Average cost of living comfortably?

[Ayutthaya11]

Have been holidaying in Thailand for the past several years now at one month at a time and spending extortionate amounts of money per day on the general holiday living it up stuff. Girls, beer, good foods, taxis, flights here and there.

At the end of this year I will be living out there for 3 months, that is unless I can manage to find work and I'll prolong my stay.

I don't plan to spend like I would if I was going on another one month holiday, in fact this time my purpose is to familiarise myself more with the culture and language and look into work (teaching English) opportunities.

So I was wondering to any expats reading this that either per day, week or month what would be a sensible average Baht budget to live comfortable please? I know all people have different expenditures and budgets but I just wanted to get an idea or an average on how to more or less live just slightly more comfortable than the average Thai per day and enjoy the weekends,

Many thanks.

[Ayutthaya11]

Oh I forgot to add, I will be living in either Ayutthaya, outskirts of Bangkok or Pattaya. Still haven't made my mind up yet.

[wow64]

How long is a piece of string?

You can spend money fast here or slow.. its up to you.

Easier for you to figure out your budget .. then find place etc.

Try and line up a job before coming.. as if you are here for 3 months jobless you will burn through your money fast.

What do you do for work? are you a teacher back home?

Edited March 24, 2015 by wow64

[Ayutthaya11]

How long is a piece of string?

You can spend money fast here or slow.. its up to you.

Easier for you to figure out your budget .. then find place etc.

Try and line up a job before coming.. as if you are here for 3 months jobless you will burn through your money fast.

What do you do for work? are you a teacher back home?

Well I was just looking for an average. Back home I do private tuition part time.

[Jdietz]

Especially at first your costs will be much higher than when you've settled down.

For the first half year or so I'd budget at least 100.000 THB a month. Depending on your life style you may settle for a bit less after that.

[Ayutthaya11]

Especially at first your costs will be much higher than when you've settled down.

For the first half year or so I'd budget at least 100.000 THB a month. Depending on your life style you may settle for a bit less after that.

Thanks, I have a budget of 250,000 for the 3 months averaging at just over 2000 baht per day after bills etc after looking into cheap condos. I know I won't be able to live it up or anything major but looking for work will be one of my priorities so that will fill my days.

[Ayutthaya11]

2000 baht is not a lot of beer money

[kurtramsbottom]

2000 baht is not a lot of beer money

That's what I used to spend before lunch in Pattaya beer bars before my accident,now it cost's me twice as much cos my carer keeps going off for an hour with my allowance ,he does leave a couple of 100 baht for the ladies to look after me though ,I hate the way he calls me Peter

[Ayutthaya11]

2000 baht is not a lot of beer money

That's what I used to spend before lunch in Pattaya beer bars before my accident,now it cost's me twice as much cos my carer keeps going off for an hour with my allowance ,he does leave a couple of 100 baht for the ladies to look after me though ,I hate the way he calls me Peter

2000 baht standard beer money pre breakfast

[Soutpeel]

Average cost of living comfortably ?

Its all relative to what you consider living comfortably I guess.

[cooked]

I reckon for a modest man living alone, ฿60 000.- is adequate. More would be better. i can only dream of having 60 000 a month but I do OK.

[Rooo]

Off topic post & reply quoting it deleted.

[JB300]

2,000 THB should be enough for 5 days a week living on less than 500 THB & a couple of "Blow Out" days on approx 6,000 (which I know isn't a lot when you're on holiday but should be a good night out once the novelty has worn off).

Assuming you'll get a Tourist Visa before entering or you'll need to factor visa runs into the equation.

[MrWorldwide]

I reckon for a modest man living alone, ฿60 000.- is adequate. More would be better. i can only dream of having 60 000 a month but I do OK.

I'm going to go with the 100K figure but it all comes down to the OP - at least we wont have a brawl over whether or not the OP is a lawyer this time ....

OP, this question has been answered many times here, but it really is 'how long is a piece of string ?'. Some claim to live here on as little as a thousand baht a week (BS IMO, but they're out there) while others say they need something in the order of 200K a month to give their families the life they want them to have in BKK. I'm just going to list the usual points raised in these threads - you seem bright enough to work it our for yourself. Apologies if any of this is blatantly obvious - just trying to get it all down.

