Living in BKK for a year on 8 grand?

[nisakiman]

A lot of negativity here. What's up with you guys? Were you never young?

When I was young and trawling around Asia in the late 60s early 70s, I was living on a lot less (in relative terms) than what the OP is proposing. And I had a ball. Sure, at my age now, I want a bit more comfort than $8000 could provide, but when I was in my late teens/early 20s I was quite happy with a cheap hotel (sometimes sleeping in my sleeping bag on the roof), eating basic street food, smoking the local dope and generally 'chilling out'. I loved it, and didn't feel in the slightest bit deprived. I was seeing different places, experiencing different cultures, meeting different people, eating different food. And I'm not talking about a two-week holiday. I spent more than three years in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Thailand and Malaysia, with the odd break in UK to earn a bit more money.

Of course it's doable.

[joecoolfrog]

Yeh I was the same as a backpacker but staying in one city for a year !

[Grindting]

A lot of negativity here. What's up with you guys? Were you never young?

When I was young and trawling around Asia in the late 60s early 70s, I was living on a lot less (in relative terms) than what the OP is proposing. And I had a ball. Sure, at my age now, I want a bit more comfort than $8000 could provide, but when I was in my late teens/early 20s I was quite happy with a cheap hotel (sometimes sleeping in my sleeping bag on the roof), eating basic street food, smoking the local dope and generally 'chilling out'. I loved it, and didn't feel in the slightest bit deprived. I was seeing different places, experiencing different cultures, meeting different people, eating different food. And I'm not talking about a two-week holiday. I spent more than three years in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Thailand and Malaysia, with the odd break in UK to earn a bit more money.

Of course it's doable.

There is a big difference between what you're saying (travelling Around for 1 year) to Settling for 1 year in Bangkok. It's a completely different scenario.

I also noted he/she should travel and not just stay in BKK, as it would be boring as <deleted>.

I'm currently travelling with my wife (we're 27 and 29, and I've worked in asia for 6 years prior to this trip), and it's nothing like what it was like for you guys back in your day (my dad also did the same as you). Asia is developing and has developed a lot and the gap between cost back home and cost here is getting more narrow by the year, it's not relative anymore. People like my dad talk to me about living on £1 a day. Well a tuktuk (auto rickshaw) from anywhere to anywhere in the big cities is 100 rupees unless you're willing to argue about 10 rupees here or there.., so there is your £1 gone in one little journey from the station to your guesthouse/hostel! If you are able to argue well enough in kolkota or chennai they'll turn on their metres, but it's still going to run 50 rp anywhere you go. You won't find any guesthouse anywhere that has running water and a fan for less than 500 rupees (£5 gone). and as for weed etc, if you're caught anywhere in any of these countries the police will extort you of all your balance budget for the trip so absolutely not worth it. It is not the same place as when you or my dad was here

We have just come from Sumatra and made our way to India without flying, and for a years travel I don't think $8000 would cut it even on a peasants existence, you will NOT be able to afford to get into any of the attractions such as angorwat, ha long bay, Great Wall of china, observatory in shanghai, a permit into lhasa, a train ticket in china as it is, visa for china is £100, a 6 month multi visa for India is £100, as as soon as you get to somewhere where you need to get a private transport like a tuktuk or a taxi, that budget just gets destroyed.

Living for a year in BKK on $8000 (-1000 for visa) would be pretty miserable. Living for 1 year in BKK on triple that amount would also be miserable IMO. Just not a great place to be hanging around for so long on such a low budget

Edited September 18, 2014 by Grindting

[IsaanUSA]

Grindting I agree with you, but the OP has stated they are coming in as a student. So the OP cannot travel around...he/she will be going to classes every week in Bangkok.

[ev1lchris]

Maybe I'll just stay for a few months.

[canarysun]

We are all different and value things in life very differently.I could budget a basic life in Bangkok on half of his original budget if i wanted to.But it all depends on the kind of person you are and " the list of things that are important to you! You can find a reasonable room in Bangkok for 3,500 a month ( small but adequate ) I like to be outside all day enjoying the fabulous climate.Living in Bangkok to get out and about i would never use the " Skytrain " as it is ridiculously expensive.I would walk as usual or catch a bus or even get yourself out and about using the " Rot Fai " ( Train ) 5 baht gets you quite a distance! The Parks are all fab and free! Local markets are cheap and Thai meals are all cheap too! Buy yourself a " Bicycle " ( 1,500 baht for something " new & cool " ) You don't need aircon ( That's for pussy's ... ) and very bad for you! I will still say that " the best things in life are free! " I don't drink or smoke and have never quite understood the need to go to " a bar " i like to chat with the world and there wife whilst out on a stroll ( a much more natural and pleasant way to meet people may i add ) Bangkok is fully loaded with lots of things to see and do and i never get bored for one minute! You need a few hobbies too! i like to take photos,its a nice way to spend your time and very sociable too!

