What's your monthly cost to live in Thailand?

[Thai at Heart]

Thai at heart........you write...."When it comes to education, the issue is also, is it any good..."

And if you go a step further .......The REAL question is "how well did you raise your kids to be motivated" Because you can send your kids to the BEST schools in the world and If they don't want to learn .......they won't....And conversely if your kids are raised right and am motivated to learn they become like sponges wanting to explore anythng and everything

That being said ....If you cannot afford to send your children to one of these "International Schools" (which amazingly is ridiculously expensive) then you should supplement said education in the home (which you should do anyway....why leave the education of our most precious resource in the hands of strangers!)

Don't worry about my kids. Problem for be was that my only option was an international school education. Kids are back home, in the local school and we will look for boarding school for a levels.

Already, the difference in attitude to education is obvious. Kids are completely bilingual and are adjusting well. Children are understanding quickly that understanding "why?", is more important than understanding a list of facts.

If I had left them there, I would have been doing them a disservice. It was the right time to move, yardsticks irrespective of cost.

But I have to say, coming back to the UK, the high Street here is so ridiculously competitive here, I would say that if you shop smart, it can be done for not as much more as as I feared.

Throw in a more stimulating variety of things to do for kids here for free, and I'm happy. Off to watch a mini rugby tournament with my son this morning. Hiking yesterday.

I note, everyone on this survey so far talks about not having a car because they avail themselves of taxis and trains in Bangkok. I wasn't in Bangkok, so I and the wife had cars. Petrol is cheaper, but up front card are very expensive in Thailand.

Just bought a 320d BMW second hand for 700k baht. as I said, it's horses for courses, and it became necessary for quality and a change of style for my family.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[FiftyTwo]

Throw in a more stimulating variety of things to do for kids here for free, and I'm happy. Off to watch a mini rugby tournament with my son this morning. Hiking yesterday.

Just bought a 320d BMW second hand for 700k baht. as I said, it's horses for courses, and it became necessary for quality and a change of style for my family.

Went hiking Friday, went hiking this morning.

Just bought a new Honda Click 125i for 54k baht, insurance 300bht, tax 100bht (what was yours?).

Took my 2 year old son out on it, through the countryside, no helmets, try that in the UK!

Edited October 27, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[beachproperty]

Overall, I think the potential cost savings for housing here is something that tends to outweight almost everything else in economic terms.

Here, I can live in the capital city/the biggest city in the country with a reasonable climate and a lot of amenities, including shopping and medical care, etc, and still live in a very nice and safe neighborhood in a very pleasant and comfortable home for about $500 a month rent cost.

Were I to move back to the U.S., to live in a big/urban city with comparable amenities, I'd have two choices: pay A LOT for a nice home in a nice area, or likely pay perhaps the same as Bangkok for a much less nice home in a REALLY less nice and probably less safe area. Neither are very appealing options.

Of course, there are lots of more affordable housing markets outside of big cities/urban areas, where you probably can find nice homes/condos/apartments for comparable or reasonable prices, but in those areas, you're likely to be distant from things like modern, better quality hospitals, diverse society and culture, international choices for dining, etc etc. And not a place with snowbound climate or neighbors who enjoy BBQ'd squirrels for dinner.

I'm kind of searching in the background for whether there might be some place in the U.S. that has the housing affordability of Bangkok combined with both a decent climate, safe environment and decent social and cultural options. Just not sure I know what those options might be. But it would be something I wouldn't might keeping in my back pocket, just in case things here take a bigger turn for the worse than they already have in recent years.

Where ever you live in the world .....Housing costs are going to be a major expense. Believe it or not ....there is reasonable housing in Calif...(in the central valley) that meets many of your requirements....Also I believe Arizona and New Mexico (although I can't personally attest).

BUT....the problem then becomes the other expenses such as transportation (generally a car is a MUST but not necessarily so) so transportation expenses increase....and there are other things more expensive...

I think you can do it ...never said it was impossible......it is possible to have costs in America equal to the Cost of what it is in Thailand...

But as you said ....Major city America vs Bangkok .....Thailand cheaper

Suburb America vs Suburb or out in the country in Thailand........Thailand Cheaper

Bangkok living vs Living in the suburbs of America .....you can find "same same" costs

Edited October 27, 2013 by beachproperty

[FiftyTwo]

Where ever you live in the world .....Housing costs are going to be a major expense. Believe it or not ....there is reasonable housing in Calif...(in the central valley) that meets many of your requirements....Also I believe Arizona and New Mexico (although I can't personally attest).

