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My Planned estimated monthly budget for Thailand


kscott

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Don't forget your budget for condoms, 20 to 30 baht each. Also, shampoo, toothpaste, pay TV unless you like Thai channels, washing your cloths , cell phone charges, etc etc... You state that you are a writer so I would guess you require a fast Internet, add another 700 baht a month for that.

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Cheers, I'm sure i will be ok, in all likelihood i will earn much more than the £900 a month but when making a budget its best to be very tight and plan for the worst case scenario. the only other expense is a visa run every 60 days or is it 90 days, still not applied for my visa here in UK. I will pay for the visa run out of my savings, thats no problem, i just dont want to start spending loads of money each month out of my savings. I also like drinking in the bars but very rarely bar fine a girl, i prefer to go to the clubs to meet non-working girls. Although never say never!! whistling.gif

Thanks again for the input.

Personally I don't think your budget will allow you as nice a night life as I feel you are expecting. But it certainly is big enough for a comfortable existence here. I could be wrong maybe your night life will be cheaper. But you don't come across to me as some one who wants to go to a dive.

What I would sugest is go to the Thai Embassy or consulate where ever you are abnd get a 60 day multable entry 90 day if they have them. that will cut down on your need for visa runs. as you can get an 30 day extension on each entry.

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Hi,

Long-time lurker, first time poster here...

I'm a 42 year old Canadian who has been living in Chiang Mai for about 14 months now. Your budget, while on the tight side, it completely workable. I've got a proper job here and my Thai wife runs a bar/restaurant (when she feels like cooking)/mini-mart/laundry. We have a number of customers from Europe who work at a large call center and make around 25,000bht/month. Some do get into trouble and none of them are saving money, but most have been here since January of this year and are doing fine. We've also got a few possible overstay retirees (don't make enough to qualify for retirement visa, just overstay their tourist visas) that make around the same (I think) and they manage okay, though since they aren't working the are pretty much just pissheads and do struggle on occasion with money because of this.

Some things to note:

-If you like certain foreign foods (eg cheese, bacon, peanut butter, etc), proper coffee, or wine, then your monthly food bill will be higher. These items are quite expensive here. A simple Thai meal at a hole-in-the-wall Thai shop will cost about 30-40bht ($1-$1.30).

-I think your drinks budget is low. I have almost never met someone who drank less or the same after they got here compared with before. There is a real drinking culture here and if you do start making friends, you will start drinking more. Morning/afternoon drinking is common and so you'll most likely find yourself meeting up with people for a beer more than you think. As well, you will be shocked at how you get a tolerance for local whisky- 285 is only 35% and that little bit of a difference seems to make all the difference.

-If you are working online and require a good, fast connection, you may need to pay for your own as the ones that come free in apartments are notoriously bad and are generally considered as a toy- if they go down you will have a hard time convincing the manager that this a a real issue for you. Your ~10,000bht/month rent budget is fine and you should be able to get everything you need for that, though I would strongly suggest only getting a fully kitted place month-by-month to start. You can get lucky, but it pays to get your feet wet first without locking yourself in somewhere (who knows where you'll end up spending your free-time?). As well, what places come with what facilities really varies and so you don't want to start forking over for stuff for your home until you know you are going to be there for a while (I assume you'll want a proper desk, do you really want to go through the hassle and expense of buying one and then finding out the new place already has one and no room for second?).

-Budget to buy a second-hand scooter fairly quickly, even if it's from savings (with a little looking 20,000bht will get you something decent and reliable, though you could find one cheaper). You'll save money on transport in the long-run. That great little coffee shop you like becomes a 5 minute drive instead of a 20 minute walk and so doesn't impact your work schedule as much. Assuming you make friends, they will be going here and there about town and you'll want to join them. A scooter is a great way to explore CM cheaply. You will want to got to Tesco/Lotus or Big C on occasion and they are all a bit out of town and a pain to get to without your own transportation.

-All the normal warnings about Thai ladies, blah, blah blah- you're a big boy so just don't be an idiot. I meet my wife on the first day I was in Chiang Mai and we've been very happily together every day since.

