£10,000 / $16,000 how long personally...

[adweb00]

Would this amount of cash last you living relatively comfortably in Thailand? I'm interested to see everyone's difference of opinion on this. Discuss!

Won't go into what my lifestyle costs in Thailand (B11,000 last month for power) ha ha I have a Aussie mate who lives over here he lives the life he wants is happy as hell and NEVER spends more than B5000 per month unless there is some mega disaster

[Tolley]

I base my figure of four months on living to the same level of lifestlye I would expect to live in the west.

So i guess you could stretch that out to a year if you live in Nakhon nowhere and did nothing much but sleep and eat but most people I know I have never lived like that and would not care to live like that.

Heck rent is going to cost you at least 15k for something decent and then there is utilities, food, entertainment, health care, travel, car expenses or motor scooter, phone, internet, golf, gym, massage, clothes, and that is all I can think of the top of my head but I expect there are more things i havent thought of either.

[dao16]

I base my figure of four months on living to the same level of lifestlye I would expect to live in the west.

So i guess you could stretch that out to a year if you live in Nakhon nowhere and did nothing much but sleep and eat but most people I know I have never lived like that and would not care to live like that.

Heck rent is going to cost you at least 15k for something decent and then there is utilities, food, entertainment, health care, travel, car expenses or motor scooter, phone, internet, golf, gym, massage, clothes, and that is all I can think of the top of my head but I expect there are more things i havent thought of either.

I agree with a lot of the expenses, but if you live out in the sticks (still in town, but just away from the big cities) rent is cheap. I have never paid more than 4000 for rent, and that was living in a house with 3 bed rooms, 3 bathrooms and an extra shower room, a kitchen, a small garden with coconut trees and an area for the washing machine and hanging clothes out on the second floor and a balcony (good sized) in the front and enough of a driveway to park a truck. I know guys with nicer houses who pay 5 or 6 a month and others who go a step more and pay 8. So, out here, that is definitely an advantage. In Bangkok, I am sure I wouldn't want to go much lower than 12-15 thousand, but, thankfully (not just for money) I don't live there.

[Neeranam]

That's about 500,000 baht at the moment.

How long is a piece of string?

My piece of string says.......

If you end up with a "Lady" - 6 months tops.

On your own - At least 1 year, providing you are living sensibly.

If you end up with a lady with a good job it could last you for ever.

[nongsangcity]

All depends.....do you already have a house , transport , a women..etc............if so living in Issan £ 10000 pounds should last at least 2 years..........I live in sakhon nakhon......I have all the above.......friends of mine rent near me....nice house air con, hot shower etc 3500 bht a month....electric and water 600 bht a month,,,,gas 600 bht a year.....good food 1500 bht a month.....if you live alone even cheaper.........then if you drink and smoke.....box of chang 525 bht 12 pints.....beer archa 475 for 12 pints......cigs 40 bht for 20.......you do the maths...............spend peanuts or a fortune its up to you..........I hope this helps......plus have fun and enjoy...

[Spoonman]

It depends entirely on your lifestyle. Many retired guys who don't smoke or drink much or use bar girls would make that last well over a year. They'd have a small studio for less than 10k baht, and if lucky they'd get internet with it. They wouldn't have a car or scooter.

School teachers from other countries manage on around 30k, but that doesn't leave anything for luxuries.

If you have a girlfriend, depending on her expectations, that will add. I will say that I wouldn't let a girlfriend move in with me if I signed the lease. I'd live with her where she signed the lease. Where you are responsible for the lease, it can be very hard to get rid of a nasty girlfriend, and if she refuses to leave and you have to, you're stuck big time.

I wouldn't want to do it, but it could be done on your budget for a year easily if you don't have expensive habits.

Don't forget setup costs. There's the flight, the visa costs, maybe you need to renew a passport first, the cost of maybe a cab to hunt for an apartment, the deposit on an apartment, the odds and ends you need to make the apartment liveable such as maybe a hotplate and some dishes, or you might find a fully furnished apt. with all of that.

Still, if one had to, a year or even a little more is very possible, but you'd have to watch every satang and not blow it in bars and restaurants except for the occasional 500 baht date.

Might as well rob a bank and come live large for a year or 2 then go home and live a better life than you describe for a few more years behind bars.

[happysanook]

A year sounds right (for me!).

Is about Baht 40k/mth.

Studio apt: 10000 Baht (near mrt/bts - w gym/pool)

Utilities/Inet/mobile: 2000 Baht

Transport: 3000 Baht (no home leaves - but trips to beach Incl.)

Health insurance/vitamins/OTC meds/dental: 2000 Baht

Groceries: 5000 Baht (Incl. foreign luxuries)

Above basic costs adds up to 23k/mth

Other: sports, sports gear, PC/phone repairs/upgrades, clothes all vary from month to month but let's say 5k to cover all and leave some buffer.

