Living in Chiang Mai on $500 a month?

[mania]

I've been back and forth to the US a few times over the past 25 years... when my father passed away, once to take my wife scuba diving in the Florida Keys and exploring the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, once when my son got married and for visiting family, when my mother passed away. Each time visiting with friends and family. That's more than enough. If family or friends complain that they 'haven't seen me in sooo long,' they can come here. If they don't want to come here, crying that it's too far to travel, or too expensive, well, it's the same price and distance for them to travel to Thailand as it is for me to travel to the US. I've already been back to the US...now it's their turn. Trips to the US are NOT something for which I budget. Vacation trips to Bali, Borneo, or the Philippines are another story. I do figure on those, but just not in my monthly expenditures.

As I prepare & dread my first visit back in 2 years to visit I am thinking you have

a good valid reason there that I may borrow next time

I actually had thought a few times I wish I were rich enough to send them all tickets instead.

But I am not.

[FiftyTwo]

Saw the title and thought 'oh no here we go again on the cheap charlie stories'

But then I thought US$ = 16400bht. Cheapo room = 3000bht. 13400/30 = 446 bht a day.

Unless there is something wrong with my math (always possible) , surely that isnt a major challenge, even without argument/discussion over 20 bht meals?

Breakfast at home -20bht, lunch and dinner out - 200bht total , 226 baht left over for 'luxuries' (!!)- or 1600bht a week.

Where am I going wrong?? Have I got a zero in the wrong place??

What about the visa??? With that little money it's a tourist visa if getting it legaly. And then travel out of the country many times. So take away the money for visa, travel hotel and so on from those $500.

And will you never visit a doctor or dentist?

Entry with Visa waiver

G7 citizen, Mae Sot/Sai crossing every 30 days, 600bht travel (from CM) day trip 500bht at border.

ASEAN citizen Mae Sot/Sai crossing every 90 days .... even cheaper.

My doctor and dentist fees over the last 5 years, about 5000bht (1000bht/year).

[haybilly]

While on the subject--of my possible moving house--if any TV members know of a 2 storey , 3 bedroom, property to rent in the 8000 Baht per month price range [ give or take 1000 baht]--please PM me.

Hang Dong area preferred but willing to look elsewhere.

I have missed out on 2 similar properties going for 7000 Baht per month in my current Moo Bahn--so, the price is realistic.

there is a moo baan that i was renting a 2 story 2 bedroom for 3,500 baht a month close to hang dong market but i know a guy that rented there after they remodled the moo baan and he was paying 7,000 for the house next door that i used to rent. that was a couple of years ago though so maybe the rents are higher now. might still be worth checking out.

the name is thippirom

the entrance is at

18°41'9.92"N

98°55'4.68"E

Thanks for the 'Heads-Up' Wolfman--I will check it out.

[FolkGuitar]

I've been back and forth to the US a few times over the past 25 years... when my father passed away, once to take my wife scuba diving in the Florida Keys and exploring the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, once when my son got married and for visiting family, when my mother passed away. Each time visiting with friends and family. That's more than enough. If family or friends complain that they 'haven't seen me in sooo long,' they can come here. If they don't want to come here, crying that it's too far to travel, or too expensive, well, it's the same price and distance for them to travel to Thailand as it is for me to travel to the US. I've already been back to the US...now it's their turn. Trips to the US are NOT something for which I budget. Vacation trips to Bali, Borneo, or the Philippines are another story. I do figure on those, but just not in my monthly expenditures.

As I prepare & dread my first visit back in 2 years to visit I am thinking you have

a good valid reason there that I may borrow next time

I actually had thought a few times I wish I were rich enough to send them all tickets instead.

But I am not.

What friends and relatives say often is 'When are you coming to visit? We REALLY want to see you.'

But when I suggest they come here for a change, what I hear is 'it's too far' or 'it's too expensive.' They get upset when I remind them that it's the same distance and the same cost for me as for them, and I've ALREADY been back to visit them...2 or 3 times. It does let you know which of your friends and family REALLY do want to see you. I will no longer fall for the guilt trip they try to lay down. I've paid my dues already. Now the ball's in their court. And I politely tell them that.

