How Much A Month Does One Need To If Starting A Family And Living In Pats

[action]

TV would be a much better communitity if people would just answer the OP's question and if they don't have an answer, don't bother posting anything.

I live in Pattaya with my wife of 7 years, our 6 year old daughter and 1 year old son.

• Rent - 10,000
• Nanny (Wife's Mother to help with the baby) - 6,000
• Electric bill - 2,300
• Cable TV bill - 300
• Water bill - 550
• Internet bill - 650
• School (70% English program for the 6 year old) - 7,000
• Food and daily spending cash - 30,000 ( I budget 1000 a day)
• Diapers and formula - 4,000

Total: 60,800 per month.

My cars are paid for, I don't have a car payment. Gas is usually covered by my 1000 a day allowance.

Auto insurance and health insurance are paid yearly and not included above.

I keep an account with money for any emergencies not included above,

I do make and spend much more than this, but it is my monthly budget for necessities.

I do not go to the bars, I do not drink heavlily, I do not pay for short time "company". We go out to a nice dinner about 2 times per week but usually eat Thai style.

I don't give my wife 20,000 a month, or any other payment for her happiness. We are both very content with OUR budget that we manage together. Don't listen to everyone's comments about Thai wives. If you're 60 and you're wife is 18, you probably fall in that catagory but there are plenty of people in Pattaya with perfectly normal relationships.

Hope it helps.

[recycler]

I don't have the answer, but my friends indicate schools here can be expensive. This could be a very big part of your monthly expenses if you go with one of the international schools. Not so much if they go to a Thai school.

A good bilingual school will set you back about 10,000 Baht a month, international schools 30,000 and much more if you go Regents in Pattaya.

[Phil Conners]

An off topic post has been deleted. Please stay on topic.

[davidmann]

why live in Pattaya ,was heaven 30 years ago ,look for clean place to live at lower cost thats going to be safe for children

[ghworker2010]

TV would be a much better communitity if people would just answer the OP's question and if they don't have an answer, don't bother posting anything.

I live in Pattaya with my wife of 7 years, our 6 year old daughter and 1 year old son.

• Rent - 10,000
• Nanny (Wife's Mother to help with the baby) - 6,000
• Electric bill - 2,300
• Cable TV bill - 300
• Water bill - 550
• Internet bill - 650
• School (70% English program for the 6 year old) - 7,000
• Food and daily spending cash - 30,000 ( I budget 1000 a day)
• Diapers and formula - 4,000

Total: 60,800 per month.

My cars are paid for, I don't have a car payment. Gas is usually covered by my 1000 a day allowance.

Auto insurance and health insurance are paid yearly and not included above.

I keep an account with money for any emergencies not included above,

I do make and spend much more than this, but it is my monthly budget for necessities.

I do not go to the bars, I do not drink heavlily, I do not pay for short time "company". We go out to a nice dinner about 2 times per week but usually eat Thai style.

I don't give my wife 20,000 a month, or any other payment for her happiness. We are both very content with OUR budget that we manage together. Don't listen to everyone's comments about Thai wives. If you're 60 and you're wife is 18, you probably fall in that catagory but there are plenty of people in Pattaya with perfectly normal relationships.

Hope it helps.

a very helpful response thanks.

[carib102]

TV would be a much better communitity if people would just answer the OP's question and if they don't have an answer, don't bother posting anything.

I live in Pattaya with my wife of 7 years, our 6 year old daughter and 1 year old son.

• Rent - 10,000
• Nanny (Wife's Mother to help with the baby) - 6,000
• Electric bill - 2,300
• Cable TV bill - 300
• Water bill - 550
• Internet bill - 650
• School (70% English program for the 6 year old) - 7,000
• Food and daily spending cash - 30,000 ( I budget 1000 a day)
• Diapers and formula - 4,000

Total: 60,800 per month.

My cars are paid for, I don't have a car payment. Gas is usually covered by my 1000 a day allowance.

Auto insurance and health insurance are paid yearly and not included above.

I keep an account with money for any emergencies not included above,

I do make and spend much more than this, but it is my monthly budget for necessities.