- health insurance is mandatory, regardless of how fit and healthy you are

- visa runs are mandatory if you are still under 50, and it seems you are

- a teetotaller can live here on a shoestring - much tougher for those of us who enjoy a drink in the company of others

- unless you're a serious chain smoker, I cant see the miniscule cost of cigarettes in this country putting much of a dent in a 2K a day budget

- learning the language will save you money - it wont buy you acceptance, but that's a whole other thread

- unless you're a longtime devotee of street food, chances are you will want Farang food at some stage : that will usually cost Farang prices (++)

- you'll get a lot of advice here re Thai women - my experience is that you need to make those mistakes for yourself : good luck

- however frugal you consider yourself, there will always be someone here who is prepared to tell you how to do it cheaper : ignore them. Its your life

- many will tell you that you need hobbies and that's 100% true, but they should include active hobbies that get you out of your digs and out of the confines of your own headspace

- apropos to my point above, never underestimate the ability of Thai television to drive you straight to the nearest bar.

- ignore any advice that reeks of moralistic indignation - beyond the usual 'sexpat/sex tourist' rhetoric, there is a brigade here who see anyone who spends money beyond absolute necessities as some kind of demonic wastrel. Leave them to their own devices - responding only encourages them.

- its a persistent assumption that anyone asking what it costs to live in Thailand knows how to live on 'x' baht per day, regardless of how long the person giving advice has lived in Thailand or what their own experience was when they first got here. It's easy to say you dont plan to spend like a tourist - hot nights and Thai TV will soon put that theory to the test.

Hope this helps - all the best.

Edit: almost forgot an old standby - aircon vs fan. Personally, I think its overstated unless you're running aircon all day long, but it will undoubtedly get a mention here. I pay roughly 1000 baht a month - often less - for electricity and water here in Pattaya but some here seem convinced that electricity costs will leave them begging on the streets.

Edited March 25, 2015 by MrWorldwide

[MrWorldwide]

2,000 THB should be enough for 5 days a week living on less than 500 THB & a couple of "Blow Out" days on approx 6,000 (which I know isn't a lot when you're on holiday but should be a good night out once the novelty has worn off).

Assuming you'll get a Tourist Visa before entering or you'll need to factor visa runs into the equation.

That seems like a rational budget - no allowance for health insurance (OP might be better getting travel insurance if he's only staying for 3 months) but I think 500 baht for a 'quiet' day is a much better estimate than some of the blue-sky numbers thrown around in these threads. Most TEFLers obviously have to do it on less, but the OP isnt in that boat yet. 6K baht on a night out in BKK (never been to Ayutthaya but I assume they sell alcohol there) isnt hard for anyone who isnt content to sit on a solitary Chang for an hour at a time. My first 3 month stint in 2008 cost me considerably more than 250K, but I didnt have the accumulated wisdom of TV to call on in my hour(s) of need

[StefanBBK]

100k per month should do.

[DGS1244]

"- health insurance is mandatory, regardless of how fit and healthy you are"

Health insurance is not mandatory, left up to you but most likely you will have 'Travel Insurance' cover for the first three months. If you buy locally then it depends upon age etc. Always get cheap local accident cover in case you are involved in an accident etc.

Remember Bangkok is considerably more expensive than Ayutthaya or Pattaya, some places like Chiang Mai are a lot more reasonable but you must sort a job out before you come.

[NeverSure]

OP, I don't know if I've ever specifically answered one of these questions before but you say you're going to live like a "temp" for a while and that's expensive. I want to be careful not to make the post about me, but just say as others did that your initial setup costs, hotel and meal expenses and then a deposit, rents, and some small appliances you many need are going to eat that money you have in 90 days and probably leave you short. I will tell you that I spend a lot more - rental car, hotels...

I don't care for bars or bar girls at all, and have only the occasional beer or glass of wine, so you'd think I'd live cheaply but it's expensive to be temporary. If I meet a nice gal for a friend she'll cost too just as in the home country only I tend to spoil them a bit more.

I guess there are those who manage on 30k somehow (so they say) but I really can't see how they are hanging in bars with bar girls much if at all. Nice girlfriends aren't cheap either.

Just keep tight track of your money on a weekly basis and don't run short or you'll go home early. (make sure your return ticket can be changed for a reasonable fee.)

PS I live in the US and just visit.

Cheers

[MrWorldwide]

"- health insurance is mandatory, regardless of how fit and healthy you are"

Health insurance is not mandatory, left up to you but most likely you will have 'Travel Insurance' cover for the first three months. If you buy locally then it depends upon age etc. Always get cheap local accident cover in case you are involved in an accident etc.

Remember Bangkok is considerably more expensive than Ayutthaya or Pattaya, some places like Chiang Mai are a lot more reasonable but you must sort a job out before you come.

