How Much To Live In Isaan Really Cheap?

[David Peters]

I certainly hope you guys don't get ill. You wouldn't be able to afford a decent hospital room. Instead you would be out in the public wards like that old German and British guy breathing all the germs. But I guess you all have private health insurance and just haven't told us about it. Seriously, if you have a car or pickup, you will have yearly insurance and registration. And what about dental care?

I really think some of you are just calculating daily living expenses and not taking into account those BIG ones that come in once a year.

To live decently here with a wife and family, not much change out of at least 50,000 baht/month.

[TommoPhysicist]

But I guess you all have private health insurance and just haven't told us about it. Seriously, if you have a car or pickup, you will have yearly insurance and registration. And what about dental care?

Lats year

I have a pickup, tax 900bht, insurance 900bht

Dental Care 600bht (cleaning)

Health Care 5,400bht for two nights in hospital with meds to take home.

Edited August 13, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[rct99q]

Dental costs me less than 1,800 baht a year that is for a general check up, cleaning and my son had a tooth pulled as his mouth is crowded

Medical - nothing serious yet, but have a physical once a year with all the fixings. Doctor charges 300 baht, wife gets medical coverage through work and our son is covered under the program.

Insurance and registration - is less than 2,000 baht (1st class), find a better broker. My wife is brilliant at these things.

We grow some of our own food, collect rent from some family members, DO NOT have all the Western luxuries that some people can't do without. But for me i am living better here than in any of my previous countries.

Again in my case, and all the credit goes to my wife, we can certainly live on less but for us 20,000 is enough and still have fun. Perhaps some of you should have the wife or girlfriend help out with these things. We never pay the "Farang" price and in a lot of cases we do not even pay the Thai price. Lot dai mai, krap.

[David Peters]

Dental costs me less than 1,800 baht a year that is for a general check up, cleaning and my son had a tooth pulled as his mouth is crowded

Medical - nothing serious yet, but have a physical once a year with all the fixings. Doctor charges 300 baht, wife gets medical coverage through work and our son is covered under the program.

Insurance and registration - is less than 2,000 baht (1st class), find a better broker. My wife is brilliant at these things.

We grow some of our own food, collect rent from some family members, DO NOT have all the Western luxuries that some people can't do without. But for me i am living better here than in any of my previous countries.

Again in my case, and all the credit goes to my wife, we can certainly live on less but for us 20,000 is enough and still have fun. Perhaps some of you should have the wife or girlfriend help out with these things. We never pay the "Farang" price and in a lot of cases we do not even pay the Thai price. Lot dai mai, krap.

Impossible to get First class insurance for 2,000 baht/year. What do have? A motorbike? Interesting to see when you have an accident if your broker" will pay out. I never pay "farang prices" but it is those fixed costs which cost me. House insurance, vehicle insurance, pension fund, Daily food living, electricity, water etc is nothing. Then there are those donations to temples, schools and so on which one must contribute to to be part of the community.

[jamescollister]

rct99q, First class insurance and rego less the 2000 Baht, I'm sure many of us would like to know the name of this insurer.

Jim

[TommoPhysicist]

@David Peters

Insurance is not something you have to buy (beyond gov comp).

Many people in countries all over the world never have any.

[jamescollister]

@David Peters

Insurance is not something you have to buy (beyond gov comp).

Many people in countries all over the world never have any.

True, but many people with out good health care etc have low life expectancy, poor quality of life.

I had cataracts done this year and went back to OZ for the op. Free health care there, but 3 to 4 year waiting list. Not a good way to spend 4 years , unable to drive, read a book or see a movie clearly, had to pay.

All things are unnecessary until you need them. Jim

[Thaddeus]

And what about dental care?

I'm English, this question doesn't even register.

[SantiSuk]

Nobody has mentioned tins of sardines yet, so I will. Its traditional to mention them in articles about living on the bread line.

Actually Mackerel in tomato sauce. Tesco basics 9.5 baht a tin and very nutritious. My dogs love em (but I have had the odd tin on toast - not bad).

:-)

Edited August 15, 2012 by SantiSuk

[puchooay]

Dental costs me less than 1,800 baht a year that is for a general check up, cleaning and my son had a tooth pulled as his mouth is crowded

Medical - nothing serious yet, but have a physical once a year with all the fixings. Doctor charges 300 baht, wife gets medical coverage through work and our son is covered under the program.

Insurance and registration - is less than 2,000 baht (1st class), find a better broker. My wife is brilliant at these things.

