Cost of Living in Thailand: How I Spend ฿74,031.83 Every Month

[thaibeachlovers]

Given that an average Thai makes about 15,000 or less a month, are they all unhappy?

An average Thai, though "poor" by the TV poster standards, is probably many times happier than said TV posters.

To be fair, the Thai doesn't need to pay for school fees or health insurance ...... not to mention the savings he makes when he visits National parks!

No one forced any farang to get her pregnant. Self inflicted injury, and one that I thankfully will never make.

[MaeJoMTB]

Given that an average Thai makes about 15,000 or less a month, are they all unhappy?

An average Thai, though "poor" by the TV poster standards, is probably many times happier than said TV posters.

To be fair, the Thai doesn't need to pay for school fees or health insurance ...... not to mention the savings he makes when he visits National parks!

No one forced any farang to get her pregnant. Self inflicted injury, and one that I thankfully will never make.

Why bring race into the discussion?

I thought we were talking foreigners in Thailand.

[55Jay]

you need air con and farang food because you are all babies... without your 75k you will moan and cry all day long for your mamaaaaaa !

kids, it s time to grow up and become a real man.

A real man has created options, accrued resources, makes decisions, and chooses his lifestyle.

A lesser man is dictated to by his failures, and attempts to conceal it with shallow bravado.

From what I've seen it's mostly luck.

Although the boasters always want to portray themselves as better than everyone else.

All the big money I earned, luck not judgement.

All the money I lost, luck not judgement.

Lucky I came through it all at age 45, with enough to last the rest of my life.

I'd rather consider myself a lucky man, than boast to all that I was a 'real man'!

It was more about the guy who's a minimalist by necessity, then boasts like some blue collar hero about it.

[Cypress Hill]

We paid 5000 for the rent of a small nice house, 2000 in utilities, 9000 for a car payment including the insurance, 3000 for AIA health insurance. We live real well spending no more than 30.000/month, cooking at home, few exceptions every month, and no alcohol. Because we travel around a lot, gasoline is a big expense. No kids, just a spoiled dog.

The same life in California will cost at least 4 times more.

No you are not living real well, you are surviving.

19,000 gone (5,000, 2,000, 9,000, and 3000) leaves you 11,000 baht (30,000 - 19,000 =11,000) for food and gas. (You mentioned utilities, how about mobile phones, internet, cable tv or are all of those not considered living well?)

Divide 11,000 by 4 weeks = 2,750 per week for food, dog food and gas.

You travel around a lot so spend on gas?

2,750 a week for food, dog food, gas, travelling and lodging does not equate to me to living real well.

One tank of gas should be at least 1,500 baht, that does not leave much for food or travel

Surviving yes. Living well No!

It's good to see someone that doesn't need a lot of things to validate their existence.

Mobile phones, internet, cable tv don't make anyone happy and are not necessary for a good life- tv is 99% garbage.

Don't think anyone uses those things to validate their existence; they're just a convenience.

How are you on this forum if not for the internet?

Oh don't tell me, you're piggy-backing on someone else's connection because you don't want anyone to think you're trying to validate your existence by having your own

.

[JAFO]

We paid 5000 for the rent of a small nice house, 2000 in utilities, 9000 for a car payment including the insurance, 3000 for AIA health insurance. We live real well spending no more than 30.000/month, cooking at home, few exceptions every month, and no alcohol. Because we travel around a lot, gasoline is a big expense. No kids, just a spoiled dog.

The same life in California will cost at least 4 times more.

No you are not living real well, you are surviving.

19,000 gone (5,000, 2,000, 9,000, and 3000) leaves you 11,000 baht (30,000 - 19,000 =11,000) for food and gas. (You mentioned utilities, how about mobile phones, internet, cable tv or are all of those not considered living well?)

Divide 11,000 by 4 weeks = 2,750 per week for food, dog food and gas.

You travel around a lot so spend on gas?

2,750 a week for food, dog food, gas, travelling and lodging does not equate to me to living real well.

One tank of gas should be at least 1,500 baht, that does not leave much for food or travel

Surviving yes. Living well No!

@ bwpage3. As an honest question, who/what determines surviving versus living well? What is that line or marker? Isn't that all up to the individual? I comment to this because I know many that are financially secure and have disposable income for many toys, trips and activities. On the surface they are 'Living Well" but when you talk to them they do not seem very happy. I guess my point in this is that having a lot of money or living frugal might be living well to an individual. Its our own personal threshold and expectation that makes us say someone is surviving or living well. No?

