Can you live on 40,000 Baht/month

[utapaortnab]

My wife and I are living here in the United States and just visit Thailand frequently for month trips but it seems to me that the 400,000 in savings figure is NOT unrealistic being only about $10,000 U.S. and an income of 40,000 baht is only about $1,000/mo.

Am I nuts or am I correct in thinking that anyone trying to live and support a wife (and perhaps kids as well) on less than that would NOT really be "supporting" a family life under anything but poverty levels?

I have always wondered how anyone could "live" in Thailand supporting just himself for under $1,000/mo, let alone properly supporting himself AND a wife under that figure.

I am very interested in hearing from those who do live there for under $1,000 to tell me in detail what kind of magician they are and what kind of creative budgeting must be done to sustain a happy, productive marriage at that level of income.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Visiting Pattaya since 1971

[wilson steer]

Ken Bower,

I am sure you can live in Thailand for as little as $100 per month, however, to have a reasonable standard of living I would suggest $500 per adult per month.

Rent a house for 7000 baht a month, utility bills 2000 baht a month.

The rest is food/ transport/entertainment

However with a child there is education!? No idea of school fees.

It depends on what you want.

Don't fall into the trap of paying too much rent for house/apartment. Shop around there are amazing deals out there.

W.S.

[Spellbound]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1292

follow the link above or below " Poll on cost of living "

Poll On Cost Of Living

[Thetyim]

I am very interested in hearing from those who do live there for under $1,000 to tell me in detail what kind of magician they are and what kind of creative budgeting must be done to sustain a happy, productive marriage at that level of income.

PM me if you want details.

I do not dicuss personal things on a public forum

[mouse]

Obviously all of you are living in Pattaya or Bangkok where it is a lot more expensive than living up-country where you can live like a Ceasar on $1,000 a month. This while enjoying 24 hour air, a large house and a nice car. The trick is to control the wife and put her on an allowance. Because if you have a Thai wife and you make $6,000 a month, I am sure that she will find a way to spend it. That is why I find it so funny that the Government wants you to have 400,000 Baht in the Bank while married to a Thai woman. That is kind of like Military Intelligence - a conflict of sorts.

[Up2U]

Mouse is right on the location. Phuket should be added to Patty and BKK, with most large-ish towns being more expensive than the countryside (as everywhere). But if you have your own property, or can rent at a low cost, then most things are possible ...

Do you need 100 channel TV? knowing Kenandlat postings on other boards, I doubt it. Golf courses? Other expats? Easy access to airports? frequent trips? All cost money that would not be considered in the base cost.

What seems to be intended is an income to support a wife, family and sick buffalo in the style to which they wish to become accostomed, while still living in Isaan.

It is not enough for a high profile, expat life in a tourist centre.

But after a time we mostly get over that.

School fees vary - I paid a registration fee of 35,000 baht in Pattaya, with 3 payments of 8,500 per year for tuition.

Schools such as Concordia (near BKK, teaching in English 40%, Mandarin 40%, Thai 20%) has a 100,000 registration, similar semester tuition fees.

School at Wat in Chaiyaphum has 10,000 registration, 3,000 per semester tuition.

So you choose your type of education and pay for it.

[Maverick]

I am very interested in hearing from those who do live there for under $1,000 to tell me in detail what kind of magician they are and what kind of creative budgeting must be done to sustain a happy, productive marriage at that level of income.

PM me if you want details.

I do not dicuss personal things on a public forum

Strange - as you are anonymous cant see why!

I think that 1000 dollars is way too low if in towns/city and quality of life would not be good. U need private medical insurance whereever u live which costs me 12000 baht a month alone (family of 5). If living in country yes maybe but who wants that?

[boogie]

Maverick, how much do you think a family of four would need then ? Assuming they own their house, and not including education for children.

[khunphilip]

40.000 a month in Chiangmai you can live good and save money I run a car have my own house grandaugther goes to a good school 9.000 a year is taught english and when she moves to next grade school fees only 7.000 year no need for yuppy international schools. and I get enough beer and good food

PHIL

[Up2U]

I gave Concordia as an example of International Schools. I did not quote Regent Schools outside Pattaya, which I understand is similar.

My quote for my daughter's school is for a standard Pattaya school and is less than others were asking. My wife and daughter did all the searching and negotiation - no farang input (until the bills arrived!)

