. Do either of you know if its possible to live along the coast on that budget ? If so I might be prepared to swop Pattaya for Sihanoukville.

[phuketrichard]

Having just returned from a few days in Phnom Penh, I reckon a $1000 budget is easily manageable, and much more so than in the major cities in Thailand.

I'm not sure I would want to do it - I would want a budget 2 or 3 times that much, but it could easily be done.

I found several places on the waterfront offering large jugs of the local draft beer for as little as US$2 all day long. Khmer beergardens even cheaper.

Spot on bendix, air-con room at Paragon on Riverside $15, all you can eat brunch $3 , western style dinner $5.

Thats your accom and 2 meals and $10 a day left in your pocket,decent Guest Houses at $8 and noodle or Khmer type meals leaves you $20 in your pocket.

There used to be a saying , "Live like a Prince in Cambodia on $1000 a month.for $1500 live like a King".

As bendix says, beer at $2 a jug,cigs at 30 cents a pack,visa at $1 aday, ST female company $10.

A roof over your head, belly full and lifes little luxuries all on $1000 a month.

Interesting info. Do either of you know if its possible to live along the coast on that budget ? If so I might be prepared to swop Pattaya for Sihanoukville.

Yes easily done in Sih. Rents go from $50 (in GH) -$300/month (one bedroom apt with kitchen) . Local food $2/meal. western meal $3 to $5. Draft beer happy hour $.50. bottles/cans $1.50, Mixed drinks $2.00-$3

Internet free at many places or get a dongle for $20/month

Female companionship $10-20/day

Edited February 22, 2012 by phuketrichard

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Obviously everyone has their priorities, but foregoing alcohol certainly goes a long way toward giving a low-budget lifestyle more value for money.

Regarding the issue of female companionship, $10 short time is also to me a big waste of money if you need to do it regularly. Plus I just can't stand those filthy shacks, not to mention the moral qualm using girls that are most likely forced to perform under threat of violence.

Much better IMO to put in some time learning the local language and then travel upcountry and find an unspoiled lass to live with you on a monthly (and voluntary) basis. May require some up-front payoff to the family, but you'll get much better value in the long run. Of course this also requires you to overcome your cultural programming so you don't end up having to put up with all the same BS you would with a western woman..

Also you'd have the opportunity to give her a chance at a better life, teach her proper English, how to use a computer, help prepare her for a post sex-toy career, maybe even before the expiration of her use-by date. I like to think that helps balance out the karma stuff at least a little bit.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Interesting info. Do either of you know if its possible to live along the coast on that budget ? If so I might be prepared to swop Pattaya for Sihanoukville.

Pattaya's a lot better value for money in so many ways. At least Thailand offers decent food and housing options as you go down the budget scale, Cambodia's got a certain floor for poor-farang lifestyle but "watch that step!" down to "living like the locals", it's a doozy.

[phuketrichard]

biggest dif between Pattaya and Sihanoukville is ;

rents cheaper in Sih but not the same quality for ur money

drinking cheaper in Sih

Cigs ( if u smoke) cheaper in Sih

girls ( 500 baht on the street in pattaya-2,000 baht in bars vs

$10 st in brothels and $20 from bars all night

Food MUCH BETTER street food in Pattatya but cheaper western food in Sih and good variety

Shopping is almost non existent in Sih

Visa $285 for a year multiple entry in Cambodia and no paper work no work permit needed

Thailand????depends, but at under 50, its being married or going to school for long term stays

[londoedan]

biggest dif between Pattaya and Sihanoukville is ;

rents cheaper in Sih but not the same quality for ur money

drinking cheaper in Sih

Cigs ( if u smoke) cheaper in Sih

girls ( 500 baht on the street in pattaya-2,000 baht in bars vs

$10 st in brothels and $20 from bars all night

Food MUCH BETTER street food in Pattatya but cheaper western food in Sih and good variety

Shopping is almost non existent in Sih

Visa $285 for a year multiple entry in Cambodia and no paper work no work permit needed

Thailand????depends, but at under 50, its being married or going to school for long term stays

Thanks for the info.

There are a couple of reasons I'm looking to move: I've been in Pattaya a few years now, getting a bit bored and fancy a change, perhaps just for a year or 2. Also I'm working at the moment and if I could life comfortably in Kampuchea on $1000 a month then I could retire now (I'm 49), rather than working for another year or two.