-You might want to look into getting an education visa. It is more expensive than the tourist route (multi entry- 90 days then Mai Sai run stamp, 90 days then Laos run for new multi entry), but is good for a year, gets you learning Thai, etc.

Good luck, have fun, and feel free to PM me if you need anything else.

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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.

travel insurance does not work after 3 months ,have to have full ex pat health insurance

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Well I ain't gonna put the whole of the above Post #124 in a quote box but the gent says that he has 'a proper job' and then in referring to his wife's bar/restaurant We have a number of customers...

Edited by JLCrab
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240 = 11,000 + THB

Have seen some apts advertised at 3900THB per month with AC & Wifi - saw it Sunday

That would lighten his load some for other expenses........

Plenty of condos at the 3500-4000 THB range - not fancy but do have AC - usually not a kitchen...

It'll not be the best budget but not the worst either.....

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One additional thing you might want to think about.... Get yourself a nice apartment with kitchen, pool and gym. It will first keep you home more and make your writing more enjoyable. Second, it will be easier to keep your lady friends happy and perhaps they can cook for you, cheap dinners and small home parties :)))) Third, you will stay in shape exercising, swimming and tanning. Looking good for the ladies always helps the budget... Prices drop for handsome man !

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I calculate that you should have over 100,000 baht per month with your £75 per day UK income. I would recommend you budget on 60,000 baht per month. This will not only give you a margin of comfort (not penny pinching) and bearing in mind that you intend to live in Chiang Mai, which is a lovely area with loads of places to visit and as you are very close to Laos, Cambodia (with the fabulous and awesome Angor Wat) and Vietnam, would be a crime if you did not visit them. I am a firm believer that travel broadens the mind and in your business, that can be but a bonus? Welcome to Thailand and I hope you enjoy this fascinating Country, with the lovely People, as much as I have done for the past seven years. Good luck to you.

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I Live on 20,000 Baht a month. (I don't drink but u go out and eat on the weekends like at Shabusi or some place and see sound track movie)

1. Get an apartment first. See what your budget

Really is. You can get a room for 2800 B- 4000B a month. Pay water and electric on to of that. Water about 250B month. Electric 400B - 700B if you use the air or not.

2. Eat cheap. Stay away from premium touristy restaurants. Eat for under a hundred baht or under. I cook a meal in the room for two and have some for lunch the next day for 120B-200B.

3. Use the vans or trucks for transport.

(I Live in Ayutthaya. Van is 10 B Truck is 7 Baht.)

Tuk Tuk is pricy! 100B Motorsa is also pricy 20-40

It is totally possible to Live on less than 20,000 B But you can easily spend 40,000 B if you are carless.

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Well, if you live a frugal existence, then you may make it.

Your 900 pounds is B43-44,000. There are many English teachers here in Thailand who live on

about B30,000/month. I also know several pensioners who live on B35-45,000/month. The Thai

government sets a minimum of B65,000/month for retirees--but these guys circumvent the system and they don't need visa runs.

None of them, teachers or retirees, live life. You're 34, you will have stay home several nights a week just to be able to go out on the weekends. I can see you now looking for the cheapest beer to drink, or the cheapest fruit to eat. Your monthly accommodation will have to be quite reasonable too--no a/c, that costs too much, better get the cheapest cable and internet services too. Blend 285 eh? Have you figured the cost of glasses?

It seems a shame to live your dream on the cheap, but if that is your style, go for it. You will need to learn to live like a Thai, but of course, you can never do that, you are a falang.

Oh, by the way, you should read the TV forum about the growing number of homeless falangs here in Thailand.

I wish you luck, but don't expect me to buy you a beer or loan you money at the end of each month. Living on such a budget was your choice.

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Well I ain't gonna put the whole of the above Post #124 in a quote box but the gent says that he has 'a proper job' and then in referring to his wife's bar/restaurant We have a number of customers...

We're legally married and the business is attached to our house and we both make decisions on the general running of the place- opening hours/days, services/products available, etc. She actually runs it- I'm just the guy who hangs with Farang customers and drinks for free. So yes, it is our business, just like it's our car even though my wife can't drive.

I'm here on a work permit and work for a large Thai company that provides an excellent living for us both. As I'm sure many of you have experienced, Thais ladies in general don't really trust the 'type on a computer and big money comes' thing- they feel much more safe and secure if they have a proper shop since that is income they can understand and makes sense to them.