I do not go to the bars, I do not drink heavlily, I do not pay for short time "company". We go out to a nice dinner about 2 times per week but usually eat Thai style.

I don't give my wife 20,000 a month, or any other payment for her happiness. We are both very content with OUR budget that we manage together. Don't listen to everyone's comments about Thai wives. If you're 60 and you're wife is 18, you probably fall in that catagory but there are plenty of people in Pattaya with perfectly normal relationships.

Hope it helps.

We live in Bangkok (me, wife and 3 y/o daughter) and our budget and expenses are virtually identical to this. We do have a car payment, but no nanny employed so that's a wash. My wife works outside the house and attends school at nights so our monthly expenses come to 70-75k. We also eat out about 2x/week, go to the cinema 1-2x a month and travel outside Bangkok for a weekend getaway every couple months.

[thaikahuna]

You're going to get answers from some claiming you can manage on Baht 25,000 per month all the way up to others who think you'll need Baht 100,000. How much does it cost to live in Manchester or in Dallas or Sydney? Many different answers depending on a whole lot of variables.

If you already have "my Thai lady" and a child on the way, you must have some experience with living expenses in Thailand. Most people feel that a lot of the basics have risen quite a lot in the past year or two, especially if your income is coming from outside Thailand, due to the strength of the baht.

Why in particular do you want to stay in Pattaya?

Kids ain't cheap! To begin with whatever you think you can get by on will NEVER be enough. Not sure what you are looking at for a place to live for 10K but 15K is more realistic. The baby will need its own room, clothes, diapers, special food, etc. In my case, it's just me and the wife and we live on less than $2000.00 USD per month and that includes a new car note($700). I suggest you start stocking up on diapers now. A newborn will go through several changes a day.

[Chicken George]

50k but having money for the big purchases as a separate item. You may need a car. Motor bike. In the guture svhool fees and msybe more children. You may also die so how will your family survive? You need to be prepared for every outcome. Hope all works out.

[Tolley]

I would budget for 100k to be on the safe side.<br /><br />Of course you could live on less like 80k but you probably need a 20k buffer because there are always miscellaneous expenses that tend to appear from nowhere.

[newermonkey]

I would say:

a) 100K is possible.

200K would make life bearable.

c) 300K up is good.

Under 100K you will be just living a miserable existence and not be able to save, you family will need to go without any niceties in life.

Plain stupid... your post would mean that 99% of all Thai families live a "miserable existence"....

I am only going on my own experience and I don't live like a Thai never have never will. (and yes a lot of Thais live in what I would class as miserable)

I had presumed the person making the inquiry was not a Thai though?

My own monthly expenses for the family of two adults, for one month are as follows (2 people):

1) Food mainly from Friendship Supermarket - about 10,000 Baht - shopping includes such items as: tinned baked beans, frozen pastry, Corned beef, Tinned herrings, fresh wholemeal bread, cartons of fruit juice, Flora margarine, Greek style yoghurt, fresh salmon, etc. etc...

2) House rent 10,000 Baht (this is very low, but I was lucky to find this nice new shop-house in the middle of a pleasant village, normally I would say farangs will be spending between 12 to 60 K per month on a home)

3) Maid service 4,000 Baht

4) Car expenses & motor bike 25,000 Baht

5) Electricity 10,000 Baht (includes 2x 28,000 BTU air and kitchen appliances)

6) Going out 20,000 Baht

7) Clothes 2,000 Baht

8) Things for home new tv etc (amortized for the year) 8,000 Baht per month

9) True Visions TV 3,000 Baht

10) Laundry 2,000 Baht

11) water bill 300 Baht

12) Telephone 2 mobile & one fixed line plus internet 4,000 Baht

13 Motor racing hobby 15,000

That's about it = 103,300 Baht

Please note this does not include a baby, perhaps add 50,000 Baht to the above.

If you want to live like a Thai that up to you but personally its not for me thank you very much.

Note: Most of my farang friends spend more than me every month. I would say I live a standard slightly better than if I was still in the UK because mainly accommodation is cheaper here and leave a bit more cash for other things.