[larsjohnsson]

Saw the title and thought 'oh no here we go again on the cheap charlie stories'

But then I thought US$ = 16400bht. Cheapo room = 3000bht. 13400/30 = 446 bht a day.

Unless there is something wrong with my math (always possible) , surely that isnt a major challenge, even without argument/discussion over 20 bht meals?

Breakfast at home -20bht, lunch and dinner out - 200bht total , 226 baht left over for 'luxuries' (!!)- or 1600bht a week.

Where am I going wrong?? Have I got a zero in the wrong place??

What about the visa??? With that little money it's a tourist visa if getting it legaly. And then travel out of the country many times. So take away the money for visa, travel hotel and so on from those $500.

And will you never visit a doctor or dentist?

Entry with Visa waiver

G7 citizen, Mae Sot/Sai crossing every 30 days, 600bht travel (from CM) day trip 500bht at border.

ASEAN citizen Mae Sot/Sai crossing every 90 days .... even cheaper.

My doctor and dentist fees over the last 5 years, about 5000bht (1000bht/year).

Most people are not G7 citizen.

And you belive that your doctor and dentist fees will stay the same when you get older. And that you never will visit a hospital or doing some real dental work!!!! Good luck and keep on dreaming

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[FiftyTwo]

What about the visa??? With that little money it's a tourist visa if getting it legaly. And then travel out of the country many times. So take away the money for visa, travel hotel and so on from those $500.

And will you never visit a doctor or dentist?

Entry with Visa waiver

G7 citizen, Mae Sot/Sai crossing every 30 days, 600bht travel (from CM) day trip 500bht at border.

ASEAN citizen Mae Sot/Sai crossing every 90 days .... even cheaper.

My doctor and dentist fees over the last 5 years, about 5000bht (1000bht/year).

Most people are not G7 citizen.

And you belive that your doctor and dentist fees will stay the same when you get older. And that you never will visit a hospital or doing some real dental work!!!! Good luck and keep on dreaming

I would like to point out the vast majority of visitors to Thailand are in fact either G7 or ASEAN citizens.

Extractions are 300-500bht. No law says you have to pay big money to extend the life of the rotten ones.

Doctors, dunno, never use them.

[donniereadit]

You can live anywhere on $500 a month. Depends on what your used to, if your hard (don't need to get off) and whether you can walk a mile a day.

It's all subjective, that's what makes these questions so meaningless every time. Easy answer, yes.

[larsjohnsson]

What about the visa??? With that little money it's a tourist visa if getting it legaly. And then travel out of the country many times. So take away the money for visa, travel hotel and so on from those $500.

And will you never visit a doctor or dentist?

Doctors, dunno, never use them.

Good luck when you get really sick or having an accident. You can always operate yourself. And then fixing your own dental work in the mirror.

If it doesn't work out, so what. As long as you can brag about being the cheapest farang in CM

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[davidjleys]

Living on $500/month is not as bad as many seem to make it out to be. I have been living on this for a few months now (currently in Chiang Mai). I still have a nice western-style furnished apartment (studio). I still eat well including the occasional splurge of subway, pizza, and mexican food. I go out drinking with friends about once or twice a week. There are some downsides though... if I lose money for any reason unexpectedly, I am hurting quite a bit until I get paid. I do eat my share of mama noodles. I generally walk everywhere, even across town (occasional red truck). I avoid the doc at all costs due to lack of insurance (had to pay 1k baht once after a crash). Taking a flight anywhere for a vacation is out of the question usually, all buses. Overall though, I live a good, comfortable, and fun life on $500 per month in Chiang Mai and it is not that hard to do.

[Oscar2]

sounds like heaven!

[zsolleremil]

You can live your low active life from 500$ sure in thailand.

But 1000$ / m you could live like normal man.

For 2000$ /m you get all the things what you want.

