My Planned estimated monthly budget for Thailand

[TheSpade]

I pay 8k per month (10k including bills) to live in the CENTRE of BKK close to major transport links in a quiet soi 2 minutes away from a lively area filled with bars, restaurants, shops, super markets and more.

That "10k including bills"..... does that cover your visa as well ?

Rent and bills as in rent and water / electricity.

Visa costs are not included.

They are included in my monthly spending though which as I've said is 30-45k depending on whether I have visa costs and what else I get up to. That includes everything I spend out here.

This week I even went shopping at central world and bought some new clothes. I still plan to be within my weekly budget just by drinking a bit less beer.

If I didn't drink I'd spend so little.

Edited September 19, 2013 by TheSpade

[rayongchelsea]

. 20 years in Bangkok takes it's toll

Never was a truer word said on this forum..I had a great group of young friends through the 90's here ( non came for the women, all for work).,my experience is the same as yours..

[Spoonman]

I pay 8k per month (10k including bills) to live in the CENTRE of BKK close to major transport links in a quiet soi 2 minutes away from a lively area filled with bars, restaurants, shops, super markets and more.

That "10k including bills"..... does that cover your visa as well ?

My visas are only 1900Baht a year and my work pays for it.

Well good for you, why did you reply to me when I was asking Spade a question ?

[Tolley]

The Spade

I first came to Thailand in 1979 when I was 22 so I know what it is like to be in Asia as a young man.

But really when I was young I had a great life in Australia anyway so I was never really drawn to stay full time in Asia although I did come back regularly.

45k a month in Bangkok is even worse and more limiting than 45k s month in CM.

Sure you can live on it but it doesnt sound like a great existance to me and in the meantime opportunities at home are slipping away.

Heck I dont do much and spend 80-90k a month in Pattaya and that is not factoring in lots of extraneous costs.

And I dont think I am living it up large at all. I could spend a lot more if I wasnt vigilant.

Look go ahead and do it but you will find very quickly that if you have to live on 45k a month you wont be doing very much that is for sure.

[TheSpade]

45k a month in Bangkok is even worse and more limiting than 45k s month in CM.

Sure you can live on it but it doesnt sound like a great existance to me and in the meantime opportunities at home are slipping away.

Heck I dont do much and spend 80-90k a month in Pattaya and that is not factoring in lots of extraneous costs.

And I dont think I am living it up large at all. I could spend a lot more if I wasnt vigilant.

Look go ahead and do it but you will find very quickly that if you have to live on 45k a month you wont be doing very much that is for sure.

45k is enough for a very comfortable existence in BKK for a single guy who has no family to support and doesn't need to finance any women (whether that be gf / wife / hookers) and isn't spending money on gadgets and 'things' (which I have no desire for)/

I have a nice apartment, all mod cons, maid service, pool and other facilities on hand, my laundry done for me, never have to cook, eat out at nice restaurants a couple times a week, party 2-3 times of week, date new women every week, drink far too often, spend too much money in Tops and Villa, have a lot of fun, do whatever I want to do, never have to deny my self anything.

Where's is the hardship here?

Clearly this is a better life than most people have back home.

I don't know anyone with a pool, bar and restaurants in their apartment complex back home. Or anyone who has their laundry done and apartment cleaned or who can eat out multiple times per week, afford to drink beers near every night in their local bar, party like a rockstar twice or more a week and have dates with new women so often.

It would cost a small fortune for all that. All my friends back home are struggling to exist. Can afford to pay the rent and bills and cover the basics and not much more. They live for the weekend then do nothing with it anyway.

Again please read my post and tell me what hardship I'm supposed to be suffering?

People keep saying it's a substandard existence or hardship and that you can't do much on 45k but no one is saying why they think that, what am I missing from my life here?

What am I not doing that I would want to?

I really want you to answer these questions for me.

Also this idea that you need to be at home for opportunities...where does this come from?

Wake up mate it's 2013 opportunities are global and you don't need to be slaving away at a 9-5 at home to be making money.

Seeing as I have now broke down my spending more times than I care to mention please do the same and show me how you can spend 90k per month in Pattaya.

I'm interested to see where your money goes....

Thanks

Edited September 20, 2013 by TheSpade

[Naam]

What am I not doing that I would want to?

perhaps owning and commanding an aircraft carrier?

[poanoi]

 

What am I not doing that I would want to?

perhaps owning and commanding an aircraft carrier?

