I think it about time again for some one to write about actual subjects that might help and interest people who are looking at this forum as a kind of information panel. For those who are thinking of moving to Thailand and in particular Phuket.

Let me tell you straight away that Phuket is an Island and PATONG is just a town on this Island ! Many newbees find this confusing. So when you read about Phuket is a cesspit and all those other nice words, usually they speak of PATONG.

It is a bit like saying Walking Street is the whole of Bangkok or the Bronx is NY City.

So if you’re thinking of moving to Phuket and you’re older than 25 you should NOT think about living in Patong. ( Sorry if I offend)

Moving on, where do most of the expats live. Well that’s easy, its in the Chalong/Rawai area, south part of the Island. After that my guess would be Kata, Karon, Khatu, Kamala, Patong and a few up north. All in that order.

Next, cost of living;

There are some diehards an this forum who will tell you, you can live an 20.000,-- Thb a month. Yes you can if you are alone, don’t mind what you eat or drink, chase the balloons for free food, don’t have an accident, no insurance, no girl friend, no friends, no life, no haircut, no new clothes and don’t mind a dam_n whatever other people think of you. Otherwise.. it might be a bit more expensive.

I’d say a minimum of 50.000,-- Thb a month should get you there.

Here is my personal budget;

Rent 8.000-- ( I am very lucky )

Water well 100,--

TV/Internet 850,--

Electric 2.500,--

----------

11.450,--

Smokes 3.000—

Beer at home 1.500—

Food @ home 5.000—

Extra’s 2.000,--

Gasoline 500,--

…………….

12.000,--

Pocket money 8.000,--

GF and her mum

Dinner out 2.000,--

Bar 15.000,--

……………….

25.000,--

So close to 50.000,-- with no children and no health insurance.

Now food on the markets are dirt cheap compared to your country but up to 4 times higher as in the rest of Thailand. Anything foreign is hardly affordable for an oil sheik let alone for you and me. You will find good deals but you’d have to be here for a while.

Bars and nightlife;

Down in Rawai area there are still plenty of bars selling beers for about 50—Thb, from what I’ve heard in Patong that might be a bit difficult. Later at night prices go up, up, up.

Transportation;

If you have only blinked at this forum you will already know never to take a tuk tuk. Some taxi’s are ok but try to avoid them as well, get your own form of transportation and be very aware on the road. People in Phuket do NOT drive the same way as in your hometown nor do they anticipate anyway near what you are used to. You might think this bike coming from the small dirt track will stop and wait till the road is clear…NO !!! This bike will not stop !!

I think I will leave it to the others on the forum to complete the info.

While my expenses are distributed a bit differently, the sum is quite the same. Less electric, more rent, less bar, more gasoline, no smoke, more internet.

Regarding the driving rules: be very careful near tourist places, especially watch out for tourists on motorbikes. Many of them are driving a scooter (let alone big bike) for the first time in their life.

I would agree with the total sum of 50,000 baht/month, but your 15,000 bar bill +1,500 beer at home displays your priorities. Nothing wrong with that, up to you. Most would spend more on rent and that evens up the total amount.

mmmmm, living in patong, lots of fun, living away from patong, not so much.

While my expenses are distributed a bit differently, the sum is quite the same. Less electric, more rent, less bar, more gasoline, no smoke, more internet.

Regarding the driving rules: be very careful near tourist places, especially watch out for tourists on motorbikes. Many of them are driving a scooter (let alone big bike) for the first time in their life.

General rule of thumb seems to be Thais will crash into you and you may crash into a tourist.

I feel that you could get by on a bit less than 50K. I did 30K for about 6 months, was okay.

Patong's a "city" there's a 9 million baht sign to prove it, although it'll fall over soon.