Thats what i see here.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[NancyL]

Living on $500/month is not as bad as many seem to make it out to be. I have been living on this for a few months now (currently in Chiang Mai). I still have a nice western-style furnished apartment (studio). I still eat well including the occasional splurge of subway, pizza, and mexican food. I go out drinking with friends about once or twice a week. There are some downsides though... if I lose money for any reason unexpectedly, I am hurting quite a bit until I get paid. I do eat my share of mama noodles. I generally walk everywhere, even across town (occasional red truck). I avoid the doc at all costs due to lack of insurance (had to pay 1k baht once after a crash). Taking a flight anywhere for a vacation is out of the question usually, all buses. Overall though, I live a good, comfortable, and fun life on $500 per month in Chiang Mai and it is not that hard to do.

Do you have a back-up plan in case you get sick or in an accident? Sounds like a 1000 baht medical bill was a major hardship.

[Thakkar]

To those who are used to opulence, even prosperity can seem like hardship. At the other extreme, billions live on a dollar twenty five a day.

Having said that, for the kind of people likely to be posting here, even if we take the lowliest lifestyle, $500 a month is not a realistic figure. Saying that you can live on that amount, while strictly speaking, true, requires some untenable assumptions. It assumes that none of the following will befall you:

Robbery

Sickness

Road Accidents

Serious food poisoning

Dog, scorpion, snake, millipede bites

Fire

Physical altercation

Visa problem

Storm damage

Earthquake damage

And god knows how many events I haven't thought of.

Taken singly, any one of these events is fairly unlikely. But as a group, the probability calculation is entirely different. In our ten years here, one or the other in our immediate family has suffered one or the other of the above.

So if you have, say, $5,000 set aside for emergencies, then you can very frugally, and, depending on your temperament, even blissfully, live on $500 a month.

T

[CMSteve]

Forget the insurance, forget the planning, forget the self reliances....

No, I think the new "to do" is to start a gofundme.com campaign to get everyone else to pay for your lack of planning.

[puukao]

Do it for ONE month, then write a book on how hard it was.

Then youtube channel and get 10 million subscribers. Teach people how to save, charging $500 a month to learn your secrets.

do kickstarter and every single website that might give you some more money. play the lottery.

life is short and working is hard, boring, and sucks your soul from you!!! you will find meaning in other things....

then have people under you go hire other people who hire people who sell advice, and soon you will have billions.

[CMNightRider]

I think it does help if you are already set up in your 3000 baht place. Flat screen, cooking stuff, fans, etc already bought. You could be quite happy on 440 baht a day.

I guess 440 baht would be okay if you don't want or need a female companion. Personally, I would be very sad on that amount of monthly income. :-(

[StefanBBK]

Doable, not desirable. End.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I've actually done it when abroad and in monk-mode. Monk-mode is when I'm in a country where there's not much to do other than work, or when there is stuff to do but it's so expensive that I prefer saving that money and then getting a lot more bang for it once back in Thailand.

Then I actualy spend less than $500 even in the USA or Japan.

For example, when this stuff is on sale at Walmart (or Progresso, but Campbell's is better), you don't really need much else for dinner. (Well, perhaps visit a farmer's market so you can add some vegetables.)

(Again, for people only looking at pictures: that's in the US; the same stuff is quite high priced in Thailand, of course.)

[amexpat]

Do it for ONE month, then write a book on how hard it was.

Then youtube channel and get 10 million subscribers. Teach people how to save, charging $500 a month to learn your secrets.

do kickstarter and every single website that might give you some more money. play the lottery.

life is short and working is hard, boring, and sucks your soul from you!!! you will find meaning in other things....

then have people under you go hire other people who hire people who sell advice, and soon you will have billions.

You don't want billions, yourself? Sounds very easy.

[mesquite]

Forget the insurance, forget the planning, forget the self reliances....

No, I think the new "to do" is to start a gofundme.com campaign to get everyone else to pay for your lack of planning.

Might work, but the dream of many young US people now is

1) nailing someone in a questionable personal injury or other lawsuit, or

2) getting a phony disability retirement from the military and/or social security.

[alex88]

I have managed it comfortably in Bangkok before so I can't imagine it would be difficult in chiang mai which is much cheaper. Plenty of local hole in the wall shops down Bangkok sois sell pad si ew or fried rice or curry and rice for around 30 baht. Chiang mai must have similar?