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I know many people that do it for B44k per month. There are condos in CM that are very low cost and even two story town-houses for around B 6-7k. Stick with the local stuff and it could be a bargain. From my experience a local area, living around Thai people, is really nice, even if you don't speak the language. Keep a good attitude and it will be returned. You are blessed if you earn money by writing. Getting here will be the most difficult part of your journey but afterwards if will be an inspiring trip. Good luck!

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Kscott, it might help if you would reprint your budget and convert the numbers to Thai Baht. There are many forum members here who do not understand your currency, but we all have learned to shape our budgets around the Baht since that is what we are spending. Make it easier for us and you'll get more responses. Hope all works out for you!

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<snip>

Thai ladies in general don't really trust the 'type on a computer and big money comes' thing- they feel much more safe and secure if they have a proper shop since that is income they can understand and makes sense to them.

Yes, but they understand big numbers in a bank book.

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Fine & dandy although I might suggest being more careful with your pronouns. Also, to some a bar/restaurant 'greeter' is a job just like a maitre 'd especially when 'drinks for free' can be considered compensation.

Edited by JLCrab
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A couple more quick notes for you.

-at 44K/month you will not have to live like a typical Thai. The average Thai who works in a restaurant, 7/11, etc makes under 10K a month in CM.

-We live in a very Thai neighbourhood where most rooms rent in the 2K-3K range. These are very simple basic rooms with attached bathrooms. Power and water is added to the monthly bill according to usage. Your budget of 10K should get you a decent place with what you need (though I would expect to end up paying for your own Internet). you will be surprised by the jump in place from a bachelor pad to a multi-room apartment, especially in condos. You may want to get satellite, though if you have your own Internet connection it's easy enough to stream stuff to watch.

-If you came here on vacation and loved it, please look at your spending habits during that time and then realign your expectations accordingly. As well, what is fun and exotic on holiday can quickly become a burden in daily life, so your food/restarant budget should reflect that you will probably want your Farang treats more and more.

-Ladies. We'll you're 34, so, assuming your are normal looking, you'll be able to find ladies who are not quite so concerned about your pocketbook. Try not to fall into the trap of an 18 year old girlfriend- from everything I've seen and my limited experience with them in other parts if Thailand (and elsewhere), they just aren't worth the hassle. As crude as it sounds it would be better to keep the arrangement purely on a payment for services rendered basis. Also watch out for jealously (the only thing my wife and I have ever fought about) and the 'you talked to me now you're my boyfriend' type of thing- platonic male/female relationship are not the norm here, especially Thai/Farang. And yes, expect to pay for everything when you go out.

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Sigh... If you have to ask on a public forum then you cannot afford it. Stay at home and be the best you can be

Was a good idea to ask..I didn't and I have painful experiences with spending in what I do not need it....like buying and renting a car or motorbike. Do not do it!...if you have an accident.....you may have a very bad surprise with the related cost.

If you will live inn BK or a tourist spot, your money is enough without extravaganzas, but in other places you can save 1/2 of that very easy.

Welcome to Thailand!!

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Well, if you live a frugal existence, then you may make it.

Your 900 pounds is B43-44,000. There are many English teachers here in Thailand who live on

about B30,000/month. I also know several pensioners who live on B35-45,000/month. The Thai

government sets a minimum of B65,000/month for retirees--but these guys circumvent the system and they don't need visa runs.

None of them, teachers or retirees, live life. You're 34, you will have stay home several nights a week just to be able to go out on the weekends. I can see you now looking for the cheapest beer to drink, or the cheapest fruit to eat. Your monthly accommodation will have to be quite reasonable too--no a/c, that costs too much, better get the cheapest cable and internet services too. Blend 285 eh? Have you figured the cost of glasses?

It seems a shame to live your dream on the cheap, but if that is your style, go for it. You will need to learn to live like a Thai, but of course, you can never do that, you are a falang.

Oh, by the way, you should read the TV forum about the growing number of homeless falangs here in Thailand.

I wish you luck, but don't expect me to buy you a beer or loan you money at the end of each month. Living on such a budget was your choice.