 

A private harem !

[HardenedSoul]

Also this idea that you need to be at home for opportunities...where does this come from?

Wake up mate it's 2013 opportunities are global and you don't need to be slaving away at a 9-5 at home to be making money.

Bam! There it is. The internet makes anything possible.

Seeing as I have now broke down my spending more times than I care to mention please do the same and show me how you can spend 90k per month in Pattaya.

I'm interested to see where your money goes....

Hmm . . . I suspect you already know the answer

[rayongchelsea]

But you aren't making much money..I was making that in the late 80's.

[TheSpade]

You've no idea how much money I am making.

Again just because I spend 35-45k per month doesn't mean I'm not making more.

[rayongchelsea]

True..but your posts reflect that it ain't much..8k for an apartment..and in no post do you say you are saving as a goal..

If your are earning a lot with the budget you have, you are very well disciplined..

Surely if you are earning a lot being at home with your mates with better opportunities would be better, but they don't seem to earn much neither..by your postings..

[TheSpade]

True..but your posts reflect that it ain't much..8k for an apartment..and in no post do you say you are saving as a goal..

If your are earning a lot with the budget you have, you are very well disciplined..

Surely if you are earning a lot being at home with your mates with better opportunities would be better, but they don't seem to earn much neither..by your postings..

I was happy to pay up to 15,000B p/m for an apartment. Looked at a fair few in that price range. None were as big or had as many amenities as the one I'm in now plus I love the location and what's on my door step.

This 8k place was the best value out of them all. Why pay more for a smaller place with less amenities?

I'm not that disciplined with money and never have been. I'm not budgeting every satang or denying myself anything. I could easily spend more per month if I wanted to but there's no need to.

I'm not living pay cheque to pay cheque either btw. If I didn't earn a single more penny from here on it I'd still be good to live here for another 8 months at least.

How do you work out being at home with my mates would be better? I have mates here. And better for what exactly? My mates at home are mostly married and have kids, mortgages, jobs they hate but can't leave....none of this is for me.

Again....why do you need to be at home to have better opportunities? It doesn't matter where I am in the world the opportunity for me to make money is still there.

You don't seem to have broke down what you spend your money on each month....please do....

[Tolley]

45k a month in Bangkok is even worse and more limiting than 45k s month in CM.

Sure you can live on it but it doesnt sound like a great existance to me and in the meantime opportunities at home are slipping away.

Heck I dont do much and spend 80-90k a month in Pattaya and that is not factoring in lots of extraneous costs.

And I dont think I am living it up large at all. I could spend a lot more if I wasnt vigilant.

Look go ahead and do it but you will find very quickly that if you have to live on 45k a month you wont be doing very much that is for sure.

45k is enough for a very comfortable existence in BKK for a single guy who has no family to support and doesn't need to finance any women (whether that be gf / wife / hookers) and isn't spending money on gadgets and 'things' (which I have no desire for)/

I have a nice apartment, all mod cons, maid service, pool and other facilities on hand, my laundry done for me, never have to cook, eat out at nice restaurants a couple times a week, party 2-3 times of week, date new women every week, drink far too often, spend too much money in Tops and Villa, have a lot of fun, do whatever I want to do, never have to deny my self anything.

Where's is the hardship here?

Clearly this is a better life than most people have back home.

I don't know anyone with a pool, bar and restaurants in their apartment complex back home. Or anyone who has their laundry done and apartment cleaned or who can eat out multiple times per week, afford to drink beers near every night in their local bar, party like a rockstar twice or more a week and have dates with new women so often.

It would cost a small fortune for all that. All my friends back home are struggling to exist. Can afford to pay the rent and bills and cover the basics and not much more. They live for the weekend then do nothing with it anyway.

Again please read my post and tell me what hardship I'm supposed to be suffering?

People keep saying it's a substandard existence or hardship and that you can't do much on 45k but no one is saying why they think that, what am I missing from my life here?

What am I not doing that I would want to?

I really want you to answer these questions for me.

Also this idea that you need to be at home for opportunities...where does this come from?

Wake up mate it's 2013 opportunities are global and you don't need to be slaving away at a 9-5 at home to be making money.

Seeing as I have now broke down my spending more times than I care to mention please do the same and show me how you can spend 90k per month in Pattaya.

I'm interested to see where your money goes....