BUT....the problem then becomes the other expenses such as transportation (generally a car is a MUST but not necessarily so) so transportation expenses increase....and there are other things more expensive...

I think you can do it ...never said it was impossible......it is possible to have costs in America equal to the Cost of what it is in Thailand...

But as you said ....Major city America vs Bangkok .....Thailand cheaper

Suburb America vs Suburb or out in the country in Thailand........Thailand Cheaper

Bangkok living vs Living in the suburbs of America .....you can find "same same"

Yes, but my cheap house in CM doesn't have gang bangers living on one side, and a crack house across the road.

Edited October 27, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[zydeco]

Overall, I think the potential cost savings for housing here is something that tends to outweight almost everything else in economic terms.

Here, I can live in the capital city/the biggest city in the country with a reasonable climate and a lot of amenities, including shopping and medical care, etc, and still live in a very nice and safe neighborhood in a very pleasant and comfortable home for about $500 a month rent cost.

Were I to move back to the U.S., to live in a big/urban city with comparable amenities, I'd have two choices: pay A LOT for a nice home in a nice area, or likely pay perhaps the same as Bangkok for a much less nice home in a REALLY less nice and probably less safe area. Neither are very appealing options.

Of course, there are lots of more affordable housing markets outside of big cities/urban areas, where you probably can find nice homes/condos/apartments for comparable or reasonable prices, but in those areas, you're likely to be distant from things like modern, better quality hospitals, diverse society and culture, international choices for dining, etc etc. And not a place with snowbound climate or neighbors who enjoy BBQ'd squirrels for dinner.

I'm kind of searching in the background for whether there might be some place in the U.S. that has the housing affordability of Bangkok combined with both a decent climate, safe environment and decent social and cultural options. Just not sure I know what those options might be. But it would be something I wouldn't might keeping in my back pocket, just in case things here take a bigger turn for the worse than they already have in recent years.

Where ever you live in the world .....Housing costs are going to be a major expense. Believe it or not ....there is reasonable housing in Calif...(in the central valley) that meets many of your requirements....Also I believe Arizona and New Mexico (although I can't personally attest).

BUT....the problem then becomes the other expenses such as transportation (generally a car is a MUST but not necessarily so) so transportation expenses increase....and there are other things more expensive...

I think you can do it ...never said it was impossible......it is possible to have costs in America equal to the Cost of what it is in Thailand...

But as you said ....Major city America vs Bangkok .....Thailand cheaper

Suburb America vs Suburb or out in the country in Thailand........Thailand Cheaper

Bangkok living vs Living in the suburbs of America .....you can find "same same" costs

Costa Rica?

[kannot]

I'm astounded at how any Westerner can even begin to consider their existence in this country to be "living" while spending less than ฿500,000 per month.

I spend that in a week, the Wife double that..............bluddy women eh!!

[beachproperty]

Where ever you live in the world .....Housing costs are going to be a major expense. Believe it or not ....there is reasonable housing in Calif...(in the central valley) that meets many of your requirements....Also I believe Arizona and New Mexico (although I can't personally attest).

BUT....the problem then becomes the other expenses such as transportation (generally a car is a MUST but not necessarily so) so transportation expenses increase....and there are other things more expensive...

I think you can do it ...never said it was impossible......it is possible to have costs in America equal to the Cost of what it is in Thailand...

But as you said ....Major city America vs Bangkok .....Thailand cheaper

Suburb America vs Suburb or out in the country in Thailand........Thailand Cheaper

Bangkok living vs Living in the suburbs of America .....you can find "same same"

Yes, but my cheap house in CM doesn't have gang bangers living on one side, and a crack house across the road.

LOL....not ALL of America is like that.....BUT it does exist just don't live in Oakland or Detroit.

[jonesthebaker]

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.....

The comparison is interesting. In Thailand, for me, monthly:

Rent of 2 story six bedroom 3 bathroom house with large covered veranda: 10,000 baht

Taxis to work: about 2000 baht

Food: 4000 baht

Cable TV/Phone/Internet: 3000 baht

Water: 80 baht

Electric: 1000 to 3000, depending on season

Housekeeper: 7000

Medical: 0

Back in Texas:

Mortgage: $1300, including insurance, property tax

Natural gas: $70-200 depending on season

Electricity: $90-190 depending on season

Water: $60-200 depending on season

Car Insurance: $190

Gasoline: $200

Insurance health: $250

Food: $500-600

Telephone, Cable TV, Internet: $350

This latter list was four years ago and doesn't include house repairs, costs of maintaining the lawn (fertilizers, mowers, trimmers, hedgers, etc) or storm damages). I really think my lifestyle was/is modest in both places, but I experience it a lot more inexpensively here than there.