Malaysia seems prohibitively expensive (see info alternate forum in this section).

My number one choice would be Indonesia, but both the visit visa's (30 days) and the retirement visa (impossible to obtain) seem to be impracticable.

[pattayadingo]

In one of the Northern towns.

3K rent for a 3 bed, 2 bath. 1 kitchen townhouse.

< 100 Baht mains water.

1K electric. Using air con to cool room for sleep + tv, computer etc.

That is the house taken care of.

Food.

30 - 40 baht from a stall.

Have BigC, Makro, Thai supermarkets. Good local markets. Using a combination of these you get plenty of meat, veg and fruit at reasonable prices - say 1,500 Baht p.w.

Clothes - many markets with cheap clothes.

Restaurants - plenty of good ones. A meal for 100-200 Baht. Beer 40-60 Baht Lge bottle.

Drinks? A bottle of 40% ?Gilbeys? vodka 320 Baht. No corkage fee. soda / pepsi 40 baht each in a nightclub. 20 Baht in restaurant.

Women? 5,000 a month for a live in woman.

Internet 650 a month for abt 6 meg.

What to do with yourself? Same as anywhere in the world. You cannot party / holiday every day. You surf the net, read a book, download & watch movies, go for a walk, look round BigC, go to the park, walk by the river.

Expensive? NO. Boring? No more than life anywhere where you live.

19,110 includes 2 bottles vodka +16 mixers, a live in woman, food at 2k p.w., internet, electric, water and a house. About $620 per month.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

In one of the Northern towns.

3K rent for a 3 bed, 2 bath. 1 kitchen townhouse.

< 100 Baht mains water.

1K electric. Using air con to cool room for sleep + tv, computer etc.

That is the house taken care of.

Food.

30 - 40 baht from a stall.

Have BigC, Makro, Thai supermarkets. Good local markets. Using a combination of these you get plenty of meat, veg and fruit at reasonable prices - say 1,500 Baht p.w.

Clothes - many markets with cheap clothes.

Restaurants - plenty of good ones. A meal for 100-200 Baht. Beer 40-60 Baht Lge bottle.

Drinks? A bottle of 40% ?Gilbeys? vodka 320 Baht. No corkage fee. soda / pepsi 40 baht each in a nightclub. 20 Baht in restaurant.

Women? 5,000 a month for a live in woman.

Internet 650 a month for abt 6 meg.

What to do with yourself? Same as anywhere in the world. You cannot party / holiday every day. You surf the net, read a book, download & watch movies, go for a walk, look round BigC, go to the park, walk by the river.

Expensive? NO. Boring? No more than life anywhere where you live.

19,110 includes 2 bottles vodka +16 mixers, a live in woman, food at 2k p.w., internet, electric, water and a house. About $620 per month.

Any newbies reading this, please realize that someone just arriving in Thailand would find it impossible to meet these prices without a *lot* of help from a knowledgable local with solid Thai language and negotiation skills, to get to that point yourself will require at least a year or two for even the fastest learner.

I find it hard to believe that kind of rental value is normal even in an isolated upcountry town, very lucky to find that for 3K.

Same with the female companionship - unless she's old and ugly, few cute young lasses would stick around for that, even if they saw a much higher lottery win down the road. And you're not factoring in the replacement costs of a new one, always a bit higher in the acquisition stage.

I would take the drinks and eating out out of the picture myself, so perhaps that would balance out a bit.

Visa and travel costs, occasional appliance purchases --> USD1000/mo is still basic survival mode. . .

[pattayadingo]

In one of the Northern towns.

3K rent for a 3 bed, 2 bath. 1 kitchen townhouse.

< 100 Baht mains water.

1K electric. Using air con to cool room for sleep + tv, computer etc.

That is the house taken care of.

Food.

30 - 40 baht from a stall.

Have BigC, Makro, Thai supermarkets. Good local markets. Using a combination of these you get plenty of meat, veg and fruit at reasonable prices - say 1,500 Baht p.w.

Clothes - many markets with cheap clothes.

Restaurants - plenty of good ones. A meal for 100-200 Baht. Beer 40-60 Baht Lge bottle.

Drinks? A bottle of 40% ?Gilbeys? vodka 320 Baht. No corkage fee. soda / pepsi 40 baht each in a nightclub. 20 Baht in restaurant.

Women? 5,000 a month for a live in woman.

Internet 650 a month for abt 6 meg.