We grow some of our own food, collect rent from some family members, DO NOT have all the Western luxuries that some people can't do without. But for me i am living better here than in any of my previous countries.

Again in my case, and all the credit goes to my wife, we can certainly live on less but for us 20,000 is enough and still have fun. Perhaps some of you should have the wife or girlfriend help out with these things. We never pay the "Farang" price and in a lot of cases we do not even pay the Thai price. Lot dai mai, krap.

+1.

Haven't been to a dentist since I was 14. Why start now? I am in the Thai Social Security scheme. Free health care. My daughter has a Government Gold Card(free health care). My wife is covered by the 30 baht scheme. The local Government hospital is good, and better than the private one. Why pay?

Total insurance and registration on 2 motorbikes and 1 pick up about 7000baht a year.

Like a beer, but drink locally. My favourite beer at 50baht a bottle; why pay more? Like to eat local food. Cannot for the life of me understand how one poster suggests food bills of 15000 a month.

Yep. Doing great spending about 240000 a year.

[canopus1969]

rct99q, First class insurance and rego less the 2000 Baht, I'm sure many of us would like to know the name of this insurer.

Jim

I think you need to look at your policy - you do not have 1st Class insurance + rego(?) for under 2k - sorry chum you have been sold a pup

[elwood]

Nobody has mentioned tins of sardines yet, so I will. Its traditional to mention them in articles about living on the bread line.

Actually Mackerel in tomato sauce. Tesco basics 9.5 baht a tin and very nutritious. My dogs love em (but I have had the odd tin on toast - not bad).

:-)

With the pisspoor exchange rates we have suffered in recent years, I'm also surprised that they haven't received a mention; maybe soon they will become the main meal for impoverished expats? Then we will have letters posted in General such as "Why don't the Thais sell sardines as good as in the west?".

Our dog doesn't like Tesco mackerel, but I do - having them on toast reminds me of my childhood teatime noshes. The wife adds chillies and various other odds and sods to the mix and they are very tasty as part of the main meal.

Soon be back to toast and dripping for supper eh?

[JoePai]

Soon be back to toast and dripping for supper eh?

Oh yes please - but on warm toast and plenty of jelly with the dripping - and beef dripping naturally

[elwood]

Soon be back to toast and dripping for supper eh?

Oh yes please - but on warm toast and plenty of jelly with the dripping - and beef dripping naturally

dam_n you, now I feel really nostalgic for that treat! Sunday bedtime snack - thick slices of bread toasted in front of the fire (better taste than with the toaster), and dollops of beef dripping, and as you say, lots of jelly!

[cdmtdm]

on less than 20k a month is not living its just existing .... you will exist only until a real emergency arises .....

[puchooay]

on less than 20k a month is not living its just existing .... you will exist only until a real emergency arises .....

I have been doing just that for over 14 years; living that is, not just existing. Please explain what a "real emergency" is?

[DILLIGAD]

on less than 20k a month is not living its just existing .... you will exist only until a real emergency arises .....

I have been doing just that for over 14 years; living that is, not just existing. Please explain what a "real emergency" is?

Pretty obvious really, its one that involves a large unexpected cash outlay. Medical or motor accident problems are commonplace for instance,especially when alcohol is involved.

i would suggest 20k is not only well below the Immigration requirements but VERY low to live on. 35k is 'do-able' I would suggest

[Thaddeus]

i would suggest 20k is not only well below the Immigration requirements but VERY low to live on. 35k is 'do-able' I would suggest

And you would also be wrong.

[TommoPhysicist]

i would suggest 20k is not only well below the Immigration requirements but VERY low to live on. 35k is 'do-able' I would suggest

There is no immigration requirement on 'spending' in Thailand.

[DILLIGAD]

There is no immigration requirement on 'spending' in Thailand.

what part of 'but VERY low to live on' do you not understand?

[Gary A]

My wife always hated to ask me for money so I had her sit down and figure out how much she needed for ALL the household expenses. She came up with a list that totaled 25,000 baht per month. I told her I would give her 30,000 so she would have some extra to do with as she pleased. She pays all the utilities, including my Internet, buys our clothes and my cigarettes. She will NOT pay my bar tabs. (not much per month) I do pay for big ticket items including insurance on the car and truck. We have been doing this for several years and it works well for us.

I should add that we have no children. Having children would be a totally different life style. My wife has some income of her own and that is hers. She uses that to buy whatever little luxuries that she wants. I know she gives her parents a little money every month but I don't know how much and I really don't care. She is lucky to have four sister who all contribute their share. She has no useless brothers.

