Making The Big Move With Family From Canada For 1 Year If Not Longer!

[Stew41]

even adding rent to the 50 wont cut it, ur school fees for two will be over that

it's gonna be 30k/pm + 4-8k for gas in traffic.

+ Kids used to CAnadian food will not eat cheaply in Thailand.

OK - appreciate that wasn't terribly clear..................budget for rent is 50k pm baht

[RealDeal]

Like I said finances are not a problem. We have budgeted about $6000 Canadian year per kid school enrolment. Will also be coming with money and making $150-200 usd a day with having compititons bringing in another 2-6k usd every 2-3 months. Right now our bills are around 3-3500 Canadian month. Heat bill alone for 5 months is 4-500$ month. I'm thinking we will be fine. This whole move is to change up our lifestyle and enjoy the experience. We are not bar hoppers/drinkers.

[steelepulse]

Like I said finances are not a problem. We have budgeted about $6000 Canadian year per kid school enrolment. Will also be coming with money and making $150-200 usd a day with having compititons bringing in another 2-6k usd every 2-3 months. Right now our bills are around 3-3500 Canadian month. Heat bill alone for 5 months is 4-500$ month. I'm thinking we will be fine. This whole move is to change up our lifestyle and enjoy the experience. We are not bar hoppers/drinkers.

Hate to say it but your budget for a good school won't cut it. Double your budget, check the prices mentioned for international schools previously in this thread, and go from there. To live a normal decent life with two kids, a reasonable house etc, you're looking at a minimum of 150K baht, 6K Canadian. Not a lot, but not cheap either,

[stevenl]

Like I said finances are not a problem. We have budgeted about $6000 Canadian year per kid school enrolment. Will also be coming with money and making $150-200 usd a day with having compititons bringing in another 2-6k usd every 2-3 months. Right now our bills are around 3-3500 Canadian month. Heat bill alone for 5 months is 4-500$ month. I'm thinking we will be fine. This whole move is to change up our lifestyle and enjoy the experience. We are not bar hoppers/drinkers.

Hate to say it but your budget for a good school won't cut it. Double your budget, check the prices mentioned for international schools previously in this thread, and go from there. To live a normal decent life with two kids, a reasonable house etc, you're looking at a minimum of 150K baht, 6K Canadian. Not a lot, but not cheap either,

Many people are happily living with 2 kids, good schools etc. on a lot less.

[phuketrichard]

$6000 Canadian year per kid school enrolment

not enough for an international school, maybe a 2nd rate bilingual school

did u read the amounts i posted?

Many people are happily living with 2 kids, good schools etc. on a lot less.

you NOT going to get a GOOD school for less than $8,000/year/kid 280,000++

IF you thinking of eventfully returning to your own country your kids NEED be at an international school

If your going to be up north look at renting in Chun Cheun lagoon or Kathu,you'll find a home for under 30,000

PIA, BIS & Qsi are then easy drives

[Old Croc]

As a retiree, I don't normally contribute to threads about schooling here.

I will say that there have been many threads on the topic and a search for those previous threads may prove valuable.

I note another poster is looking at the same things as yourself and has done some excellent research on the subject. I would contact him for further discussion.

As for where to live, you mention both Chalong and Rawai as possible choices. As has been pointed out, these two places are on opposite sides of the Chalong Circle underpass project, which is just now getting started and is already creating massive traffic problems. It will only get worse. I don't know if you have stated where your job is, but you would be best advised to confine job, residence and school to one side or the other of the circle or else face hours in traffic jams daily.

Obviously everyone spends money at different rates, but Phuket is a very cheap place to live if your funds are sourced at western world rates. (International schooling fees may be the exception)

Come and enjoy the lifestyle in the sun and ignore the curmudgeons.

[CharlieH]

inflammatory remark removed.

[grumpyoldman]

Follow up to Ol Croc's talk of the Chalong circle mess.

Friday headed from Rawai up towards central on an errand, 1:00ish daytime. Traffic backed up from the circle toward Rawai beach just about to the Fisherman's Center where K. Kamlai's Wine Lover's is, people starting to act crazy,driving half on the sidewalk left,into oncoming on the right.

Coming back same-same going into the circle,what a mess, 2+ years of that??? Ugly.

[bearpolar]

No, there's no traffic right now. When they actually start the construction it will be backed up from central up to rawai beach as soon as the BIB wakes up for their shift.