[hotandhumid]

I would say:

a) 100K is possible.

200K would make life bearable.

c) 300K up is good.

Under 100K you will be just living a miserable existence and not be able to save, you family will need to go without any niceties in life.

Plain stupid... your post would mean that 99% of all Thai families live a "miserable existence"....

I am only going on my own experience and I don't live like a Thai never have never will. (and yes a lot of Thais live in what I would class as miserable)

I had presumed the person making the inquiry was not a Thai though?

My own monthly expenses for the family of two adults, for one month are as follows (2 people):

1) Food mainly from Friendship Supermarket - about 10,000 Baht - shopping includes such items as: tinned baked beans, frozen pastry, Corned beef, Tinned herrings, fresh wholemeal bread, cartons of fruit juice, Flora margarine, Greek style yoghurt, fresh salmon, etc. etc...

2) House rent 10,000 Baht (this is very low, but I was lucky to find this nice new shop-house in the middle of a pleasant village, normally I would say farangs will be spending between 12 to 60 K per month on a home)

3) Maid service 4,000 Baht

4) Car expenses & motor bike 25,000 Baht

5) Electricity 10,000 Baht (includes 2x 28,000 BTU air and kitchen appliances)

6) Going out 20,000 Baht

7) Clothes 2,000 Baht

8) Things for home new tv etc (amortized for the year) 8,000 Baht per month

9) True Visions TV 3,000 Baht

10) Laundry 2,000 Baht

11) water bill 300 Baht

12) Telephone 2 mobile & one fixed line plus internet 4,000 Baht

13 Motor racing hobby 15,000

That's about it = 103,300 Baht

Please note this does not include a baby, perhaps add 50,000 Baht to the above.

If you want to live like a Thai that up to you but personally its not for me thank you very much.

Note: Most of my farang friends spend more than me every month. I would say I live a standard slightly better than if I was still in the UK because mainly accommodation is cheaper here and leave a bit more cash for other things.

I agree with that. If you want to live and not exist you will need a minimum of 100k a month for sure.

As for 'swimming in the ocean' I think that is the funniest thing I have ever read on here. It also made me feel dirty. Yuk.

[jjan99]

Hi

I don't think it's a silly question and I think people should be able to give a ballpark figure without being too "scientific" I have seen decent rents on some villages for around 10000 Bt and up per month. I had a very nice pool villa in East Pattaya, for 19000 Bt per month. I will be the first to admit that it was quite a find, but nevertheless, I found it. Many people on my village tell me that their electric bill is between 2000 and 4000 Bt per month, depending on how much aircon they use. A water bill for normal use on my village is around 300 to 400 Bt per month. Gas costs are minimal and we use bottled gas which is very cheap and lasts for ages. TV packages vary from a few hundred Bt per month to around 2100 Bt per month for the top True package. I know that it may not be everyones cup of tea but the baht bus is cheap and many do use them. You could also consider a cheap second hand mororcycle/scooter/sidecar combination for shopping runs as many do.

For staying in touch with family and friends, I have a UK vonage phone which costs me less than a 1000 Bt per month and it gives me unlimited and untimed calls to virtually anywhere in the world including Thai land and mobiles, USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, NZ, UK (but for some reason, only land lines in UK), Europe, and most of Asia. Some Vonage packages are even less. It even allows your family and friends back home to call you as a local call. I also have an AIS plan which giges me 250 minutes of calls and 1 G of data for 500 Bt per month, my internet package is also 500 Bt per month. As for furniture and stuff like that, look at classifieds on Thaivisa, Bahtsold, OLX or the second hand shops.

As for the other stuff such as food, that is where it gets tricky because it depends on what you like but not impossible to answer. If your wife/gf is Thai, she will be able to shop in the thai markets very cheaply and cook at home. However, even if she isn't Thai you can still shop in the markets and eat cheaply. Things like chicken, pork, fish, rice, spices, Thai sauces, noodles, bread, and Thai fruit and vegatables are all cheap and load of dishes can be made from those ingredients. Thais earning a few hundred Baht per day can manage and I am sure that many expats here survive on only a few hundred pounds/dollars per month. Many talk the talk and tell other stories but in reality for some, that is the honest truth. Your main expense is western farang food which is very expensive here in Thailand. Some may argue but check out the supermarkets if you doubt me, the prices will speak for themselves.