@ BKresort. I am from California as well. Initially my GF and I lived in BKK. She had her condo, I had mine. For family sake and keeping things in line with her values and family visits we kept both active. Combined both condo's, electric, internet at my place, food, gas for her car, cell phones, travel, movies, bowling some weekend get-aways etc we seldom ever exceeded 45,000 baht and we were quite happy and at no time felt like we were just surviving. So the data isn't tainted she got to eat free at the Hospital and many times she would invite me over for lunch or dinner to eat with her. Sure there were months that we would go over that monthly average based on some special event but as a whole it never went over, in fact most of the time was under that. At no time did I(we) ever feel it was just getting by. Honestly I felt far less stressed not having to worry about the material burdens.

But again this is absolute personal preference. Some can do it for less and feel good and others need 3 x that to even feel like they are not living like a pauper. Personally I think age has a lot to do with it. If I was in my late 20's, early 30's and was hanging in BKK I would likely burn cash big time. I'd likely want a top floor condo, clubs, travel, booze, dating. I have however found going through my 40's and now just turning 50 I grew to want(or shall I say need) less and less as I had most of it all earlier in my life.

[bwpage3]

Truthfully, if you are really making it in Thailand, you have the same standard of living you did in your own country.

Own a real house, a car, eat what you want, money for gadgets, entertainment and holidays.

As we can't own a 'real house' in Thailand, that makes a mockery of your post.

You can own a house with your wife if you can afford one

The mockery is on you for trying to be an English Major when clearly you are not

[flossiebear]

The biggest cost in the UK. Is housing, depending where you live, but rent and property prices are astronomical compared to Thailand. U.K. Food is crap and expensive too. Can't wait to come back to Thailand.

[roamer]

The biggest cost in the UK. Is housing, depending where you live, but rent and property prices are astronomical compared to Thailand. U.K. Food is crap and expensive too. Can't wait to come back to Thailand.

Oddly enough the average monthly rental for a 2 bedoom apartment @65sqm is about £1500 in my area of London. More or less the 74K THB total that is claimed in this topic.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jun/15/london-rents-homelet-survey-housing-crisis

[thaibeachlovers]

We paid 5000 for the rent of a small nice house, 2000 in utilities, 9000 for a car payment including the insurance, 3000 for AIA health insurance. We live real well spending no more than 30.000/month, cooking at home, few exceptions every month, and no alcohol. Because we travel around a lot, gasoline is a big expense. No kids, just a spoiled dog.

The same life in California will cost at least 4 times more.

No you are not living real well, you are surviving.

19,000 gone (5,000, 2,000, 9,000, and 3000) leaves you 11,000 baht (30,000 - 19,000 =11,000) for food and gas. (You mentioned utilities, how about mobile phones, internet, cable tv or are all of those not considered living well?)

Divide 11,000 by 4 weeks = 2,750 per week for food, dog food and gas.

You travel around a lot so spend on gas?

2,750 a week for food, dog food, gas, travelling and lodging does not equate to me to living real well.

One tank of gas should be at least 1,500 baht, that does not leave much for food or travel

Surviving yes. Living well No!

It's good to see someone that doesn't need a lot of things to validate their existence.

Mobile phones, internet, cable tv don't make anyone happy and are not necessary for a good life- tv is 99% garbage.

Don't think anyone uses those things to validate their existence; they're just a convenience.

How are you on this forum if not for the internet?

Oh don't tell me, you're piggy-backing on someone else's connection because you don't want anyone to think you're trying to validate your existence by having your own

.

LOL. Mobile phones are not just a convenience for the sheeple. Without their phones they wouldn't know what to do or how to go anywhere without the machine to tell them what to do . Also, they'd have no friends .

Of course I'm using someone else's internet connection. When I'm in Thailand I use the local IT café at 10 baht an hour. Cheaper than having my own, and no problems with the company.

[fang37]

IF I had millions ($$$) & lived in LOS, I would NOT have a budget. No need.

[Don Mega]

No you are not living real well, you are surviving.

19,000 gone (5,000, 2,000, 9,000, and 3000) leaves you 11,000 baht (30,000 - 19,000 =11,000) for food and gas. (You mentioned utilities, how about mobile phones, internet, cable tv or are all of those not considered living well?)

Divide 11,000 by 4 weeks = 2,750 per week for food, dog food and gas.

You travel around a lot so spend on gas?

2,750 a week for food, dog food, gas, travelling and lodging does not equate to me to living real well.

One tank of gas should be at least 1,500 baht, that does not leave much for food or travel

Surviving yes. Living well No!

It's good to see someone that doesn't need a lot of things to validate their existence.

Mobile phones, internet, cable tv don't make anyone happy and are not necessary for a good life- tv is 99% garbage.