Living on a low budget does come with complications ( it's not all " a rose garden " ) I have had quite a few health issues with " Bacteria " You must wash your hands,wash fruit and all food before you eat it and NEVER drink the water from the " Water Machines " I enjoy cooking which helps and baking my own bread too! ( delicious viewers..) Because i am out and about all day i drink minimum of 3 litres of water a day! ( important when living in Thailand ) Learn a bit of Thai and the most important rule of all is when you come to Thailand leave your past behind and start " Thinking Thai " The real Thailand is amazingly cheap if you want it to be!

Farang Jaidee x

Photo attached of myself " fooling about in Bangkok " ( kind respect where due ladies...) x

[vaca azul]

Canarysun.....thank you...I like the way you see it

[tony5150]

8 k will last a month IMO, if tge op is setting himself up in BKK

Nah..two months easy. And that's living on soi 4 at a serviced apartment, drinking every day and women mak mak. I've done it before. Also went to all the major tourist traps and ate very well. The only issue was laundry. Paid 80 thb a kg which worked out to $16 for a load of laundry that would have cost me $4 in Canada. Learned very fast where to go after that...Onnut for 180 thb. Edited September 19, 2014 by tony5150

[laolover88]

Of course you can...if you know how to live cheaply. Try doing it at home, wherever that is, $20/£30 a day is surely possible anywhere. Depends on lodging. The question is surely Why BKK? Even Why Thailand? How do you want to live? In the past most of the budget/study travel I have done with mates. Make more friends that way!I lived in Phuket

on $4000 a year with a bit for extras. Bought a bike at the outset. Thai house, Thai food and home cooking. Do your own laundry. No need for aircon in Phuket. Don't fancy doing it in BKK.

[Rumblecat]

No need for aircon in Phuket. Don't fancy doing it in BKK.

I haven't been to Phuket for five or six years so I don't really remember, but how does that work..? Is it because it's cooler down there or is there a breeze..?

Not a trick question, genuinely interested.

[thehelmsman]

We are all different and value things in life very differently.I could budget a basic life in Bangkok on half of his original budget if i wanted to.But it all depends on the kind of person you are and " the list of things that are important to you! You can find a reasonable room in Bangkok for 3,500 a month ( small but adequate ) I like to be outside all day enjoying the fabulous climate.Living in Bangkok to get out and about i would never use the " Skytrain " as it is ridiculously expensive.I would walk as usual or catch a bus or even get yourself out and about using the " Rot Fai " ( Train ) 5 baht gets you quite a distance! The Parks are all fab and free! Local markets are cheap and Thai meals are all cheap too! Buy yourself a " Bicycle " ( 1,500 baht for something " new & cool " ) You don't need aircon ( That's for pussy's ... ) and very bad for you! I will still say that " the best things in life are free! " I don't drink or smoke and have never quite understood the need to go to " a bar " i like to chat with the world and there wife whilst out on a stroll ( a much more natural and pleasant way to meet people may i add ) Bangkok is fully loaded with lots of things to see and do and i never get bored for one minute! You need a few hobbies too! i like to take photos,its a nice way to spend your time and very sociable too!

Living on a low budget does come with complications ( it's not all " a rose garden " ) I have had quite a few health issues with " Bacteria " You must wash your hands,wash fruit and all food before you eat it and NEVER drink the water from the " Water Machines " I enjoy cooking which helps and baking my own bread too! ( delicious viewers..) Because i am out and about all day i drink minimum of 3 litres of water a day! ( important when living in Thailand ) Learn a bit of Thai and the most important rule of all is when you come to Thailand leave your past behind and start " Thinking Thai " The real Thailand is amazingly cheap if you want it to be!

Farang Jaidee x

Photo attached of myself " fooling about in Bangkok " ( kind respect where due ladies...) x

So in other words, You shuffle about talking to yourself. Seriously now...... Do you live this lifestyle because that's all the money you have or just for kicks. We all know people who live extremely frugal lifestyles but have money.