4000 baht per month on food. approx 110 baht per day. please tell how and what your survive on for this?

[HardenedSoul]

I rent. 8k per month + 1k for bills.

I give it 5 minutes before someone tells me at 8k per month in BKK I must live in a rat infested shit hole in the slums with no aircon.

Water, electric, internet? 1,000 a month??!!

Yeah, pull the other one.

I note no one is factoring in kids.

Maybe in my case the gets a lot closer when factoring in private school fees, and the cost of privately insuring 4 people. Seems there is a little generation gap in these calculations.

Bloody sprogs.

Making me get all sensible and move home.

Yep the whole sprogs thing is worth mention.

Unless you're happy to put your cherubs through the Thai education system, life gets far, far more expensive once you procreate and even then, the standard of teaching in many international schools isn't even on par with a middling comprehensive in Great Britain.

[HardenedSoul]

Throw in a more stimulating variety of things to do for kids here for free, and I'm happy. Off to watch a mini rugby tournament with my son this morning. Hiking yesterday.

Just bought a 320d BMW second hand for 700k baht. as I said, it's horses for courses, and it became necessary for quality and a change of style for my family.

Just bought a new Honda Click 125i for 54k baht, insurance 300bht, tax 100bht (what was yours?).

Took my 2 year old son out on it, through the countryside, no helmets, try that in the UK!

You think that's smart, do you?

Taking a two-year old out on a motorbike without a helmet??!!

You may have gone a bit too native

Edited October 27, 2013 by HardenedSoul

[Thai at Heart]

Throw in a more stimulating variety of things to do for kids here for free, and I'm happy. Off to watch a mini rugby tournament with my son this morning. Hiking yesterday.

Just bought a 320d BMW second hand for 700k baht. as I said, it's horses for courses, and it became necessary for quality and a change of style for my family.

Went hiking Friday, went hiking this morning.

Just bought a new Honda Click 125i for 54k baht, insurance 300bht, tax 100bht (what was yours?).

Took my 2 year old son out on it, through the countryside, no helmets, try that in the UK!

Huh? Odd.

I had a ford focus. Your point is?

There is stimulation but, he's a little young for free climbing......

[FiftyTwo]

4000 baht per month on food. approx 110 baht per day. please tell how and what your survive on for this?

1Kg of minced pork, can be cooked many ways, burger patty, graprow, nam prik ong, etc. essentially 10bht per 100gm serving. (10 meals at 10bht)

Sticky rice, 5bht per portion from the corner shop, I can only manage 2/3 of a portion in one meal.

Yoghurt, OK a little luxury at 14bht each (I like the coconut ones)

Bread 62bht a loaf for 20 slices, 1/2 that if I bake it myself (2 slices per serving = 10 servings at 6bht each)

Burger buns 29bht for 6 at Makro, 5bht each

Pepsi, 440m bottle 12bht, from any corner shop

Fruit Smoothie with 3 berries (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry) with real fruit inside and on top 25bht, from a local shop.

Tea bag 150bht/100, milk 40bht/l

So let me see, in one day

breakfast

toast and marmite, 7bht (a little marmite goes a long way) tea bag and milk 3bht

Snack

Yougurt 14bht

Lunch

Nam prik ong + sticky rice 15bht, tea bag + milk 3bht (OK I could have used this mornings tea bag again at no cost)

Dinner

Two burgers in buns 32bht, tea bag and milk 3bht

So far in the day 77bht, leaving me 33bht for junk/fruit/crisps ....... hang on that's almost enough for a beer!

Edited October 27, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[khunPer]

Living costs in Thailand are depending of your lifestyle – mainly Western or mainly Thai, dine out or home, fun nights in town and/or drinking with the pals in the pub (every night?), etc. – and that may be different from your previous home country lifestyle, so comparison may not be for same.

My budget here is 928,000 bath/year, with equals around 77,500 b/m

My Thai budget includes:

30,000 b/m GF’s allowance incl. food home & laundry and salary for a maid

13,000 b/m Electric, Internet and other basic expenses for my house

5,000 b/m Basic household needs, like cleaning stuff, drinking water, sodas etc.