Don't think anyone uses those things to validate their existence; they're just a convenience.

How are you on this forum if not for the internet?

Oh don't tell me, you're piggy-backing on someone else's connection because you don't want anyone to think you're trying to validate your existence by having your own

.

LOL. Mobile phones are not just a convenience for the sheeple. Without their phones they wouldn't know what to do or how to go anywhere without the machine to tell them what to do . Also, they'd have no friends .

Of course I'm using someone else's internet connection. When I'm in Thailand I use the local IT café at 10 baht an hour. Cheaper than having my own, and no problems with the company.

You go to an internet cafe and sit there posting on TV ?....

555. 8800 posts since 2008..... thats pretty sad mate.

[Soutpeel]

IF I had millions ($$$) & lived in LOS, I would NOT have a budget. No need.

If you had millions of USD chances are you wouldnt be living in Thailand either

[Cypress Hill]

LOL. Mobile phones are not just a convenience for the sheeple. Without their phones they wouldn't know what to do or how to go anywhere without the machine to tell them what to do . Also, they'd have no friends .

Of course I'm using someone else's internet connection. When I'm in Thailand I use the local IT café at 10 baht an hour. Cheaper than having my own, and no problems with the company.

The "sheeple" had friends and knew what to do or how to find their way around before mobile phones got those features

I find that, unlike those who live frugally by choice, it's the cheapskates without any options that tend to criticise people who like creature comforts.

[fey]

74k = $2k usd ???

I'd be looking for a job.

[fey]

No one really cares how anyone spends 74K THB/month. No one really cares about how you allocate your funds to live. Choose a life and a lifestyle, and keep it to yourself. I hate to repeat myself, but no one really cares.

The cheap charlies seem to get wound up about this topic every time it comes up, so some obviously do care...

The only thing that gets me wound up is guys that like to boast how much money they can spend in a country where an average Thai earns between 9 and 15 thousand baht a month. Not cool.

People get wound up and confuse boasting with pointing out THEIR actual situation.

This guy spends 74K a month, he showed you exactly where he spends it.

Why do you think this is boasting?

I find this very interesting and informative.

No one should ever worry or get upset about what someone else has or does not have, or how they chose to spend their own money.

It seems those that always get upset are the ones that do not have or are trying to convince themselves living in Thailand with little money is a paradise.

Anyone can live in any country cheap.

The real question is are these people living cheap in Thailand because they chose to live this way or they have no choice?

How many people were living in a 1 room flat in their own country and eating street food everyday before moving to Thailand?

Truthfully, if you are really making it in Thailand, you have the same standard of living you did in your own country.

Own a real house, a car, eat what you want, money for gadgets, entertainment and holidays.

If you are skimping by on 15,000 baht a month, you are just kidding yourself.

People claim they are happy living like this when in fact they probably do not have any other options and have trapped themselves into that lifestyle.

Not true at all. There are those who make much more then their current lifestyle indicates. They just have other goals and living like a pauper does not bother them as common sense would indicate.

I'm a prime example of this. It's been that way for many years and will likely continue in the future. When you have a certain amount you eventually learn that things don't make you happy.

[Cypress Hill]

you need air con and farang food because you are all babies... without your 75k you will moan and cry all day long for your mamaaaaaa !

kids, it s time to grow up and become a real man.

A real man has created options, accrued resources, makes decisions, and chooses his lifestyle.

A lesser man is dictated to by his failures, and attempts to conceal it with shallow bravado.

From what I've seen it's mostly luck.

Although the boasters always want to portray themselves as better than everyone else.

All the big money I earned, luck not judgement.

All the money I lost, luck not judgement.

Lucky I came through it all at age 45, with enough to last the rest of my life.

I'd rather consider myself a lucky man, than boast to all that I was a 'real man'!

You say "enough to last the rest of your life" but it's clear from your positioning on this issue and others that you miscalculated and retired too early.

[sawadee1947]

2x insurance

5600 Baht Donations every month

15780 for rent...what a palace?

There are people who live OK with 12.000 baht per month and they don't live bad.

depends all of what you were used to have in your home country. Myself I wouldn't like to live in a small place. No need for a palace but it should be comfortable with a western fully equipped kitchen at least. Maybe even with a pool. All this you can't get for less than 25 k.

And I don't want to have only a silly scooter but a safe car.

So to spend 75 k is not much. I would have difficulties...

[MaeJoMTB]

You say "enough to last the rest of your life" but it's clear from your positioning on this issue and others that you miscalculated and retired too early.

Sorry CH, I don't spend anywhere near my income.

