What's your monthly cost to live in Thailand?

[beachproperty]

Sorry if this post has been done before...

But a recent topic of "Inflation in LOS" has brought up the subject which some posters argue that Thailand is more expensive than the Europe or the US to live in.

Personally its a lot cheaper for me here in Thailand and here's why ...Have a 5 bedroom townhouse in Bangkok that cost me $92,000. (no property taxes as there are in America.) and my monthly bills are

Electric (air on 8 hours a day everyday)............3000 baht

Water.................................................................400 baht

Internet...............................................................400 baht

TV....................................................................free

Transportation (taxis for one month).................3000baht

Food (for 2).......................................................9000 baht

Miscelaneous ...................................................6000 baht

So for me and my wife we spend about 21,800 baht a month .....$703 dollars or 520 Euros

And for us its a nice quality lifestyle.....

I do not believe you can have the same quality life in Europe or America on the same money .....

so how much do YOU spend to live here in Thailand .....or if in Europe or America ....How much do you spend????

[uptheos]

"Sorry if this post has been done before"...

It's been done to death, but I'm sure there will be takers.

[soi41]

"Sorry if this post has been done before"

[beachproperty]

One of the reasons I brought this topic up AGAIN......is when I left the states .....(and I owned a home) my expenses were as follows.

Property tax...........................................................................450/month

Electric...................................................................................200/month

water......................................................................................100/month

garbage......................................................................................75/month

gardener.....................................................................................85/month

medical ins,.................................................................................750/month

cable tv........................................................................................100/month

telephone......................................................................................75/month

Food.........................................................................................500/month

Transportation (gasoline, car insurance, and car payment)......800/month

miscelaneous............................................................................300/month

Federal Income Tax................................................................1500/month

So an average life in America ....I believe I was middle class.....cost $4935/month.....

[MJP]

[Thai at Heart]

One of the reasons I brought this topic up AGAIN......is when I left the states .....(and I owned a home) my expenses were as follows.

Property tax...........................................................................450/month

Electric...................................................................................200/month

water......................................................................................100/month

garbage......................................................................................75/month

gardener.....................................................................................85/month

medical ins,.................................................................................750/month

cable tv........................................................................................100/month

telephone......................................................................................75/month

Food.........................................................................................500/month

Transportation (gasoline, car insurance, and car payment)......800/month

miscelaneous............................................................................300/month

Federal Income Tax................................................................1500/month

So an average life in America ....I believe I was middle class.....cost $4935/month.....

Just scanning the differences, you have no cars or insurance here in Thailand, so it's apples and pears.

I know what it was costing me to run a large house with 2 cars, private health insurance and private school for 2 in Thailand.

The UK, isn't going to come out remarkably more in that context, and I have the benefit of being too be out and about doing stuff without everyone being bathed in sweat 24 hours a day.

Lived in Thailand for 18 years. Inflation for quality products or quality fun has been very high for the last 5 years. Interestingly, quality food from supermarkets probably cones out less here. The advent of them having to reduce their wastage means that there are ridiculous bargains to be had.

Edited October 26, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[swissie]

The parents of my wife, living near Phisanulok, owning their own land used to live on 4500 Bht per month. Both died 2 years ago. They were some of the happiest people I ever met.

Cheers.

[beachproperty]

Thai at Heart......I agree....its "apples and pears"

But in America a Car is a necessity....so had one...

Here in Thailand .....its not....I take taxi's ...(I tell everyone at home that I get around with a private driver)

transportation is transportation. (and I took them into account in both scenario's)......sooooooo

Point being is that it's much more expensive to live in America (or Europe for that matter) than it is to live in Thailand.

Edited October 26, 2013 by beachproperty

[4evermaat]

One of the reasons I brought this topic up AGAIN......is when I left the states .....(and I owned a home) my expenses were as follows.

Property tax...........................................................................450/month

Electric...................................................................................200/month

water......................................................................................100/month

garbage......................................................................................75/month

gardener.....................................................................................85/month

medical ins,.................................................................................750/month

cable tv........................................................................................100/month

telephone......................................................................................75/month

Food.........................................................................................500/month

Transportation (gasoline, car insurance, and car payment)......800/month

miscelaneous............................................................................300/month

Federal Income Tax................................................................1500/month

So an average life in America ....I believe I was middle class.....cost $4935/month.....

$5k/month EXPENSES is middle class in usa? Where did you live? I know quite a few working class people who do not make that (net or even gross) with 2 incomes.

