What Your Monthly Budget

[carmine]

50000 p/m is a reasonable figure that will easily include the necessities; those being rent, electric, health insurance (for a single person), food and transport. Still plenty left for a few beers.

You could live here on less but i wouldn't want to.

[BigC]

Thanks

How do you live off 10k a month? Also, what kind of places are you getting for 10 and 20k?

Cheer Gents

you woulld need to ask a thai and live like one in a shared rented room for 3 per month then if of papaya salad and market food and noodles.. plus you would have to ut money aside for visa expenses. people think that thailand is dead cheap. it is not but yur money does go slightlyu futher out here but not as much as it iused to with the bath being so strong

[BigC]

50000 p/m is a reasonable figure that will easily include the necessities; those being rent, electric, health insurance (for a single person), food and transport. Still plenty left for a few beers.

You could live here on less but i wouldn't want to.

for me i have 50 k just in bills with finance electric accounting fees, kids take another 22,000 per month gasoline. sometimes if i have a bad month i have a big land and house tax bill which sets me back a further 20k or car tax or inssuerance which cripples me financially for the rest of the month hence i dont have any money for beer which is why i cannot drink.

Plus mia noi's giks and what not..

It is true the more money u make the more your expenses climb

[Samui Coconut]

50000 p/m is a reasonable figure that will easily include the necessities; those being rent, electric, health insurance (for a single person), food and transport. Still plenty left for a few beers.

You could live here on less but i wouldn't want to.

for me i have 50 k just in bills with finance electric accounting fees, kids take another 22,000 per month gasoline. sometimes if i have a bad month i have a big land and house tax bill which sets me back a further 20k or car tax or inssuerance which cripples me financially for the rest of the month hence i dont have any money for beer which is why i cannot drink.

Plus mia noi's giks and what not..

It is true the more money u make the more your expenses climb

Agree, 50,000 does not seem enough, incl. giks can easily reach 100K......I just calculated I spent 70,000 on restaurants last month (no giks), just with friends.....and that wasn't really difficult. Intercon, Nikki Beach, Six Senses...... 4 people.....easy !

[carmine]

50000 p/m is a reasonable figure that will easily include the necessities; those being rent, electric, health insurance (for a single person), food and transport. Still plenty left for a few beers.

You could live here on less but i wouldn't want to.

for me i have 50 k just in bills with finance electric accounting fees, kids take another 22,000 per month gasoline. sometimes if i have a bad month i have a big land and house tax bill which sets me back a further 20k or car tax or inssuerance which cripples me financially for the rest of the month hence i dont have any money for beer which is why i cannot drink.

Plus mia noi's giks and what not..

It is true the more money u make the more your expenses climb

Agree, 50,000 does not seem enough, incl. giks can easily reach 100K......I just calculated I spent 70,000 on restaurants last month (no giks), just with friends.....and that wasn't really difficult. Intercon, Nikki Beach, Six Senses...... 4 people.....easy !

As a "reasonable amount to live on" it is perfectly enough. Thats all i'm saying. If you choose to dine at those type of restaurants then ofcourse it won't suffice.

[sjohnson1234]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

[notmyself]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

That's over 2k Baht a day. I could knock out a shrimp and smoked sausage Gumbo big enough to feed over 30 people for less than that. Cost of ingredients wouldn't be more than 10k (for the month) but let's say it's 20k. 50k a month just to get someone to cook for you!

[John 1]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

He told you what he pays in restaurants why ask if he's fat?. I am so don't ask just accept what you have been told.

[carmine]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

He told you what he pays in restaurants why ask if he's fat?. I am so don't ask just accept what you have been told.

Slightly rude yes but rather funny imo!

Personally if i was spending 70k a month at restaurants on an island in thailand (not that i could afford to i freely admit) its something i'd keep to myself because i think thats a bit bizarre. But each to their own ofcourse. Who are we to judge.

[BigC]

ok billls allone with out the mistresses at least send about 55 to 60 k per month but a have a few business so of coarse i am going to have more expenses.