Thanks

Look I am telling you from personal experience and the experience of most of my friends who all live in Pattaya which is cheaper than Bangkok and everybody I know spends 80k a month upwards and btw none of them are spending big amounts on women and neither do they drink in expensive places more like 50 baht a beer max sort of places.

I never made a budget because they never work for me because there are so many miscellaneous expenses that it is just never accurate.

Now I am not saying you cant do it but the whole point of Thailand is to have fun not live subsistence like some of the poorer locals.

[TheSpade]

Look I am telling you from personal experience and the experience of most of my friends who all live in Pattaya which is cheaper than Bangkok and everybody I know spends 80k a month upwards and btw none of them are spending big amounts on women and neither do they drink in expensive places more like 50 baht a beer max sort of places.

I never made a budget because they never work for me because there are so many miscellaneous expenses that it is just never accurate.

Now I am not saying you cant do it but the whole point of Thailand is to have fun not live subsistence like some of the poorer locals.

I'm telling you from my personal experience of actually living in BKK on sub 45k per month and everyone else I know who lives in BKK on sub 45k per month.

I spend more than most people I know. Have a few English teacher friends who only earn 30-35k per month and as they work 5 days per week don't get up to much aside from at the weekend.

They hardly spend anything per month but they still enjoy their time here and live it up every weekend.

Give me some examples of these misc expenses that have popped up recently? I don't have many costs pop up that I didn't expect.

Now I am not saying you cant do it but the whole point of Thailand is to have fun not live subsistence like some of the poorer locals.

Poor locals are living on under 10,000B per month. Not 45k per month.

I think your view is skewed from too much 50B beer Chang and bar girls perhaps? How much per month do you spend on women?

I'm sure if you cut out the money you spend on girls you'd see your monthly spending drop to around 30-45k.

That's why I spend what I spend because I don't have sex with prostitutes, sponsor anyone or have to pay my girlfriends a monthly stipend.

If I had an extra 100,000B per month to spend I'd likely not do much different. Plenty of fun being had. I don't want to go out partying every night of the week. It's counter productive.

Edited September 20, 2013 by TheSpade

[Tolley]

Look I am telling you from personal experience and the experience of most of my friends who all live in Pattaya which is cheaper than Bangkok and everybody I know spends 80k a month upwards and btw none of them are spending big amounts on women and neither do they drink in expensive places more like 50 baht a beer max sort of places.

I never made a budget because they never work for me because there are so many miscellaneous expenses that it is just never accurate.

Now I am not saying you cant do it but the whole point of Thailand is to have fun not live subsistence like some of the poorer locals.

I'm telling you from my personal experience of actually living in BKK on sub 45k per month and everyone else I know who lives in BKK on sub 45k per month.

I spend more than most people I know. Have a few English teacher friends who only earn 30-35k per month and as they work 5 days per week don't get up to much aside from at the weekend.

They hardly spend anything per month but they still enjoy their time here and live it up every weekend.

Give me some examples of these misc expenses that have popped up recently? I don't have many costs pop up that I didn't expect.

Now I am not saying you cant do it but the whole point of Thailand is to have fun not live subsistence like some of the poorer locals.

Poor locals are living on under 10,000B per month. Not 45k per month.

I think your view is skewed from too much 50B beer Chang and bar girls perhaps? How much per month do you spend on women?

I'm sure if you cut out the money you spend on girls you'd see your monthly spending drop to around 30-45k.

That's why I spend what I spend because I don't have sex with prostitutes, sponsor anyone or have to pay my girlfriends a monthly stipend.

If I had an extra 100,000B per month to spend I'd likely not do much different. Plenty of fun being had. I don't want to go out partying every night of the week. It's counter productive.

You seem obsessed with this idea of sex and money and prostitutes. I already mentioned the fact these budgets didn't include any provision for money for P4P.

You aren't going to convince of your 45k life anytime soon thou. It will wear thin soon enough.

[HardenedSoul]

The naysayers' arguments would carry a helluva lot more weight if they broke down their expenditure.

[TheSpade]

You seem obsessed with this idea of sex and money and prostitutes. I already mentioned the fact these budgets didn't include any provision for money for P4P.

You aren't going to convince of your 45k life anytime soon thou. It will wear thin soon enough.

So if these budgets don't include provision for P4P how much are you actually spending when your factor your cost for that in?

You're not going to convince me that you and all your mates living in Pattaya spending 90k a month don't indulge in naughty nightlife.