Entertainment will depend on what your interests are but even if you go to a very cheap local restaraunt you can have a Thai dish for 50 Bt a head, not the Ritz but hell, it is still eating out and many people in the west can no longer afford to do that. Movies are very cheap, around 140 Bt a ticket. Beer in the supermarket is quite cheap, around 45 Bt for a large bottle depending on what you drink. Sangsom Thai rum, is around 240 Bt for a large bottle at most shops. Some bars will sell you a large set which is a lagrge bottle of Sangsom, 4 cans of coke, ice and the use of glasses. You can sit in their bar and drink it, all for around 450 Bt. This figure can be halved if you have a small bottle.Once again it is not painting the town, but you are out for the evening and many in the west can't even afford that anymore. Health could get expensive but many expats have travel insurace from thair home countries and if your other half is Thai, then she may have Thai cover. As for medication costs, there are types of medication sold at the pharmacy which are cheap and some offer a consultation at the counter for medication advice.

In conclusion and to put things into some kind of perspective, I am seeing jobs advertised for Thais that offer 9500 Bt per month. I also read stories (with raised eyebrows) on different forums from expats claiming you need at least 100,000 Bt per month to get by. However, i do wonder if some of these expats who claim this figure to be the minimum, see the need to calculate the cost of bar girls, massage, nightly trips to the boozer and golf to be amongst the essentials of living in Thailand. Therefore, because of these two differing figures, it would probably be safe to take a figure somewhere the middle ground of around 50,000 Bt permonth or maybe slightly less, to sustain a life here. That buying power would be not much different to that of many of the western world's working class people who manage to get by, or even some middle class Thais. I believe that this figure won't provide extreme luxury but if you are careful and don't be too extravagant, you will manage fine. If living here is your dream, then go for it. If it doesn't work out, just turn around and go back again. This is just my opinion and it is not meant to be inflammatory or cause offence

Good luck

[khunPer]

With the first answering post in mind, as it all depends of lifestyle, I can tell you, that I am living here with my GF and our Thai child (now 7 years) on a monthly budget around 75,000 (900k/year). That includes 15k/month for house expences, around 60k/y for my health inssurance (and health/emergency saving), gasoline and inssurance for car and motorbike (we owns), a maid (nanny) and scholl payments for a bi-langual Thai school. Nursery is cheaper, but some Kindergarden classes can be almost as expensive as Primary School. We mainly eat at home, however do go out sometimes, and we hardly drink (alcohol).

But it all depends of life style. Will you mainly eat Thai food or shall it be mainly Western – that may make be a big difference in the daily food budget. Will you need a maid/nanny? Outings and vacation? E.t.c.

I presume a family of three can live here from 40k/m – and you can easially spend a lot more.

[kevvy]

if you live about 30 minutes from pattaya you will find life alot cheaper . sriracha area

[BradinAsia]

I would say:

a) 100K is possible.

200K would make life bearable.

c) 300K up is good.

Under 100K you will be just living a miserable existence and not be able to save, you family will need to go without any niceties in life.

Plain stupid... your post would mean that 99% of all Thai families live a "miserable existence"....

+1

Also would mean that about 75% of the expats living here are also miserable.

[LeCharivari]

TV would be a much better communitity if people would just answer the OP's question and if they don't have an answer, don't bother posting anything.

I live in Pattaya with my wife of 7 years, our 6 year old daughter and 1 year old son.

• Rent - 10,000
• Nanny (Wife's Mother to help with the baby) - 6,000
• Electric bill - 2,300
• Cable TV bill - 300
• Water bill - 550
• Internet bill - 650
• School (70% English program for the 6 year old) - 7,000
• Food and daily spending cash - 30,000 ( I budget 1000 a day)
• Diapers and formula - 4,000

Total: 60,800 per month.

My cars are paid for, I don't have a car payment. Gas is usually covered by my 1000 a day allowance.

