Retiring In Thailand.

[mania]

Over here you need doh and lots of it. It`s becoming more expensive year by year, plus the bank exchange and interest rates are crap.

Agreed it is getting more expensive yearly to live anywhere in the world but,

Actually the exchange rates if using Bangkok Bank ( New York in my case ) to transfer Money from the US to Thailand is not bad at all IMHO

Interest rates, If you mean interest paid on money kept here it is actually about 12x higher (than the USA)

Here you can get 2.9-3.0% P.A. on savings compared to 0.25% P.A. back in the states

Edited September 23, 2012 by mania

[Pinot]

I have a newly published eBook titled "The Essential Thailand Retirement Guide" available wherever eBooks are sold. I discuss monthly Thailand budgets extensively. $500 may be a starting point in some areas of Thailand. It's a pretty good monthly wage for a Thai but probably not realistic budget figure for a farang especially in Bangkok or Phuket. $1000 a month is probably a better starting point and even that's a pretty stark existence. If you want to live in a something equivelent to a western style $2000 a month is more realistic, once you get through paying for the fun stuff. $2500 a month is a comfortable life in Thailand. I live in a 3 bedroom condo, drive a new small car, 5 minutes from a world class beach with a Thai girlfriend for that amount. How much would that run you in the West? Forget about $500 a month.

[Sydneycraig]

I put in 500$ in his budget calculator and it put 900 baht for laundry, this guy must have lost his mind.. I don't spend more than 100 baht on laundry in a month

you must smell pretty bad...

[loong]

Only way to live on $500/mo is to live like a local in smaller towns of Thailand, not something many Westerners would want to do I don't think.

My case, I'm American looking for a place to retire with my wife using the following criteria in no particular order...cost of living, food, temperate or warm climate, things to do for fun, safety, health care quality and cost, exercise/weights & yoga. Looking at Thai, Malay, Ph, Argentina, Chile, Peru. I'm still working but have enough saved up to live for 20+ years in these countries plus I'll have pension & investment income of $4-5K usd for 10 years until I hit 65 (when I'll get U.S. social security & health care) so hoping to avoid dipping into savings. We could possibly retire early in the U.S. but we would be looking at $1500/mo for a good helath policy until we hit 65 and don't want to have to live a lowered lifestyle than we've grown accustomed to.

We have visited to Thai on several occasions and like it quite a lot, especially Bangkok & Chiang Mai. But she's not sure about committing to living in a country so far and so different culturally If anyone has lived or spent considerable time in 2 or more of the 6 countries, I would love to hear your comparisons and thoughts.

I live out in the sticks and 500$/15,000 Baht per month is plenty for a family to enjoy a good standard of living for general expenses.

We could live on that, but would we really want to?

I don't have to pay rent, but then have to pay for repairs etc.

Running a pick-up, motorbikes, enjoying a few luxuries, nights out, beers etc actually means that we spend about 500,000 Baht per year.

[yoslim]

I put in 500$ in his budget calculator and it put 900 baht for laundry, this guy must have lost his mind.. I don't spend more than 100 baht on laundry in a month

that's why nobody uses the elevator with you

30 baht for a do it yourself laundry machine, 3 times a month is enough to keep clean and tidy clothes

[David48]

What ever happened to theblethers 'basket of consumer goods'?

Actually, what ever happened to theblether?

they seek him here

they seek him there

they seek him everywhere

(probably looking at the preconditions for the vacant position on the Scottish Royal Throne)

[BookMan]

What ever happened to theblethers 'basket of consumer goods'?

Actually, what ever happened to theblether?

they seek him here

they seek him there

they seek him everywhere

(probably looking at the preconditions for the vacant position on the Scottish Royal Throne)

He didn't seem the shy retiring type

[Naam]

I put in 500$ in his budget calculator and it put 900 baht for laundry, this guy must have lost his mind.. I don't spend more than 100 baht on laundry in a month

that's why nobody uses the elevator with you

30 baht for a do it yourself laundry machine, 3 times a month is enough to keep clean and tidy clothes

three times a month is indeed ok if your laundry bag consists each time of 11 shirts, 11 underpants and 11 pairs of socks.

