My Planned estimated monthly budget for Thailand

[Spoonman]

Bt.120,000 is about my average spend per month, it is definitely sufficient if you want to live a reasonably modest lifestyle.

That's a lot of money per month for Thailand. Whenever somebody states how much they spend they should state whether there are supporting a family, a harem of hookers, have to pay their girlfriend, are single with no interest in paid sex etc so we can see how relevant it is.

Based on this thread someone reading would come to so many different conclusions. We've got people living on 20k a month and people on 120k a month but most aren't telling us their situation so it's worthless.

Me and the missus.

No Harem.

Missus is not paid.

I live a very western lifestyle, comfortable yes (house is rented and car is on the drip) .......... over the top....not a chance compared to some I know.

Maybe I should mention my hobbies (these are part of my monthly outgoings as they are back home so I consider them "cost of living")which average 50k per month.......... I do not believe in working hard all week to merely exist on mama noodles in a fan room that does not have a separate bathroom.

without my toys I might as well be dead.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Spoonman

[anotheruser]

Whatever advice you have been given take the most outrageous estimates and add 50% to them if you want to ever eat normal food again or ride in a real car even.

[poanoi]

The last thing i want to do in pattaya is drive a car, its already miserable on a bike

[Travelman868]

Triple entry visa will be secured in UK, so visa run every 60 days or is it 90 days? Ok, as mentioned above that will come out of my savings.

Health insurance will be fully payed up in UK before i go.

You need a 1 year Multi entry. Visa run every 90 days.

Only comment on budget £240 per month to cover Rent Electric and Water does not seem enough.

[TheSpade]

Not really...its a rant and he is out of line criticising people who in his opinion "squander" money...if he is happy with his lot fine, but it gives him no right to criticise those who choose to spend THEIR how they wish, per "spoonman's" my monthly average is similar and i certainly dont lead a jet set life style in Thailand, but have a standard of living which would be the similar as my "first world" farang country life style.

I didnt come to Thailand to "live the dream"...I came here to put cash in my pocket, which I do, and live a life style I choose to while i am working here.

"spade" appears to me to be blagging "Del boy" who thinks he knows it all, and for some reason seems fixated on hookers, and one suspects someone who goes on 12-18 hr benders on booze will find things will turn out badly eventually...

Perhaps if YOU weren't spouting bullshit about people drinking rain water, sipping Changs outside 7/11, eating mama noodles and never washing their clothes there would be no need for a rant?

You're talking absolute nonsense. I don't know anyone who does this sort of thing even the guys I know who spend about 20k per month. They all live in OK (if not small and basic) apartments WITH aircon and hot water close to BTS stations, they eat Thai food daily but on the street or in small restaurants, they party all weekend usually, most of them drink too much, they all wash their clothes as far as I can see and smell and they all love their life in Thailand and are not experiencing any hardship.

If you're working Monday to Friday as most people I know are it's quite difficult to spend much money through the week.

I think what Spade can not get into his head is that some of us do not have to live on 44k a month. If we spend 100 or 200 it is ok. We live in nice condos, travel in comfort, eat what we want, spend what we want, we don't worry where we go, price is not really factored in, maybe a little. I am sure if he made 3 or 4 million baht a year he would make a few changes. Why should I down grade my life ???? I don't pay ladies for sex but I do pick up the tab when I ask them out. I don't support anyone but myself.... Have had long term relationships in the past where I was the major bread winner and have supported my " possible future wife" but it was because I wanted it that way. When he grows up and his income follows he will understand. And I have all the free lovely young ladies I can handle... Too many to be honest

.

Oh what you don't realize is I don't have to spend 45k a month either. My budget allows more but I find it harder to spend much more than this. I live in a nice enough apartment, eat what I want to eat (and most of the time I want to eat delicious Thai food), if someone asks me to go out drinking or for dinner I go, if I want to go to an event or club or whatever I go, I date (and usually pick up the tab), I party, I treat myself to Western food at the supermarket....and still it's difficult to spend over 45k B a month.