[the gentleman]

I think you can live quite well on 40 a month - if your own your own house, you definately can and if you rent a modest home, you also can.

I live in Phuket, which is probably the most expensive part of Thailand and my monthlys are as follows.

Electricity - 5,000

UBC 1,500

water 300

car fuel 2000

food 5000

sponsor 2 young kids for school 3000

maid 7000

misc 3000

phone 2000 (home and mobile)

internet access 1000

about 30,000

---------------------------

add a rental house to that and it would be about 40,000

[trangfarang]

I have always wondered how anyone could "live" in Thailand supporting just himself for under $1,000/mo, let alone properly supporting himself AND a wife under that figure.

I lived in the south of Thailand on US$600 a month. Lived like a king and saved money to boot. Made a trip to a nearby island approximately once a month and owned and maintained a motorbike. Any SINGLE person on US$1,000 a month that complains they can't save money is not really trying.

[randyksf]

I lived in the south of Thailand on US$600 a month. Lived like a king and saved money to boot. Made a trip to a nearby island approximately once a month and owned and maintained a motorbike. Any SINGLE person on US$1,000 a month that complains they can't save money is not really trying.

I need about 40,000 baht a month . 12,000 for rent and 4k for the rest of the bills and spend about 500 baht a day. Then ones a month a trip outside of BKK is in order. so that is 10k.

My finance guy always said to budget high at first then re-allocate. the rule of 500 USD is good I would do it more like this 1000 USD first person then 300 for each person regardless of age.

I am sure you will spend a lot less that however if you are used to a certain life style you will have to pay for it. I have found that when someone moves here they spend 30% less after 6 months.

[chonabot]

If living in country yes maybe but who wants that?

Plenty of people do , the city can always be visited for a dose of madness.

[Guest IT Manager]

Ken Bower,

I am sure you can live in Thailand for as little as $100 per month, however, to have a reasonable standard of living I would suggest $500 per adult per month.

Rent a house for 7000 baht a month, utility bills 2000 baht a month.

The rest is food/ transport/entertainment

However with a child there is education!? No idea of school fees.

It depends on what you want.

Don't fall into the trap of paying too much rent for house/apartment. Shop around there are amazing deals out there.

W.S.

School fees for a good Thai school are up to 10,000 baht per semester for something like Montfort or the other catholic schools. For a normal high school about 3500-4000 plus some extra books, excursions, army cadets, mobile phone.

Movies, Saturday, twice per month, 80 baht per person, fuel, motorbikes, car etc. about 1,500.

Electricity about 1,000, computer consumables around 7-800.

Phone cards for the kids 300 baht each per fortnight, (Papa my phone is empty-wait till the 15th).

Extra classes over summer, Chem 1 & 2, Maths 2, 5,300 baht.

Getting a picture?

40,000 baht is doable, but it is a struggle, though it isn't poverty or close to it.

[wcr]

I find it interesting that nobody has mentioned gf/wife's allowances (her and her family) in the amounts quoted. I find it hard to believe that you guys aren't paying any

[the gentleman]

Well, it depends what you marry, doesnt it?!

[Up2U]

My wife receives an allowance, yes. From that she buys food, pays for her hairdresser, mobile phone, laundry and so on. Anything left at the end of the month may go to the family in Issaan, may be spent on the house.

There have been big payments in the past - but now the house has windows, h/c mains water, tractor, paddy for the family. etc., have been paid.

I am heading for retirement in the next few years, my wife understands that the money we have is the money we will have to liveon, bring up kids, so on. So she controls the family.

[peteypie]

I can't believe that anyone could, or for that matter, needs to spend 40,000 baht a month. My Thai wife and I live very well on my earnings of 25,000 per month. We have just bought a town house in Korat and paid cash. This is to house her elderly mother, sister and her sister's small son, whom we help financially. We enjoy good food, occassional evnings out and cold beer on the patio of our modest, rented house. My wife rarely spends money on things we don't need and will bargain for EVERYTHING! We manage to save about 15,000 baht a month, which we use for holidays abroad. Maybe I'm lucky but if I had 40,000 baht a month, I wouldn't know what to do with it. Am I living in a different Thailand from others on this Forum?

[mrvietnam2001]

Ken, one of the common fallacies of living in Asia is cost of living. It all depends on "how" you want to live and what you're willing to settle for.