The profit normally goes on sponsering a thai family in Esaan lol

[Birdman]

There are people who stay on Samui at hotels only. Some for months, regulary, year by year, since many years. Also at 5* resorts..........

[Samui Coconut]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

I said for 4 people. This month it won't be that much. I am not on the large side at all, and considering what these places cost, it is really no difficult. Intercon BBQ dinner is Baht 2,900++ per person, just figure 4 of us plus drinks, Nikki Beach on a Sunday easy 20,000 and Six Sense a decent set menu cost 5,000 per person with wines. Not bragging, but really not difficult to spend, try it

[sjohnson1234]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

He told you what he pays in restaurants why ask if he's fat?. I am so don't ask just accept what you have been told.

Because I want to know if 70k in restaurant bills makes one fat, that's why/

You're fat? Well, thanks for sharing. I'm a bit tubby too.

[sjohnson1234]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

He told you what he pays in restaurants why ask if he's fat?. I am so don't ask just accept what you have been told.

Slightly rude yes but rather funny imo!

Personally if i was spending 70k a month at restaurants on an island in thailand (not that i could afford to i freely admit) its something i'd keep to myself because i think thats a bit bizarre. But each to their own ofcourse. Who are we to judge.

Ah, well you have to smile in life, no?

Yeh, no need to be judegmenal. Personally, I'd love to fine dine each night - get in my belly.

[sjohnson1234]

70K in restaurants? And thats you paying just for yourself? Are you, you know, on the large side?

I said for 4 people. This month it won't be that much. I am not on the large side at all, and considering what these places cost, it is really no difficult. Intercon BBQ dinner is Baht 2,900++ per person, just figure 4 of us plus drinks, Nikki Beach on a Sunday easy 20,000 and Six Sense a decent set menu cost 5,000 per person with wines. Not bragging, but really not difficult to spend, try it

Ah, ok - 4 of you. You must be popular.

Nikki beach, 20k .... does that also inclue wine? Just out of interest, like....

[Razzler1973]

My lifestyle probably wouldn't appeal to a lot of people... I don't enjoy going out so I don't do it. (I also don't drink or smoke.) I enjoy swimming, walking, reading and writing, which doesn't cost me anything. My current house is a new (1 year old) bungalow with sea views on Phangan (Had Yao West), typical bungalow size, easily big enough for me and with a nice large balcony. Well built & decently equipped for my needs (not much of a kitchen but I don't need one).

I might downgrade to a 7-8K bungalow, been looking for one and found a few, somewhat older and so lower standard but otherwise same. I'm not too fussy as long as electricity + internet works and I don't get too many bugs or other critters.

As far as food goes, I eat out 3-7 times a week, usually dinner. I like simple food, rice with something simple added, rarely pay more than 200 B per meal, even though I don't hunt for the cheapest restaurants - often eat at the beach, which is obviously more expensive. I'm not a vegetarian but don't eat beef/pork, sometimes I eat vegetarian, sometimes seafood and occasionally chicken. Apart from that I only eat fresh fruit - some days I eat nothing else. Mangoes are my staple, right now 40-50 B/kg. When there's good durian I do spend more but that doesn't happen too often in these parts. Bike rent is 3K + petrol.

I've been thinking about cutting my costs, might move to a 7-8 K bungalow in Chaloklum & get rid of the bike, I'd save ~6K.

Like I said, probably not a lifestyle that would appeal to a lot of people... I enjoy a very simple life, reading books, swimming and hiking being among my greatest joys. I'd like to live without a bike but buying fruit becomes tricky if I can't get to Thong Sala easily - Chaloklum just might work though.

Cool, man

Have you considered buying yourself a rice cooker? They're not that expensive and a 5kg or 10kg bag of rice and you're sorted for ages ... can go buy curries and dishes from the market and places in Thong Sala (Maybe the supermarket also do them) for 30-40 bucks a time and in the long run you're probably cutting costs more

Even a hot plate and pan to make an omelette to supplement the various side dishes and I reckon in the long run you'd probably save on food and also enjoy eating on your balcony (which is ace!!!)