My dad gets what i consider to be a decent pension + social security retirement benefits after working union construction and it cetainly is not $5k/month. At least the house is paid for (nice suburb 200 mi ouside new york city)

I dont think middle class is the term there. A better term is..... as those in the church say.....blessed. i'm guessing total yearly income approached 6 figures, especially if there were 2 incomes.

"Second best time to plant a tree is today" sent from note2 TV app

Edited October 26, 2013 by 4evermaat

[beachproperty]

4evermaat.......sorry to hear that your friends or father are not close to the median income in America....hope their doing well though

median household income fell slightly to $51,017 a year in 2012, down from $51,100 in 2011 -- a change the Census Bureau does not consider statistically significant.

Americans were the richest in 1999, when median household income was $56,080, adjusted for inflation.

And no ....it was not a 2 income household...nor was I anywhere near 6 figures....

Sadly enough....show me where I was excessive in my expenses for living in America.....the $5000/month was basicly bare bones .....AND I owned the house outright (as I do here in Thailand ....well my wife does...oh well)

Edited October 26, 2013 by beachproperty

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A lot depends on the details of things... And perhaps what you have, or what you're doing without.

One thing I noticed was missing from your Thailand accounting was any amount for medical expenses and or insurance. Some people who are working can have Thai government medical insurance with a small contribution/payroll deduction. But those not working usually are going to pay for their own medical insurance, a not insubstantial cost.

Free TV? Dunno if that means your complex provides a TV service, or you're just settling for Thai over the air channels. But most people prefer and pay to have some kind of cable-type TV service.

400b a month for Internet? That's pretty much the lowest level of Internet pricing/service provided by any of the major ISPs.

Mobile phone expenses for your phone and the wife's phone.

Visa and/or work permit expenses and/or border runs and/or extensions of stay and re-entry permits and consulate income letters?

And of course, a lot of people here choose to pay rent or pay off home purchases via a loan. It seems you bought your home outright. But to be fair, you ought to at least amortize the monthly value of your housing purchase into your monthly calculations.

[beachproperty]

A lot depends on the details of things... And perhaps what you have, or what you're doing without.

One thing I noticed was missing from your Thailand accounting was any amount for medical expenses and or insurance. Some people who are working can have Thai government medical insurance with a small contribution/payroll deduction. But those not working usually are going to pay for their own medical insurance, a not insubstantial cost.

Free TV? Dunno if that means your complex provides a TV service, or you're just settling for Thai over the air channels. But most people prefer and pay to have some kind of cable-type TV service.

400b a month for Internet? That's pretty much the lowest level of Internet pricing/service provided by any of the major ISPs.

Mobile phone expenses for your phone and the wife's phone.

Visa and/or work permit expenses and/or border runs and/or extensions of stay and re-entry permits and consulate income letters?

And of course, a lot of people here choose to pay rent or pay off home purchases via a loan. It seems you bought your home outright. But to be fair, you ought to at least amortize the monthly value of your housing purchase into your monthly calculations.

Much of what you say is true to a degree...

First off .....medical expenses.....I'm self insured as is my wife......the $750/month I have saved by not having it in America saves me $9000 a year and I have been here for 7 years....($63,000 saved over medical expenses of less than $1000 spent in the last 7 years.....means there is $62,000 in the pot saved for medical to date if needed)

Free TV>>>>Paid a guy for a dish and a box....one time..(10,000 baht)...get cnn,cnbc, all the movie channels (HBO, STARZ,,etc) AND Thai tv for my wife.

Internet is through my phone.....DTAC 399/month ...happy with it ...sometimes slow ...but no problem...

retirement visa ....Max....3900/baht

Home was paid off in America ....so trying to compare apples to apples as much as I can...Home paid off in Thailand

So what are your monthly expenses.? Where do you live?

Thats what this post is about ...trying to compare other peoples costs and expense...NOT to analyze mine...I just posted mine as an example ...that's all....

My point being is that Thailand is less expensive than America to live in!

Edited October 26, 2013 by beachproperty

[x0r1987]

One of the reasons I brought this topic up AGAIN......is when I left the states .....(and I owned a home) my expenses were as follows.

Property tax...........................................................................450/month

Electric...................................................................................200/month

water......................................................................................100/month

garbage......................................................................................75/month

gardener.....................................................................................85/month

medical ins,.................................................................................750/month

cable tv........................................................................................100/month

telephone......................................................................................75/month

Food.........................................................................................500/month

Transportation (gasoline, car insurance, and car payment)......800/month

miscelaneous............................................................................300/month

Federal Income Tax................................................................1500/month

So an average life in America ....I believe I was middle class.....cost $4935/month.....