Single guy - beach, swimming, snorkerling, gym, thai food, surfing net,

Phuket

Rent nil-- ( bought lease-hold studio unit)
Water well 100
TV/Internet 850
Electric 2.600-3500 = avg 3000

Smokes 1800

Thai Food/fruits 3500

Car Gasoline 1300
----------
about 12,000 monthly

Shandong china( convert to thai baht) hiking, chinese food, surfing net

Rent 5100-- ( 3rm apt)

Water well 100
TV/Internet 600
Water&Electric 2200

Smokes 1200

Chinese Food/fruits 2000

Bike Gasoline 200
----------
about 8,000 thb monthly

Phuket still win hands down for access to nice beach, swimming pool, snorkerling, gym.

Costs are hard to nail down as it depends so much on your personal circumstances.

My parents are here on a retirement visa and I would say they just about get by on 50,000 a month too. However, I would need over 5 times that with international school fees and the like.

Most expats seem to live in the south of the island but I much prefer the north. It has pretty much everything I need and is so much more pleasant than central and southern Phuket IMO. Having said that, I don't think I have been south of Central in over 5 years but if I were a younger, single guy, I'd probably be quite happy in somewhere like Rawai or Kata.

Sometimes I read posts on here and I just don't recognise the Phuket they are describing. I guess that's one of the advantages of Phuket, there are many different kind of lifestyles that can be enjoyed here and I think most people can find something that suits their taste (though maybe not their budget).

Patong's a "city" there's a 9 million baht sign to prove it, although it'll fall over soon.

The city or the sign??

mmmmm, living in patong, lots of fun, living away from patong, not so much.

Patong ??? not everyones idea of Fun ...

I would agree with the total sum of 50,000 baht/month, but your 15,000 bar bill +1,500 beer at home displays your priorities. Nothing wrong with that, up to you. Most would spend more on rent and that evens up the total amount.

I can do 50 in a pinch but I spend up a bit bigger than that

'It is a bit like saying Walking Street is the whole of Bangkok' unlikely since walking street is in pattaya

Good post bubblegum and pretty much spot on to be honest

I too get caught up in calling the f..k.d up things here Phuket when rightly so it should called "Patong Experience "

Maybe this could be the start of let's call in a Patong and not Phuket Topic.

Welldone ....

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Single guy - beach, swimming, snorkerling, gym, thai food, surfing net,

Phuket

Rent nil-- ( bought lease-hold studio unit)

Water well 100

TV/Internet 850

Electric 2.600-3500 = avg 3000

Smokes 1800

Thai Food/fruits 3500

Car Gasoline 1300

----------

about 12,000 monthly

Shandong china( convert to thai baht) hiking, chinese food, surfing net

Rent 5100-- ( 3rm apt)

Water well 100

TV/Internet 600

Water&Electric 2200

Smokes 1200

Chinese Food/fruits 2000

Bike Gasoline 200

----------

about 8,000 thb monthly

Phuket still win hands down for access to nice beach, swimming pool, snorkerling, gym.

Gym fees??

Single guy - beach, swimming, snorkerling, gym, thai food, surfing net,

Phuket

Rent nil-- ( bought lease-hold studio unit)

Water well 100

TV/Internet 850

Electric 2.600-3500 = avg 3000

Smokes 1800

Thai Food/fruits 3500

Car Gasoline 1300

----------

about 12,000 monthly

Shandong china( convert to thai baht) hiking, chinese food, surfing net

Rent 5100-- ( 3rm apt)

Water well 100

TV/Internet 600

Water&Electric 2200

Smokes 1200

Chinese Food/fruits 2000

Bike Gasoline 200

----------

about 8,000 thb monthly

Phuket still win hands down for access to nice beach, swimming pool, snorkerling, gym.

Once again, I do not see insurance in the budget. Chances are, one day, you will need it here.

Patong ist not Phuket/Thailand.

Living on 50.000/month was quite easy 5 years ago. Now it more near 70.000 these days.

Plus insurances and visaruns every 3 month aprox. 20.000/month.