[AngThong]

Cool, man

Have you considered buying yourself a rice cooker? They're not that expensive and a 5kg or 10kg bag of rice and you're sorted for ages ... can go buy curries and dishes from the market and places in Thong Sala (Maybe the supermarket also do them) for 30-40 bucks a time and in the long run you're probably cutting costs more

Even a hot plate and pan to make an omelette to supplement the various side dishes and I reckon in the long run you'd probably save on food and also enjoy eating on your balcony (which is ace!!!)

Thanks. The house I live in has a rice cooker... Truth be told though, eating out is as much a social occasion for me as a culinary one. I eat at least two thirds (more like three fourths probably) of my meals on my balcony anyway - but it's just fruit. Scored some sweet Khadum Thong durians today, that'll make for a very nice meal, and the better mangoes are finally beginning to appear at the fruit stands; when that happens, I sometimes eat fruit only for a couple of weeks. 6 months is the longest I've done, but that was when I was making an effort and consciously staying away from everything else; these days, I eat pretty much whatever I fancy. The dishes I fancy tend to be below 100 baht though.

I'd definitely cook more myself if I enjoyed cooking and food preparation... Alas, I do not

[maccaroni man]

there was a single man in his early 50's that went to the same gym as me, he would tell me about his travels and goings on while we did our work outs. he had a car, lived in a small house in chong mon and liked to drink a bottle of wine a couple fo times a week, he had a lady friend a few times a month and would travel to pucket from time to time, he seemed to have a fun comfortable life style so i asked him what his monthly budget was. he said 80k not including travel to europe. The baht was not as strong 5 years ago.

[Birdman]

you can easily live for below 10.000 a month if you can do that without shortcomings and feel great while others sent their children daily to Bangkok for school....everything is entirely up to yourself

[thehelmsman]

I'm trying to perhaps save 20K a month by not my child to an international school and here we have talk of 70K in a month for dining out. Gotta love it...........

[notmyself]

I'd definitely cook more myself if I enjoyed cooking and food preparation... Alas, I do not

Fair enough.

[BigC]

I'd definitely cook more myself if I enjoyed cooking and food preparation... Alas, I do not

Fair enough.

it is normal to eat in restaurants out here they aint that expensive for normal thai food plus u dont have to clean up after i could not live the same life style back home. i would have to be very rich if i did

[Banzai99]

Seems for now most of us live for min 50k a month for pretty modest, but correct life (rent+food+motorbike+all except exceptional leisures)

@sjohnson : you can even find places for 4-6000THB to live. You can eat for 60-100THB a day if you eat strict thai food or from Tesco.

I know I could, but I don't want, live for less than 10k... :

5000THB rent

1000thb electric+water

100thb food a day, 3000/mo

Rest is comfort... better house, internet, more choices in food, motorbike, leisures. A must for me to pay 5 times this but for much higher quality of life. Also we are two.

10k a month? I lived better in the Scrubs :-)

True.

[BigC]

Seems for now most of us live for min 50k a month for pretty modest, but correct life (rent+food+motorbike+all except exceptional leisures)

@sjohnson : you can even find places for 4-6000THB to live. You can eat for 60-100THB a day if you eat strict thai food or from Tesco.

I know I could, but I don't want, live for less than 10k... :

5000THB rent

1000thb electric+water

100thb food a day, 3000/mo

Rest is comfort... better house, internet, more choices in food, motorbike, leisures. A must for me to pay 5 times this but for much higher quality of life. Also we are two.

10k a month? I lived better in the Scrubs :-)

True.

depends on your expenses.

You could live onn 10 k per month if u had covered all your bills. there again not much of a live.

i dont now what the work situation is like back in our own countries but i would not be able to work and live and eat like a thia on a thai wage. sort of defeats the purpose of coming out

[notmyself]

i dont now what the work situation is like back in our own countries but i would not be able to work and live and eat like a thia on a thai wage. sort of defeats the purpose of coming out

On the somewhat puerile assumption that that is the only reason or purpose for people to come to Thailand. I came for the plethora of top quality ingredients on my doorstep. Why would I then want a likely second rate chef to cook for me using likely second rate ingredients because the idea is to make money rather than fine food?