40k a month is just fine for me (and my family) to live on in rural CM.

And if I wasn't sleeping with a university student, I would probably only spend half of that.

[thaibeachlovers]

IF I had millions ($$$) & lived in LOS, I would NOT have a budget. No need.

I dream about that

[fang37]

THB200k/day would meet my essential needs.

I prefer the simple life.

Similar to you.

[thaibeachlovers]

It's good to see someone that doesn't need a lot of things to validate their existence.

Mobile phones, internet, cable tv don't make anyone happy and are not necessary for a good life- tv is 99% garbage.

Don't think anyone uses those things to validate their existence; they're just a convenience.

How are you on this forum if not for the internet?

Oh don't tell me, you're piggy-backing on someone else's connection because you don't want anyone to think you're trying to validate your existence by having your own

.

LOL. Mobile phones are not just a convenience for the sheeple. Without their phones they wouldn't know what to do or how to go anywhere without the machine to tell them what to do . Also, they'd have no friends .

Of course I'm using someone else's internet connection. When I'm in Thailand I use the local IT café at 10 baht an hour. Cheaper than having my own, and no problems with the company.

You go to an internet cafe and sit there posting on TV ?....

555. 8800 posts since 2008..... thats pretty sad mate.

Yes I do, and that's only 3 a day- not many.

Are you saying that using an internet café is a bad thing, and that only those with a home connection are respectable? I could easily afford a home one, but it's a good excuse to get out of the house and go look at cute Thai girls in a town with sod all to do.

Besides, if I had a home connection I might spend all day on the internet and that really would be sad.

[thaibeachlovers]

IF I had millions ($$$) & lived in LOS, I would NOT have a budget. No need.

If you had millions of USD chances are you wouldnt be living in Thailand either

If I were a $ millionaire I would definitely be living in LOS.

Nice house by the sea and the rest I leave up to your imagination.

[fang37]

I live in LOS - I am an ex-millionaire.

By the sea seems is quite satisfactory + a country chalet.

Imagination - my specialty.

[fang37]

I live in LOS & am an ex-millionaire.

A beach-side residence + a country chalet is suitable.

Imagination - I have excess supply.

[Don Mega]

2x insurance

5600 Baht Donations every month

15780 for rent...what a palace?

There are people who live OK with 12.000 baht per month and they don't live bad.

depends all of what you were used to have in your home country. Myself I wouldn't like to live in a small place. No need for a palace but it should be comfortable with a western fully equipped kitchen at least. Maybe even with a pool. All this you can't get for less than 25 k.

Dunno bout that sawadee.

Iam just about to move into a brand new 3 story shop house that has a footprint of 15m x 4m.

1st floor - Car parking and workshop.

2nd floor - lounge and kitchen (full western kitchen).

3rd floor - bedroom.

2nd and 3rd floor are ac'd. 1st and 2nd floor only has a toilet, 3rd floor (bedroom) has a full bathroom.

2nd and 3rd floor have balconies front and rear, 1st floor has a small garden area at the back (5m x 4m).

rent is 18k per month.

[fey]

The problem with being an expat for many people is that incomes are not increasing, best scenario in most cases is a steady pension.

If you have not knocked the living large bug yet, it only gets bigger over time. We all know the mansion your in now seems small in a couple years. You keep justifying the upgrade and eventually get wiped out as you get closer to the cliff.

I think thats why you get many skint older foreigners here, who never adapted lifestyle from when they were working at home.

[speedtripler]

2x insurance

5600 Baht Donations every month

15780 for rent...what a palace?

There are people who live OK with 12.000 baht per month and they don't live bad.

There's OK and then there's oohhooookkkkkk! Damn.. I like this place

If he's in the heart of bkk and that includes all ultities and even Internet I think it's a pretty good deal but of course we don't know if he's got a sizeable apartment with a penthouse view our he lives down an alley on ground floor etc...

I spend more and don't make any donations to prisons or charities...

[fey]

You can't take them with you.

[VIPinthailand]

real men don't wait money from their nanny state.

real men don't go every month to ATM to see if their money arrived.

real men works and still make money.

real men invest

real men help others and donate.

real men live simply.

real men are happy with what they have

real men don't need to buy the latest electronic gadget

real men don't need to buy ladies.

real men don't have face book account to brag.

real men don't need 3 flat screen TV , air con in each room and house.

real men don't say " I need 70k bahts to live in Thailand"

are you a real man?

[Don Mega]

Hmmm.

I work 50 hours a week, have 3 flat screen tvs, a Facebook account and I dont need 70k baht per month to live in Thailand (I actually need about double that).

Guess Iam not a real man.