Thai Food/fruits 3500 and gym?

Single guy - beach, swimming, snorkerling, gym, thai food, surfing net,

Phuket

Rent nil-- ( bought lease-hold studio unit)

Water well 100

TV/Internet 850

Electric 2.600-3500 = avg 3000

Smokes 1800

Thai Food/fruits 3500

Car Gasoline 1300

----------

about 12,000 monthly

Shandong china( convert to thai baht) hiking, chinese food, surfing net

Rent 5100-- ( 3rm apt)

Water well 100

TV/Internet 600

Water&Electric 2200

Smokes 1200

Chinese Food/fruits 2000

Bike Gasoline 200

----------

about 8,000 thb monthly

Phuket still win hands down for access to nice beach, swimming pool, snorkerling, gym.

Gym fees??

Gym is included in the condo in karon hill, comes with swimming pool & gym.

I need acess to gym & swimming pool.........though i saved more in china can go down to 6000thb a month but is boring, i'm looking forward to my trip back in phuket nov this yr.

Swimming is available up on MT taishan but the water quality is bad, chinaman seems fine with it diving in...swimming around with ease.

Patong ist not Phuket/Thailand.

Living on 50.000/month was quite easy 5 years ago. Now it more near 70.000 these days.

Plus insurances and visaruns every 3 month aprox. 20.000/month.

Thai Food/fruits 3500 and gym?

You mean too high??

It can be lesser but tad will be forgoing one of my fav fruits durain.

I know alot of local thai spend lesser than i did....cause they share accommodation cost, split water&electric bills, hm cook ...ride bike to work....etc.

'It is a bit like saying Walking Street is the whole of Bangkok' unlikely since walking street is in pattaya

Yes, and while we are providing lessons in geography, perhaps 'bubblegum' should realise that Bangla is not the whole of Patong. In particular, I note this scrap of advice in the OP's post; 'So if you’re thinking of moving to Phuket and you’re older than 25 you should NOT think about living in Patong'. Then the Op kindly adds, 'Sorry if I offend'. I would have thought it more sensible for him to avoid offending in the first place by keeping his offensive comments to himself. Just who was it who appointed him the judge of where people should live? Better for his credibility to say, 'I don't like (Patong/Bangla/whatever)' and provide his reasons. Perhaps he doesn't realise that most people are capable of digesting information and then making up their own minds...

'It is a bit like saying Walking Street is the whole of Bangkok' unlikely since walking street is in pattaya

Yes, and while we are providing lessons in geography, perhaps 'bubblegum' should realise that Bangla is not the whole of Patong. In particular, I note this scrap of advice in the OP's post; 'So if you’re thinking of moving to Phuket and you’re older than 25 you should NOT think about living in Patong'. Then the Op kindly adds, 'Sorry if I offend'. I would have thought it more sensible for him to avoid offending in the first place by keeping his offensive comments to himself. Just who was it who appointed him the judge of where people should live? Better for his credibility to say, 'I don't like (Patong/Bangla/whatever)' and provide his reasons. Perhaps he doesn't realise that most people are capable of digesting information and then making up their own minds...

I am so sorry !

Just trying to make a useful post for those who are thinking of moving to Phuket. Maybe you could contribute something useful?

Bubblegum comes with a good ans sensible post. One may not agree with everything he writes, but the intent is very good.

Really no need to start insulting.

^Perhaps I could have put it another way. The vast majority of expats living in Patong are well over 25 and seem to like it here. No, you don't often see them in Bangla, but I grow weary of people trotting out the old 'Patong cesspit' chestnut every couple of months, when many of us find much of the city very liveable. There are opinions I could express about Chalong, Rawai, etc, but to what end? Clearly, some people use this sub-forum to troll. I don't think the OP was doing so in this case, but he realised himself the potential for people being offended. He could have expressed his views in a far more innocuous manner - that is the point I was trying to make. Take it as you will - I have no further comment.