POLL: What is your spending as an expat?

[MBChai]

I do okay on between 48- 56 K Bht per month and put aside enough as much I can factor in for other expenses so not to lose control of my monthly budget. Rent has been paid in advance but utilities wax and wane depending on their use. Too much A/C and home cooking , warm showers ,laundry , home entertainment boost that cost with the addition of Wi-Fi and if I use the clothes dryer rather than air dry take it to a limit and i prefer to launder than outsource....

I choose to use Taxi-Meters for some transport rather than the BTS but my choice so that adds to my expenses.My Visa and Work Permit are at my own expense but they are annual including multiple entry and exit.

Considering all of the above I still manage to work and live on a budget of less than 25 K Bht per month taking in to account advance rental payments . health insurance and a leased motrorcycle included which I could not do without for those Tesco shopping weekly ventures or Seven Eleven top ups and Fresh Market visits.

Edited June 14, 2014 by MBChai

[Oceanbat]

Why does this only go up to 100k? I know very few people spending under 150k and most are in the 200k + range

That's BS if i ever heard it.

As I have said in the past, put your money where your mouth is. We can sit at the pub and you can randomly pick 10 people from my phone address book and I will give you their job description and income. If I am right, then you pay.

Seriously, what do they do to be able to spend 200k a month?

Not many that can do that without owing every month.

37% tax sucks

OB

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[Oceanbat]

Why does this only go up to 100k? I know very few people spending under 150k and most are in the 200k + range

That's BS if i ever heard it.

As I have said in the past, put your money where your mouth is. We can sit at the pub and you can randomly pick 10 people from my phone address book and I will give you their job description and income. If I am right, then you pay.

Seriously, what do they do to be able to spend 200k a month?

Not many that can do that without owing every month.

37% tax sucks

OB

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Typo - 35% but it still doesn't make me feel any better about it

OB

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[beachproperty]

I'm amazed at all the "High Rollers" TV has...

This is not my budget (although fairly close) but the following is a good reference point

Rent (3 bedroom house ...decent beach house in Eastern Seaboard)...........12,000 Baht

Electric (air on 8 hours a day)...........................................................................3,000

Food for 2 (eat out a few times a month ...mostly cooking at home)..................9,000

Water..................................................................................................................500

Garbage..............................................................................................................free

Dish TV (Bought a box and dish ....1 time cost ...5000 Baht)..............................free

Internet and Phone( DTAC internet package).....................................................399

Gasoline.and insurance.............................................................................................................3500

Booze(Gin or Box wine ...just a few drinks a night)..............................................2000

Clothes and Shoes ............................................................................................1000

Medical(self insured ....spent 30,000 over the last 10 years ...future????)........1000

Miscelaneous......................................................................................................3000

Approx monthly expenses for Two people...........................................................34399 Baht per month

May have missed a few items but for 40,000 baht a month somebody can live a quality life style in Thailand....Rent is the big issue....depends on WHERE you want to live in Thailand!

Check out this site for compare costs of living in different countries or cities

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Thailand&country2=United+States

Edited June 14, 2014 by beachproperty

[Spoonman]

Wow Beachproperty. Bt.147 ea for food per day..... thats frugal living.

[alanrchase]

Wow Beachproperty. Bt.147 ea for food per day..... thats frugal living.

Why?

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[hanno]

1000 Baht for clothes and shoes? Are you getting them from the Red Cross? Just joking but just my running shoes are 4,000 a pair. And you can't be driving much, either.

[beachproperty]

Wow Beachproperty. Bt.147 ea for food per day..... thats frugal living.

Don't know about that...my wife goes shopping a few times a week .....local market (i give her a few hundred baht) and once a week we go to Makro and buy approx 2000 baht worth of food and toiletries etc.

[beachproperty]

1000 Baht for clothes and shoes? Are you getting them from the Red Cross? Just joking but just my running shoes are 4,000 a pair. And you can't be driving much, either.

We've got all the clothes we need ....we just take care of what we have....can't remember the last time we went shopping for clothes...Wife buys a new dress (300 baht) every now and then and Sandals (again a few hundred baht) but that's it. So the budgeted amount may be high.

Driving is generally local....year old car has 10,000 kilometers on it.

Edited June 14, 2014 by beachproperty

[alanrchase]

1000 Baht for clothes and shoes? Are you getting them from the Red Cross? Just joking but just my running shoes are 4,000 a pair. And you can't be driving much, either.

We've got all the clothes we need ....we just take care of what we have....can't remember the last time we went shopping for clothes...Wife buys a new dress (300 baht) every now and then and Sandals (again a few hundred baht) but that's it. So the budgeted amount may be high

I agree. I have no need to prove how much money I may have. Assumption here is I have a lot because I am a foreigner. Don't care for their assumtions, will live within my means. No problem with the 150k a month lads, but why? What do you get?