[Birdman]

Seems for now most of us live for min 50k a month for pretty modest, but correct life (rent+food+motorbike+all except exceptional leisures)

@sjohnson : you can even find places for 4-6000THB to live. You can eat for 60-100THB a day if you eat strict thai food or from Tesco.

I know I could, but I don't want, live for less than 10k... :

5000THB rent

1000thb electric+water

100thb food a day, 3000/mo

Rest is comfort... better house, internet, more choices in food, motorbike, leisures. A must for me to pay 5 times this but for much higher quality of life. Also we are two.

10k a month? I lived better in the Scrubs :-)

True.

depends on your expenses.

You could live onn 10 k per month if u had covered all your bills. there again not much of a live.

i dont now what the work situation is like back in our own countries but i would not be able to work and live and eat like a thia on a thai wage. sort of defeats the purpose of coming out

I am sure there are old, small, simple shacks for 1.000-2.000 per month in walking distance to a local market and to the beach. And if beach life is what you want and do, you need the rent for the shack & 100 a day for food & maybe 1.000 max for other things. You can go fishing and collect crab too, maybe buy a bicycle, have a partner, so cost will be shared and you need not more than 5.000 a month, if you want, and you can be happy.

This is possible. I did that when I was young. Not because we did not have the money. We lived direct on the beach for months and were there almost the whole time. We did not want anything else, because it was fantastic. Money can't be spend, because there was nothing we wanted. And this was done by thousands of young folks then and I am sure now too. You just don't know that, because they don't post in a forum, go to bars and Farang restaurants....

[BigC]

i dont now what the work situation is like back in our own countries but i would not be able to work and live and eat like a thia on a thai wage. sort of defeats the purpose of coming out

On the somewhat puerile assumption that that is the only reason or purpose for people to come to Thailand. I came for the plethora of top quality ingredients on my doorstep. Why would I then want a likely second rate chef to cook for me using likely second rate ingredients because the idea is to make money rather than fine food?

i dont understand. i am not making any assuptions on why people come here they all have different reasons

[AngThong]

I am sure there are old, small, simple shacks for 1.000-2.000 per month in walking distance to a local market and to the beach. And if beach life is what you want and do, you need the rent for the shack & 100 a day for food & maybe 1.000 max for other things. You can go fishing and collect crab too, maybe buy a bicycle, have a partner, so cost will be shared and you need not more than 5.000 a month, if you want, and you can be happy.

This is possible. I did that when I was young. Not because we did not have the money. We lived direct on the beach for months and were there almost the whole time. We did not want anything else, because it was fantastic. Money can't be spend, because there was nothing we wanted. And this was done by thousands of young folks then and I am sure now too. You just don't know that, because they don't post in a forum, go to bars and Farang restaurants....

Seems to me that the young'uns doing that are these days to be found elsewhere - Trang maybe, Trat, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia. The kind of places that resemble Samui 20 years ago... In these waters, the price of everything has gone up a lot. If I was interested in anything of the kind, I'd either head to those places, or maybe occupy an abandoned hut someplace quiet - there's a couple standing down by the water between Bottle beach & Coral bay on Phangan and some more further down south on the Eastern side. Koh Ma as well but there's too much people there, someone'd oust you...

That said, I know a handful of people who live around SE Asia mostly off stuff they pick themselves & sleeping in their own hammocks that they hang up wherever they fancy staying for the night, usually on a beach. But they're diehard hippies (sans drugs) and in their 30's/40's.

[Oak]

We about half a million quid and a house in Thailand

To the OP, you have a house in Thailand plus half a million quid here. You have a job offshore & you are asking about budgets?

Edited May 19, 2013 by Oak

[stiggy]

Hasn't this been done to death, many many times before?

No Rent, so just electric and gas (variable)

Health Insurance approx 4k per month

Food beer travel etc etc between 5k and 200k per month hugely variable

Basically I came here to live, not budget . Don't get why TV has all these budget threads all the time.

Bottom line people live to there means and long term goals, end of story.