[patongphil]

I put in 500$ in his budget calculator and it put 900 baht for laundry, this guy must have lost his mind.. I don't spend more than 100 baht on laundry in a month

that's why nobody uses the elevator with you

30 baht for a do it yourself laundry machine, 3 times a month is enough to keep clean and tidy clothes

three times a month is indeed ok if your laundry bag consists each time of 11 shirts, 11 underpants and 11 pairs of socks.

You wear socks!!!!

[Naam]

three times a month is indeed ok if your laundry bag consists each time of 11 shirts, 11 underpants and 11 pairs of socks.

You wear socks!!!!

i don't, but i saw Yoslim wearing them

[pigeonjake]

im meeting the blether and smokie saturday nite for a pint or 2,,

why dont people just buy a washing machine? when we got one i wanted a automatic same as uk, but my wife wouldnt here of it so she got a twin tub,10kilo load. she,s over the moon with it, i wouldnt no how to use it,

we dont spend much ive got true move,allways a box of red wine in the house and we go eat out if we feel like it, to be honest i prefare thai food now, more taist, yes ive got steaks in the freezer, but i do like thai food, and it dosnt cost much to make it, i have rice every day, not because i have to, because i want to,

i go and kill one of our own chickens. taist better by far from the ones you buy at big c,

well be killing our own pigs very soon, well they will be slaughterd at the slaughter house and brought back home for me to cut up, we have our own eggs,

i dont live like this because i have to i live like this because ive allways wanted too, i would of had a small holding in the uk should i of stayed there, i like the life styl,

i couldnt just sit around, yes i still work, i wont be putting my feet up for a few years yet, im working for as some have said my safety net,

but when i do say thats enough going to work, ill keep busy on our farm god willing,

i love my life in the country, yes when it gets to hot i go inside put the tv on and relax, but after a while you even get used to the heat,

life, retairment is what you make it, what you want it to be, and how much you want to spend on it, not everyone lives the same in the uk or anywere else for that matter, there will allways be the rich and the not so rich, you make of your life what it is,

good luck to everyone, jake

[chiangmaikelly]

im meeting the blether and smokie saturday nite for a pint or 2,,

why dont people just buy a washing machine? when we got one i wanted a automatic same as uk, but my wife wouldnt here of it so she got a twin tub,10kilo load. she,s over the moon with it, i wouldnt no how to use it,

we dont spend much ive got true move,allways a box of red wine in the house and we go eat out if we feel like it, to be honest i prefare thai food now, more taist, yes ive got steaks in the freezer, but i do like thai food, and it dosnt cost much to make it, i have rice every day, not because i have to, because i want to,

i go and kill one of our own chickens. taist better by far from the ones you buy at big c,

well be killing our own pigs very soon, well they will be slaughterd at the slaughter house and brought back home for me to cut up, we have our own eggs,

i dont live like this because i have to i live like this because ive allways wanted too, i would of had a small holding in the uk should i of stayed there, i like the life styl,

i couldnt just sit around, yes i still work, i wont be putting my feet up for a few years yet, im working for as some have said my safety net,

but when i do say thats enough going to work, ill keep busy on our farm god willing,

i love my life in the country, yes when it gets to hot i go inside put the tv on and relax, but after a while you even get used to the heat,

life, retairment is what you make it, what you want it to be, and how much you want to spend on it, not everyone lives the same in the uk or anywere else for that matter, there will allways be the rich and the not so rich, you make of your life what it is,

good luck to everyone, jake

It sounds nice. I just bought a new washer. I wanted a two tub one my wife insisted on one tub. Oh well.... Chickens, I like chicken. How long does it take you to kill and clean one to get it ready to eat?