[rct99q]

Insurance companies are Toko (laos) as our vehicles are registered and insured there and LMG (thailand), 1st class coverage on both. Not going to get into an item by item for everyone in this forum.

I suppose having married a Thai woman who has her own money, house, land and knows how to save, how to get good bargains, has good connections in the banking, insurance and other financial institutions has made life easier (financially) but we do not have or want all the "Western" novelties and luxuries.

So I guess I have to change my answer for the OP. For you, I would suggest no less than 50,000 baht a month. Just to cover those major disasters that happen. If you do not have this amount to spend, DO not come to Thailand it will be cheaper for you to have a major heart attack in your current country than coming here.

[cooked]

... he wants to stay in Isaan for 6 weeks max. He won't want insurance, won't have a car, won't, presumably, get married...I get along very well with ฿40 000.-, and I am married, have a car and get annoyed by posts assuming that everyone lives in Bangkok with three kids and a maid.

I agree that he must have an emergency fund, but anybody living abroad knows that, don't they?

[TommoPhysicist]

... he wants to stay in Isaan for 6 weeks max. He won't want insurance, won't have a car, won't, presumably, get married...I get along very well with ฿40 000.-, and I am married, have a car and get annoyed by posts assuming that everyone lives in Bangkok with three kids and a maid.

I agree that he must have an emergency fund, but anybody living abroad knows that, don't they?

Me Too!

[jamescollister]

Insurance companies are Toko (laos) as our vehicles are registered and insured there and LMG (thailand), 1st class coverage on both. Not going to get into an item by item for everyone in this forum.

I suppose having married a Thai woman who has her own money, house, land and knows how to save, how to get good bargains, has good connections in the banking, insurance and other financial institutions has made life easier (financially) but we do not have or want all the "Western" novelties and luxuries.

So I guess I have to change my answer for the OP. For you, I would suggest no less than 50,000 baht a month. Just to cover those major disasters that happen. If you do not have this amount to spend, DO not come to Thailand it will be cheaper for you to have a major heart attack in your current country than coming here.

You are pulling my plonker, you live in Thailand and insure your cars in Lao and you insure in Thailand with LMG. Yet there cheapest packet for insurance is about 7,000 Baht, not under 2.000 for first class as you you said.

Where do you live as I would love to come and have a visit, so you can show me how you do it.

Think you really are living in dream world, my car insurance top of the line, as I am a farang and have no wish to get invoked, agent comes and sorts it out is 27,000 this year. Please tell me and I will come and visit, bring beer and presents so I can save. Jim

[rct99q]

Live near Nong Khai and would suggest you have your wife check things out for you, not me. My wife looks after all this stuff and judging by what I am hearing does okay. Me I just drive the dam_n thing.

I live on 21,870 baht a month that's it and it is enough for us.....

[patongphil]

Live near Nong Khai and would suggest you have your wife check things out for you, not me. My wife looks after all this stuff and judging by what I am hearing does okay. Me I just drive the dam_n thing.

I live on 21,870 baht a month that's it and it is enough for us.....

You are very exposed if you have an accident whilst driving!!!

[Thaddeus]

Live near Nong Khai and would suggest you have your wife check things out for you, not me. My wife looks after all this stuff and judging by what I am hearing does okay. Me I just drive the dam_n thing.

I live on 21,870 baht a month that's it and it is enough for us.....

You are very exposed if you have an accident whilst driving!!!

My mother always told me to wear clean underwear when I went out, my usual reply was, If get into an accident it will no longer be clean anyway.

Have you thought for one second of how much of that 21,870 goes towards living expenses and how much is for 'other stuff'

[cooked]

I keep trying to stay within a fixed budget but the 'exceptional costs' seem to be a regular feature. First thing I did when I got here was break the gear box and consequently burn the clutch. Garage. Back to Bangkok for affirmation of marriage plus translating of documents, hotel. New mobile phone: buying irrigation equipment for the son-in-law... it never seems to stop.

[puchooay]

on less than 20k a month is not living its just existing .... you will exist only until a real emergency arises .....

I have been doing just that for over 14 years; living that is, not just existing. Please explain what a "real emergency" is?

Pretty obvious really, its one that involves a large unexpected cash outlay. Medical or motor accident problems are commonplace for instance,especially when alcohol is involved.

i would suggest 20k is not only well below the Immigration requirements but VERY low to live on. 35k is 'do-able' I would suggest

I have motor insurance. I am a member of the Thai social security scheme so I have free medical care. Please explain to me what a "real emergency" is.