Can't afford to live in Thailand anymore

[Berkshire]

Money isn't everything, but not having enough makes life too stressful. Move back to Canada and find yourself a nice Eskimo lass....

I don't know where you have been for the past 50 years, but Eskimo is to Innuit as the N word is to Blacks. I think there is no need to use racial slurs on this forum.

Are you for real? If "Eskimo" is derogatory, what would you call an Eskimo? Genuinely curious.

[mania]

Canadian dollar was never this low a few years ago.

I am not sure what a few years is but here is a 10 year chart of the CAD vs THB

Yes 2nd half of 2014 has been tough but not really earth shattering

at roughly 26.3 baht it is not really different than previous lows like 27.8 in April 2013

or 26.7 in Oct 2008 or 27.8 in March 2007

So these levels have been touched before...

Looking at the spreads of the high & lows of CAD,USD & GPB

They all have their moments but actually the CAD might be considered

the most stable vs Baht of the three.

Edited February 13, 2015 by mania

[Jip99]

Money isn't everything, but not having enough makes life too stressful. Move back to Canada and find yourself a nice Eskimo lass....

I don't know where you have been for the past 50 years, but Eskimo is to Innuit as the N word is to Blacks. I think there is no need to use racial slurs on this forum.

Somewhat over-sensitive, and a little pompous, aren't we ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo

[chiang mai]

Money isn't everything, but not having enough makes life too stressful. Move back to Canada and find yourself a nice Eskimo lass....

I don't know where you have been for the past 50 years, but Eskimo is to Innuit as the N word is to Blacks. I think there is no need to use racial slurs on this forum.

I've never heard that before, it sounds like a load of Pollocks.

[teutonian]

Money isn't everything, but not having enough makes life too stressful. Move back to Canada and find yourself a nice Eskimo lass....

I don't know where you have been for the past 50 years, but Eskimo is to Innuit as the N word is to Blacks. I think there is no need to use racial slurs on this forum.

Somewhat over-sensitive, and a little pompous, aren't we ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo

I realize is Krauts, Frogs, and non rehabilitated Penal Colonists are not able to read more than a headline. However for those with a beyond 9th grade reading comprehension, if you continue in the Article you quoted you will find the answers.

"In Canada and Greenland, the term "Eskimo" has fallen out of favor as pejorative and has been widely replaced by the term "Inuit", "

PS:

My apologies for insulting all ninth graders.

[chiang mai]

Jeeze, read your own link!

"While the term "Eskimo" is sometimes considered offensive,^[4][5] it may not be, in its linguistic origins, a fundamentally offensive word". Sometimes possibly offensive only in Greenland and Canada, don't the people of those countries have better things to do with their time!

BTW none of this has anything to do with the topic so perhaps best to move on.

Edited February 13, 2015 by chiang mai

[Ricardo]

have you considered getting a career and moving into better positions over time rather then sitting around drinking beer and whoring?

But where would be the fun in that ?

They might even have to pay income-tax once more !

And is there much demand these days, in Farangland, for overweight out-of-date computer-semi-literate bar-flies ?

[theguyfromanotherforum]

I changed my mind. After 2 weeks in Canada is seems I can't tolerate winter at all. The dry air from the heater is killing my asthmatics lungs. I feel like choking every single day. I will accept 10 baht a dollar just not to have to live in Canada.

[phrodan]

I changed my mind. After 2 weeks in Canada is seems I can't tolerate winter at all. The dry air from the heater is killing my asthmatics lungs. I feel like choking every single day. I will accept 10 baht a dollar just not to have to live in Canada.

For forrks sake

[mogandave]

I changed my mind. After 2 weeks in Canada is seems I can't tolerate winter at all. The dry air from the heater is killing my asthmatics lungs. I feel like choking every single day. I will accept 10 baht a dollar just not to have to live in Canada.

Put a pan of water on top of the heater.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Doesn't work. I even bought a humidifier.

[Thai at Heart]

20k baht 30 k baht budgets

lol

Imagine you have 2 kids, and a wife.

You need at least 300-400k

If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient.

A decent international school will cost at least a million baht for 2 kids, every year.

By decent I mean a school which employs teachers, not pikers who come to Bangkok for sex.