What to do with yourself? Same as anywhere in the world. You cannot party / holiday every day. You surf the net, read a book, download & watch movies, go for a walk, look round BigC, go to the park, walk by the river.

Expensive? NO. Boring? No more than life anywhere where you live.

19,110 includes 2 bottles vodka +16 mixers, a live in woman, food at 2k p.w., internet, electric, water and a house. About $620 per month.

Any newbies reading this, please realize that someone just arriving in Thailand would find it impossible to meet these prices without a *lot* of help from a knowledgable local with solid Thai language and negotiation skills, to get to that point yourself will require at least a year or two for even the fastest learner.

I find it hard to believe that kind of rental value is normal even in an isolated upcountry town, very lucky to find that for 3K.

Same with the female companionship - unless she's old and ugly, few cute young lasses would stick around for that, even if they saw a much higher lottery win down the road. And you're not factoring in the replacement costs of a new one, always a bit higher in the acquisition stage.

I would take the drinks and eating out out of the picture myself, so perhaps that would balance out a bit.

Visa and travel costs, occasional appliance purchases --> USD1000/mo is still basic survival mode. . .

I found the house by myself as it happens. I went around any and all apartments and hotels asking. I'd been living in a large apartment for 5 months or so that was costing me 4K a month. Negotiations were done through the owners daughter who spoke passable English.

It depends on what you call old and ugly. The women who lived with me at that place were both mid 30's and not ugly, but then again I am not into young bar girls. The women found me too.

A little research - which is what I did before I came over initially - helps a lot.

There are a lot of places to rent at low prices away from the cities.

Take Cha-Am. There are houses there for 5K a month. A quiet place where many would like to live. Many places have reasonable apartments quite cheap. But it is all about research.

Was it easy to set myself up? No. But neither was it too difficult.

The internet and forums can help a lot when you are first starting out. Do not dive straight in, take some time to make enquiries.

Maybe not for the faint hearted but I do like a challenge.

Visa runs to Cambodia. Roughly 2K every 90 days. An e-visa for abt $20 + travel.

[4evermaat]

In one of the Northern towns.

3K rent for a 3 bed, 2 bath. 1 kitchen townhouse.

< 100 Baht mains water.

1K electric. Using air con to cool room for sleep + tv, computer etc.

That is the house taken care of.

Food.

30 - 40 baht from a stall.

Have BigC, Makro, Thai supermarkets. Good local markets. Using a combination of these you get plenty of meat, veg and fruit at reasonable prices - say 1,500 Baht p.w.

Clothes - many markets with cheap clothes.

Restaurants - plenty of good ones. A meal for 100-200 Baht. Beer 40-60 Baht Lge bottle.

Drinks? A bottle of 40% ?Gilbeys? vodka 320 Baht. No corkage fee. soda / pepsi 40 baht each in a nightclub. 20 Baht in restaurant.

Women? 5,000 a month for a live in woman.

Internet 650 a month for abt 6 meg.

What to do with yourself? Same as anywhere in the world. You cannot party / holiday every day. You surf the net, read a book, download & watch movies, go for a walk, look round BigC, go to the park, walk by the river.

Expensive? NO. Boring? No more than life anywhere where you live.

19,110 includes 2 bottles vodka +16 mixers, a live in woman, food at 2k p.w., internet, electric, water and a house. About $620 per month.

Any newbies reading this, please realize that someone just arriving in Thailand would find it impossible to meet these prices without a *lot* of help from a knowledgable local with solid Thai language and negotiation skills, to get to that point yourself will require at least a year or two for even the fastest learner.

I find it hard to believe that kind of rental value is normal even in an isolated upcountry town, very lucky to find that for 3K.

Same with the female companionship - unless she's old and ugly, few cute young lasses would stick around for that, even if they saw a much higher lottery win down the road. And you're not factoring in the replacement costs of a new one, always a bit higher in the acquisition stage.

I would take the drinks and eating out out of the picture myself, so perhaps that would balance out a bit.

Visa and travel costs, occasional appliance purchases --> USD1000/mo is still basic survival mode. . .

I found the house by myself as it happens. I went around any and all apartments and hotels asking. I'd been living in a large apartment for 5 months or so that was costing me 4K a month. Negotiations were done through the owners daughter who spoke passable English.

It depends on what you call old and ugly. The women who lived with me at that place were both mid 30's and not ugly, but then again I am not into young bar girls. The women found me too.