Most of foreigners consider 8K a month pocket money, I know I do.

[ev1lchris]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

[thehelmsman]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

Give it a try on 20K. baht a month and report back occassionally. If you're out walking around beware of a strange fella talking to himself, goes by the nick name "Canary"

[canarysun]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

Give it a try on 20K. baht a month and report back occassionally. If you're out walking around beware of a strange fella talking to himself, goes by the nick name "Canary"

Rumour has it that he is in fact a " bloody nice bloke " .........

[Grindting]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

With a budget of $8k for even 3 months wouldn't buy you any sex, other than street meat. A relatively basic furnished apartment in central Bangkok is $1500 a month and chances are it won't even be serviced. You can get cheaper but I don't want to live in a slum. So you're left with $1100 for the month to spend, 35,000 baht let's say, which is nothing if you're the type who enjoys a good single malt whiskey and or half a bottle of chablis with his sea food dinner. After a trip to the gentlemans barbers, a few pints of 'boutique' craft beer and after paying your dry cleaning bill, there won't be much left for taking a decent woman on a date.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Grindting

[GuyL]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

With a budget of $8k for even 3 months wouldn't buy you any sex, other than street meat. A relatively basic furnished apartment in central Bangkok is $1500 a month and chances are it won't even be serviced. You can get cheaper but I don't want to live in a slum. So you're left with $1100 for the month to spend, 35,000 baht let's say, which is nothing if you're the type who enjoys a good single malt whiskey and or half a bottle of chablis with his sea food dinner. After a trip to the gentlemans barbers, a few pints of 'boutique' craft beer and after paying your dry cleaning bill, there won't be much left for taking a decent woman on a date.

I thought that dating decent women didn't require much (or any) money? But who am I to argue as I only date indecent ones!

[Cypress Hill]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

We are all different and value things in life very differently.I could budget a basic life in Bangkok on half of his original budget if i wanted to.But it all depends on the kind of person you are and " the list of things that are important to you! You can find a reasonable room in Bangkok for 3,500 a month ( small but adequate ) I like to be outside all day enjoying the fabulous climate.Living in Bangkok to get out and about i would never use the " Skytrain " as it is ridiculously expensive.I would walk as usual or catch a bus or even get yourself out and about using the " Rot Fai " ( Train ) 5 baht gets you quite a distance! The Parks are all fab and free! Local markets are cheap and Thai meals are all cheap too! Buy yourself a " Bicycle " ( 1,500 baht for something " new & cool " ) You don't need aircon ( That's for pussy's ... ) and very bad for you! I will still say that " the best things in life are free! " I don't drink or smoke and have never quite understood the need to go to " a bar " i like to chat with the world and there wife whilst out on a stroll ( a much more natural and pleasant way to meet people may i add ) Bangkok is fully loaded with lots of things to see and do and i never get bored for one minute! You need a few hobbies too! i like to take photos,its a nice way to spend your time and very sociable too!

Living on a low budget does come with complications ( it's not all " a rose garden " ) I have had quite a few health issues with " Bacteria " You must wash your hands,wash fruit and all food before you eat it and NEVER drink the water from the " Water Machines " I enjoy cooking which helps and baking my own bread too! ( delicious viewers..) Because i am out and about all day i drink minimum of 3 litres of water a day! ( important when living in Thailand ) Learn a bit of Thai and the most important rule of all is when you come to Thailand leave your past behind and start " Thinking Thai " The real Thailand is amazingly cheap if you want it to be!

Farang Jaidee x alt=wub.png>

Photo attached of myself " fooling about in Bangkok " ( kind respect where due ladies...) x

I know I couldn't live like you do but all power to you if you can and enjoy doing it at the same time, bro!

[Grindting]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

With a budget of $8k for even 3 months wouldn't buy you any sex, other than street meat. A relatively basic furnished apartment in central Bangkok is $1500 a month and chances are it won't even be serviced. You can get cheaper but I don't want to live in a slum. So you're left with $1100 for the month to spend, 35,000 baht let's say, which is nothing if you're the type who enjoys a good single malt whiskey and or half a bottle of chablis with his sea food dinner. After a trip to the gentlemans barbers, a few pints of 'boutique' craft beer and after paying your dry cleaning bill, there won't be much left for taking a decent woman on a date.

I thought that dating decent women didn't require much (or any) money? But who am I to argue as I only date indecent ones!