[RealDeal]

Like I said finances are not a problem. We have budgeted about $6000 Canadian year per kid school enrolment. Will also be coming with money and making $150-200 usd a day with having compititons bringing in another 2-6k usd every 2-3 months. Right now our bills are around 3-3500 Canadian month. Heat bill alone for 5 months is 4-500$ month. I'm thinking we will be fine. This whole move is to change up our lifestyle and enjoy the experience. We are not bar hoppers/drinkers.

Hate to say it but your budget for a good school won't cut it. Double your budget, check the prices mentioned for international schools previously in this thread, and go from there. To live a normal decent life with two kids, a reasonable house etc, you're looking at a minimum of 150K baht, 6K Canadian. Not a lot, but not cheap either,

Your saying I will need $6000 Canadian a month to live in Phuket?? Not trying to live like a king lol

[RealDeal]

As a retiree, I don't normally contribute to threads about schooling here.

I will say that there have been many threads on the topic and a search for those previous threads may prove valuable.

I note another poster is looking at the same things as yourself and has done some excellent research on the subject. I would contact him for further discussion.

As for where to live, you mention both Chalong and Rawai as possible choices. As has been pointed out, these two places are on opposite sides of the Chalong Circle underpass project, which is just now getting started and is already creating massive traffic problems. It will only get worse. I don't know if you have stated where your job is, but you would be best advised to confine job, residence and school to one side or the other of the circle or else face hours in traffic jams daily.

Obviously everyone spends money at different rates, but Phuket is a very cheap place to live if your funds are sourced at western world rates. (International schooling fees may be the exception)

Come and enjoy the lifestyle in the sun and ignore the curmudgeons.

Thanks for the info?? we can't wait to enjoy the lifestyle and sun! No more winter for 8months!!

[RealDeal]

As a retiree, I don't normally contribute to threads about schooling here.

I will say that there have been many threads on the topic and a search for those previous threads may prove valuable.

I note another poster is looking at the same things as yourself and has done some excellent research on the subject. I would contact him for further discussion.

As for where to live, you mention both Chalong and Rawai as possible choices. As has been pointed out, these two places are on opposite sides of the Chalong Circle underpass project, which is just now getting started and is already creating massive traffic problems. It will only get worse. I don't know if you have stated where your job is, but you would be best advised to confine job, residence and school to one side or the other of the circle or else face hours in traffic jams daily.

Obviously everyone spends money at different rates, but Phuket is a very cheap place to live if your funds are sourced at western world rates. (International schooling fees may be the exception)

Come and enjoy the lifestyle in the sun and ignore the curmudgeons.

Thanks for the info?? we can't wait to enjoy the lifestyle and sun! No more winter for 8months!! Quick question no need to bring sweaters or jackets? Thinking limiting to 1 pair of pants 1 light jacket and maybe a sweater?

[schlog]

Since 3 days we have again what i call woolen sock weather. Really cold no need for aircon but woolen socks.

[Somtamnication]

Yes, that is 3 days out of 365.

[stevenl]

Yes, that is 3 days out of 365.

And it still does not get below 20 degrees centigrade.

Our woolen socks weather is different from woolen socks weather in Canada.

[Jimi007]

Like I said finances are not a problem. We have budgeted about $6000 Canadian year per kid school enrolment. Will also be coming with money and making $150-200 usd a day with having compititons bringing in another 2-6k usd every 2-3 months. Right now our bills are around 3-3500 Canadian month. Heat bill alone for 5 months is 4-500$ month. I'm thinking we will be fine. This whole move is to change up our lifestyle and enjoy the experience. We are not bar hoppers/drinkers.

Hate to say it but your budget for a good school won't cut it. Double your budget, check the prices mentioned for international schools previously in this thread, and go from there. To live a normal decent life with two kids, a reasonable house etc, you're looking at a minimum of 150K baht, 6K Canadian. Not a lot, but not cheap either,

Your saying I will need $6000 Canadian a month to live in Phuket?? Not trying to live like a king lol

From what I've read, a decent school is not cheap! As a married couple, without kids, who doesn't go out that much, (our truck has been paid for forever as well as our motorbikes, etc) and we spend a least $2,000 US a month, including rent and electric, and both are cheap! Some things cost less than the US and some things cost more.