[ajarnsiam]

Yes, as stated, every death is a tragedy but we shouldnt expect Lanna Care Net on its own to pick up all the pieces. For all you guys who live the high life on US pensions and successful investments the cost of just one less upscale 1,000-baht meal a week soon adds up to help for the less fortunate. Its fashionable nowadays to donate to charities supporting dogs, (I have five rescued dogs so understand this), refugees, etc, but shouldnt we be supporting our own people first, wherever we come from?

OK, thats my take, but Im not about to post again on this thread, Im angry and sick to death of reading BS which does nothing to address the issue.

Mimi, I gather from previous posts that you've had a difficult time here after getting scammed by a fellow farang years ago, but I have to take exception to the idea of taking care of "our own people first". Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but If you mean that farangs should take care of farangs first, let me be the first to disagree. If I wanted to concern myself with with farangs, surely I would have stayed in my little corner of farangland? More than that, there seems to be an unpleasant racist undertone to what you're saying; but I apologise if I'm misunderstanding you.

I know I'm in a small minority here in that I spend almost all of my time with Thais, and rarely even see white people (as I don't live in the city); the reason being is that most of the white people I have met here are not the sort of people I would want to spend time with in my own country.

As far as the thread is concerned, it seems to be a typical case of hot air based on a misunderstanding of the mis-quoted source material.

[chongtak]

I'm living with an average of 15.000 baht a month. I don't eat mama, i go out at least once a week, i go the fitness, i have a bike, my condo costs me 5.500 all included, i have a gf (she works too). My life is normal i don't look like a homeless, i just know how not to spend money on expensive crap.

[NancyL]

Yes, as stated, every death is a tragedy but we shouldnt expect Lanna Care Net on its own to pick up all the pieces. For all you guys who live the high life on US pensions and successful investments the cost of just one less upscale 1,000-baht meal a week soon adds up to help for the less fortunate. Its fashionable nowadays to donate to charities supporting dogs, (I have five rescued dogs so understand this), refugees, etc, but shouldnt we be supporting our own people first, wherever we come from?

OK, thats my take, but Im not about to post again on this thread, Im angry and sick to death of reading BS which does nothing to address the issue.

Mimi, I gather from previous posts that you've had a difficult time here after getting scammed by a fellow farang years ago, but I have to take exception to the idea of taking care of "our own people first". Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but If you mean that farangs should take care of farangs first, let me be the first to disagree. If I wanted to concern myself with with farangs, surely I would have stayed in my little corner of farangland? More than that, there seems to be an unpleasant racist undertone to what you're saying; but I apologise if I'm misunderstanding you.

I know I'm in a small minority here in that I spend almost all of my time with Thais, and rarely even see white people (as I don't live in the city); the reason being is that most of the white people I have met here are not the sort of people I would want to spend time with in my own country.

As far as the thread is concerned, it seems to be a typical case of hot air based on a misunderstanding of the mis-quoted source material.

ajarnsiam -- I hope you have health insurance thru your teaching position or the Thai people you live with and are trusting to take care of you are very wealthy and knowledgeable about how to care for elderly foreigners. Every month Lanna Care Net is confronted with elderly foreigners like yourself who have forsaken all connections with other foreigners -- thinking their Thai "families" will care for them. Those Thai "families" think the foreigner's Embassies will swoop in to send them back to their home countries or at least pay their medical bills when the going gets rough. Few people have any idea of the level of care needed when someone has suffered a stroke or is at end-of-life due to cancer.

If you're young and healthy -- that's great. Then there's the accident rate here that will get you. It's 20 times higher than in the west. You're not going to be able to hop on a plane to your home country for treatment after a major road accident and your Thai family will be hard pressed to pay that 500,000 baht ortho bill at Suan Dok.