I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to adopt my 45k lifestyle but time and time again people who spend more keep saying us guys on the 30-45k budgets are living a substandard existence, not having fun, living in shit fan apartments with roaches in the slums, eating rat on a stick, unable to go out etc when it's nothing like that at all.

I suspect many of us are actually more content with our lives than some of you guys on bigger budgets.

The naysayers' arguments would carry a helluva lot more weight if they broke down their expenditure.

Indeed. I've asked several times now. Wonder why were aren't getting a break down?

[poanoi]

I wonder about that also

[Spoonman]

You seem obsessed with this idea of sex and money and prostitutes. I already mentioned the fact these budgets didn't include any provision for money for P4P.

You aren't going to convince of your 45k life anytime soon thou. It will wear thin soon enough.

So if these budgets don't include provision for P4P how much are you actually spending when your factor your cost for that in?

You're not going to convince me that you and all your mates living in Pattaya spending 90k a month don't indulge in naughty nightlife.

I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to adopt my 45k lifestyle but time and time again people who spend more keep saying us guys on the 30-45k budgets are living a substandard existence, not having fun, living in shit fan apartments with roaches in the slums, eating rat on a stick, unable to go out etc when it's nothing like that at all.

I suspect many of us are actually more content with our lives than some of you guys on bigger budgets.

The naysayers' arguments would carry a helluva lot more weight if they broke down their expenditure.

Indeed. I've asked several times now. Wonder why were aren't getting a break down?

You live in a shoe box and own nothing more than a laptop and a suitcase, Iam surprised you even manage to spend 45k per month...... must be all them 12hr drinking binges sipping on cocktails.

[Naam]

You seem obsessed with this idea of sex and money and prostitutes. I already mentioned the fact these budgets didn't include any provision for money for P4P.

You aren't going to convince of your 45k life anytime soon thou. It will wear thin soon enough.

So if these budgets don't include provision for P4P how much are you actually spending when your factor your cost for that in?

You're not going to convince me that you and all your mates living in Pattaya spending 90k a month don't indulge in naughty nightlife.

I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to adopt my 45k lifestyle but time and time again people who spend more keep saying us guys on the 30-45k budgets are living a substandard existence, not having fun, living in shit fan apartments with roaches in the slums, eating rat on a stick, unable to go out etc when it's nothing like that at all.

I suspect many of us are actually more content with our lives than some of you guys on bigger budgets.

The naysayers' arguments would carry a helluva lot more weight if they broke down their expenditure.

Indeed. I've asked several times now. Wonder why were aren't getting a break down?

perhaps they don't want to shock you with the fact that the cost for two business class tickets to their home countries for them and their wives plus hotel plus car rental is higher than your total annual budget?

[HardenedSoul]

My guess is that these 90K a month guys spend most of it on booze and rent.

The older chap wants a bit more room as the years pile on especially when he's trying to impress a woman into believing her bread will be well buttered if she sticks with him.

It's a lot more difficult to convince a woman of his solvency if he only rented a 30sqm condo.

Alcohol expenditure mounts up when left unchecked especially when trawling through Pattaya or BKK of an evening and buying drinks for gogo girls and/or freelancers.

[MJP]

It's all b0ll0x this.

Some of you blokes are geriatric and having had a life of earning and saving and pensions now live on X amount. One particular poster thinks his X amount is massive and thinks everyone else are paupers who have no concept of what this is. This is typical of the nouveau-not-so-riche and it's a bit 'loads-a-money' precious.

Some people here are young travellers and live on X/y amount because it's their gap year. Perhaps they're teaching.

Some people are ON A LOT OF MONEY but choose not to pi$$ it away in a country like this, are quite happy to live a basic existence to get away from the rat race, fair do's.

It's all incomparable.

[poanoi]

"A farmer lives poor and die rich" -saying in my home country

[TheSpade]

and own nothing more than a laptop and a suitcase,

And that's all I want to own. I sold all my possessions because I didn't want them and had no need for them.

They are useless.

I like the fact I am free to move around as I please with nothing to tie me down.

erhaps they don't want to shock you with the fact that the cost for two business class tickets to their home countries for them and their wives plus hotel plus car rental is higher than your total annual budget? alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

Are they flying business class back home and staying in hotels every month? I'm asking for a break down of what they spend in an average month in Thailand.

My guess is that these 90K a month guys spend most of it on booze and rent.