Auto insurance and health insurance are paid yearly and not included above.

I keep an account with money for any emergencies not included above,

I do make and spend much more than this, but it is my monthly budget for necessities.

I do not go to the bars, I do not drink heavlily, I do not pay for short time "company". We go out to a nice dinner about 2 times per week but usually eat Thai style.

I don't give my wife 20,000 a month, or any other payment for her happiness. We are both very content with OUR budget that we manage together. Don't listen to everyone's comments about Thai wives. If you're 60 and you're wife is 18, you probably fall in that catagory but there are plenty of people in Pattaya with perfectly normal relationships.

Hope it helps.

If you are the only one working / with an income then unless your wife has a private / personal income your not giving her any form of personal allowance makes yours a distinctly ABnormal relationship, regardless of whether you are in Pattaya, your wife is Thai, there is an age difference or any other circumstances.

The only other options would seem to be a joint account which you "manage together", discussing it every time either of you wanted to buy anything from a book to a banana, or her asking you or her mother for a handout every time she wanted a haircut, a coffee with her friends or an ice cream for your daughter.

Giving a wife / partner an allowance IS normal for most couples where only one person is working, wherever you are and whoever you are married to, and its something most people allow for when balancing their budget. Just because someone is in Pattaya with a Thai wife or partner doesn't make it either some sort of extended "off" fee or something that can be ignored.

[MrZM]

2 things are very important living in Pattaya.

1. You need to have a disposable income. An income that comes in every month that you can spend regardless.

2. You need to have cash in the bank. You never know what is going to happen.

In my opinion one or the other you would struggle.

You can't fit everything into a budget. Especially having a child. A decent pair of trainers/shoes can cost you 1500/2000 baht. Decent clothing ie the Tshirts I bought my son last week from uniqlo were 390baht each. These can not be included in my budget. Again after my son finished in the play area in central festival today, we went in to toys r us and I treated him to a toy at a cost of 400 baht. I also bought my wife a couple of books, and few bits from boots again another 600/700 baht. Obviously it's not everyday, but you see my point.

You have to put everything into perspective.

There are no benefits or welfare here, if times go bad. You have to know what your doing.

It's all good asking for advice, trial and error is the best way.

I enjoy cooking scrambled eggs on toast in the morning with my son, we sit down watch cartoons and were smiling. This at a cost of 40 baht for 2 of us sometimes 3 of us if the wife fancies some. Other days we go out for a full English at a cost of 300+ baht.

At the end of the day you have to do what your happy with, what you can afford and what doesn't put your family at risk.

Me and my family for the past 3 years have spent half in the UK and half in Thailand.

As a decision we are going to live in the UK and spend our holidays in Thailand.

Work out what's best for you.

As people have commented you have been quite vague, you have not mentioned your age, wether your wife works, what your income or budget is, how old your child is, or wether you have child or not etc etc.

As others have said you have asked a silly question, everyone has different circumstances. Some are multi millionaires who can eat at the Hilton every night others eat thai food every night.

You need to know the place and then know how much you need to spend.

[LeCharivari]

if you live about 30 minutes from pattaya you will find life alot cheaper . sriracha area

While "life" may be cheaper little else is, even in Issan. Houses certainly are, due to the cost of the land, but if you compare like with like that's about all. Even food"s no cheaper, like for like, which is why local protests stopped Lotus opening a branch in Loei for years - and Makro just outside Pattaya's quite a bit cheaper than Lotus.

Even a minor operation which would have cost me 18,000 at Bangkok-Pattaya was still 15,000 at Samitivej, SiRicha and my local clinic 10 minutes outside Pattaya did it just as well for 3,000.

After 20 years here, mainly outside Pattaya, Pattaya's convenient for shopping and vets but that's about it and we're probably heading north to Loei - I doubt if we'll save any money, but some cool weather and quiet roads will be nice.

[smokie36]

2 things are very important living in Pattaya.

1. You need to have a disposable income. An income that comes in every month that you can spend regardless.

2. You need to have cash in the bank. You never know what is going to happen.

In my opinion one or the other you would struggle.