[ajarnsiam]

Yes, as stated, every death is a tragedy but we shouldnt expect Lanna Care Net on its own to pick up all the pieces. For all you guys who live the high life on US pensions and successful investments the cost of just one less upscale 1,000-baht meal a week soon adds up to help for the less fortunate. Its fashionable nowadays to donate to charities supporting dogs, (I have five rescued dogs so understand this), refugees, etc, but shouldnt we be supporting our own people first, wherever we come from?

OK, thats my take, but Im not about to post again on this thread, Im angry and sick to death of reading BS which does nothing to address the issue.

Mimi, I gather from previous posts that you've had a difficult time here after getting scammed by a fellow farang years ago, but I have to take exception to the idea of taking care of "our own people first". Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but If you mean that farangs should take care of farangs first, let me be the first to disagree. If I wanted to concern myself with with farangs, surely I would have stayed in my little corner of farangland? More than that, there seems to be an unpleasant racist undertone to what you're saying; but I apologise if I'm misunderstanding you.

I know I'm in a small minority here in that I spend almost all of my time with Thais, and rarely even see white people (as I don't live in the city); the reason being is that most of the white people I have met here are not the sort of people I would want to spend time with in my own country.

As far as the thread is concerned, it seems to be a typical case of hot air based on a misunderstanding of the mis-quoted source material.

ajarnsiam -- I hope you have health insurance thru your teaching position or the Thai people you live with and are trusting to take care of you are very wealthy and knowledgeable about how to care for elderly foreigners. Every month Lanna Care Net is confronted with elderly foreigners like yourself who have forsaken all connections with other foreigners -- thinking their Thai "families" will care for them. Those Thai "families" think the foreigner's Embassies will swoop in to send them back to their home countries or at least pay their medical bills when the going gets rough. Few people have any idea of the level of care needed when someone has suffered a stroke or is at end-of-life due to cancer.

If you're young and healthy -- that's great. Then there's the accident rate here that will get you. It's 20 times higher than in the west. You're not going to be able to hop on a plane to your home country for treatment after a major road accident and your Thai family will be hard pressed to pay that 500,000 baht ortho bill at Suan Dok.

Nancy, your post is unpleasantly patronising and based on assumptions that reflect on your limited horizons not me. I suggest you mind your own business.

[Ulysses G.]

She is worth listening to. She has helped a lot of people who have ended up in very bad situations, because of not planning ahead.

[amexpat]

She is worth listening to. She has helped a lot of people who have ended up in very bad situations, because of not planning ahead.

She sure is. But ajarsiam has told us:

"I know I'm in a small minority here in that I spend almost all of my time with Thais, and rarely even see white people (as I don't live in the city); the reason being is that most of the white people I have met here are not the sort of people I would want to spend time with in my own country."

So Nancy is not his sort of person. Neither are you, or I, I suppose. I don't really want to know who is.

[northernjohn]

Just dropping back in to see if any thing has changed.

The article is titled living in Chiang Mai on $500 a month.

The OP then proceeds to refer to an article that says you can rent a nice place in Chiang Mai for $500 a month.

Nothing to do with the cost of living here.

Have to admit I know there are some pretty weird posters here but being negative on the article Nancy wrote is at the top of the list.

As most of us know she is speaking from hands on boots on the ground or what ever you wish to call it experience. Not made up scenarios.

[northernjohn]

Yes, as stated, every death is a tragedy but we shouldnt expect Lanna Care Net on its own to pick up all the pieces. For all you guys who live the high life on US pensions and successful investments the cost of just one less upscale 1,000-baht meal a week soon adds up to help for the less fortunate. Its fashionable nowadays to donate to charities supporting dogs, (I have five rescued dogs so understand this), refugees, etc, but shouldnt we be supporting our own people first, wherever we come from?

OK, thats my take, but Im not about to post again on this thread, Im angry and sick to death of reading BS which does nothing to address the issue.

Mimi, I gather from previous posts that you've had a difficult time here after getting scammed by a fellow farang years ago, but I have to take exception to the idea of taking care of "our own people first". Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but If you mean that farangs should take care of farangs first, let me be the first to disagree. If I wanted to concern myself with with farangs, surely I would have stayed in my little corner of farangland? More than that, there seems to be an unpleasant racist undertone to what you're saying; but I apologise if I'm misunderstanding you.