I tend to agree with quite a few points TheSpade makes but you're right; he does seem to have the air of someone who's been here for a year or two and thinks he's so "with it" that he's got the keys to the freakin' city. That, in and of itself, isn't a big deal . . . it's not as if one can go on a crash course in all things Thai and get a certificate at the end but he does, however, tend to focus intensely on the hooker issue.

It wouldn't matter if it was just this thread but on pretty much every, single thread he posts on, there's some reference or snide remark that revolves around the "fact" that he doesn't pay for sex with Thai girls.

Big freakin' deal - Here's a newsflash - lots of men don't go with hookers or at least don't pay to do so. You ain't special, sucka!

Frankly, I think more than a few of the girls he "dates" from ThaiFriendly actually DO ask him for money.

Although I'm relatively certain that he does refuse to pay, I think he has a deep-rooted resentment of the fact that the girls who do ask for compensation just don't consider what he has to offer - physically, mentally or materially - to be worth the effort of switching their strategy to the long game.

It's because on nearly every thread about women we get a dozen guys saying you have to pay for Thai women / even the good ones will ask for money for the family / no one gets it for free / Thai girls aren't interested in Farang unless money is involved / dating costs more than banging hookers or something else which IME is totally false.

Then in every budget thread a couple of dozen guys will tell the OP that he's deluded / crazy / a dreamer / will be living in a rat infested shit hole eating rat shit and drinking rat piss etc on his budget when again it's clearly not true for his situation.

I read week in week in the BKK forum people telling new posters it's impossible to find apartments under 10k in BKK unless they live in slums / miles from the BTS / fan rooms when I know 100% for fact that's nothing close to being true. I looked at apartments all over town all within walking distance to the BTS (as in 10 minutes max) and there were loads of perfectly good apartments for under 10k. Most from 8k up to 15k didn't really differ too much.

Makes me wonder if half the guys posting actually live here or have even been here.

And yes if a girl from Thai Friendly asked me for money I WOULD refuse to pay unless it was made clear at the start she was a hooker and if she had made that clear I wouldn't be meeting her in the first place.

I'm about 99% confident none of the girls I've met from TF were hookers as I'm quite selective in who I message and talk to them on Whatsapp or LINE for a bit before meeting to get a feel for them. Most are very easy to spot from profiles and pictures and will make it known that money is expected long before a meet up (I assume this is to avoid disappointment on their part, no doubt caused a few problems for them in the past).

TF makes up just a small part of the girls I meet.

Edited August 20, 2013 by TheSpade

[TheSpade]

you are telling me that if you had 3or 4 million to live on a year you would be driving around on a hot day on a motor bike or taking a bus when you can jump into your nice car or have you driver take you places. You would eat cheap food and not enjoy finer food at nice places and drink red label and not black label ? You would live in a little studio condo in the cheap area of town and not in a nice place? You would expect your dates to get the bus to come meet you and and pick up half the bill? Hahaha.... I think not !!!

Red Label, Black Label, Blue Label, Green Label it's all shit whisky. All anyone does it chuck loads of ice and coke or soda in it out here so what does it matter? I wouldn't drink JW as a whisky of choice if drinking it as whisky is supposed to be drank that's for sure.

I'd like to stay in the same part of town as I love now regardless of my monthly income. It's convenient and central and close to most transport links. There are lots of bars in the area I like. Malls aplenty. Cinemas. Lots of tasty food. I'm not keen to move.

I don't drive and would never want to in BKK.

My dates can come meet me anyway they like. I don't dictate how they come. I usually expect that I'll pick up the tab but if she offers to split I won't say no.

I do not believe in working hard all week to merely exist on mama noodles in a fan room that does not have a separate bathroom.

without my toys I might as well be dead.

I've yet to know any farang in BKK who's living in a fan room or eating mama noodles even on a 20k budget. Seems like a bit of a myth to me.

[meom]

I have a fan room in Huay Kwang; rent is 3700/month incl. cable tv. Water and electric come to about 400/month.

It has a separate bathroom though.