Whatever he gets, he needs to ensure that he's covered for any activities he's considering while he's in Thailand - I initially specified health insurance as I believe the list of exclusions on a decent policy with a local insurer wont be as restrictive as many travel insurance policies issued outside of Thailand : as always, caveat emptor.

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-insurance/water-sports/

Whatever policy he chooses. the term 'mandatory' still applies if he doesnt want to spend 3 months wondering if a single accident will flush his entire budget straight down the toilet. Granted, the Thais dont insist on it, but there is a push from countries like Australia for all travellers to have travel insurance before they get on a plane.

[ronthai]

It all is up to all the EXTRA (=Expensive) stuff (read partying + stupidities) you will be doing.

I live comfortable in Pattaya for between 25000-30000 baht per month, all included (rent and such), including 5-6-7 drinking drunk days.

But I understand most farangs could not handle that and would spend these amounts per week, and still say they are not living comfortable.

Edited March 25, 2015 by ronthai

[berybert]

I think you need to work it out based on what you do during a working day in your home country.

Do you go down the pub or to resturants and spent 100 quid 150 dollars every day ?

If the answer is no, then why would you do so just because you have moved countries.

How do you get to spending 20 quid a night on booze, most of the expat pubs you can get a beer for around 100 to 120 baht.

Yes thats lager, and lots will tell you the lager here is poo. Well the lager is the easy stuff to make so don't believe just because you are paying 300 to 400 for a pint of Guinness that isn't also going to be poo.

100,000 is plenty. Do you spend that much where you are now ? I would say half is comfortable.

Edit....My pub budget would be for a normal expat pub. If you want to be looking after ladies of the night then bring as much as you can, then some more.

Edited March 25, 2015 by berybert

[recom273]

Once you have a good place to live, some transport, Internet connection, TV and some cooking equipment then you are pretty much set up.

If you figure your going to easily get a teaching position for 30k in May, then if you were to add 15k-25k from your savings - I think you could live pretty comfortably.

[chicowoodduck]

Living in BKK can be twice as expensive as living in Pattaya....I've been there and done that.....100,000 per month and I'd live like a King.....IMHO....I survive on 60,000 in Pattaya which includes my health insurance and nightly trips to see my coin operated girlfriends on Soi LK Metro....lol..?

Edited March 25, 2015 by chicowoodduck

[gamini]

Especially at first your costs will be much higher than when you've settled down.

For the first half year or so I'd budget at least 100.000 THB a month. Depending on your life style you may settle for a bit less after that.

Thanks, I have a budget of 250,000 for the 3 months averaging at just over 2000 baht per day after bills etc after looking into cheap condos. I know I won't be able to live it up or anything major but looking for work will be one of my priorities so that will fill my days.

I think about Bt100,000 a month is about right unless you want to live like a Thai or poor farang.

[attrayant]

100K a month? Do you have a live-in housekeeper & private chauffeur?

Most foreign teachers here do well enough on their 30-40K monthly salary. But as others have said, it depends. Your behavior will be the principle driving factor, and that's something that none of us can comment on.

There are plenty of apartments in my area (near DMK) for just 2-3K rent. Granted they're not much more than four grubby walls, a ceiling and a floor with a few sticks of furniture and a squat toilet, but if that's good enough for you then you're already ahead of the game. For 5-8K you can get something more livable. That leaves 22K of your salary for transportation, utilities & discretionary spending.

[Luxfare]

IMO if you spend 2000thb per day on alcohol then you won't last long as a teacher. I live on 115,000 (not Inc the wife's salary) which includes 40,000 mortgage payment, after eating out 6-7 times a month at decent restaurants, maybe 5 big nights out with the lads I can still save 20,000 a month....and I live and socialize around Thong Lo to Asoke which isn't cheap.

[AJBangkok]

The OP says he wants to find work as a teacher so I'd suggest he find out what a teacher earns and then make that his monthly budget. I'm not sure what they pay teachers but I doubt many teachers earn 100k per month in Bangkok.

[tonray]

OP, I don't know if I've ever specifically answered one of these questions before but you say you're going to live like a "temp" for a while and that's expensive. I want to be careful not to make the post about me, but just say as others did that your initial setup costs, hotel and meal expenses and then a deposit, rents, and some small appliances you many need are going to eat that money you have in 90 days and probably leave you short. I will tell you that I spend a lot more - rental car, hotels...