Buy a car and it will set you back another 1-2 million baht, 3-4-5 if you want a luxury car.

Decent condo that can accommodate 4 people, 60k and up.

Pocket money for the kids who hang out with the international crowd, 10k for each kid, a month.

Thailand is not a cheap country to raise a family, but its definitely cheap if you're single and have no dependents, even if you're single you need at least 150-200k to lead a good lifestyle and invest for your future at the same time.

Deluded and seriously misguided, have you ever been to the real Thailand, the one outside of BKK CBD, a rhetorical question of course.

If you had kids would you seriously want them to attend the local up country EP programming of rote learning. What he writes is true. If you want to set your life up as a young single bloke in Bangkok or outside you can't do it on 25k.

You can exist.

[Thai at Heart]

Too funny, essential utilities now include not only electricity and water but also phone, internet and satellite TV!

Well this is about living in Thailand not surviving like a hermit.

Phone, and internet are pretty normal. Buy a car? Health insurance? And the list goes on.

I wouldn't want to have ever lived in Thailand on 40k per month.

[LetsTryThis]

Canada winter is harsh for older people. I'm only 40, but I have back problem, when it's cold it starts acting up, when it's really cold I have to put heating patch on my back when I sleep, or it would stiffen up when I wake up

[fey]

Canada winter is harsh for older people. I'm only 40, but I have back problem, when it's cold it starts acting up, when it's really cold I have to put heating patch on my back when I sleep, or it would stiffen up when I wake up

is it from the cold? on occasion i get seized muscles in my side so painful i yelp verbally. i thought i pulled a muscle after gymnastics though, never thought it had to do with the weather.

[Jip99]

Too funny, essential utilities now include not only electricity and water but also phone, internet and satellite TV!

Well this is about living in Thailand not surviving like a hermit.

Phone, and internet are pretty normal. Buy a car? Health insurance? And the list goes on.

I wouldn't want to have ever lived in Thailand on 40k per month.

I know several people enjoying a very pleasant retirement on circa 40,000 Baht - a far better lifestyle than they could expect in their home country.

I can manage on 70,000 Baht and could exist pleasantly on 50,000 Baht. Beyond that it is squeezing my leisure time.

The main issue for most on those 'limited incomes' is that most are fixed and exchange rates then become a major factor. Quite a difference in 9 years between GBP/THB 71 and GBP/THB 49.

[LetsTryThis]

Canada winter is harsh for older people. I'm only 40, but I have back problem, when it's cold it starts acting up, when it's really cold I have to put heating patch on my back when I sleep, or it would stiffen up when I wake up

is it from the cold? on occasion i get seized muscles in my side so painful i yelp verbally. i thought i pulled a muscle after gymnastics though, never thought it had to do with the weather.

yes I'm sure. I don't feel anything in the summer or when I travel to tropical country. but when winter comes in Canada i have my heating patch or balm ready

[Berkshire]

I changed my mind. After 2 weeks in Canada is seems I can't tolerate winter at all. The dry air from the heater is killing my asthmatics lungs. I feel like choking every single day. I will accept 10 baht a dollar just not to have to live in Canada.

I feel your pain. I would hate to live in cold weather, even if it's only half the year. Thailand is here waiting for you. Just don't come back and whine/whinge about every little thing.

[chiang mai]

20k baht 30 k baht budgets

lol

Imagine you have 2 kids, and a wife.

You need at least 300-400k

If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient.

A decent international school will cost at least a million baht for 2 kids, every year.

By decent I mean a school which employs teachers, not pikers who come to Bangkok for sex.

Buy a car and it will set you back another 1-2 million baht, 3-4-5 if you want a luxury car.

Decent condo that can accommodate 4 people, 60k and up.

Pocket money for the kids who hang out with the international crowd, 10k for each kid, a month.

Thailand is not a cheap country to raise a family, but its definitely cheap if you're single and have no dependents, even if you're single you need at least 150-200k to lead a good lifestyle and invest for your future at the same time.

Deluded and seriously misguided, have you ever been to the real Thailand, the one outside of BKK CBD, a rhetorical question of course.