Sometimes I eat mama noodles as well in the morning when I'm to lazy to walk down 4 floors for breakfast.

The room ain't big but the 20km view from the balcony makes up for that.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Only comment on budget £240 per month to cover Rent Electric and Water does not seem enough.

Near CM

My current rented 2 bedroom house and utils cost 140UKP/month.

House 5000bht, electricity 1000bht, internet 632bht, water 250bht, rubbish 130bht.

My new 3 bedroom house will push that bill up to 260UKP/month as I am buying.

Home loan 11000bht, electricity 1000bht, internet 631bht, water 250bht, rubbish ??bht.

[MrWorldwide]

For me, there is something infinitely worse than the prospect of dying broke and alone - the prospect of living that way.

[mrtoad]

I've yet to know any farang in BKK who's living in a fan room or eating mama noodles even on a 20k budget. Seems like a bit of a myth to me.

Beleive it, there are for sure - and they are not just in Bangkok. I understand that sometimes people have to be a bit frugal - but to live in Thailand in a fan room, eating mama noodles seems pretty crazy really. I thought the idea of moving to a place like Thailand was to experience a better standard of living on less money, not to experience poverty. However, I do know of people that live like that. Personally, it sounds awful.

[cdnvic]

I've yet to know any farang in BKK who's living in a fan room or eating mama noodles even on a 20k budget. Seems like a bit of a myth to me.

There's quite a few who moved here on what was once a meger but adequate pension or disability payment that became a pittance as the baht grew in value and inflation ate much of what was left. 10 yrs or so ago, moving to Thailand seemed like a sensible choice. Now many of them are stuck here.

[farang000999]

what happened to OP's other topic about project manager?

[farang000999]

is he banned? why cant i click his name/user profile?

[giggles]

guys i know who moved to thai 20 years ago with hefty sums a cash ,dont have hefty sums any more ,and if they werent working they would be in dire straights ,such was there spending over 20 years ,which wasnt reckless ,its mostly burnt up ,and no way to replenish their savings.

the old UK pension doesn't go far now ...

[Loptr]

perhaps we should start a thaivisa forum for under 35's only, would be the best forum on the place, no more stupid, bitter, pompous, arrogant old farts who've 'been round the block'.

every budget topic comes down to old guys saying you need some exorbitant amount of cash, when anyone chimes in with well a room is x amount, beer x amount, food x amount etc, where does all the other money come into play? THEY NEVER AMNSWER, just give some reply that suggests you'll never have a gf on that budget and when a poster says he can get a gf without financial incentive the old brigade start bullshitting on about oh she wont want to stay in ur fan room eating rat on a stick youve got nothing she wants, they only want cash blah blah they love us old guys we are more secure more mature yadda yadda, get real! none of you guys have aged like george clooney or perhaps i should say cary grant so you get the point, these girls may go for you but its for your money. A young guy can get a girl without money or supporting her family so he can live a very comfortable existence on alot less, that's the reality of the matter. That is the simple reason we have such divergence on the amount of cash required to be comfortable in thailand between young and old. Old guys get over yourselves you really dont know it all and never did, dont hate us because we are young, jealousy is angers ugly cousin!

Now you are just talking out of your arse and it's showing. If you want to live in a 2k per month thai-style apartment and eat street food every day, no health insurance, nothing to fall back on in case of emergency, then have at it. No one is stopping you.

There is a reason us old farts get to be old. We have learned the lessons necessary to not only survive, but thrive. But alas, as the saying goes, youth is wasted on the young.

[Soutpeel]

is he banned? why cant i click his name/user profile?

He may be....he was caught out blagging about the "project management" job in Rayong...he was making it all up and when called on it by posters who actually work O&G around Rayong he started making threats of physical violence,as some body else commented...a meek mannered "writer" to violent "project manager" in the space of 2 days....

[Soutpeel]

Now you are just talking out of your arse and it's showing. If you want to live in a 2k per month thai-style apartment and eat street food every day, no health insurance, nothing to fall back on in case of emergency, then have at it. No one is stopping you.

and this is the key every time these sorts of debates start... everyone to their own...if someone is happy with their lot,whether on 20k/m or 2 million/m its up to them..its their money...nobody else has the right the criticise how someone spends their OWN money

[MrWorldwide]

is he banned? why cant i click his name/user profile?

