Monthly budget

[Brian]

Ok guys (and gals) living in LOS.

We have seen quite a few posts here asking "is .... BHT per month enough to get by on."

How about some real life experiences from people that live in LOS as to what their lifestyle is and approximately how much they need to spend to suport themselves and maybe a family as well.

[RakJungTorlae]

Ok guys (and gals) living in LOS.

We have seen quite a few posts here asking "is .... BHT per month enough to get by on."

How about some real life experiences from people that live in LOS as to what their lifestyle is and approximately how much they need to spend to suport themselves and maybe a family as well.

40 to 50 K (just for my self )

Anyone ells?

[poshthai]

50-60,000 for me,my gf and 7 yo stepson.This includes private medical,private schooling also.I have my own house,car and motorbike which i paid cash for 3 years ago.

[The Bullfrog]

If you have your own house and car already paid for, 40K is plenty for a reasonable lifestyle in a small village..My UK Army and state pensions will give me this but I also have 2 studio apts in Naklua which I will rent out to give me those extra luxuries that makes the twilight years more comfortable...

[tomuk76]

I have a wife and 2 kids under 2 years old, Only monthly out goings, car, water, electic

This is how i could live on the below,

50-60k very comfortable

40-50k good standard but have to be careful!

30k have to be very careful but could just scrape by but not if the kids are older!

[TheDon]

I say if you have a place to live and a car. You can even live on 30,000 a month with a wife. and 50+ you can live comfortable, put kids in there and it will be more.

Thats what I think anyways, as I dont live there just yet

[kennkate]

I Think it depends were you are going to live in Thailand.

If you are going to live in the North it will be cheaper than if you live in Bkk or Phukett prices are generaly higher

in these places, not everything but Accomodation is one thing that will be more expensive.

If you are planning to live in a more remote area or even Chang Mia it will certainly cost you less

I could live and keep my family (wife and 2 kids) for 20-25k Per month

I have no rent to pay own house and live in small village location Nr Chang Mia

However that would not run a car or give you spare cash for trips out and BEER, well maybee the odd can but thats it

so it realy depends on your lifestyle. But 20 to 25 would keep you feed with no rent to pay

Thats my experiance

For what its worth

[garro]

I earn 32,000 a month. I can live on this and so can my wife and baby. We try and save at least 5,000THB a month and we have a car.

We previously lived in a village for a few years and could live on a lot less. We now live in a city(but not Bangkok) so it costs a bit more.

My biggest expense is the internet. Although we live on a relatively small budget I don't feel that I am missing out on anything.

[saorsa]

I try not to look...too scary. maybe 25k a week to go out partying and then 25k a month rent, so I guess 125k a month, but then I will have 6 weeks offshore working spending nowt apart from my rent.

[steveromagnino]

I try not to look...too scary. maybe 25k a week to go out partying and then 25k a month rent, so I guess 125k a month, but then I will have 6 weeks offshore working spending nowt apart from my rent.

In Bangkok I reckon absolute minimum is 60k a month; after tax that's about 50k. With kids it must surely be more. For some married guys or guys with low spending like Garro, they can take joy with far less, so it is very much relative to how you spend time. Since i do sport, head out of town most weekends and like my grub, I need a tad more.

1. Most foreigners you have to earn that to get your work permit except teachers I think

2. Anything less and you won't save a dime for a rainy day or for retirement

3. Gives you the ability to eat out once a week at a nice place, take a few holidays

The reason for so much complaining here is I think because people try to live on 30k in BKK and then can't save anything or enjoy themselves on that minimal amount. This is a non issue for the people who don't spend much (eat all Thai food, watch local TV, stay in the city in the weekend) but some well their eyes are writing cheques their wallet cannot cash to butcher some Top Gun line.

Upcountry or if working 7 days a week, then you can probably 1/2 it, as you have less places to waste money anyhow and less time to do so. And for the single man with a desire to shag half of Isaan at Nana Plaza, well you may have to double it, but that depends on the quality level you desire; I can recall meeting a few guys who made truckloads of cash and yet insisted on going with the most skanky foul garden implements known to man.

For 60k you cannot easily own a car, buy a house, save much or eat out at decent places often; no chance to buy a new mobile if you existing one breaks down - you've got no real buffer if you have problems.

100k and you are golden even if married or with kids.

More than that, and Bangkok/Thailand really starts to become a pleasure to live in, as most of the sad sack complaints here about taxis, tax, legal requirements, blah blah blah are easily overcome. And it is at about this point, that one becomes a 'man about town'

Edited July 14, 2008 by steveromagnino

[farang555]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

[steveromagnino]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

there are very few farang guys hooked up with hiso girls.

the few I can think of probably they aren't even needing to work; the girl is filthy rich anyhow.

but at a guess to mix in those circles...either be a broke model OR earn something like 200k-1m a month.

[Shotime]

I try not to look...too scary. maybe 25k a week to go out partying and then 25k a month rent, so I guess 125k a month, but then I will have 6 weeks offshore working spending nowt apart from my rent.