10,000 b/m My allowance, incl. paying when going out, repair bills/small stuff etc.

3,000 b/m Gasoline for car

3,500 b/m Insurance for car, my health & PA insurance

10,000 b/m Average monthly school fee for one child in primary school

3,000 b/m Leisure, fun & saving

I live at Samui since 2005. I own my house and car. We are my daughter, a maid, my Thai girlfriend and I. We mainly eat Thai food at home, but some time Western food, and dine out a couple of times a month. I life a modest lifestyle and do need to think about the money I spent; however I live better here, than I could do for the same money back home – I come from Denmark – where just property tax, electric, water and heating of my home today will equal to around 400,000 baht a year. But taking into consideration, that public health and school are free back home, we should be able to just manage for the same as the remaining 40k b/m (for comparison, food is more expensive in Denmark than in USA); but of course not also pay for a maid.

I cannot complain, but could of course easily spend 100k plus a month. Some prices of daily needs here has doubled or gone remarkably up over the last ten years (meat, eggs, gasoline), but we just have to find a way to cut somewhere else and mingle it within the budget.

I do not regret, I moved to Thailand.

[Thai at Heart]

I rent. 8k per month + 1k for bills.

I give it 5 minutes before someone tells me at 8k per month in BKK I must live in a rat infested shit hole in the slums with no aircon.

Water, electric, internet? 1,000 a month??!!

Yeah, pull the other one.

I note no one is factoring in kids.

Maybe in my case the gets a lot closer when factoring in private school fees, and the cost of privately insuring 4 people. Seems there is a little generation gap in these calculations.

Bloody sprogs.

Making me get all sensible and move home.

Yep the whole sprogs thing is worth mention.

Unless you're happy to put your cherubs through the Thai education system, life gets far, far more expensive once you procreate and even then, the standard of teaching in many international schools isn't even on par with a middling comprehensive in Great Britain.

I have to agree. It's a big big problem.

[yingyo]

Just popped out for light lunch.

7k including the 2 girl massage in the Korean style parlour down the road.

Was very nice and certainly a perk of life.

[erkho]

I think this is ridiculous, hands down cheaper here in thailand than America and that's that. The ONLY reason why it is not cheaper for me personally are the grey imports I drive were literally 125% more than the same exact model in the states. Now that really hurt and I'm driving them till the wheels fall off....

[slipperylobster]

Probably forgetting something but still this is far more then I would pay in Sweden (Europe) where health care and school is FREE.

In Sweden the maid would cost u more than your monthly total in thailand.

Agreed, but sex there with the maid is free...isn't it?

[zydeco]

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.....

The comparison is interesting. In Thailand, for me, monthly:

Rent of 2 story six bedroom 3 bathroom house with large covered veranda: 10,000 baht

Taxis to work: about 2000 baht

Food: 4000 baht

Cable TV/Phone/Internet: 3000 baht

Water: 80 baht

Electric: 1000 to 3000, depending on season

Housekeeper: 7000

Medical: 0

Back in Texas:

Mortgage: $1300, including insurance, property tax

Natural gas: $70-200 depending on season

Electricity: $90-190 depending on season

Water: $60-200 depending on season

Car Insurance: $190

Gasoline: $200

Insurance health: $250

Food: $500-600

Telephone, Cable TV, Internet: $350

This latter list was four years ago and doesn't include house repairs, costs of maintaining the lawn (fertilizers, mowers, trimmers, hedgers, etc) or storm damages). I really think my lifestyle was/is modest in both places, but I experience it a lot more inexpensively here than there.

4000 baht per month on food. approx 110 baht per day. please tell how and what your survive on for this?

Easy. I mostly cook at home. I like to do so. And so does my wife. In fact, we usually have lots of leftovers. There is a market right outside the moobahn, so everything is relatively fresh. I do have a separate category for wine, but have cut down on that of late. One of my best investments since being here? A new set of iron skillets and pots from Truevalue over in K-Village.

Edited October 27, 2013 by zydeco

[sandhurstmolonski]

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.....

Sorry , Im a Little Off Topic ..But can someone from the Wonderful US of A , explain to me

Property Tax ? Garbage ? Gardener ? Medical ins ? ..Cable TV ? and Telephone ?

Because these seem incredibly high to me , But Im a Thai / Aussie so please forgive .

I get the thai xxxes , and the ones I didn't mention .

The Property Tax is Like what an Aussie may call Council Rates ? remembering Australia has some of the most expensive property in the World .