Lol me too

[Oryx816]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

With a budget of $8k for even 3 months wouldn't buy you any sex, other than street meat. A relatively basic furnished apartment in central Bangkok is $1500 a month and chances are it won't even be serviced. You can get cheaper but I don't want to live in a slum. So you're left with $1100 for the month to spend, 35,000 baht let's say, which is nothing if you're the type who enjoys a good single malt whiskey and or half a bottle of chablis with his sea food dinner. After a trip to the gentlemans barbers, a few pints of 'boutique' craft beer and after paying your dry cleaning bill, there won't be much left for taking a decent woman on a date.

I thought that dating decent women didn't require much (or any) money? But who am I to argue as I only date indecent ones!

A decent lady doesn't require payment at the end of the evening. However, a decent lady usually expects that the gentleman share or exceed her standard of living. When one has to eke out a living, or in this case merely exist, perhaps deodorant becomes a luxury as well. A decent lady typically has some hygiene standards to which a suitor should measure up.

As a decent lady, I speak for my gender in informing you that a lady prefers to eat a nice meal in an establishment where there are no mangy, flea ridden soi dogs nipping at her elbows.

Side note: I thought the OP was a woman, or is that his girlfriend in the avatar? Either way....do the math! You need to work hard to play hard!

[GuyL]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

With a budget of $8k for even 3 months wouldn't buy you any sex, other than street meat. A relatively basic furnished apartment in central Bangkok is $1500 a month and chances are it won't even be serviced. You can get cheaper but I don't want to live in a slum. So you're left with $1100 for the month to spend, 35,000 baht let's say, which is nothing if you're the type who enjoys a good single malt whiskey and or half a bottle of chablis with his sea food dinner. After a trip to the gentlemans barbers, a few pints of 'boutique' craft beer and after paying your dry cleaning bill, there won't be much left for taking a decent woman on a date.

I thought that dating decent women didn't require much (or any) money? But who am I to argue as I only date indecent ones!

A decent lady doesn't require payment at the end of the evening. However, a decent lady usually expects that the gentleman share or exceed her standard of living. When one has to eke out a living, or in this case merely exist, perhaps deodorant becomes a luxury as well. A decent lady typically has some hygiene standards to which a suitor should measure up.

As a decent lady, I speak for my gender in informing you that a lady prefers to eat a nice meal in an establishment where there are no mangy, flea ridden soi dogs nipping at her elbows.

Side note: I thought the OP was a woman, or is that his girlfriend in the avatar? Either way....do the math! You need to work hard to play hard!

I love 'serious' replies to my tongue-in-cheek posts.

I'm gonna be a bit 'serious' too. The average monthly income in Thailand is about half OP's monthly budget, but it seems that a significant percentage of Thai people can date decent local women (and don't have any hygiene problem by the way) with their rather modest (by Western standards) income.

I know that it's probably a very difficult task for most Westerners to live in the Land of Smiles with a similar budget, but if a Westerner male really wants to date so-called 'decent' Thai women, he'd rather invest time in order to learn (at least some basic) Thai language. My own Thai language skills were far than perfect when I started to date local women who insisted in paying their share or even invited me quite often for dinner. Yes, those women do exist in the LOS and are not all of the high maintenance sort!

[KREMBOMOCA]

Sure you can but it is not called to live, it's called survival !

[mrtoad]

Existing nothing more

[canarysun]

Well I must admit Viewers I have " existed " another day in Thailand on my cool 6,000 baht lifestyle.My day started with a lovely 15 Km morning stroll in the sun.Followed by a delicious lunch ( fresh pasta in a tomato sauce & garlic bread) followed by fresh pineapple ( it just melted in my mouth ) washed down with 1.5 litres of mineral water and then the afternoon on the beach as usual sunbathing " on the rocks " whilst chatting to a few "local delights" viewers. Random swimming throughout the afternoon and a then i was stopped while strolling home by a lovely Thai Lady (rather pleasing to the eye may I add..) who wanted to take me out for supper ( Thai BBQ ) unfortunately I " declined her kind offer " But that was a normal day for me and it has cost me a cool 60 baht.....

Are you " living the dream" viewers....?

[joecoolfrog]

Ok I will bite!

Why do you think this ' pleasing to the eye ' lady invited you to dinner and why did you refuse her offer?

[samran]

Ok I will bite!

Why do you think this ' pleasing to the eye ' lady invited you to dinner and why did you refuse her offer?