Remaining 12k is for entertainment, eating out, gifts and so forth. Heck - maybe even some savings!

Cheers!

5000 baht for groceries your having a laugh.. Double that food bill and add a few more thousand baht.. 175 baht for food per day is living like a homeless person..

Entirely depends on where you live. I spend about 200 baht a day on food and probably over eat. If you're eating steaks and cheeseburgers from Western style restaurants - no 200 baht won't be enough. A simple fried dish runs 25-40 baht x 3 + a couple snacks = 200 baht.

16k, could live for 2 years. But it depends how and where you live. I rent a small house on a mango farm in the countryside for $50 a month. High speed internet takes care of entertainment. I don't buy prostitutes. Drink seldomly. Go into the city about once a month and hit a few discos. I spend about 8k-12k baht a month all inclusive and want for nothing. Living anywhere outside BKK in Thailand, if you didn't drink or buy women, or 'take care' of your girlfriend, you could make it last 2 years.

In chiang mai, decent apt - 4k baht includes electric. Food 6k baht. Figure 10k baht for extras... But this will vary greatly... Could be 2k, could be 10k depending on how you live = 12k-20k ($400-700) a month. No problem.

If you're middle aged or a geezer, or otherwise need to pay your women to be around you, and/or party often, and/or want to rent some high-end condo, yea it's not going to last long.

Edited October 10, 2013 by happysanook

[dao16]

 

A year sounds right (for me!).
Is about Baht 40k/mth.

Studio apt: 10000 Baht (near mrt/bts - w gym/pool)
Utilities/Inet/mobile: 2000 Baht
Transport: 3000 Baht (no home leaves - but trips to beach Incl.)
Health insurance/vitamins/OTC meds/dental: 2000 Baht
Groceries: 5000 Baht (Incl. foreign luxuries)
Above basic costs adds up to 23k/mth

Other: sports, sports gear, PC/phone repairs/upgrades, clothes all vary from month to month but let's say 5k to cover all and leave some buffer.

Remaining 12k is for entertainment, eating out, gifts and so forth. Heck - maybe even some savings!

Cheers!

5000 baht for groceries your having a laugh.. Double that food bill and add a few more thousand baht.. 175 baht for food per day is living like a homeless person..

Entirely depends on where you live. I spend about 200 baht a day on food and probably over eat. If you're eating steaks and cheeseburgers from Western style restaurants - no 200 baht won't be enough. A simple fried dish runs 25-40 baht x 3 + a couple snacks = 200 baht.

16k, could live for 2 years. But it depends how and where you live. I rent a small house on a mango farm in the countryside for $50 a month. High speed internet takes care of entertainment. I don't buy prostitutes. Drink seldomly. Go into the city about once a month and hit a few discos. I spend about 8k-12k baht a month all inclusive and want for nothing. Living anywhere outside BKK in Thailand, if you didn't drink or buy women, or 'take care' of your girlfriend, you could make it last 2 years.

In chiang mai, decent apt - 4k baht includes electric. Food 6k baht. Figure 10k baht for extras... But this will vary greatly... Could be 2k, could be 20k depending on how you live = 12k-20k ($400-700) a month. No problem.

If you're middle aged or a geezer, or otherwise need to pay your women to be around you, and/or party often, and/or want to rent some high-end condo, yea it's not going to last long.

 

Yeah, that food budget sounds nuts. It would make sense to me if it were mostly Western food (which may be the case). I rarely spend more than 100 baht on dinner at the market--no cooking, just get good Thai stuff for 3 people. Recently, though, we had guests, about 8 people total, and I ran out at about PM and got food for everyone....eight mouths to feed. I spent about 180, maybe 200, and it was more than enough and mostly expensive because I bought a half a duck. Was even able to snag something for lunch for myself the next day included in that price.
Food is very cheap if you are eating local food every day (minus the days you want to eat at a restaurant with music or some special food). No reason to cook when 150-200 baht is literally a platter of dishes that can feed a large family.

Edited October 10, 2013 by dao16

[TheSpade]

Entirely depends on where you live. I spend about 200 baht a day on food and probably over eat. If you're eating steaks and cheeseburgers from Western style restaurants - no 200 baht won't be enough. A simple fried dish runs 25-40 baht x 3 + a couple snacks = 200 baht.

I spend around 1000-1500B a week on food and that's a mix of street food, local restaurants, Western and chain places and Tops and Villa Market stuff.

I would find it difficult to spend much more a week on food.

