How much money to live for 7 months?

[rgs2001uk]

Now we are getting to the crux of the matter, yes 40k per month is plenty to live on per month, with the following provisos, you have no woman in your life, you have no hobbies or pastimes and you never go anywhere.

It seems other forum members have disagreed with that assessment.

Meanwhile back in the real world the FIFO guys that are coming to raise merry hell and have a good time are burning through money like there is no tomorrow, for the simple reason they can afford it.

They aint Billy No Mates sados, their mates are with them as they whoop it up, seems our resident pensioners stuck with their fixed income pensions are somewhat jealous, and resent not being able to live an alternative lifestyle.

Bit like taking a kid to a candy store then telling him he cant have any.

Not really. True, the forum has both financial snobs and envious poor among its posters. But the vast majority don't care one way or the other about someone else's budget--as is only reasonable. The OP's question was "how long is a piece of string," so answers will be all over the map.

I don't believe most resident pensioners are in the least "jealous." Living in a candy store is totally different than merely visiting one after a long absence; everyone knows that. No resident keeps up the "party till you drop" mentality for long--and almost everyone's been there. Talk's one thing; doing it, quite another. Most hardcore partyers here eventually settle down, or they become drunks and on their way out, get in trouble, and run out of funds. The "settling down" is by far the wisest course for one's health and long-term satisfaction.

Given the choice, most of the two-week millionaires on holiday would likely much prefer to be retired--early, if they could manage their money properly--and living permanently here even if on a small budget. The Brit pensioner I knew felt just this way. He faced the choice: he could work and freeze in Surrey to supplement his meager pension--and holiday here whenever he could; or, he could just live here full-time on what he had. He chose the latter, and he was most happy with that decision right up until the day he died. He did enjoy himself. Cool guy, he was.

It seems other forum members have disagreed with that assessment.

As they are quite entitled to do, no skin off my nose.

Thats the beauty of Pattaya, something for everyone, all budgets catered for.

Until the OP gets back to us and lets us know what he plans to do here all of us are guessing.

If the OP is quite content to confine himself to living on his own, never play a round of golf or visit other parts of Thailand, up to him, yes 30k per month will be plenty.

He should be advised however, on that sort of budget, he wont be drinking single malts, smoking cigars or having too many nights in the TQ, up to him, as they say.

[balo]

20k per month if you stay in a cheap room and stay away from the girls.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sure about that? 8,000 all in for a room in a Thai area leaves plenty for eating and the occasional social life.

I have lived on less before.

A room with fan you can get for 3000 or with aircon 5000 baht so you should be ok with 20k per month . You can even afford a trip to McDonalds. But no girls .

Edited November 25, 2013 by balo

[monkeycountry]

The OP is coming as a tourist and looking for an "awesome" time, he is basically a 2 week millionaire, he aint retiring here.

Agreed, but that's precisely why I made the comment about not trying to hand the guy a number. It wont take him long to realise that neither his wallet nor his body will stand up to night-after-night in 2-week millionaire mode over 7 months. That said, I think a realistic figure is closer to Tolley's 100K per month than the rather frugal 40K mentioned earlier. Take out the cost of the room, laundry and the odd visit to Central World and you're left with an entertainment budget of 15-18K per week : doesn't take much to put a serious dent in that over 7 days.

For many retirees, I guess the prospect of being able to average 2-2.5K a day in the bars might seem like a dream come true, but many (Farang) tourists happily blaze through 6-8K and up on a 2-week stay - a guy on another forum complained recently that he cant have night out in BKK any more for less than 12-15K baht, making Patts a relative bargain. I still think his numbers are OTT, but he seems to be the kind of guy who sees nothing wrong with a 1500 baht barfine and the ridiculous drink prices in Nana/Cowboy go-gos .....