If you like bars and you drink much...that money will go very fast. If you don't, and only will be around with people in similar financial situation that yours, and having the luck to find a nice Thai lady...your money is enough to have a good life here. I am retired, with 25,000thb income and was saving 1/2 when was single, even traveling a lot. Now I am married, sharing my wife expenses too, but living well with 20,000.....in Lampang. It is just depends in what makes you happy or not....and your willingness to integrate to the Thai way of life...This is a great country!

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Staying in Thailand will always cost you more than you expect. be carefull if you are on a tight buget, also you will need the correct visa & work permit to stay here, the autorities are getting strict.

Personally if this was me the amount of cash you are planing to have available will not be enough.

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The average Thai who works in a restaurant, 7/11, etc makes under 10K a month in CM.

This is an interesting statement which keeps coming up time and time again on TV.... "Average Thai make / live on 10k-15k/m"

the OP is not Thai, therefore what they are making/living on is somewhat irrelevant as the average Thai also typically has a large network of friends and family they can call on for financial help, further do you really believe the "average Thai" is actually living on that amount, without having to take loans from family/friends/loan sharks to get through to the end of month ?

There seems to be a bit of myth on TV, that "average" Thai's earning THB 10k-15k are living easy on these amounts, therefore a farang on a little more can do it just as easy...I think not

As "MCA" stated when someone started saying they a living on 20k/m....This is not living.... this is existing...

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welcome to thaivisa, the home of bitter old farts who wanna piss all over anyone with the sense to come here when they are young enough to enjoy the place. They tell everyone oh you cant live in thailand for less than a million baht a month blah blah blah, total crock of shit, your young so you wont have to pay for women and their families like they do so. After six months in south east asia you may be 'burned out' then decide to go home or go elsewhere. Im 27 and just got home after 6 months in chiangmai, loved every minute of it. Have fun and good luck, don't let the 'deferred gratification' generation and the people who live their lives in a perpetual state of fear get you down, they are just jealous :)

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There seems to be a bit of myth on TV, that "average" Thai's earning THB 10k-15k are living easy on these amounts, therefore a farang on a little more can do it just as easy...I think not

I completely agree. I could not live on an average Thai income, let alone live well- our customer base is about 90% Thais who make under 10K a month and I see their struggle daily. Even the Farang customers of ours who work at the call center and are on 25K a month lead quite frugal lives and occasionally run a tab with my wife near the end of the month (or did- we don't run tabs for most Farangs anymore as she had to hound a couple of them to pay us back- never had a single Thai not pay up).

I certainly would not suggest to someone that they should attempt a Thai budget. I was only trying to show that as a single person with no depends (yet) 44K is completely doable. You won't live with all the luxuries or products/services that you take for granted back home (clothes shopping will not be at Airport Plaza, but at a local market, pizza will be treat instead of a cheap meal, and 100 english channels on the TV will not happen), but you won't need to drop everything- 50/50 Thai/Farang life.

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Well I'll confess to being part of the old fart contingent although I'm not sure I'll go for bitter. Many of us worked for many years so that now we can live comfortably in Thailand without worrying that there won't someday even be a pot to piss in. Nobody I would suggest resents that these days it is easy for someone in their 20's or 30's to come to Thailand for an extended period or indefinitely -- it is just that 30 years or so ago that just was done only as the exception to the rule. No working on my online business from anywhere in the world there is a high-speed internet connection.

When I first started working in PR China 25 years ago everything had to be done by telex: no phones, no email, no fax, no internet. Also that when one is eligible for retirement extension one's priorities morph into who is going to give a sh-t about me down the road rather than how many different hot Thai girls I'll get to screw this week.

Personally I have never said to the OP that he should not come to Thailand or anyplace else given his resources and anticipated current income -- just that his budgeting is sloppy.