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[beachproperty]

For all the skeptics about living in Thailand for less than 25,000 baht a month .....read this Blog....interesting

http://8milesfromhome.com/post/26267409648/real-costs-of-living-in-thailand-500gbp-per-month

[reenatinnakor]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

[Soutpeel]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

Living is a relative term, could i survive on 20k ? I guess I could if I had to but why should I ?

[canarysun]

I currently live on 7,500 "all in " and I am sorry but I just cannot understand how you all spend so much money! 20,000 baht a month!? Thailand is a 3rd world country guys! I don't know anybody who spends that kind of money!! That's outrageous!

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[Loptr]

I am not saying this to be atagonistic but any less than 100K and what is the point being here?

At least 60K of that would be on "indulgence" and seriously if you are not going to indulge yourself (and often) then seriously what on earth is the point in living here?

When I was single I was spending well over 200,000THB per month (on top of rent as that was paid)...and it was the best 5 years of my life...honestly trying to live here on 20,00 or 30,000 just completely defies the point.

As others have noted, there are a variety of foreigners in Thailand and each group has different spending patterns. We have the full spectrum here on TV, from those on expat packages, offshore workers, teachers, retirees, to those getting by on the skin of their teeth.

I remember to good ole days of being on an expat package in Thailand. Being single, spending like a drunken sailor on leave and enjoying every minute of it. Now that I have retired from my profession in the west, I am planning my long-awaited return to Thailand to live. I've budgeted 100k per month for a comfortable lifestyle which based on western standards is not that extravagant at all.

Break down the 100k please. Assume part will be accomodation.

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These are my estimates for a single male living a middle-class US lifestyle in Thailand. Some of these numbers are fairly generic, but my previous experience living in Thailand this is about what I spent, around 60k-70k per month for the basics...

For a bit of perspective, my monthly basic $$$ outlay is exactly the same in the US, except the 30k budgeted for entertainment goes to day-to-day necessities in the other categories. Yeah, you can do it cheaper in Thailand, but once you are accustomed to a certain lifestyle, why go backwards if you don't have to? I am not discounting anyone else's situation, but after 40 years of nose-to-the-grindstone, I've earned it.

House Rent 30,000฿

Electricity 5,000฿

Television 1,000฿

Internet 1,000฿

Utilities 2,500฿

Gasoline 2,000฿

Food 15,000฿

Car-Bike Insurance 1,500฿

Gym Membership 1,000฿

Cigarettes 1,000฿

Pet food / vet 1,000฿

Gas (cooking) 1,000฿

Prescriptions 3,000฿

Health Insurance 5,000฿

Entertainment 30,000฿

---------------

100,000฿

EDIT: I guess TV doesn't do Excel tables...

Edited June 14, 2014 by Loptr

[alanrchase]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

Please break down your budget. Not judging but where does it go? Expensive condo?

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[DLP]

No one has mentioned bar fines so far, or is that factored in on entertainment ?

[Bcgardener]

Luxury, I live in shoebox on side of motorway, eat dirt from the klong for most meals. 20k a Month, Ha. I do it for 96 Baht and 25 Satang a Month

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[Soutpeel]

I currently live on 7,500 "all in " and I am sorry but I just cannot understand how you all spend so much money! 20,000 baht a month!? Thailand is a 3rd world country guys! I don't know anybody who spends that kind of money!! That's outrageous!

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I am calling troll on this post, or at least a nomination for cheap Charlie of the year, f me, I send 7.5k just nipping down to tesco's for "bread & milk"

[Soutpeel]

Luxury, I live in shoebox on side of motorway, eat dirt from the klong for most meals. 20k a Month, Ha. I do it for 96 Baht and 25 Satang a Month

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Dirt, dirt....you lucky lucky bast*rd, I live on gravel the soi dogs have p*ssed on

[332]

I currently live on 7,500 "all in " and I am sorry but I just cannot understand how you all spend so much money! 20,000 baht a month!? Thailand is a 3rd world country guys! I don't know anybody who spends that kind of money!! That's outrageous!

Sent from my Lenovo S920_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I guess you live in a 'room'.

Eat street/market food.

Can't understand how people can happily exist like that for their life, but to each their own. Good luck if you're happy doing it and will naver want for anything more.

[332]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

Please break down your budget. Not judging but where does it go? Expensive condo?

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

Previously my expenses were:

Rent: 40k baht. 75sqm 1 bedroom condo with full kitchen, all amenities such as pool, gym.

Bills: About 5k.

Two weekend breaks per month: 20-30k.

Groceries and day to day shopping: About 10k.

Extras: New tyres/insurance/buying something 10k.