The older chap wants a bit more room as the years pile on especially when he's trying to impress a woman into believing her bread will be well buttered if she sticks with him.

It's a lot more difficult to convince a woman of his solvency if he only rented a 30sqm condo.

Alcohol expenditure mounts up when left unchecked especially when trawling through Pattaya or BKK of an evening and buying drinks for gogo girls and/or freelancers.

Booze, rent and women I suspect.

Must be a pricey night trawling the gogos buying drinks for girls, yourself, paying bar fines, tips, money to the girls for their services, taxi money home etc.

Of course none of the guys on here, even the single ones living in Pattaya spending near 100k p/m, go near the naughty nightlife.

[Spoonman]

Of course none of the guys on here, even the single ones living in Pattaya spending near 100k p/m, go near the naughty nightlife.

AS I outlined in a previous post it costs me 75k per month to live, if I included visits to the naughty nightlife this figure would double pretty easily.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/661297-my-planned-estimated-monthly-budget-for-thailand/?p=6829842

[andie]

It is easy to spend 100k a month in bk without spending a single satang on women. This is about what I spend and I'm female and live alone.

A nice house in a small community in the centre of bk admittedly accounts for almost half of that but the rest is easy to spend: running a car, nice meals out with wine a couple of times a week, having friends over for dinner and cooking Western food, weekend away once a month, etc. Very easily done.

[HardenedSoul]

It is easy to spend 100k a month in bk without spending a single satang on women. This is about what I spend and I'm female and live alone.

A nice house in a small community in the centre of bk admittedly accounts for almost half of that but the rest is easy to spend: running a car, nice meals out with wine a couple of times a week, having friends over for dinner and cooking Western food, weekend away once a month, etc. Very easily done.

Well it's just as easy to do 300,000 - it just depends on your tastes doesn't it?

300K covers rent on a penthouse at the Quattro in Thonglor, 200/20 ultra high speed internet, http://www.absolutefitfood.com/ for when one eats in, Iron Fairies or Maggie Choos for when one doesn't, cocktails at Grease in soi 49, a permanent VIP table at soi 11's Bash for when I feel like slumming 'til 7am and 12 grams of 60% pure Peruvian flake each month.

How can anyone could survive on less, daaaahling.

[rgs2001uk]

It is easy to spend 100k a month in bk without spending a single satang on women. This is about what I spend and I'm female and live alone.

A nice house in a small community in the centre of bk admittedly accounts for almost half of that but the rest is easy to spend: running a car, nice meals out with wine a couple of times a week, having friends over for dinner and cooking Western food, weekend away once a month, etc. Very easily done.

Are you looking for a gik, no need for poncy meals out with wine, friends over for dinner, knock that on the head, western food no need, can eat Asian food, no need for weekends away, there you go sorted, budget saved 40% straight off the top of my head.

[andie]

It is easy to spend 100k a month in bk without spending a single satang on women. This is about what I spend and I'm female and live alone.

A nice house in a small community in the centre of bk admittedly accounts for almost half of that but the rest is easy to spend: running a car, nice meals out with wine a couple of times a week, having friends over for dinner and cooking Western food, weekend away once a month, etc. Very easily done.

Well it's just as easy to do 300,000 - it just depends on your tastes doesn't it?

300K covers rent on a penthouse at the Quattro in Thonglor, 200/20 ultra high speed internet, http://www.absolutefitfood.com/ for when one eats in, Iron Fairies or Maggie Choos for when one doesn't, cocktails at Grease in soi 49, a permanent VIP table at soi 11's Bash for when I feel like slumming 'til 7am and 12 grams of 60% pure Peruvian flake each month.

How can anyone could survive on less, daaaahling.

I moved here with with work and was not going to compromise the lifestyle I had back in the west to do so. In the west I lived in a house, drove a car, went out for dinner a couple of times a week, had friends over for dinner (FYI: I can cook better than anything ordered in) and went away at least one weekend a month.

I do the same thing here and that's what I spend per month doing so.

[poanoi]

It is easy to spend 100k a month in bk without spending a single satang on women. This is about what I spend and I'm female and live alone.

A nice house in a small community in the centre of bk admittedly accounts for almost half of that but the rest is easy to spend: running a car, nice meals out with wine a couple of times a week, having friends over for dinner and cooking Western food, weekend away once a month, etc. Very easily done.

this site could do with the ability to delete my own post

Edited September 20, 2013 by poanoi