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44k a month is enough for the normal stay at home guy but tight for anyone who is single and wants to party at bars and have lady friends. Drinks at other than the cheap Thai street stands will be costing a bit more than you think. You will be dropping at least 1,000 baht for a bottle and setup at a disco or bar. Also, you will get sick of those 30 baht noodles 3 times a day. I think a food budget of around 300 a day is more the norm for even the tightest farang budget... But not all. I don't pay girls for their company but you still have to pick up most of the bills when you are with them. Movie and popcorn will set you back 500 baht. A night out for dinner and drinks with a lady can set you back 3,000 baht easy. I live in Bangkok but have also been to Chang Mai a few times..... Unless you are cheap by nature I think you will have a hard time telling the lovely girl to pay her own bill. Even Thais making 15k a month pay for their gf's drinks. You won't see her a second time if you don't. It's a small city really and the local girls will learn quickly to keep away. Just saying.... Good luck!

No wrong again.

Young and single here. Out all the time. Dating all the time. Drink too much. Managing just fine.

Most of us young guys don't have to pay women to spend time with us. We don't have to splash cash around on them to get them to meet us (though expect to pick up the tab with most of them) so OPs money will be just fine if he does as he says and avoids the hookers.

Many girls will contribute towards the bill AND will see you again. Trust me. If girls were all interested in money I doubt most would see me again as I never throw the cash around or go to expensive places. I'd say 90% of all girls I meet want to meet me again.

Pick a bar or collection of bars and make it your local. Buy a bottle of Red Label and it'll last you a good few visits and save you money. Can get a litre for 1000-1200B in my local bars, I take a lot of my dates there.

As for getting sick of 30B meals. Where I live there are at least 30 food stands and a dozen small restaurants that serve 30-50B meals and they sell between them hundreds of different dishes...hard to get bored when you are eating something different every night. Sure it's the same in most areas tbh.

Go to any regular Thai restaurant and they are just serving the same dishes except pricier. Often no better.



Then that retired man would have 240 quid + your 206 for "other things" left for "other things." That's 446 quid left, or more than 20,000 baht. That would handle visas, the occasional date, and so on. It would still be tight because there's always something like clothes, laundry, you name it.

I also don't think you'll eat well on 4 quid per day unless you like street food and cheap restaurants, which is fine for those who do, 24/7.

All I can say is that living on app.Baht 44,000 a month, paying rent, eating reasonably well, not sitting in one's condo every evening, is rather difficult. How can you get around for Baht 50 a day? Apart from the local cheap beer (there are locally brewed beers which are not cheap, take Heineken for example) and local Whiskey, alcohol is rather expensive in Thailand. My view, based on experience, is, that if you wish to live reasonably well, and at your age I assume you do, you may have difficulties sticking to your budget

£4 you can eat well in Thailand. My food bill for the week is around 1,000B (not including dates where we might eat). Most days I eat a lunch at home (salad with meat or baguette with allegedly over priced bread, cheese and ham) whilst I work and I spend about 200-250B a week on that stuff then venture out in the evening to get dinner, 30-50B usually gets me a good plate of tasty local food. Twice a week might go to a steak house or Japanese place in the mall where you get a dish for 150-200B.

The guys got work to do so most days will be spent in his condo rather than out trawling bars. He's not here on holiday. So no transport costs will be needed. Also he can walk if not too far. Though it's not like the skytrain is actually that expensive if you're using it only a couple of times per week

All the guys saying it's not possible are deluded because they obviously can't help themselves from banging hookers all the time or don't realize that paying your girlfriend 20,000B a month to stay with you isn't normal and something anyone under 40 with half a brain isn't going to be doing.

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welcome to thaivisa, the home of bitter old farts who wanna piss all over anyone with the sense to come here when they are young enough to enjoy the place. They tell everyone oh you cant live in thailand for less than a million baht a month blah blah blah, total crock of shit, your young so you wont have to pay for women and their families like they do so. After six months in south east asia you may be 'burned out' then decide to go home or go elsewhere. Im 27 and just got home after 6 months in chiangmai, loved every minute of it. Have fun and good luck, don't let the 'deferred gratification' generation and the people who live their lives in a perpetual state of fear get you down, they are just jealous smile.png

Agreed! Met quite a few 'older' gents here who have admitted they would have rather come here when they were younger and I'm sure there are many more who think it but won't admit it. I know a lot of guys here in the 25-45 age group and all are living the life of riley! Some spend 30k per month, some spend 100k per month but all are very happy and enjoying life immensely smile.png

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