You can't fit everything into a budget. Especially having a child. A decent pair of trainers/shoes can cost you 1500/2000 baht. Decent clothing ie the Tshirts I bought my son last week from uniqlo were 390baht each. These can not be included in my budget. Again after my son finished in the play area in central festival today, we went in to toys r us and I treated him to a toy at a cost of 400 baht. I also bought my wife a couple of books, and few bits from boots again another 600/700 baht. Obviously it's not everyday, but you see my point.

You have to put everything into perspective.

There are no benefits or welfare here, if times go bad. You have to know what your doing.

It's all good asking for advice, trial and error is the best way.

I enjoy cooking scrambled eggs on toast in the morning with my son, we sit down watch cartoons and were smiling. This at a cost of 40 baht for 2 of us sometimes 3 of us if the wife fancies some. Other days we go out for a full English at a cost of 300+ baht.

At the end of the day you have to do what your happy with, what you can afford and what doesn't put your family at risk.

Me and my family for the past 3 years have spent half in the UK and half in Thailand.

As a decision we are going to live in the UK and spend our holidays in Thailand.

Work out what's best for you.

As people have commented you have been quite vague, you have not mentioned your age, wether your wife works, what your income or budget is, how old your child is, or wether you have child or not etc etc.

As others have said you have asked a silly question, everyone has different circumstances. Some are multi millionaires who can eat at the Hilton every night others eat thai food every night.

You need to know the place and then know how much you need to spend.

Yes, as said here best to post your budget and expectation then people can much better advise you.

[PattayaPhom]

On top on your rent and utilities 30K wil be ample to begin with....suggest wife breast feeds to save on buying milk and use washable pampers.

!,000 Baht a day is more than enough. Kid and wife need to register at local hospitol for health care, you can get your own. School fees wont be payable for 3 years yet and then a local Thai scholl is only 12k a year. A car will be the most expensive purchase/running costs if you get on.

[PattayaPhom]

TV would be a much better communitity if people would just answer the OP's question and if they don't have an answer, don't bother posting anything.

I live in Pattaya with my wife of 7 years, our 6 year old daughter and 1 year old son.

• Rent - 10,000
• Nanny (Wife's Mother to help with the baby) - 6,000
• Electric bill - 2,300
• Cable TV bill - 300
• Water bill - 550
• Internet bill - 650
• School (70% English program for the 6 year old) - 7,000
• Food and daily spending cash - 30,000 ( I budget 1000 a day)
• Diapers and formula - 4,000

Total: 60,800 per month.

My cars are paid for, I don't have a car payment. Gas is usually covered by my 1000 a day allowance.

Auto insurance and health insurance are paid yearly and not included above.

I keep an account with money for any emergencies not included above,

I do make and spend much more than this, but it is my monthly budget for necessities.

I do not go to the bars, I do not drink heavlily, I do not pay for short time "company". We go out to a nice dinner about 2 times per week but usually eat Thai style.

I don't give my wife 20,000 a month, or any other payment for her happiness. We are both very content with OUR budget that we manage together. Don't listen to everyone's comments about Thai wives. If you're 60 and you're wife is 18, you probably fall in that catagory but there are plenty of people in Pattaya with perfectly normal relationships.

Hope it helps.

If you are the only one working / with an income then unless your wife has a private / personal income your not giving her any form of personal allowance makes yours a distinctly ABnormal relationship, regardless of whether you are in Pattaya, your wife is Thai, there is an age difference or any other circumstances.

The only other options would seem to be a joint account which you "manage together", discussing it every time either of you wanted to buy anything from a book to a banana, or her asking you or her mother for a handout every time she wanted a haircut, a coffee with her friends or an ice cream for your daughter.

Giving a wife / partner an allowance IS normal for most couples where only one person is working, wherever you are and whoever you are married to, and its something most people allow for when balancing their budget. Just because someone is in Pattaya with a Thai wife or partner doesn't make it either some sort of extended "off" fee or something that can be ignored.

Bu tthe money guys give to their wifes/GFs dosnt go towards living costs, its straight back to the leeches in her life, the man will still be paying rent/bills everything else on top of the allowance he gives her.