[happysanook]

Entirely depends on where you live. I spend about 200 baht a day on food and probably over eat. If you're eating steaks and cheeseburgers from Western style restaurants - no 200 baht won't be enough. A simple fried dish runs 25-40 baht x 3 + a couple snacks = 200 baht.

I spend around 1000-1500B a week on food and that's a mix of street food, local restaurants, Western and chain places and Tops and Villa Market stuff.

I would find it difficult to spend much more a week on food.

Some people are too sexy for their shorts. They need to eat out real steak and potatoes, french gourmet and wine 3x a day. Okay, then yea 6k baht a month isn't going to cut it.

[IsaanUSA]

As a young man living in the USA, I believe the $16,000 would last me 10-12 months. (This is in complete dis-regard of all my financial responsibilities in the USA)

I'm not up-to-date on the visa rules/processes, but I can get a 60 day tourist visa and a 30 day extension. The airfare to Thailand is around $1500. I might need to buy some clothes and supplies before the trip, so lets say with all that initial stuff, I'm down $2000.

So I have now arrived in Thailand with $14,000. Every so often I will need to (would love to, actually) visit a new country so I can get a new visa or just get a 30 day exempt stamp.

I reckon if I lived in my preferred area of Bangkok I could very easily make $14k stretch for 10-12 months.

However if this was a challenge to see how long I could make that $14k stretch, I reckon that I could go two years somewhat comfortably (living with friends), and three years if absolutely needed (not enjoyable).

[frankold]

Entirely depends on where you live. I spend about 200 baht a day on food and probably over eat. If you're eating steaks and cheeseburgers from Western style restaurants - no 200 baht won't be enough. A simple fried dish runs 25-40 baht x 3 + a couple snacks = 200 baht.

I spend around 1000-1500B a week on food and that's a mix of street food, local restaurants, Western and chain places and Tops and Villa Market stuff.

I would find it difficult to spend much more a week on food.

And I'm sure your protege Heff is taking notes... Edited October 10, 2013 by frankold

[deepcell]

It all depends where you are going to spend your money and with what, If you live in main cities of Thailand it more expensive, otherwise with about 500K ( / 3 = 15.625 / month ) Bath in a countryside for sure you can live for 3 years without worries. Most Thai people earn less than 15K bath month. But if you are going to live in pattaya or phukhet then 1 week or less ... maybe!

[ableguy]

A year sounds right (for me!).

Is about Baht 40k/mth.

Studio apt: 10000 Baht (near mrt/bts - w gym/pool)

Utilities/Inet/mobile: 2000 Baht

Transport: 3000 Baht (no home leaves - but trips to beach Incl.)

Health insurance/vitamins/OTC meds/dental: 2000 Baht

Groceries: 5000 Baht (Incl. foreign luxuries)

Above basic costs adds up to 23k/mth

Other: sports, sports gear, PC/phone repairs/upgrades, clothes all vary from month to month but let's say 5k to cover all and leave some buffer.

Remaining 12k is for entertainment, eating out, gifts and so forth. Heck - maybe even some savings!

Cheers!

He'll not for me 65000 baht live with my gf of four years , we travel a bit and eat at home a lot but nothing saved, we get and spend 65000 for the dummies.

[yellow1red1]

who knows how smart you are, with money?

[can't even put 'budget' 'living costs' in the little Search box, Above, and read 100's of Posts on this Topic without exposing your circumstances]

Buy a Copy of Lonely Planet and/or pour through The Thorn Tree...

[Mark1971]

£10,000 or 500k Baht wouldn't be enough to last me to lunch time on my 1st day in Thailand.

International school fees for 2 kids.= 500k / Year + 200k Joining fees

Car = 500k

Deposit on house & monthly rent = 70k + 30k

That will cost me £26,000 or 1.3M Baht on my 1st day.

Once you are married & have kids, an average western living standard doesn't come cheap in Thailand.

Some Farang can do it Thai style & avoid these costs.

Local Thai school + some home schooling.

Motorbike.

Rent an apartment, or live in the village.

Good luck to them, but for me 1.3 M Baht would be my minimum on my 1st day.

[MrWorldwide]

The obvious takeaway from all of these threads is that you need to find somewhere close enough to Bangkok without Bangkok prices. Said proximity would still require the self-discipline to stay away from restaurants, shopping centres and bars along Suk. Personally, I know just how easy it is to walk into a shop like Au Bon Pain and get a bag full of bagels (with creamed cheese, of course) and an iced coffee. Extravagant ? Not in holiday mode, but that's the thing - very few people can afford to maintain that level of spending 365 days a year. I loathe Starbucks and most of the coffee chains, but Au Bon Pain - magic

(thanks, guys - I'll now spend the rest of the day thinking about bagels !)