LOL... Americans...

(That is a lot more then the 'Middle Class' earn in the US)....

Upper Middle would be a more appropriate title....

As for myself and the mrs... We stayed in Ubon for about 6 months a while back...

Rent: 6000 baht (Single bedroom, in Ubon CBD).

Utils: 2000 Baht

Food: 6000 baht

Ent: 10000 baht

Insuance: 800 baht

Taxi/Transport: 1000 baht

Internet: 500 baht

Had no cable as I was happy to buy movies or download shows when needed

26.5k... Very, very cheap considering what I would have been paying in Australia for the same life style... Food Costs include eating out most nights, going to a bar or club fiarly often... Deff was not been a hermit.. I meet a lot of people who thought I was over spending actually haha

But... I noticed when we then did 3 months in Phuket, we jumped to about 60k in spend with a large increase been the rent..

I notice some people are adding things like a gardener... Are these really the standard costs you would incur in the US (or the west)?? If not, is it really fair to add those costs here when (for the most part) people are treaing the thread as a comparison on living in thailand to the west...

Perhaps people would be better comparing Thailand to SG?? Things like gardeners are common in both, and while costs are not equal.. they generally tend to be a lot more comparable then the US/Thailand or Australia/Thailand...

Edited October 26, 2013 by x0r1987

[beachproperty]

x0r1987

I don't get the joke...LOL

But then again sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake...oh well

I lived in Calif. in the states and yes many people have gardeners ....I actually had a crew that would come out an do the lawns and trim the bushes once a week for the $85/month.....saved me the hassle...

As for upper middle class....not so sure ...lots of people in America today a 2 income earners bringing in 6 figures (and their barely making it) problem is I think the more you make the more you spend....

BUT getting back to the point of this Thread.......Is Thailand Cheaper or More Expensive than where you live (or used to live)?

of which you did respond and I thank you....

Edited October 26, 2013 by beachproperty

[Loptr]

4evermaat.......sorry to hear that your friends or father are not close to the median income in America....hope their doing well though

median household income fell slightly to $51,017 a year in 2012, down from $51,100 in 2011 -- a change the Census Bureau does not consider statistically significant.

Americans were the richest in 1999, when median household income was $56,080, adjusted for inflation.

And no ....it was not a 2 income household...nor was I anywhere near 6 figures....

Sadly enough....show me where I was excessive in my expenses for living in America.....the $5000/month was basicly bare bones .....AND I owned the house outright (as I do here in Thailand ....well my wife does...oh well)

You really cannot make comparisons between regions and cities in the US due to the discrepancy in the cost of living across regions. Your $5000 per month may be accurate for Connecticut, but not for Texas or California. Case in point, I am back in the US for work and my total out of pocket per month is $3000 per month, all in including home rent, taxes, transport, food, energy, entertainment.

[CharlieH]

"Point being is that it's much more expensive to live in America (or Europe for that matter) than it is to live in Thailand"

Well YES ! Thats hardly rocket science or in need of an accounting genious is it ! Why do you think there are so many and ever increasibg number of foreign retiree's here, must be the weather....lol

As for Thailand it is entirely dependent on indiviidual circumstances, lifestyle and more importantly location.

[beachproperty]

Loptr....

My expenses were from Calif....Also remember that I INCLUDED my Federal TaX Bite....take that out and my expenses were $3500/month

You say yours are $3000....Where is that?

and ....what's the break down

Rent? ( or house payment with taxes and insurance)

Utilities?

Food?
Transportation?

Med. Insurance?

Cable

Cell phone

Entertainment and miscel..

Edited October 26, 2013 by beachproperty

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at Heart......I agree....its "apples and pears"

But in America a Car is a necessity....so had one...

Here in Thailand .....its not....I take taxi's ...(I tell everyone at home that I get around with a private driver)

transportation is transportation. (and I took them into account in both scenario's)......sooooooo

Point being is that it's much more expensive to live in America (or Europe for that matter) than it is to live in Thailand.

Can only really rely on taxis in downtown Bangkok. My wife would never take a taxi after 5pm anyway.

[beachproperty]

"Point being is that it's much more expensive to live in America (or Europe for that matter) than it is to live in Thailand"

Well YES ! Thats hardly rocket science or in need of an accounting genious is it ! Why do you think there are so many and ever increasibg number of foreign retiree's here, must be the weather....lol

As for Thailand it is entirely dependent on indiviidual circumstances, lifestyle and more importantly location.