I would also caution against settling for an excessively cheap room - the last thing you want to be doing in Pattaya is feeling that you need to 'escape' your own room : that will only cost you more money. Nothing worse than trying to recover from a hangover in the kind of place where the owner clearly expects everyone to spend their days someplace else, and the walls are so thin you can hear his wife nagging him for hours on end. One weekend of that and you'll swear never again. I made the same mistake on a visa run to Penang a few years back and now I just accept that there is a point where saving a few baht/Ringgit is a false economy. That room will be your sanctuary from the blazing sun, endless traffic and the tourist horde - value it accordingly.

OP, I would be very surprised if your own figure each month lines up precisely with anything here - half of us appear to be celibate teetotallers and the other half playboy billionaires - but I'm confident that you will find your own 'level' and opt for a couple of quiet nights to offset the madness of the night before. As 'problems' go, yours is one problem that many of us would be happy to have

i cant decide whether some of you posters just didn't read what the OP said, or you simply can't comprehend of anything else than an alcoholic, whore mongering existence...

The OP said he would stay for 7 months and just wants a room and money for a nice life...i have spoken to lots of expats who spend 7-10k on good rooms, just nearer central pattaya than beach road where the tourist rip offs are (just like you can spend 200 baht on Kow Pat Gai or 40 baht in a non-ripoff place...for exactly the same thing). These people are perfectly happy with their rooms, which are a cut above the lowest levels of 3k or so but far below the nonsense prices quoted on various websites by real estate agents. All that is needed is to walk around and pop into the various condos and apartment blocks, of which there are hundreds. As for thin walls etc, all Thai building are basically the same, it makes no difference whether the OP was to spend 40k a month in VT on beach road or a VT elsewhere at 10k a month or some other apartment block....same method of construction and the cheaper rooms are likely to be used by long stay expats rather than 2 week millionaires, russians, arabs etc who can be a real a annoyance.

40k is enough for a decent room, decent food, hanging around some cafes/bars in the day for coffee/soft drinks, a few beers a couple of times a week and a little XXX every week or so...assuming the guy doesn't drink in the tourist rip off bars on WS etc and isn't an alcoholic...and assuming that figure excludes additional trips outside pattaya, the cost of iphones/laptops etc and major healthcare costs...

the key, by the way, is to have other expats to talk to and hang around with, that is where life is less boring...what is boring in my view is to know nobody and just have the bar girls for company....thats why i think the idiots that say you need 5k a night for drink and XXX are just sad and lonely posers, they have nothing but the pretence of being rich and nobody to really talk to...even if they are surrounded by other expats spending tons...because then they are just surrounded by bar girls and other posers...and getting drunk every night kills the health...adding ill health to their sad and meaningless existences where they lose face if they don't appear rich...what a nightmare...

I completely agree with you. People who think 5k is enough for drinks and girls are idiots.

I agree with the sad and lonely part too, whenever I see guys with a bottle of jack and a couple of hot chicks on their lab playing with them, they always look like they must be thinking "what a nightmare, I wish the girls would leave so I can go talk to the two retirees sharing a leo beer outside" :-)

Edited November 25, 2013 by monkeycountry

[JSixpack]

Thats the beauty of Pattaya, something for everyone, all budgets catered for.

I had almost said the exact same thing!

Until the OP gets back to us and lets us know what he plans to do here all of us are guessing.

If the OP is quite content to confine himself to living on his own, never play a round of golf or visit other parts of Thailand, up to him, yes 30k per month will be plenty.

He should be advised however, on that sort of budget, he wont be drinking single malts, smoking cigars or having too many nights in the TQ, up to him, as they say.

Doubtless anyone contemplating such a low budget holiday would be accustomed to certain privations. Hobbies such as classic car collecting, for example, just wouldn't be possible.

You got your pint.

You got your pig snacks.

What more do you want?