[zydeco]

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.....

Sorry , Im a Little Off Topic ..But can someone from the Wonderful US of A , explain to me

Property Tax ? Garbage ? Gardener ? Medical ins ? ..Cable TV ? and Telephone ?

Because these seem incredibly high to me , But Im a Thai / Aussie so please forgive .

I get the thai xxxes , and the ones I didn't mention .

The Property Tax is Like what an Aussie may call Council Rates ? remembering Australia has some of the most expensive property in the World .

Some of those, like water and cable tv, actually seem cheap to me. But the rest, yes. Property taxes usually are assessed at a percentage per each $100 dollar value of your home (where I came from). The local county assessor decides how much your house is worth. What's missing from the above is another burgeoning category in the US: the necessity to buy a toll road pass to get anywhere.

[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.....

Sorry , Im a Little Off Topic ..But can someone from the Wonderful US of A , explain to me

Property Tax ? Garbage ? Gardener ? Medical ins ? ..Cable TV ? and Telephone ?

Because these seem incredibly high to me , But Im a Thai / Aussie so please forgive .

I get the thai xxxes , and the ones I didn't mention .

The Property Tax is Like what an Aussie may call Council Rates ? remembering Australia has some of the most expensive property in the World .

In California....the county assessor collects 1.1% of the value of the property. Usually it starts out when you buy the property say for $500,000 your tax would be $5,500 that you have to pay each year you own that property ....And every year it gets raised by a cost of living index percentage AND sometimes additional fees are voted on by the public...(sewer tax, school fee, etc) which adds even more that you have to pay to the government just for owning your home ....

The other expenses I hope are self explainatory (Garbage....for the garbage collector, Sewer fee ....for your waste disposal, etc.

Hope that explains

[sandhurstmolonski]

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.....

Sorry , Im a Little Off Topic ..But can someone from the Wonderful US of A , explain to me

Property Tax ? Garbage ? Gardener ? Medical ins ? ..Cable TV ? and Telephone ?

Because these seem incredibly high to me , But Im a Thai / Aussie so please forgive .

I get the thai xxxes , and the ones I didn't mention .

The Property Tax is Like what an Aussie may call Council Rates ? remembering Australia has some of the most expensive property in the World .

Some of those, like water and cable tv, actually seem cheap to me. But the rest, yes. Property taxes usually are assessed at a percentage per each $100 dollar value of your home (where I came from). The local county assessor decides how much your house is worth. What's missing from the above is another burgeoning category in the US: the necessity to buy a toll road pass to get anywhere.

Ok ..Sounds like what Aussies would Call " Rates " ..But Correct , its a 3 rd tier Tax .

My House in Australia $550,000 - $600,000 AUD value , would be around $2,000 Aud P/a .

Cable seems XXXie , In Thai I dont use ..But Same in Aussie . Just interested in the Comparison , But our property does not allow the Same Options as in the US . I was shocked , when just out of Boston for example how cheap the property was .

But I truly dont understand your Market . ( Im a Real estate agent , for what its Worth )

[sandhurstmolonski]

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.....

Sorry , Im a Little Off Topic ..But can someone from the Wonderful US of A , explain to me

Property Tax ? Garbage ? Gardener ? Medical ins ? ..Cable TV ? and Telephone ?

Because these seem incredibly high to me , But Im a Thai / Aussie so please forgive .

I get the thai xxxes , and the ones I didn't mention .

The Property Tax is Like what an Aussie may call Council Rates ? remembering Australia has some of the most expensive property in the World .

In California....the county assessor collects 1.1% of the value of the property. Usually it starts out when you buy the property say for $500,000 your tax would be $5,500 that you have to pay each year you own that property ....And every year it gets raised by a cost of living index percentage AND sometimes additional fees are voted on by the public...(sewer tax, school fee, etc) which adds even more that you have to pay to the government just for owning your home ....

The other expenses I hope are self explainatory (Garbage....for the garbage collector, Sewer fee ....for your waste disposal, etc.

Hope that explains

Just to explain the Question ..In Aus , garbage ( Trash ) is included in that 2k , local Government Charge .

[Spoonman]

I find Thailand to be cheap to live, 10k USD covers my monthly outgoing's with ease.

[beachproperty]

sandhurstmolonski

" Just to explain the Question ..In Aus , garbage ( Trash ) is included in that 2k , local Government Charge"

In America they are starting to charge for everything.....soon they will charge to " just cross the street."