If you had kids would you seriously want them to attend the local up country EP programming of rote learning. What he writes is true. If you want to set your life up as a young single bloke in Bangkok or outside you can't do it on 25k.

You can exist.

"If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient".

THB 200k is THB 2.4 mill a year, that's £48k a year! Is this the new norm for average citizens!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

The main issue for most on those 'limited incomes' is that most are fixed and exchange rates then become a major factor. Quite a difference in 9 years between GBP/THB 71 and GBP/THB 49.

$ (30) and GBP (50) exchange rates have been nearly the same for the past 6 years.

Only between 1998 and 2009 were they higher.

[kekalot]

I changed my mind. After 2 weeks in Canada is seems I can't tolerate winter at all. The dry air from the heater is killing my asthmatics lungs. I feel like choking every single day. I will accept 10 baht a dollar just not to have to live in Canada.

out of curiosity, which part of Canada are you living in?

I live in North-Eastern New-Brunswick and I reckon we must have had 7 storms in about 15 days, lately it's been -33 celcius every morning that I have checked.. right now "only" -22 C

as a side note, I have lived 12 months out of the past 15 or so in Thailand and NEVER spent over 15,000 baht a month..

in fact here's MY lowdown and Canadian comparison

2000 baht per month rent for a bigger apartment than I have in Canada (25,000 baht just for rent here)

600 baht for electricity (average 6000 and all the way up to 9000 baht with superb winters here)

180 baht water seriously so low I can't even remember how much (water included in rent afaik, water heater in electric)

4000 baht per month for market/street food at most (same price in Canada, for very boring food and canned food)

750 baht I believe for unlimited 3G (6 GB at 4G but then 50 KB/s after) on my mobile, tethering on my PC in Thailand (about 1500/1500 on phone/broadband and absolutely not unlimited on phone)

250 baht for 500km worth of gas on my Honda Wave (never drive that much) vs 0 in Canada (I don't drive)

1500 baht for premium food for my Bull Terrier - 13kg bags of Taste of the Wild (same price both places.)

1033 baht average for stamps and stuff on tourist visa/extensions (1900 for extensions every 2m and 500km (250 baht) honda wave trip to Kanchanaburi/Myanmar border and their 900 baht fees

10313 baht total on average in Thailand (yes, seriously) vs 41000 baht here in Canada freezing my ass off

honestly I can't think of anything else I am spending apart from the occasional 100 baht Honda checkups and oil changes once every 3 months.

I can eat great Thai food, run at any time of the year with or without my dog (yes, soi dogs are annoying sometimes.) there's a free fitness gym in Mueang Phetchaburi, weather is great all year round and the women are beautiful. AND I live close to the beach!

or

I can eat canned food, potatoes and chicken/pork chops most of the winter, be house bound about 8 months of the year, enjoy the "so called" 3 months of summer and the 15 or so days that we "might" get 30+ Celcius. deal with mostly fat women living here for four times the price.

I am young, athletic and not bald and proud to say that I never paid more than 160 baht to spend quality time with a woman (and that was for a minivan trip from Bangkok to Cha-am)

now feel free to give me crap about not drinking, frequenting bars, bar girls, going to restaurants or not driving an expensive car, I don't care about none of those, I'll take the flak.

Edited February 14, 2015 by kekalot

[Thai at Heart]

20k baht 30 k baht budgets

lol

Imagine you have 2 kids, and a wife.

You need at least 300-400k

If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient.

A decent international school will cost at least a million baht for 2 kids, every year.

By decent I mean a school which employs teachers, not pikers who come to Bangkok for sex.

Buy a car and it will set you back another 1-2 million baht, 3-4-5 if you want a luxury car.

Decent condo that can accommodate 4 people, 60k and up.

Pocket money for the kids who hang out with the international crowd, 10k for each kid, a month.

Thailand is not a cheap country to raise a family, but its definitely cheap if you're single and have no dependents, even if you're single you need at least 150-200k to lead a good lifestyle and invest for your future at the same time.

Deluded and seriously misguided, have you ever been to the real Thailand, the one outside of BKK CBD, a rhetorical question of course.

If you had kids would you seriously want them to attend the local up country EP programming of rote learning. What he writes is true. If you want to set your life up as a young single bloke in Bangkok or outside you can't do it on 25k.