--Shaun Of The Dead

Edited November 26, 2013 by JSixpack

[Chivas]

I think most people, including myself, assumes the OP enjoys the night life if he is choosing to stay in Pattaya. Now I admit I have never been there, but it does have the reputation of being a place to party and chase women. Based on its reputation, I don't think it is unreasonable to assume, that these activities are at least Some of the factors,attracting the OP to Pattaya. Thus comments factoring in the cost associated with such activities seem logical to me in the attempt to help the OP. I also think it it's not cool to judge people and their lifestyles. You never know what occurs in another person 's life to lead them to where they are today. To call people losers who you never met frankly is distasteful. Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Totally amazing the amount of people who have never been in Pattaya...........

Even on the remote chance you haven't everybody reading assumes you have !!

[whitethai]

If money is a factor there are many ways to keep costs down....

1. Get yourself a scooter, don't know what the cost is these days, couple of hundred baht ? anyway shop around and agree to something longterm once you get a good deal. This is the only way to explore Pattaya/ Jomtien properly and also nice way to pass the time.

2.Rent an apartment, should be able to get a 6 month contract for about 4-5000 baht/month all in, probably need to buy yourself TV/ electric stove/ bed clothes etc at Big C but this should be covered with the savings you make verses hotel/condo..Look around on said scooter.

3. Avoid walking street or else do your drinking before your get there...especially in the clubs...guzzle a can of Leo from the 7/11 as you do the rounds.... Soi bo khow is good alternative

5. As in life, women is prob going to be the biggest factor in your budget......even if you end up with a long term GF ( remember Farangs on a longterm budget are not the most popular choice for the average Pattaya lady ).. you are doubling your outgoings straight-away with drinks/food plus you will be asked to chip to any family emergency's that may pop up.... . best to arrange a call-out service for a fixed fee... for a massage or whatever

THANKS all for reply. Can you really get apartment for £90 or so a month?

I am very concerned about hiring Scooter as I get lost and panic sometimes.

Also my brother had a bad time with his wrist he broke it when we were there when he was in Chaing Mai and hired one and he went into a ditch at night and the owner charged him a lot of money for repair.

I guess I will miss high season and Christmas again but working on an Iphone game hope to get there anytime next year

[whitethai]

Anyone know good site to find apartment for rent?

Also does this include like my brother renting too for £90 or so a month?

I thought I might rent house out here that will give cash flow about 450 a month

[rgs2001uk]

Anyone know good site to find apartment for rent?

Also does this include like my brother renting too for £90 or so a month?

I thought I might rent house out here that will give cash flow about 450 a month

Anyone know good site to find apartment for rent?

Normally you wont find these places on the net, learn to read Thai, mee hong wang hai chao rai duan/rai wan is a good start.

Also does this include like my brother renting too for £90 or so a month?

It includes anyone able to do it on their own and not having to take a long haired walking translator with them.

I thought I might rent house out here that will give cash flow about 450 a month

Dont know what this means, please translate.

Do you mean buy a condo and try and rent it out for 450 quid (22,500 baht) per month.

Probably cost you about 5 million to but such a place, never mind our regular property pimps will be along shortly promising you the earth if you buy from them, 10 % guaranteed jing jing na krap.

[wineman]

These kind of questions drive me nuts.

How long's a piece of string?

[smooth expat]

20k per month if you stay in a cheap room and stay away from the girls.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sure about that? 8,000 all in for a room in a Thai area leaves plenty for eating and the occasional social life.

I have lived on less before.

A room with fan you can get for 3000 or with aircon 5000 baht so you should be ok with 20k per month . You can even afford a trip to McDonalds. But no girls .

Can live here for free if you meet the right Thai lady.

[thaibeachlovers]

20k per month if you stay in a cheap room and stay away from the girls.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sure about that? 8,000 all in for a room in a Thai area leaves plenty for eating and the occasional social life.

I have lived on less before.

A room with fan you can get for 3000 or with aircon 5000 baht so you should be ok with 20k per month . You can even afford a trip to McDonalds. But no girls .

Can live here for free if you meet the right Thai lady.

Yeah, we're all looking for that hiso Chinese Thai beauty with a university education and rich parents that are happy to support a penniless layabout farang .