[jcgodber]

8.2 Months

[thelittlefatfriar]

in ansewer to your question,it depends on what you wish to do ,I live in nahkonsawan province on a retirement visa before I retired built the house and paid for the pick up,now I pay for the running costs of three houses and feed up to 10 people a day still manage a few beers, pop down 2 pattaya twice a year but it must be an age thing i'm glad to get home,been visiting Thailand for 20years pattaya's not the same,all this on 5000baht aweekl so your money would last at the present rate 10years but that would be wishful thinking. the best thing to do is enjoy what ever the cost life's to short to b worried about money,have fun.

[tom21]

you could last 3 years in issan on $16000 . but if you want to buy clothes have a hair cut etc. it last for 2 years . if you want an occasional beer run a bike and live it will last 1 year if you want to use certain services offered in Thailand it last about a week. so it is up to the lifestyle of the person

[TheSpade]

an average western living standard doesn't come cheap in Thailand.

So many people in Thailand who want to live exactly as they did at home (and apparently Thailand is so much more expensive to live like this) so why live in Thailand at all?

[cgphuket]

3-12 months, depending on how you live. If you don't pay retail for company and are not a drunk, maybe 14 months.

[Soutpeel]

an average western living standard doesn't come cheap in Thailand.

So many people in Thailand who want to live exactly as they did at home (and apparently Thailand is so much more expensive to live like this) so why live in Thailand at all?

Cos I am working here thats why, I didnt come to Thailand for the "culture" beaches, temples or some hippy dippy living the dream sh*t...I came he to put money in my piggy bank ..as I have done in other countries I have lived and worked and I have a minimum standard of living I wish to maintain and if it costs a bit more to maintain that expected life style in Thailand, then so be it..

Right now at this present point in time, my intention is not to retire here and once the job is over, which It will be one day, I am going home and dependent on how old I am at the time, I may choose to retire or I may not.

Thailand for me was never a "goal" or a "dream" but mearly another step in my career which has involved in working/living in various countries over the last 25 odd years. After nearly 13 years here, I have been here longer than I expected and I do enjoy my time/job here.

[bunnaag]

1 year

but you dont have as many servants as Naam.

[soomak]

A year sounds right (for me!).

Is about Baht 40k/mth.

Studio apt: 10000 Baht (near mrt/bts - w gym/pool)

Utilities/Inet/mobile: 2000 Baht

Transport: 3000 Baht (no home leaves - but trips to beach Incl.)

Health insurance/vitamins/OTC meds/dental: 2000 Baht

Groceries: 5000 Baht (Incl. foreign luxuries)

Above basic costs adds up to 23k/mth

Other: sports, sports gear, PC/phone repairs/upgrades, clothes all vary from month to month but let's say 5k to cover all and leave some buffer.

Remaining 12k is for entertainment, eating out, gifts and so forth. Heck - maybe even some savings!

Cheers!

5000 baht for groceries your having a laugh.. Double that food bill and add a few more thousand baht.. 175 baht for food per day is living like a homeless person..

You are right!

I spend 15,000 baht a month for food for myself, although I never eat street food, so it could be cheaper of course.

Spending 5,000 per month on food & drink, means eating rice & something 3 times a day, and maybe some fruit or snack.

Food is one of the great joys of life, no sense giving up on that just because we are in Thailand!

[FiftyTwo]

1 year

but you dont have as many servants as Naam.

I don't need servants, I'm perfectly happy doing everything myself.

Food is one of the great joys of life, no sense giving up on that just because we are in Thailand!

I agree, so I'm expanding my DIY to include making products I find unsatisfactory in Thailand.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/673503-baked-my-first-cake/

Cakes and bread, just too sweet locally, I can make better and cheaper.

Edited October 11, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[danbradster]

12+ months.

[mickyboy]

living like a thai think how much they earn and spend a year liveing like a tourist then think again accomadation will eat up a lot say £100 a week then its how you eat so many things taken into account i was in thailand 7weeks ans spent £800 excluding accom at £20 a night my mate spent £2.500 on drink and girls and buying everyone a beer idiot he is maybe im a bore

[AbuBacon]

If you spent it all on ice at wholesale rates and sold it retail you should be good for 2 years. Otherwise 6 months is already a stretch.

[Satcommlee]

4 Years I reckon

2000 baht apartment x 48 months = (96'000 baht)

2 cups of 20 baht mama noodles x 1456 days = (58'240 baht)

1 bottle of 40 baht Lao Kao wine x 1456 days = (58'240 baht)

8 double entry visa runs at 9000 baht = (72'000 baht)

8 border runs at 2500 baht = (20'000 baht)

8 x sandals at 300 baht = 2400 baht

48 Beer chang singlet shirts = 7200 baht

Total 313'600 baht = $10'000

change $6000

You'll do fine