I don't care for bars or bar girls at all, and have only the occasional beer or glass of wine, so you'd think I'd live cheaply but it's expensive to be temporary. If I meet a nice gal for a friend she'll cost too just as in the home country only I tend to spoil them a bit more.

I guess there are those who manage on 30k somehow (so they say) but I really can't see how they are hanging in bars with bar girls much if at all. Nice girlfriends aren't cheap either.

Just keep tight track of your money on a weekly basis and don't run short or you'll go home early. (make sure your return ticket can be changed for a reasonable fee.)

PS I live in the US and just visit.

You can indeed live on 30k/month. I do it now (trying to bide time until pension annuities are available in a few years). Apartment/Condo in Lat Phrao: $7500 / Food $6500 (local vendors some Tesco/Big C) / Health Insurance : $ 4500 / Commuting: $2700: Total for basics: $21,200. Some for emergencies left over. And Yes I do have a Thai GF who tells me I spend way too much every month....(she is a keeper) and we go out a couple of times a week: maybe $5000/month. So it is doable but you have to stop thinking like a westerner....no soapy massages, no booze, etc etc. I am enjoying life and it will be that much better when my pension comes due since I know how to live here.

[mikosan]

I reckon for a modest man living alone, ฿60 000.- is adequate. More would be better. i can only dream of having 60 000 a month but I do OK.

I'm going to go with the 100K figure but it all comes down to the OP - at least we wont have a brawl over whether or not the OP is a lawyer this time ....

OP, this question has been answered many times here, but it really is 'how long is a piece of string ?'. Some claim to live here on as little as a thousand baht a week (BS IMO, but they're out there) while others say they need something in the order of 200K a month to give their families the life they want them to have in BKK. I'm just going to list the usual points raised in these threads - you seem bright enough to work it our for yourself. Apologies if any of this is blatantly obvious - just trying to get it all down.

- health insurance is mandatory, regardless of how fit and healthy you are

- visa runs are mandatory if you are still under 50, and it seems you are

- a teetotaller can live here on a shoestring - much tougher for those of us who enjoy a drink in the company of others

- unless you're a serious chain smoker, I cant see the miniscule cost of cigarettes in this country putting much of a dent in a 2K a day budget

- learning the language will save you money - it wont buy you acceptance, but that's a whole other thread

- unless you're a longtime devotee of street food, chances are you will want Farang food at some stage : that will usually cost Farang prices (++)

- you'll get a lot of advice here re Thai women - my experience is that you need to make those mistakes for yourself : good luck

- however frugal you consider yourself, there will always be someone here who is prepared to tell you how to do it cheaper : ignore them. Its your life

- many will tell you that you need hobbies and that's 100% true, but they should include active hobbies that get you out of your digs and out of the confines of your own headspace

- apropos to my point above, never underestimate the ability of Thai television to drive you straight to the nearest bar.

- ignore any advice that reeks of moralistic indignation - beyond the usual 'sexpat/sex tourist' rhetoric, there is a brigade here who see anyone who spends money beyond absolute necessities as some kind of demonic wastrel. Leave them to their own devices - responding only encourages them.

- its a persistent assumption that anyone asking what it costs to live in Thailand knows how to live on 'x' baht per day, regardless of how long the person giving advice has lived in Thailand or what their own experience was when they first got here. It's easy to say you dont plan to spend like a tourist - hot nights and Thai TV will soon put that theory to the test.

Hope this helps - all the best.

Edit: almost forgot an old standby - aircon vs fan. Personally, I think its overstated unless you're running aircon all day long, but it will undoubtedly get a mention here. I pay roughly 1000 baht a month - often less - for electricity and water here in Pattaya but some here seem convinced that electricity costs will leave them begging on the streets.

Wow. That is probably one of the most helpful and on topic posts I have read on Thai Visa. It's good to know there are some sensible people out there. Congratulations MrWorldwide.

[MrWorldwide]

100K a month? Do you have a live-in housekeeper & private chauffeur?

Most foreign teachers here do well enough on their 30-40K monthly salary. But as others have said, it depends. Your behavior will be the principle driving factor, and that's something that none of us can comment on.

There are plenty of apartments in my area (near DMK) for just 2-3K rent. Granted they're not much more than four grubby walls, a ceiling and a floor with a few sticks of furniture and a squat toilet, but if that's good enough for you then you're already ahead of the game. For 5-8K you can get something more livable. That leaves 22K of your salary for transportation, utilities & discretionary spending.

Did you happen to notice the word 'comfortably' in the title, chief ? What part of 'comfortable' do you equate with the conditions you've just described ?