But with you having two kids, not owning a vehicle or two, health insurance, car insurance, etc, it all adds up... Best wishes!

[theguyfromanotherforum]

I don't hang around this "Phuket" subforum, but I saw a fellow Canadian in the title on the timeline and just decided to throw in my 2c (1c American).

I would seriously reconsider living in Phuket for a year. This place is actually much worse than Pattaya that gets a bad rap for nothing, imo. When I was there I saw nothing but an overpriced dump, criminal activity, suspicious restaurant owners and a dirty beach. Yes, the beach is filthy. Mafia everywhere.

As someone already said, sending your kid to anything less than a top international school would be considered child abuse in Canada.

Now, I have nothing against Thai schools, it works for them. But you plan on returning. Phuket

[bearpolar]

just for fun this is the kind of stuff you can get in pattaya for 1k$

http://www.thaihometown.com/home/329367

In phuket, you get a medium sized house, with tesco furniture and an hour of traffic to drive 20km

If you look around thai sites, even for 20k per month you can get a full on brand new euro kitchen, private pool, average index furniture and close to everything

There's some rare deals in phuket, but thats the average in pattaya.

[RealDeal]

The reason we are moving to Phuket is because that is where I will be working as well enjoying no -40 winter. Our kids are 5-7 and we have talked to their teachers here and they say just going for them is a learning experience. Kids will be at a good school. Witch one who knows we will tour them when we arrive. We are moving to change out lifestyle up worse case sinario if we can Handel or afford we will just go back. But I highly doubt that will happen as we won't be spending as much as we do here now! I will have our vehicles sold wich will buy ours and cheaper as I will get a bike and car. So life in so called paridise is that bad?

[KarenBravo]

Nope......it's great.

It just don't come cheap.

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

I will have our vehicles sold wich will buy ours and cheaper as I will get a bike and car. So life in so called paridise is that bad?

Second hand cars are not cheap here, it was a big shock to me when I first arrived here. In North America second hand cars are so cheap, even new are cheap compared with the rest of the world. Different story here in Thailand. More expensive than you would think.

I've lived and been in business here in Phuket for almost 20 years and I don't regret it for even a second. I've never bothered even going back to visit my home country for almost 19 years now. All these doom and gloom merchants - ignore them. Sure there are plenty scams here. Read internet reporst and learn how to avoid them ... best of luck, and welcome ...

Edited February 8, 2016 by LivinginKata

[steve2112]

don't forget you have to pay for health coverage here and its not cheap if you got to the international hospitals

[KarenBravo]

<snip>

I will have our vehicles sold wich will buy ours and cheaper as I will get a bike and car. So life in so called paridise is that bad?

Second hand cars are not cheap here, it was a big shock to me when I first arrived here. In North America second hand cars are so cheap, even new are cheap compared with the rest of the world. Different story here in Thailand. More expensive than you would think.

I've lived and been in business here in Phuket for almost 20 years and I don't regret it for even a second. I've never bothered even going back to visit my home country for almost 19 years now. All these doom and gloom merchants - ignore them. Sure there are plenty scams here. Read internet reporst and learn how to avoid them ... best of luck, and welcome ...

But, you don't have young kids to complicate matters.

[LivinginKata]

But, you don't have young kids to complicate matters.

Plenty expats manage kids here just fine. I would have been delighted to have kids, we hoped for kids, but it just did not happen for us ...

[KarenBravo]

Plenty expats manage kids here just fine.

Yes, they do, but, how many are doing right by their children in giving them the best education they can?

When I say the "best education", I mean no worse than the education system in their own country.

To equal Canada's education system, one of the better International schools here is really the only option and they charge like a wounded bull.

I would say that "plenty of expats manage here just fine", is a true statement, but, only a very small minority are doing right by their kids. A sacrifice they are willing to make to continue to live here.

This is why I decided not to have kids. So that I wouldn't have to go back to my home country for their education.

[Somtamnication]

But, you don't have young kids to complicate matters.

Plenty expats manage kids here just fine. I would have been delighted to have kids, we hoped for kids, but it just did not happen for us ...

Can I be your baby?

[steve2112]

i think you will be shocked to find out how expensive Phuket is if you need a decent place to live, good school for the kids, a car, health insurance, etc. etc. etc

and coming up to the hot season, good luck coming from the frozen north

if i was you, i'd be looking at central or south america for a tropical getaway

[CharlieH]

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