A little research - which is what I did before I came over initially - helps a lot.

There are a lot of places to rent at low prices away from the cities.

Take Cha-Am. There are houses there for 5K a month. A quiet place where many would like to live. Many places have reasonable apartments quite cheap. But it is all about research.

Was it easy to set myself up? No. But neither was it too difficult.

The internet and forums can help a lot when you are first starting out. Do not dive straight in, take some time to make enquiries.

Maybe not for the faint hearted but I do like a challenge.

Visa runs to Cambodia. Roughly 2K every 90 days. An e-visa for abt $20 + travel.

Exactly. It does help to have courage to ask questions and know people who are in the local area. Why try to do everything yourself when others have been there before you? You have plenty of female tour guides who can tell you where the cheap (but good) spots are. You don't have to get all the best spots the first time. What's so difficult about finding a hotel for a few days, renting a motorbike and driving around until you find something you want at a price you can afford.

The backpacker mindset is obviously going to be different than the spoiled retiree mindset, but I totally believe an acquaintance of mine from Hawaii who said he came over with $5000 usd and lived in thailand for a year like a king.

[bendix]

but I totally believe an acquaintance of mine from Hawaii who said he came over with $5000 usd and lived in thailand for a year like a king.

I don't.

[tutsiwarrior]

but I totally believe an acquaintance of mine from Hawaii who said he came over with $5000 usd and lived in thailand for a year like a king.

I don't.

me neither...typical bar room BS...

[BigJohnnyBKK]

The backpacker mindset is obviously going to be different than the spoiled retiree mindset, but I totally believe an acquaintance of mine from Hawaii who said he came over with $5000 usd and lived in thailand for a year like a king.

Like King Julian of Madagascar perhaps 8-)

[4evermaat]

I don't.

me neither...typical bar room BS...

The backpacker mindset is obviously going to be different than the spoiled retiree mindset, but I totally believe an acquaintance of mine from Hawaii who said he came over with $5000 usd and lived in thailand for a year like a king.

Like King Julian of Madagascar perhaps 8-)

the nice thing about thailand is that you can scale your lifestyle. if you want to live on $300 usd/mo you can. $3000/mo you can. i will say it is much easier on some sort of regular paycheck or lump sum. with a regular income, you can burn through your previous income and still receive something next month.

i see backpackers coming through chumphon fairly often. those fan rooms for 200-300 baht sell out pretty quickly @ fame bar/tour. 3000-5000 bt furnished rooms/mo can be had...houses can be had for that price also. i think food stamps are $300/mo in the states.

"2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from TV android app.

[morocco]

Here's the kicker (for most farang males): you're going to have to SERIOUSLY curb your pussy intake. Maybe 3-4 ST's a month? That's 3-4k gone. Do an LT, and it's 2k...you get the picture

You're assuming that pussy is charged. Strange as it may sound, there are plenty of women who do not charge (financially) for either ST or LT. From personal experience it seems to depend on what sort of person you are - my secret is available for $10,000

Simon

That's funny,$10,000. HAHA .I believe the secret is "just find a girl friend."She will be a lot cheaper than a p4p girl. Edited March 1, 2012 by morocco

[marstons]

my fixed costs are 12,000 per month. house rent, internet,electric, the rest is down to the individual, food easily 6000 per month. beer well locally can be 40 baht a bottle ot 145 in town in a club so variables are down to the individual.

visa about 15,000 per year so i guess thats a fixed cost for most.

10k outside Pattaya

i would say its duable, some apartments around here for as little as 5k per month

[happysanook]

Here's the kicker (for most farang males): you're going to have to SERIOUSLY curb your pussy intake. Maybe 3-4 ST's a month? That's 3-4k gone. Do an LT, and it's 2k...you get the picture

You're assuming that pussy is charged. Strange as it may sound, there are plenty of women who do not charge (financially) for either ST or LT. From personal experience it seems to depend on what sort of person you are - my secret is available for $10,000

Simon

as already mentioned, it would depend on ur age, looks, etc..as well as HER looks and age. fat, toothless hags are I'm sure not too difficult to get for free.

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[intersect1433]

you can live in the Philippines for way below 1000$ a month. You can even buy youre own condo if youre budget is 1000$ a month.I've been living in my condo in pasig and I only pay 300$ a month for it and I can already move in. Food and transpertations wise, I use the public transoport to get to work and get home and its around 5$ per day ? As for food I spend around 200$ a month

Edited April 19, 2013 by intersect1433

[bangkokburning]

Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao (dull/visa issues).