Daily petty cash: Between 200-500b for lunch.

Weekend night could be anything from a cheap 1k to 10k.

[alanrchase]

I am not saying this to be atagonistic but any less than 100K and what is the point being here?

At least 60K of that would be on "indulgence" and seriously if you are not going to indulge yourself (and often) then seriously what on earth is the point in living here?

When I was single I was spending well over 200,000THB per month (on top of rent as that was paid)...and it was the best 5 years of my life...honestly trying to live here on 20,00 or 30,000 just completely defies the point.

As others have noted, there are a variety of foreigners in Thailand and each group has different spending patterns. We have the full spectrum here on TV, from those on expat packages, offshore workers, teachers, retirees, to those getting by on the skin of their teeth.

I remember to good ole days of being on an expat package in Thailand. Being single, spending like a drunken sailor on leave and enjoying every minute of it. Now that I have retired from my profession in the west, I am planning my long-awaited return to Thailand to live. I've budgeted 100k per month for a comfortable lifestyle which based on western standards is not that extravagant at all.

Break down the 100k please. Assume part will be accomodation.

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

These are my estimates for a single male living a middle-class US lifestyle in Thailand. Some of these numbers are fairly generic, but my previous experience living in Thailand this is about what I spent, around 60k-70k per month for the basics...

For a bit of perspective, my monthly basic $$$ outlay is exactly the same in the US, except the 30k budgeted for entertainment goes to day-to-day necessities in the other categories. Yeah, you can do it cheaper in Thailand, but once you are accustomed to a certain lifestyle, why go backwards if you don't have to? I am not discounting anyone else's situation, but after 40 years of nose-to-the-grindstone, I've earned it.

House Rent 30,000฿

Electricity 5,000฿

Television 1,000฿

Internet 1,000฿

Utilities 2,500฿

Gasoline 2,000฿

Food 15,000฿

Car-Bike Insurance 1,500฿

Gym Membership 1,000฿

Cigarettes 1,000฿

Pet food / vet 1,000฿

Gas (cooking) 1,000฿

Prescriptions 3,000฿

Health Insurance 5,000฿

Entertainment 30,000฿

---------------

100,000฿

EDIT: I guess TV doesn't do Excel tables...

Ta. Not too extreme. 1000 baht a day entertainment?

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[Soutpeel]

I currently live on 7,500 "all in " and I am sorry but I just cannot understand how you all spend so much money! 20,000 baht a month!? Thailand is a 3rd world country guys! I don't know anybody who spends that kind of money!! That's outrageous!

Sent from my Lenovo S920_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I guess you live in a 'room'.

Eat street/market food.

Can't understand how people can happily exist like that for their life, but to each their own. Good luck if you're happy doing it and will naver want for anything more.

No money in the budget for "the ladies" on 7.5k/m so guess the poster spends a small fortune on tissues unless he steals them from the mall toilets Edited June 14, 2014 by Soutpeel

[reenatinnakor]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

Please break down your budget. Not judging but where does it go? Expensive condo?

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

As a general guide... If you want to know how much thailand costs now... Have built a house on gf land costing 6m already so no rent....

suv and bike - 23k

Electric - 2.5k

Water - 1k

Gas cylinder - 500

3g on ipad, iPhone and Samsung - 2.4k

Internet Tot - 2k

Cth cable for EPL - 2k

Tescos say 3k a week - 12k

Petrol say 1.5k a week - 6k

Insurance car and bike - 2k

Visa 12k for 6 months - 2k

3 kids school, clothes, food - 10k

Dad pocket money 3k

Mum pocket money 3k

Eating out, kids weekend, drinking etc - 10k

There you go... That's 90k there on nothing special and not living in a Palace. With other shit like attending to the land, service car, buying clothes and airline tickets its easily 110k a month.

Anyone saying they can live on 20k a month is total bullshit... Dont care how single they are.

[DP25]

I spend about 20k a month, and I save a lot more than I spend every month so I could easily spend more if I wanted. I don't really try to budget, that's just what it costs me for normal day to day living. Months that involve electronics purchase, vacations, etc can be significantly more.

I eat out almost every meal, although I cook some farang food at home using stuff from Villa. I go out for drinks once or twice a week, but only to Thai style bars and pubs, so the bill is always under 1000 for the night. I don't support a female and I don't use bar girls or go to farang bars, so that is my biggest savings right there.

Edited June 14, 2014 by DP25

[alanrchase]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

Please break down your budget. Not judging but where does it go? Expensive condo?

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

Previously my expenses were:

Rent: 40k baht. 75sqm 1 bedroom condo with full kitchen, all amenities such as pool, gym.

Bills: About 5k.

Two weekend breaks per month: 20-30k.