He may be....he was caught out blagging about the "project management" job in Rayong...he was making it all up and when called on it by posters who actually work O&G around Rayong he started making threats of physical violence,as some body else commented...a meek mannered "writer" to violent "project manager" in the space of 2 days....

Yep - if you check the thread in question I believe a mod made a reference to 'one unhappy camper who is no longer with us' or something along those lines. In any case, he made it clear that he has had enough.

[MrWorldwide]

I've yet to know any farang in BKK who's living in a fan room or eating mama noodles even on a 20k budget. Seems like a bit of a myth to me.

There's quite a few who moved here on what was once a meger but adequate pension or disability payment that became a pittance as the baht grew in value and inflation ate much of what was left. 10 yrs or so ago, moving to Thailand seemed like a sensible choice. Now many of them are stuck here.

And that sums it up, but I have to ask myself where I would rather be at 70 : trying to live on a pittance in SE Asia or trying to do the same here in Oz. This country is ridiculously expensive when you look at the basics - food, electricity, fuel etc. We had a live cross on one of the morning programs earlier in the week where the head cook on one of the big US warships was complaining about the high cost of the fresh produce they have just taken on board in Sydney - this at a time when our dollar is barely 90cents US. Clearly, whatever media training he has been given would emphasise 'Hearts and minds - say something nice about each port you visit !', but he clearly wasnt happy paying our prices for fruit and vegetables : he really needs to check out the meat freezer in any supermarket

[Garryladouceur]

Hi,

I have no idea what to budget for much less an inkling of how to make an actual budget for chiang mai. I have just posted here asking for views.

My wife and i have tried to retire for four years now in Mexico but boredom is setting in and the violence has not abated and in fact they have moved a second battalion into town. We live in Michoacan but maintain our primary home in europe. We tried to live in safer climes but mosquitoes, humidity and hurricane watches got to us.

So, i asked, to live here in Mexico, no it is no longer cheap, in a modest house with a maid and a gardener and a car that works every second tuesday, costs 50000 pesos per month.... (That is 121872 bahts.) Can i find similar living circumstances in Chiang Mai for this?. I am in my 50's and retired and have no interest in saving so i want to spend everything. Dont drink and am lazy and have no hobbies so costs would probably go into accomodations and food. We have all of the health insurances and travel home to europe and vacations are covered from someplace else....i.e. mrs.

[NeverSure]

perhaps we should start a thaivisa forum for under 35's only, would be the best forum on the place, no more stupid, bitter, pompous, arrogant old farts who've 'been round the block'.

every budget topic comes down to old guys saying you need some exorbitant amount of cash, when anyone chimes in with well a room is x amount, beer x amount, food x amount etc, where does all the other money come into play? THEY NEVER AMNSWER, just give some reply that suggests you'll never have a gf on that budget and when a poster says he can get a gf without financial incentive the old brigade start bullshitting on about oh she wont want to stay in ur fan room eating rat on a stick youve got nothing she wants, they only want cash blah blah they love us old guys we are more secure more mature yadda yadda, get real! none of you guys have aged like george clooney or perhaps i should say cary grant so you get the point, these girls may go for you but its for your money. A young guy can get a girl without money or supporting her family so he can live a very comfortable existence on alot less, that's the reality of the matter. That is the simple reason we have such divergence on the amount of cash required to be comfortable in thailand between young and old. Old guys get over yourselves you really dont know it all and never did, dont hate us because we are young, jealousy is angers ugly cousin!

Now you are just talking out of your arse and it's showing. If you want to live in a 2k per month thai-style apartment and eat street food every day, no health insurance, nothing to fall back on in case of emergency, then have at it. No one is stopping you.

There is a reason us old farts get to be old. We have learned the lessons necessary to not only survive, but thrive. But alas, as the saying goes, youth is wasted on the young.