People that cannot manage a simple life on a thousand US a month never get their heads around managing anything locally.

I tbink Cam/Vietnsm best visa situations.

You can have a blast not spending money, rspecially if Asia is all brand new to you.

[genobkk]

Great to hear the many opinions on this. a simple life is a reasonable place, maybe 40 SQB a small one bedroom is great. I mat travel to Cebu and have a look around. I prefer Malaysia to any other place in SEA so bar, but I have been many times. I find Cambodia about the same as Thailand locals seeing me as an ATM nothing more.. Lao is nice but a bit boring for me at 45 I still like a bit of fun sometimes. Based on people I would pick Malaysia, then Thailand. Taiwan is an option also, but not Taipei and not for 1,000 USD per month.

[genobkk]

I mean I might travel to Cebu soon to look around. 40 SQM would be the smallest place I want to live. Auto correct sucks sometimes

[bangkokburning]

Philippines is anything but cheap. I find it 50% (yup) more expensive than Thailand.

You will.have to have a diffetent lifestyle than anywhere in Asia as the food is inedible and the women are dangerous (scams, drug plants, extortion, blackmail...)

All durable goods are made in PRC, they are of horrible quality made for domestic PRC market. You will see an ocean of new brand names in RP.

It is impossible to get anything done.

You are 100% target

It is a broken, dirty nation and the only expats that I have seen drawn to the place are perverts, alcoholics and broke service men.

Ask yourselves this - if Phils is so great why is everyone in Thailand?

Cambodia has more tourism now than Philippines.

[lovelaos]

Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao (dull/visa issues).

People that cannot manage a simple life on a thousand US a month never get their heads around managing anything locally.

I tbink Cam/Vietnsm best visa situations.

You can have a blast not spending money, rspecially if Asia is all brand new to you.

When you say Laos dull/visa issues can you explain more?

Are you saying that on $1000 a month any country wouldn't be dull?

How much time have you spent in Laos? Are you one of the visa runners who hang around 1 bar in town for 2 days then moan about how dull Laos is? I have a far easier time with my visa than expats in Thailand.

Philippines is anything but cheap. I find it 50% (yup) more expensive than Thailand.

You will.have to have a diffetent lifestyle than anywhere in Asia as the food is inedible and the women are dangerous (scams, drug plants, extortion, blackmail...)

All durable goods are made in PRC, they are of horrible quality made for domestic PRC market. You will see an ocean of new brand names in RP.

It is impossible to get anything done.

You are 100% target

It is a broken, dirty nation and the only expats that I have seen drawn to the place are perverts, alcoholics and broke service men.

Ask yourselves this - if Phils is so great why is everyone in Thailand?

Cambodia has more tourism now than Philippines.

"The women are dangerous".........and Thai women are angels?

"it is impossible to get anything done".......and Thailand is so easy?

"you are a 100% target".......really??

"It is a broken, dirty nation and the only expats that I have seen drawn to the place are perverts, alcoholics and broke service men".......as apposed to Thailand eh? a thriving, clean nation and the expats are all upstanding citizens who never frequent bars.........

Rose coloured spectacles.

[Smalls]

I have been living in CM for over a year on less than $1000usd/month. I work as a teacher making 30k baht/month and find myself with extra money every month that takes care of some traveling, visa runs and the occasional doctors/pharmacy visit. This is my lifestyle:

2 bedroom furnished apt. with cable, fast internet, large kitchen, bathroom and deck: 5500 + utils (~800)

Honda Wave 110 (monthly rental): 2000

You can see that these are the main bills - housing and transport - which are covered for less than 7k.

I don't drink much, but I do go out often. You can easily have one "big" night per week and spend 1500 on food/booze etc and have plenty left over.

You can eat delicious food for 3 meals per day for 100. At the end of the month that's another 3000.

Here you have a pretty decent life for: 22,500 baht/month. If you decide not to have a weekly "splurge" day, this cost could be reduced by around 6k.

This is my life in CM and I love it!

[MrWorldwide]

No easy answers, but who wants to live like an extra from Apocalypse Now, the Deer Hunter or that appalling opening scene in The Beach ? Nothing like a cheap room with a fan languidly idling overhead to tell you that 4+ decades in the workforce has been worth every minute ...