Agree with everything you say BUT

In another post ....Inflation in LOS many of the posters disagreed with that premises .....and very vehemently.

So that was the point of this one ....kinda take a survey of actual costs between the different countries that people pay......

[lazygourmet]

The day that I will start being a beans counter -self assisted suicide being now legal in Belgium- I will enroll for my kingdom euthanasia prospective planning...

Last visa run "in style"...

[likewise]

60 to 70K, no debts, just living the good life No cheap Charlie here

[beachproperty]

60 to 70K, no debts, just living the good life No cheap Charlie here

Good to hear....

Where did you originally live? And could you live the same lifestyle there now for what your spending to live in Thailand?

[likewise]

No, my home country would kill me by taxes and lots of other exta "living" costst

[yingyo]

Average between 160-240k p/m.

[beachproperty]

Average between 160-240k p/m.

Wow!!!!.....you really know how to live!

And the lifestyle you have in Thailand on that kinda of money.....would have the same, better, or worse lifestyle in your home country?

[kikoman]

I would agree with the OP, it is less expensive for me living in Thailand as it was in the US.

In the States owning a car was a necessity, Tucson Az had no effective alternate transportation Hence I was able to reduce Travel experiences from $900.00 a month to the average of less then $100.00 a month. Medication cost of $250.monthly in the old country, to $65. in Thailand (20 baht for doctor visit and medication) monthly.

As the house in Thailand is paid for no house payment/rent, the US after becoming single, $600. month apartment rental.

Food in Thailand I find much cheaper using Thai products, buying large amounts of imported western food increase my food budget, as I no longer consume a lot of beef ( good quality beef is expensive here). If you buy western brand name items also is expensive in Thailand.

A lot depends on a persons lifestyle and spending habits, my living cost would be more if I opted to own a car, or followed the same US diet, eating out and entertainment. Also We make lot of our own foods, grow fruits and vegetables have our own farm animals etc.

I state that my living experiences are lower because of our personal living choices living in the country not in the city, no night life, eating out only once or twice a month, no car, produce much of our own food etc. learned to live with less and enjoy it more

Cheers:

[kannot]

No idea Wife pays for everything............ even gave me 250k to go back to England when I see my parents.

[donniereadit]

Hidden costs.

The land is likely in someone elses name, so you are taking on a risk.

You are losing any returns you would get on investments with that money, for a property that will not likely appreciate much.

Edited October 26, 2013 by donniereadit

[Amavel]

It's all about the American health care. I retired at 55 after 34 years of work. My pension is $2450 a month. To keep my health benefits after retirement for myself, wife and 7 year old would have cost $1600 a month plus 20% of costs after $500 deductible.

I could not get other insurance because of high blood pressure and heart murmur.

The answer is moving here, renting a car every 2 mos. driving up to Pattaya and seeing my doctors, get all my steroid injections on my blown out shoulder and meds for 2 mos. including hotel and car it runs about $600. Next week I get a complete heart work up for $260.

I live easy here on my pension and can't imagine going back. The general rule I use is the costs here are a third of what I would pay in the US.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Jingthing]

It's all about the American health care. I retired at 55 after 34 years of work. My pension is $2450 a month. To keep my health benefits after retirement for myself, wife and 7 year old would have cost $1600 a month plus 20% of costs after $500 deductible.

I could not get other insurance because of high blood pressure and heart murmur.

The answer is moving here, renting a car every 2 mos. driving up to Pattaya and seeing my doctors, get all my steroid injections on my blown out shoulder and meds for 2 mos. including hotel and car it runs about $600. Next week I get a complete heart work up for $260.

I live easy here on my pension and can't imagine going back. The general rule I use is the costs here are a third of what I would pay in the US.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I am also somewhat of a U.S. health care system medical refugee. Not entirely but I was also influenced heavily to leave the U.S. because of being uninsurable. Now I am invested here so my perspective is different. I reckon you know that NOW you are eligible for private insurance in the U.S. with any preexisting conditions not impacting eligibility or cost, and at your income the premium will be heavily subsidized.

My typical monthly costs are about 25 - 30K baht including annual big expenses but not including rent because I fully own a condo (which would rent for about 25K monthly). In Pattaya and have got everything materially I need (now it's only repairs and replacing worn out stuff). Very few people would really envy my glamorous lifestyle though ... clearly. No car or bike (duh!). I don't run aircon, originally to save money, now I don't like aircon! This also wouldn't include big expenses like travel.

I can honestly say I am comfortable. To me my life here is not too shabby at all.

Edited October 26, 2013 by Jingthing