My expenses in Saigon were over 3,000.00 ( no that's not Baht, its dollars a month and that did not include my "adventures" to China, Thailand, HK, etc and certainly if you factor in a couple or more trips to the US per year and ammortize that, that alone comes to almost a grand a month ( 5K each trip)( way more if you're staying in NYC, once I paid $1800/night for the Four Seasons) but even at the basics, 2 trips back and forth to the USA is going to set you back 5K X2=10K or 850/month to set aside for that alone. I went 8 times in 10 months in 2001. Ouch!

Vungtau was more than Saigon as many periodic trips back and forth to Saigon were in order so as to not go crazy. But I had one of the only houses on the ocean too so that's a premium. Inland is much cheaper but would you really want to live there?

Thailand is another story. My place in Koh Samui was about 700/month, car rental about 400/month ( new but crappy suzuki caribean), a couple nights to the restarant ( upstairs is good and plays good jazz, about 35 dinner for two no alcohol,) A/C was expensive and I won't live without it, water became a real issue there, so you can see that it adds up and certainly my wife and I didn't live as well as we do in Florida. ( all things considered, and I mean all)

I only stayed in BKK for a couple months so I can't comment. But I stayed in a full service apartment down the block from the embassies ( presidential something or another) and it wasn't cheap and another time in Siam Square at I guess it's a 4 star dive. Stayed in Kamala part of Phuket and that rent was a grand a month+ but it was really nice.

Meanwhile someone I consider a friend lives in a decent size apartment/townhouse among the palm trees on samui and he told me he pays 50 bucks a month for it and lives ok on his retirement at a little over a grand a monthy ( ish)

So it depends on the individual obviously.

I would seriously look at Vietnam although lots would have to change before I would consider it on a full time basis again and frankly, I don't see the kinds of changes that I would personaly require anywhere in Asia. But I'm married to a Vietnamese and frankly could make the case for Vnam rather than elsewhere regardless of that fact.

My brother who is retired got into this with me a couple weeks ago ( about what it takes to retire gracefully). We agreed that regardless of where you go the number is 50K/year. Now to find the spot where 50K gets the best deal. It's a big world.

And it sure is an adventure

Rgrds

Mr Vietnam

P.S. Anyone hear from resigned member? Is he in LOS now?

[Jeepz]

Well, the answer seems to be all over the spectrum. And I am completely intrigued by the variety of answers. Now, I realize that it varies depending on individual circumstance, but as everyone rolled out their expenses, I saw zero about "taxes".

Personally, I will be getting my money from my retirement in the USA. Couple of grand a month or a bit more. Then a tad bit more change from investments, but nothing huge. Say another five hundred a month. That is all pre tax. Pre US tax, pre Thai tax.

Health insurance I happen to be lucky on and that is going to be $107 a month, blue cross blue shield good anywhere in the world. Only for self, not a family plan, which is higher, and I don't need.

So, Fed's are going to want to nip some, Thailand is going to want to nip some, but how much is it going to hit me, I don't know. If I can get by on 40k to 60k baht and have a modest but pleasant place to live, kitchen (with stove), nights out and movies, I'll be pretty happy. That's figuring around fifteen hundred a month after taxes/insurance.

Any retired folks from the States familar with the tax thing? How about the rest of you, is your money tax free, or you are you simply citing after tax expenses?

Jeepz

[Boon Mee]

Well, the answer seems to be all over the spectrum.  And I am completely intrigued by the variety of answers.  Now, I realize that it varies depending on individual circumstance, but as everyone rolled out their expenses, I saw zero about "taxes". 

Personally, I will be getting my money from my retirement in the USA.  Couple of grand a month or a bit more.  Then a tad bit more change from investments, but nothing huge.  Say another five hundred a month.  That is all pre tax.  Pre US tax, pre Thai tax. 

Health insurance I happen to be lucky on and that is going to be $107 a month, blue cross blue shield good anywhere in the world.  Only for self, not a family plan, which is higher, and  I don't need. 

So, Fed's are going to want to nip some, Thailand is going to want to nip some, but how much is it going to hit me, I don't know.  If I can get by on 40k to 60k baht and have a modest but pleasant place to live, kitchen (with stove), nights out and movies, I'll be pretty happy.  That's figuring around fifteen hundred a month after taxes/insurance. 