I know I'm in a small minority here in that I spend almost all of my time with Thais, and rarely even see white people (as I don't live in the city); the reason being is that most of the white people I have met here are not the sort of people I would want to spend time with in my own country.

As far as the thread is concerned, it seems to be a typical case of hot air based on a misunderstanding of the mis-quoted source material.

ajarnsiam -- I hope you have health insurance thru your teaching position or the Thai people you live with and are trusting to take care of you are very wealthy and knowledgeable about how to care for elderly foreigners. Every month Lanna Care Net is confronted with elderly foreigners like yourself who have forsaken all connections with other foreigners -- thinking their Thai "families" will care for them. Those Thai "families" think the foreigner's Embassies will swoop in to send them back to their home countries or at least pay their medical bills when the going gets rough. Few people have any idea of the level of care needed when someone has suffered a stroke or is at end-of-life due to cancer.

If you're young and healthy -- that's great. Then there's the accident rate here that will get you. It's 20 times higher than in the west. You're not going to be able to hop on a plane to your home country for treatment after a major road accident and your Thai family will be hard pressed to pay that 500,000 baht ortho bill at Suan Dok.

Nancy, your post is unpleasantly patronising and based on assumptions that reflect on your limited horizons not me. I suggest you mind your own business.

She is minding her own business. What she has told you is the facts that she has dealt with as a result of others having your attitude. It apparently went rite over your head.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Yes, as stated, every death is a tragedy but we shouldnt expect Lanna Care Net on its own to pick up all the pieces. For all you guys who live the high life on US pensions and successful investments the cost of just one less upscale 1,000-baht meal a week soon adds up to help for the less fortunate. Its fashionable nowadays to donate to charities supporting dogs, (I have five rescued dogs so understand this), refugees, etc, but shouldnt we be supporting our own people first, wherever we come from?

OK, thats my take, but Im not about to post again on this thread, Im angry and sick to death of reading BS which does nothing to address the issue.

Mimi, I gather from previous posts that you've had a difficult time here after getting scammed by a fellow farang years ago, but I have to take exception to the idea of taking care of "our own people first". Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but If you mean that farangs should take care of farangs first, let me be the first to disagree. If I wanted to concern myself with with farangs, surely I would have stayed in my little corner of farangland? More than that, there seems to be an unpleasant racist undertone to what you're saying; but I apologise if I'm misunderstanding you.

I know I'm in a small minority here in that I spend almost all of my time with Thais, and rarely even see white people (as I don't live in the city); the reason being is that most of the white people I have met here are not the sort of people I would want to spend time with in my own country.

As far as the thread is concerned, it seems to be a typical case of hot air based on a misunderstanding of the mis-quoted source material.

ajarnsiam -- I hope you have health insurance thru your teaching position or the Thai people you live with and are trusting to take care of you are very wealthy and knowledgeable about how to care for elderly foreigners. Every month Lanna Care Net is confronted with elderly foreigners like yourself who have forsaken all connections with other foreigners -- thinking their Thai "families" will care for them. Those Thai "families" think the foreigner's Embassies will swoop in to send them back to their home countries or at least pay their medical bills when the going gets rough. Few people have any idea of the level of care needed when someone has suffered a stroke or is at end-of-life due to cancer.

If you're young and healthy -- that's great. Then there's the accident rate here that will get you. It's 20 times higher than in the west. You're not going to be able to hop on a plane to your home country for treatment after a major road accident and your Thai family will be hard pressed to pay that 500,000 baht ortho bill at Suan Dok.

Nancy, your post is unpleasantly patronising and based on assumptions that reflect on your limited horizons not me. I suggest you mind your own business.

And I would suggest that as an Ajarn you should be more respectful to someone that has contributed a lot to the community and is deserving of respect, or at least common civility. I don't know why, but I'm distrustful of anyone who assumes the title of Ajarn on forums such as this. They invariably have a false sense of importance and they often spout the tiresome 'I don't like/associate with farangs and only live amongst the Thais' nonsense. That is as narrow-minded as the people you despise.