[SNGLIFE]

When I married 8-9 years ago, 35k baht/mo was plenty to live modestly and comfortably in a very nice 2 BR condo in Jomtien with a seaview just off the beach and also cover all our living needs/wants. Thank God I left that cesspool of a city and built a beautiful home with plenty of land, fresh air, and scenery in a safe, clean environment just outside of Udon 4 years ago.

Udon is much cheaper than Pattaya, but living essentially the same lifestyle (pretty darn good IMO) but without having to pay rent anymore, the wife barely stretches the 35k baht/mo house budget to the end of each month. Our 11 yo daughter attends the "best" public school (I still home school her and our 3 year old son to international standards, though). Regarding schools, you are either going to PAY for a substandard education or send them to a public school and get a substandard education for FREE. There is no getting around that unless you fork over BIG bucks for the "real" International schools.

IMO, raising a family in Pattaya is irresponsible and crazy. It's way too dangerous, vice-filled, and polluted (air, noise, traffic, etc.) with far too many predators of every type and description lurking about. Some people must remain there for work to remain in LOS. Short of that, one would be responsible and wise to move one's family elsewhere in the Kingdom.

Edited May 24, 2013 by SNGLIFE

[jimmybkk]

I'd say allow for 100K and if you're lucky you may find you have some left over each month,

Why not tell us where you live now and how much you spend each month there, then we can get a better idea of your lifestyle and how much you would need to spend to maintain that kind of lifestyle in Pattaya.

[jimmybkk]

When I married 8-9 years ago, 35k baht/mo was plenty to live modestly and comfortably in a very nice 2 BR condo in Jomtien with a seaview just off the beach and also cover all our living needs/wants. Thank God I left that cesspool of a city and built a beautiful home with plenty of land, fresh air, and scenery in a safe, clean environment just outside of Udon 4 years ago.

Udon is much cheaper than Pattaya, but living essentially the same lifestyle (pretty darn good IMO) but without having to pay rent anymore, the wife barely stretches the 35k baht/mo house budget to the end of each month. Our 11 yo daughter attends the "best" public school (I still home school her and our 3 year old son to international standards, though). Regarding schools, you are either going to PAY for a substandard education or send them to a public school and get a substandard education for FREE. There is no getting around that unless you fork over BIG bucks for the "real" International schools.

IMO, raising a family in Pattaya is irresponsible and crazy. It's way too dangerous, vice-filled, and polluted (air, noise, traffic, etc.) with far too many predators of every type and description lurking about. Some people must remain there for work to remain in LOS. Short of that, one would be responsible and wise to move one's family elsewhere in the Kingdom.

To each their own dude, but instead of just saying you moved from Pattaya to Udon and you're very happy with your life there now, why do you feel the need to slag Pattaya off to those of us that live here and are reading this, and also to the OP who is about to move here?

If you read his posts you would see that he mentioned that his wife runs a business here, so presumably he has a reasonable idea about what the place is all about.

As far as I am aware, no-one puts a gun to anyone's head and forces them to visit Pattaya. No-one puts a gun to anyone's head and forces them to live in Pattaya. We are all free to choose and a number of us choose to live here because we actually like it here.

OK, we get it. It wasn't for you. You prefer living in an environment such as just outside of Udon. Nice. I am happy that you're happy there. But please don't be so presumptious, judgemental and condescending to think that just because it wasn't right for you it can't be right for anyone.

[craigt3365]

When I married 8-9 years ago, 35k baht/mo was plenty to live modestly and comfortably in a very nice 2 BR condo in Jomtien with a seaview just off the beach and also cover all our living needs/wants. Thank God I left that cesspool of a city and built a beautiful home with plenty of land, fresh air, and scenery in a safe, clean environment just outside of Udon 4 years ago.

Udon is much cheaper than Pattaya, but living essentially the same lifestyle (pretty darn good IMO) but without having to pay rent anymore, the wife barely stretches the 35k baht/mo house budget to the end of each month. Our 11 yo daughter attends the "best" public school (I still home school her and our 3 year old son to international standards, though). Regarding schools, you are either going to PAY for a substandard education or send them to a public school and get a substandard education for FREE. There is no getting around that unless you fork over BIG bucks for the "real" International schools.