You can exist.

"If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient".

THB 200k is THB 2.4 mill a year, that's £48k a year! Is this the new norm for average citizens!

Do you know how much tax u pay on 200k baht a month. Then pay rent, then pay utilities, then pay for your car, then health insurance, then school fees and tell me if someone on 48k in is that much better of than someone on 48k in uk, particularly if you throw in schooling.

I reckon my cost of living is less now I am back. My rent went up, my tax bill went down, my education cost went way down and no more health insurance.

Schooling alone was costing me 600k in Thailand for very ropey quality.

[chiang mai]

Kekalot: Agreed, the cost of living issue is not so much about location/country as it is about personal life style and consumption.

EDIT for direction and context

Edited February 14, 2015 by chiang mai

[Oceanbat]

20k baht 30 k baht budgets

lol

Imagine you have 2 kids, and a wife.

You need at least 300-400k

If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient.

A decent international school will cost at least a million baht for 2 kids, every year.

By decent I mean a school which employs teachers, not pikers who come to Bangkok for sex.

Buy a car and it will set you back another 1-2 million baht, 3-4-5 if you want a luxury car.

Decent condo that can accommodate 4 people, 60k and up.

Pocket money for the kids who hang out with the international crowd, 10k for each kid, a month.

Thailand is not a cheap country to raise a family, but its definitely cheap if you're single and have no dependents, even if you're single you need at least 150-200k to lead a good lifestyle and invest for your future at the same time.

Deluded and seriously misguided, have you ever been to the real Thailand, the one outside of BKK CBD, a rhetorical question of course.

I was saving more money in Singapore. The tax here crushes me and it's annoying because it's not like I get anything for it. Schools here are just as expensive as HK and singapore. I do get more bang for my buck with rents however.

OB

[chiang mai]

The subject is about living costs in Thailand, not about how much expats can save but what does it cost the average person to live in Thailand.

[Oceanbat]

Usually my savings are my income net of taxes less "living costs"

OB

[kekalot]

You can always try out Canada and if she can't stand it come back.

Yeah...just make sure it's in the middle of winter

I agree, and make sure to make up all kinds of excuses to spend a lot of time outside faffing around when its -40 outside, shovelling wet heavy snow, walking to the stores, make them sit in the car while its heating up or waiting at bus stops or something.

I know I will absolutely do that, given the chance, it certainly drives the point home.

[fey]

The subject is about living costs in Thailand, not about how much expats can save but what does it cost the average person to live in Thailand.

whats average?

[chiang mai]

The subject is about living costs in Thailand, not about how much expats can save but what does it cost the average person to live in Thailand.

whats average?

Not an extreme at either end of the scale, which is what poster Lukescan refers to at THB 400k a month!

[chiang mai]

Deluded and seriously misguided, have you ever been to the real Thailand, the one outside of BKK CBD, a rhetorical question of course.

If you had kids would you seriously want them to attend the local up country EP programming of rote learning. What he writes is true. If you want to set your life up as a young single bloke in Bangkok or outside you can't do it on 25k.

You can exist.

"If your company takes care of the school and housing, 200k is sufficient".

THB 200k is THB 2.4 mill a year, that's £48k a year! Is this the new norm for average citizens!

Do you know how much tax u pay on 200k baht a month. Then pay rent, then pay utilities, then pay for your car, then health insurance, then school fees and tell me if someone on 48k in is that much better of than someone on 48k in uk, particularly if you throw in schooling.

I reckon my cost of living is less now I am back. My rent went up, my tax bill went down, my education cost went way down and no more health insurance.

Schooling alone was costing me 600k in Thailand for very ropey quality.

Yes, you would pay about 22% in total which is significantly less than what you would pay in the UK:

http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html

Utilities and transportation costs are also much cheaper than the UK although I agree that schooling costs can be much more expensive but I don't know sufficient about the latter to comment constructively. Rents in Bangkok are cheaper or on par at least with UK costs, £750/THB 40k month.

Finally, health insurance (for use in Thailand only), purchased in Thailand for people under age 45 years is very good value, certainly nowhere near UK costs.