It's getting too real. 40K seems a lot for a small village. 60K very comfortable for city. It's the partying part that kills you. Unless he's a golfer, 125K a week spells trouble. That's over 3K a day. Bless you.

[JOHN2]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

It's impossible to say how much i spend a month as some months i may buy something like a laptop, a new phone,go on holiday,pay a chunk of my cc off,have a big dental bill etc etc....and i never keep track off what i spend.

A wild guess on an average month, around 80k.

Anyone who only lives on 30k, my advise is to go back home and get a proper job, as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

Edited July 14, 2008 by JOHN2

[Ulysses G.]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

there are very few farang guys hooked up with hiso girls.

the few I can think of probably they aren't even needing to work; the girl is filthy rich anyhow.

A friend of a friend married a daughter of the (one time) police chief of Bangkok who had been schooled in Paris and was living a HI-So life. Her father immediately took all her money away and she almost drove her farang husband into the poor house.

As soon as she finally dumped him, her father put her back on the gravy train!

[garro]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

It's impossible to say how much i spend a month as some months i may buy something like a laptop a new phone,go on holiday,pay a chunk of my cc off,and i never keep track off what i spend.

I wild guess on an average month around 80k.

Anyone who only lives on 30k my advise is to go back home and get a proper job as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

I am quite happy living on less than 30k and believe my job here is a proper one. I also manage to save money every month. My Thai neighbours seem to be able to manage on a fraction of what I spend. So thank you for the advice, but while you might not be able to live on a lower budget it is a bit presumptious to claim that others can't do this easily and save for a rainy day.

[DP25]

Anyone who only lives on 30k, my advise is to go back home and get a proper job, as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

Just because someone lives on 30k per month in Bangkok, does not mean they are only earning 30k per month.

[JOHN2]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

It's impossible to say how much i spend a month as some months i may buy something like a laptop a new phone,go on holiday,pay a chunk of my cc off,and i never keep track off what i spend.

I wild guess on an average month around 80k.

Anyone who only lives on 30k my advise is to go back home and get a proper job as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

I am quite happy living on less than 30k and believe my job here is a proper one. I also manage to save money every month. My Thai neighbours seem to be able to manage on a fraction of what I spend. So thank you for the advice, but while you might not be able to live on a lower budget it is a bit presumptious to claim that others can't do this easily and save for a rainy day.

Each to their own i suppose,but i couldn't do it,i've always believed the whole idea of being an ex-pat is to have a better lifestyle than back home not living hand to mouth watching every penny (or baht in this case)

[h90]

Well depends, staff can live with 8.000 per month with wife + 3 children.

Say with 12.000 you can live the basic needs with 2 people: eating drinking, clothes.

Than add what you want: big rooms, aircon, garden, restaurants, car.....

[tb86]

around 125k a month, but no rent, cars paid for... so party / old lady shopping / eat out alot

[Mosha]

OK reallity check time. I'm in the sticks. Not scrimping run an Isuzu DMAX, SWMBO smokes about 40 a day, we both drink. 23K Baht /month

[garro]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

It's impossible to say how much i spend a month as some months i may buy something like a laptop a new phone,go on holiday,pay a chunk of my cc off,and i never keep track off what i spend.

I wild guess on an average month around 80k.

Anyone who only lives on 30k my advise is to go back home and get a proper job as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

I am quite happy living on less than 30k and believe my job here is a proper one. I also manage to save money every month. My Thai neighbours seem to be able to manage on a fraction of what I spend. So thank you for the advice, but while you might not be able to live on a lower budget it is a bit presumptious to claim that others can't do this easily and save for a rainy day.

Each to their own i suppose,but i couldn't do it,i've always believed the whole idea of being an ex-pat is to have a better lifestyle than back home not living hand to mouth watching every penny (or baht in this case)

I am not sure if you are actually bothering to read the posts before replying, but as I have already said I don't feel in any way deprived on my budget and have managed this for six years now at this stage.

People often mistake a better lifestyle with having more money, but this is one of the notions that I gladly left behind when I came to Thailand. Of course, I could earn a lot more money outside of Thailand, but I feel my quality of life is better here. I am also saving money for the first time in my life despite earning a fraction of what I once did.

While you may feel that you could not live on this amount this does not mean that others can't live on it. It also doesn't mean that people like me are needing to watch the pennies. Good luck to you with your higher budget. I am sure that you have earned it and deserve to enjoy it -just realise that we don't all need a lot of money to have a better lifestyle than what we left behind.

Edited July 14, 2008 by garro

[JOHN2]

you all live in the village and married their girls or what?

lets hear from some guys who hooked up with a hiso girl and hear what their living expenses are.

It's impossible to say how much i spend a month as some months i may buy something like a laptop a new phone,go on holiday,pay a chunk of my cc off,and i never keep track off what i spend.

I wild guess on an average month around 80k.

Anyone who only lives on 30k my advise is to go back home and get a proper job as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

I am quite happy living on less than 30k and believe my job here is a proper one. I also manage to save money every month. My Thai neighbours seem to be able to manage on a fraction of what I spend. So thank you for the advice, but while you might not be able to live on a lower budget it is a bit presumptious to claim that others can't do this easily and save for a rainy day.