IMO, raising a family in Pattaya is irresponsible and crazy. It's way too dangerous, vice-filled, and polluted (air, noise, traffic, etc.) with far too many predators of every type and description lurking about. Some people must remain there for work to remain in LOS. Short of that, one would be responsible and wise to move one's family elsewhere in the Kingdom.

What part of Pattaya are you talking about? Where my friend lives near the reservoir? He takes his wife and kids for walks in the evening around the lake. Very safe and quite beautiful.

Where I live outside of town (10 minutes). 1/2 kilo to the ocean and hardly anybody there. Very clean air also. Much better than Udon during the burning season.

Where my other friend lives near Phoenix? It's like living in the countryside there. No honking horns there.

I'd bet many of my other friends live in neighborhoods not too different from those in Udon. All only 10-15 minutes from central Pattaya.

[newermonkey]

I would say:

a) 100K is possible.

200K would make life bearable.

c) 300K up is good.

Under 100K you will be just living a miserable existence and not be able to save, you family will need to go without any niceties in life.

Plain stupid... your post would mean that 99% of all Thai families live a "miserable existence"....

+1

Also would mean that about 75% of the expats living here are also miserable.

probably

[Rimmer]

Off topic attempt to hijack the topic into motor racing removed, also quoted reply.

[piston broke]

maybe if you have to ask - you can't afford it ?

[LeCharivari]

When I married 8-9 years ago, 35k baht/mo was plenty to live modestly and comfortably in a very nice 2 BR condo in Jomtien with a seaview just off the beach and also cover all our living needs/wants. Thank God I left that cesspool of a city and built a beautiful home with plenty of land, fresh air, and scenery in a safe, clean environment just outside of Udon 4 years ago.

Udon is much cheaper than Pattaya, but living essentially the same lifestyle (pretty darn good IMO) but without having to pay rent anymore, the wife barely stretches the 35k baht/mo house budget to the end of each month. Our 11 yo daughter attends the "best" public school (I still home school her and our 3 year old son to international standards, though). Regarding schools, you are either going to PAY for a substandard education or send them to a public school and get a substandard education for FREE. There is no getting around that unless you fork over BIG bucks for the "real" International schools.

IMO, raising a family in Pattaya is irresponsible and crazy. It's way too dangerous, vice-filled, and polluted (air, noise, traffic, etc.) with far too many predators of every type and description lurking about. Some people must remain there for work to remain in LOS. Short of that, one would be responsible and wise to move one's family elsewhere in the Kingdom.

What part of Pattaya are you talking about? Where my friend lives near the reservoir? He takes his wife and kids for walks in the evening around the lake. Very safe and quite beautiful.

Where I live outside of town (10 minutes). 1/2 kilo to the ocean and hardly anybody there. Very clean air also. Much better than Udon during the burning season.

Where my other friend lives near Phoenix? It's like living in the countryside there. No honking horns there.

I'd bet many of my other friends live in neighborhoods not too different from those in Udon. All only 10-15 minutes from central Pattaya.

Fair enough, but many of these places "in the countryside" are actually as near to Sattahip or Siracha as they are to Pattaya and despite what the Estate Agents may tell you it takes a good 20 minutes, even with reasonable traffic, just to get from "near Phoenix" to the Sukhumvit/Central Pattaya traffic lights, let alone on to "central Pattaya".

I live "near Phoenix" and agree with you generally, but the problem with your comparison for SNGLIFE is that while his total monthly budget (35k) may include a reasonable house in Udon it wouldn't around me any more as land prices have risen so dramatically in the last 10 years. I own my house and some land, but for anyone now thinking of buying or renting around here costs are comparable to Pattaya - 4 mill is cheap, 10 mill is normal and 20 or 30 mill is not unusual.

[piston broke]

might want to read this "before taking the plunge"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2332411/How-newborn-ruin-marriage-Phenomenon-known-baby-quakes-makes-couples-shun-intimacy.html