Groceries and day to day shopping: About 10k.

Extras: New tyres/insurance/buying something 10k.

Daily petty cash: Between 200-500b for lunch.

Weekend night could be anything from a cheap 1k to 10k.

Thanks. Fortunately? I have no rent which knocks 40k off that.

Other choices up to you. No Bangkok lifestyle or prices here.

Each to their own. Wish you the best.

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[alanrchase]

It's absolutely impossible to be living on 20k a month, even if you are single, have no car or bike to pay off.

The survey is a joke. 100k does not let you live in a Palace. I spend 110k a month and do not live in luxury.

Please break down your budget. Not judging but where does it go? Expensive condo?

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

As a general guide... If you want to know how much thailand costs now... Have built a house on gf land costing 6m already so no rent....

suv and bike - 23k

Electric - 2.5k

Water - 1k

Gas cylinder - 500

3g on ipad, iPhone and Samsung - 2.4k

Internet Tot - 2k

Cth cable for EPL - 2k

Tescos say 3k a week - 12k

Petrol say 1.5k a week - 6k

Insurance car and bike - 2k

Visa 12k for 6 months - 2k

3 kids school, clothes, food - 10k

Dad pocket money 3k

Mum pocket money 3k

Eating out, kids weekend, drinking etc - 10k

There you go... That's 90k there on nothing special and not living in a Palace. With other shit like attending to the land, service car, buying clothes and airline tickets its easily 110k a month.

Anyone saying they can live on 20k a month is total bullshit... Dont care how single they are.

Dads pocket money? Monthly bill of over 100,000 baht? Dad only gets 3k?

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[khunPer]

No one has mentioned bar fines so far, or is that factored in on entertainment ?

Seems like OP's heading has been forgotten...

»What is you monthly spending, for SINGLE Farangs, ONLY for housing, food, drink and fun. Extra's (Visa, Hospital, Car, etc) excluded)«

A budget are more likely like this (mine single-spendings was about that, but I'm not heavy drinker, so mainly ladies drinking):

»80.000 baht, (I am a bad boy, everyday in the bar and a different companion)«

24,000 Rent (bungalow 800b/d incl. cleaning etc.)

15,000 Food (my daily meals)

45,000 to 60,000 for not sleaping alone (1,500 - 2,000 b/n)

30,000 Drinks in bars, clubs, disco (average 1,000 b/d)

5,000 Barfine, aprox. (some girls freelancing)

10,000 to 15,000 Other (laundry, personal stuff, some transport, tickets, dinner invitations etc. etc.)

Could easily go higher, but not much lower...

Total around 125,000 to 135,000 b/m.

Ups – I ended up in the 100,000+ level, but I did not have too much money, and I did not live in a small palace, with servants...

Edited June 14, 2014 by khunPer

[Loptr]

As others have noted, there are a variety of foreigners in Thailand and each group has different spending patterns. We have the full spectrum here on TV, from those on expat packages, offshore workers, teachers, retirees, to those getting by on the skin of their teeth.

I remember to good ole days of being on an expat package in Thailand. Being single, spending like a drunken sailor on leave and enjoying every minute of it. Now that I have retired from my profession in the west, I am planning my long-awaited return to Thailand to live. I've budgeted 100k per month for a comfortable lifestyle which based on western standards is not that extravagant at all.

Break down the 100k please. Assume part will be accomodation.

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

These are my estimates for a single male living a middle-class US lifestyle in Thailand. Some of these numbers are fairly generic, but my previous experience living in Thailand this is about what I spent, around 60k-70k per month for the basics...

For a bit of perspective, my monthly basic $$$ outlay is exactly the same in the US, except the 30k budgeted for entertainment goes to day-to-day necessities in the other categories. Yeah, you can do it cheaper in Thailand, but once you are accustomed to a certain lifestyle, why go backwards if you don't have to? I am not discounting anyone else's situation, but after 40 years of nose-to-the-grindstone, I've earned it.

House Rent 30,000฿

Electricity 5,000฿

Television 1,000฿

Internet 1,000฿

Utilities 2,500฿

Gasoline 2,000฿

Food 15,000฿

Car-Bike Insurance 1,500฿

Gym Membership 1,000฿

Cigarettes 1,000฿

Pet food / vet 1,000฿

Gas (cooking) 1,000฿

Prescriptions 3,000฿

Health Insurance 5,000฿

Entertainment 30,000฿

---------------

100,000฿

EDIT: I guess TV doesn't do Excel tables...

Ta. Not too extreme. 1000 baht a day entertainment?

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I have lots of hobbies which require a bit of $$$... Plus I plan on traveling a bit in the region, take in the sites, chase some ladies, the usual dirty old farang retiree agenda...

Edited June 14, 2014 by Loptr