I'm still getting over the 'skytrain' as some sort of prohibitively expensive form of transport.

[MrY]

This thread has been hilarious. There is a whole nation here living on less than 20,000 baht a month. Or "existing", as someone described it. My ex spends about that a month for her and our 2 kids and the rest [of her salary and what I send her] stays in her bank account, for 'safety'. She rents a compact 2 bedroom house (one air-con) pays the bills and car payments out of the 20K and there's still enough to do take the kids out on Sundays.

I did a 3 month stint [out of curiosity] living on the cheap in Chiang Mai years ago. (My rent was doubled on the spot one day, so I moved out immediately and rented a fan room nearby the same day just to put my thing in while I was looking for another apartment.) I had a motorcycle and fuel was cheap. Since I was working at the time, I limited drinking to nights before days off. I would go to the market to get something to barbeque and would sit on the balcony (!!) [which happened to be as good as any cafe for people watching] and would share [large] a bottle of [local] whiskey (110b) with my friend. Later we would have another one (a 'set' was 200b) at one of the local bars. Did small wash, sheets and towels at a self service laundry, and shirts and pants at a laundry shop (25b/kg ironed). Rent for a fan room was 1100 baht [back then] and the monthly total came up to 3800 baht per month. In 1996. I'll let otters (they are good with numbers) figure out how much is it in today's currency. Of course it can't be done for 3800 any more, and it wasn't easy then, but 20,000 baht can be a bit more than just existence [once you learn the ropes] in Bangkok today. Even now visiting Chiang Mai seems to put me in the "frugal mode"...

[whaleboneman]

You could spend that much in a few fun nights on Soi Cowboy...maybe you could move out to rural Thailand...live among the rice patties and swat mosquitos...there are those that think it is great fun...

I'd rather spend my time in the rice paddy with real people than on Soi Cowboy with a bunch of drunks and hookers but the mosquitoes can be annoying.

[bertty]

For all those people saying 8k will last a few months, do you spend all your money on sex or something?

With a budget of $8k for even 3 months wouldn't buy you any sex, other than street meat. A relatively basic furnished apartment in central Bangkok is $1500 a month and chances are it won't even be serviced. You can get cheaper but I don't want to live in a slum. So you're left with $1100 for the month to spend, 35,000 baht let's say, which is nothing if you're the type who enjoys a good single malt whiskey and or half a bottle of chablis with his sea food dinner. After a trip to the gentlemans barbers, a few pints of 'boutique' craft beer and after paying your dry cleaning bill, there won't be much left for taking a decent woman on a date.

$1500 a month for a room !! where do you get that number from ?

I live in a nice one bedroom 50m condo just a 5 minute walk from Thonglor bts I pay 18.500 baht a month, which is 30.000 less than you claim needs to be spent.

And no it's not serviced, but then I don't want someone in my place doing what they want when I'm not there.

$1500 would get you a decent 100m condo with bells and whistles attached.

[Lukecan]

This thread has been hilarious. There is a whole nation here living on less than 20,000 baht a month. Or "existing", as someone described it. My ex spends about that a month for her and our 2 kids and the rest [of her salary and what I send her] stays in her bank account, for 'safety'. She rents a compact 2 bedroom house (one air-con) pays the bills and car payments out of the 20K and there's still enough to do take the kids out on Sundays.

Maintaining a car, and renting a 2br home on 20k budget

I smell BS sorry

[MrY]

This thread has been hilarious. There is a whole nation here living on less than 20,000 baht a month. Or "existing", as someone described it. My ex spends about that a month for her and our 2 kids and the rest [of her salary and what I send her] stays in her bank account, for 'safety'. She rents a compact 2 bedroom house (one air-con) pays the bills and car payments out of the 20K and there's still enough to do take the kids out on Sundays.

Maintaining a car, and renting a 2br home on 20k budget

I smell BS sorry

I smell a fart.

Don't forget she's taking care of 2 kids (I pay for a non-government school though, but she covers uniforms, extra activities and such). I didn't claim the house is in Bangkok, but you could rent an air-con room in BKK for about the same. House and utilities are about 4700b/mo. The car is a 2003 subcompact, bought 6 years ago and almost paid for. Service and repair bills so far have been 31,000 baht [in 6 over years], or 500 baht a month. She drives 800 km a month.

If how most Thai people live is "BS", then you'll be smelling a lot of it....