About the health insurance. If someone moves to Thailand to retire for good and grow old, there is no possibility of true health insurance. A guy really needs to be able to keep a few million baht available just in case. I'd bet that there are many older retired farangs who not only live month to month on a pension, but at most have their 800k in the bank or the 65k pm income.

I think health insurance is the elephant in the room for many older expats.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

guys i know who moved to thai 20 years ago with hefty sums a cash ,dont have hefty sums any more ,and if they werent working they would be in dire straights ,such was there spending over 20 years ,which wasnt reckless ,its mostly burnt up ,and no way to replenish their savings.

the old UK pension doesn't go far now ...

UK basic state pension, 450UKP/month = 22,500bht

Given the choice, I'd rather live in Thailand on 22k5bht a month than the UK on 450ukp a month.

[MrWorldwide]

Hi,

I have no idea what to budget for much less an inkling of how to make an actual budget for chiang mai. I have just posted here asking for views.

My wife and i have tried to retire for four years now in Mexico but boredom is setting in and the violence has not abated and in fact they have moved a second battalion into town. We live in Michoacan but maintain our primary home in europe. We tried to live in safer climes but mosquitoes, humidity and hurricane watches got to us.

So, i asked, to live here in Mexico, no it is no longer cheap, in a modest house with a maid and a gardener and a car that works every second tuesday, costs 50000 pesos per month.... (That is 121872 bahts.) Can i find similar living circumstances in Chiang Mai for this?. I am in my 50's and retired and have no interest in saving so i want to spend everything. Dont drink and am lazy and have no hobbies so costs would probably go into accomodations and food. We have all of the health insurances and travel home to europe and vacations are covered from someplace else....i.e. mrs.

Why dont you spend a month in CM to see if it's what you are looking for ? Bit quiet for me but the TVers who live there - as opposed to holiday mode - seem to love the place. If its not your thing, check out other cities. From the sound of things, you wont be too unhappy to leave Mexico, and you seem to have a 'home base' elsewhere : the world is your oyster !

[F4UCorsair]

is he banned? why cant i click his name/user profile?

Possibly he's closed his profile. I contended a while back he was a troll, and I think that may be confirmed.

[F4UCorsair]

I just checked the B300K a month thread.

No doubt about it in my mind, kscott is full of more $hit than a Christmas turkey!!

But..............the jerk did waste a lot of time for a lot of people, and possibly we should have known better than to entertain him.

Edited August 22, 2013 by F4UCorsair

[Naam]

There is a reason us old farts get to be old. We have learned the lessons necessary to not only survive, but thrive. But alas, as the saying goes, youth is wasted on the young.

[F4UCorsair]

I did figure it out, post # 295, 2 days back, though later than I should have. He was definitely a troll. A professional doesn't refer to his profession as his trade as he did. Never!! Nor does a 'writer' spell 'paid' payed, regardless of his justification for doing so.

Edited August 22, 2013 by F4UCorsair

[willfreeman]

im not criticizing anyone's spending at all, if you have the dough go for it, 100k a month and more spend it thats fine

i just take issue with people who constantly suggest that if you live in on 30-50k a month you'll be a 'rat hole' eating only street food, no ac, cold showers, never leaving the house etc, its utter bullshit yet is repeated every time a budget thread comes up and gives people a distorted perception of the amount of money required to live here comfortably.

[Soutpeel]

.............the jerk did waste a lot of time for a lot of people, and possibly we should have known better than to entertain him.

but it was entertaining once he was caught out on the other thread.....his perception was that everyone on TV is a "retired old fart" and didnt realise there are numereous people on TV who work in industry around Rayong... he BSed and his bluff was called..

[F4UCorsair]

.............the jerk did waste a lot of time for a lot of people, and possibly we should have known better than to entertain him.

but it was entertaining once he was caught out on the other thread.....his perception was that everyone on TV is a "retired old fart" and didnt realise there are numereous people on TV who work in industry around Rayong... he BSed and his bluff was called..

So it wasn't a total waste of time, and that can't be a bad thing.