Any retired folks from the States familar with the tax thing?  How about the rest of you, is your money tax free, or you are you simply citing after tax expenses?

Jeepz

Jeepz

I do know that once you start pulling $$$ out of your 401(k) it's 20% off the top if the funds went in tax-free to start. Then, when you file the yearly Federal 1040 you can claim it back if you're living in Thailand.

Don't know the Thai tax profile right now but I've got to do some research on it for sure. All the years I was living overseas I filed the W2 as "Exempt" which allowed me to escape the Federal but not SS which my company took out - now glad they did provided I live long enough to collect some of it!

Boon Mee

[mrvietnam2001]

Any retired folks from the States familar with the tax thing? How about the rest of you, is your money tax free, or you are you simply citing after tax expenses?

Jeepz

Don't ask

Don't tell.

Mr Vietnam

[Jeepz]

Thanks for the responses. Boon Me, yeah, I understand about the earned income thing for overseas employment. That's a great deal for anyone working overseas, but since I'll be retired and either on a tourist visa or retirement visa, I won't have any such income that I'll be able to protect that way.

MrVietnam, yeah, gonna be hard for me to "not tell" since Uncle Sugar is going to be writing the retirement check. And part of the other funds come out of the Thrift Savings Plan that US gov't runs with employee's contributions. Perhaps it'll work for Thailand Gov't, but I don't want to get sideways with them and end up blacklisted.

Anyway, thanks for the insight and I'll keep scribbling my notes!

Jeepz

[bkkharry]

I receive a pension from the US, but still pay the good ole US gov't $400 a month in income tax. A portion of my income is not taxable, only about 10% based on my retirement from a State gov't job. I guess I could refuse to pay and hope the IRS does not catch me, but its not worth the risk to me. Never had a problem paying tax, always figured if I was paying tax must be making some money so why complain.

I enjoy the good life so spend most of what I receive, get a little over $3200 a month after tax, live in Bangkok on Silom Raod in a serviced apartment and pay 35k a month, everyone says to much, but I dont have a problem with it, its comfortable and what I am used to.

My wife does not work, my choice, since I want to travel, so give her 25k a month for whatever she wants to spend it on. also pick up the tab for her daughters schooling, pay for everything, put 5k month in a savings account for her daughter, and give her 500 baht week as allowance.

I travel extensively, sometimes with wife, other times with friends from the US, take at least 6 international trips a year back to US, Europe, or South America. Have sent wife and daughter to Europe to vist some of their family living in Germany. Dont save much, but sure have a good time.

Will also pay for the best University her daughter can get into, also debating about applying for an Immigrant visa to Us for wife and daugher, just to get her daugher into a US school, but still plan on living here as long as the Thai Gov't allows me.

If I had to could live on a lot less, wife has a house in the county, but I perfer the big city, just depends on what and how each one of us wants to live- Probably could live on a $1000 a month in the county, but don't want to- to each his own.

[tutsiwarrior]

the biggest expense that I can identify is school fees for the children. The BKK Post has recently run a series regarding international schools and it appears that if you are not working (an overseas assignment with a big company normally pays) and have to pay out of pocket for the kids to have the preparation to attend university in a falang country then you are looking at USD10k-20k per head per year...

would put a break upon living cheaply upcountry in a paid for house with nice drinkies on the patio...

now if you are a morally corrupt old man with no kids living with a young wife and her family up country 20k baht per month would do nicely...

[Jeepz]

tutsi~

Uhmm, how does the morally corrupt part enter into a guy living with his wife up country? Oh, old man/young woman == evil corruption. Gotcha. Nice to have something to look forward to in my dotage.

Jeepz

[tutsiwarrior]

jeepz...well, you know...a literary device called juxtaposition (sincere young man and moral corruption). Helps to focus attention on the matter at hand....

sniff...I just wanna be everybodys friend..(sniff...) an' all you guys wanna do is beat up on old tutsi...dr PP, tell them to lay off...

[Jeepz]

Tutsi~

Heh, I hear ya, in fact that's what I told my last girlfriend, "Honey, it's just another position!" But she wouldn't even consider it. Geeze, you'd think I was some sort of ethically perfidious old fart.

Jeepz

[mrvietnam2001]

Geeze, you'd think I was some sort of ethically perfidious old fart.

Guilty!

LOL!

Rgrds

Mr Vietnam