[Dellie]

Electric (air)............2500ish baht

Water.................................................................180 baht

Internet...............................................................1000 baht

TV....................................................................1700baht

Transportation (fuel, insurance, tax etc for 2 cars).................6000baht

Food (eating out).......................................................30000 baht

Groceries (incl diapers, formula etc).....................10000baht

Common area fee for moo baan (28000 yearly)........... 2000ish baht

Facility fees (incl golf course and waterpark 50 000 yearly) 4000ish baht

Maid......... ...............................................................8000baht

Early years school for 1 kid (120 000yearly)..............10000ish baht

Medical insurance (50 000+ yearly)......................................................4000ishbaht

Probably forgetting something but still this is far more then I would pay in Sweden (Europe) where health care and school is FREE.

you spend 30,000 a month to eat in isaan???

Last I checked Rayong was not in Isaan.

[Dellie]

Electric (air)............2500ish baht

Water.................................................................180 baht

Internet...............................................................1000 baht

TV....................................................................1700baht

Transportation (fuel, insurance, tax etc for 2 cars).................6000baht

Food (eating out).......................................................30000 baht

Groceries (incl diapers, formula etc).....................10000baht

Common area fee for moo baan (28000 yearly)........... 2000ish baht

Facility fees (incl golf course and waterpark 50 000 yearly) 4000ish baht

Maid......... ...............................................................8000baht

Early years school for 1 kid (120 000yearly)..............10000ish baht

Medical insurance (50 000+ yearly)......................................................4000ishbaht

Probably forgetting something but still this is far more then I would pay in Sweden (Europe) where health care and school is FREE.

In Sweden the maid would cost u more than your monthly total in thailand.

Not true. With the tax deductions of the alliance government of the last years you can now have house cleaning for about 350sek (1 hour) per time wich is about 1600baht.

[Dellie]

Electric (air)............2500ish baht

Water.................................................................180 baht

Internet...............................................................1000 baht

TV....................................................................1700baht

Transportation (fuel, insurance, tax etc for 2 cars).................6000baht

Food (eating out).......................................................30000 baht

Groceries (incl diapers, formula etc).....................10000baht

Common area fee for moo baan (28000 yearly)........... 2000ish baht

Facility fees (incl golf course and waterpark 50 000 yearly) 4000ish baht

Maid......... ...............................................................8000baht

Early years school for 1 kid (120 000yearly)..............10000ish baht

Medical insurance (50 000+ yearly)......................................................4000ishbaht

Probably forgetting something but still this is far more then I would pay in Sweden (Europe) where health care and school is FREE.

In Sweden the maid would cost u more than your monthly total in thailand.

Why anyone actually needs a maid is beyond me. Are you really that lazy that you can't sweep/clean or do your own dishes? Did you have one in Sweden, did you play golf in Sweden? Maybe you did...just asking.

There is also no such thing as free health care and schooling - you always pay. From what I have seen the cradle to grave model in Sweden necessitates a personal income tax approaching 50%

Not everyone is retired and live in a little bungalow. My house is 450sqm and the garden 800sqwah. No way am I taking care of that myself with 2 little kids, a rotational offshore job and running my own business.

[DGIE]

Dellie, on 27 Oct 2013 - 12:57, said:

Electric (air)............2500ish baht

Water.................................................................180 baht

Internet...............................................................1000 baht

TV....................................................................1700baht

Transportation (fuel, insurance, tax etc for 2 cars).................6000baht

Food (eating out).......................................................30000 baht

Groceries (incl diapers, formula etc).....................10000baht

Common area fee for moo baan (28000 yearly)........... 2000ish baht

Facility fees (incl golf course and waterpark 50 000 yearly) 4000ish baht

Maid......... ...............................................................8000baht

Early years school for 1 kid (120 000yearly)..............10000ish baht

Medical insurance (50 000+ yearly)......................................................4000ishbaht

Probably forgetting something but still this is far more then I would pay in Sweden (Europe) where health care and school is FREE.

you spend 30,000 a month to eat in isaan???

She/He spent 1,000 daily eating out so 30,000 a month.

Maybe, breakfast-200

lunch----------------300

snack----------------200

dinner---------------300

Dellie for sure eat lots

[beachproperty]

Dellie

"Not everyone is retired and live in a little bungalow. My house is 450sqm and the garden 800sqwah. No way am I taking care of that myself with 2 little kids, a rotational offshore job and running my own business."

More power to you Dellie....sounds like a FANTASTIC place to live.....PARADISE