Each to their own i suppose,but i couldn't do it,i've always believed the whole idea of being an ex-pat is to have a better lifestyle than back home not living hand to mouth watching every penny (or baht in this case)

I am not sure if you are actually bothering to read the posts before replying, but as I have already said I don't feel in any way deprived on my budget and have managed this for six years now at this stage.

People often mistake a better lifestyle with having more money, but this is one of the notions that I gladly left behind when I came to Thailand. Of course, I could earn a lot more money outside of Thailand, but I feel my quality of life is better here. I am also saving money for the first time in my life despite earning a fraction of what I once did.

While you may feel that you could not live on this amount this does not mean that others can't live on it. It also doesn't mean that people like me are needing to watch the pennies. Good luck to you with your higher budget. I am sure that you have earned it and deserve to enjoy it -just realise that we don't all need a lot of money to have a better lifestyle than what we left behind.

As i said each to their own,best of luck.

Gotta dash,my lobsters ready

[tomuk76]

Anyone who only lives on 30k, my advise is to go back home and get a proper job, as you will never have any savings put by for a rainy day.

Just because someone lives on 30k per month in Bangkok, does not mean they are only earning 30k per month.

Well said!

Everyone is different. If your a married man with kids and like spending time at home with the kids you wont be spending much money, if you take them out then it starts to get more expensive.

Im living in bangkok with wife and 2 kids stated in a earlier post, from today until thursday i know i will only spend around 1000 baht as my wife smashed the car up the other day and its in for repairs(insured no cost, lol), We wont be going out, the only expense will be 250 baht a day on the food we will buy from the the van thats comes around our complex. So if i really needed to i could live on 10k a month, but no thanks!

The guys who spend 80k+,a large amount most go on rent, girls, beers and farang food!

Edited July 14, 2008 by tomuk76

[JOHN2]

''We wont be going out, the only expense will be 250 baht a day on the food we will buy from the the van thats comes around our complex.''

Now that has made me laugh

[Chaimai]

''We wont be going out, the only expense will be 250 baht a day on the food we will buy from the the van thats comes around our complex.''

Now that has made me laugh

Oh Dear !

We are now into the Have's versus the Have Not's.

(or maybe it's the Have's - but I prefer to live a simple lifestyle versus the Have Not's but I am going to live the life of Riley anyway !)

[teej]

RukJung, you dug up a 5 YEAR OLD thread?

The OP posted in 2003.

It seems we always get this question in one form or another, and I suppose for the new members it can be good info. But frankly, the going over the same topic over and over is getting boring. There is an interesting consistency in the questions asked, and a consistency in the manner in which they are answered.

I sometimes wonder how many of the 'new' members are formerly 'banned' members who have re-incarnated themselves with a new avatar. Personality traits seem to be similar.

TheDon = Cpt_money_shot? Probably not, as Don prefers referencing snap-kicks instead of his gun, but both posters have very similar characteristics.

Who is the new Kayo, I wonder?

"Brian," the originator of this thread, hasn't been around since mid-2003. You think he's checking in on TV so see the responses in 2008? He was also the originator of the "Bar Girl Salary" thread, but it seems that in the 5-years since that thread was opened, the mods have changed the rules on what can be discussed. You there Brian?

[saorsa]

RukJung, you dug up a 5 YEAR OLD thread?

The OP posted in 2003.

It seems we always get this question in one form or another, and I suppose for the new members it can be good info. But frankly, the going over the same topic over and over is getting boring. There is an interesting consistency in the questions asked, and a consistency in the manner in which they are answered.

I'm pretty new to this forum, so I dont mind the digging up of old threads. I think some of you oldtimers need to kick back and let us noobs ask the same shit again since

1. things change over the years

2. we cant be @rsed having to search through old threads to find opinions/information we want (since for my self at least, I am lazy and most posts do not have clear and concise topics to make it easy to find what i want).

[teej]

I did write that "I suppose for the new members it can be good info" so I see your concern saorsa.

Everybody is a newbie at one point, I suppose.

It's not the questions asked per se that bother me, it's the same bickering that results. 5 years on and there has been no development in the discussion. I suppose this is what is to be in the General Forum, as it's nature is that of generality and therefore can become quite repetitive.

I do enjoy other threads where there is a dynamic discussion that changes over time, things change and views change -- for instance the Global Correction thread in the Jobs Forum. Bickering and name-calling is still there, but if you take a step past that, the real discussion is still there and developing.

I spend most of my time in the Motoring Forum, as it's a personal interest of mine. While we do get some of the same questions i.e. "Can I import my car from _____ to Thailand?," the other discussions have seemed to evolve with the times.

Can't we just sticky the topics that come up over and over again? Because if you look at past replies compared to present ones, they are essentially exactly the same (as I pointed out in the Farang Jumping to Death Thread -- 5 years on, same questions, same answers).

[Lite Beer]

Have own house and car.

30,000 Baht a month is more than enough for a couple in a village.