cheaper to live in USA or Thailand?

[Grubster]

I would think if you are going to live on the cheap, better to do it in the USA,  There are many government aid programs to help you there if you get in a bind, Here no money no service, they " Will"  let you die on the table here if you can't pay.  You won't get insurance here at your age to cover you nearly as well as Medicare will, Unless you pay a bunch for it.

[ericthai]

On 10/9/2016 at 8:47 AM, Pib said:

Once you turn 65 you do "not" have to pay for Medicare Part B if you don't want to.  Part A costs nothing.  But Medicare Part A or B provide no coverage outside the  U.S.   Just remember, not starting Part B when first eligible means there will be a 10% premium penalty per year if you do decide to sign up for Part B later on.  

 

So, say you did not sign up for Part B until age 70 and then decided to move back to the U.S. due to health reasons, 5 yrs X 10% is a 50% permanent Part B premium increase for you.   If the Part B standard premium was says $250 whit your 50% premium penalty equaling $125 you would have to start paying $375/mo to have Part B coverage.   And of course this assumes you do not have a high income where your Part B premium might be higher than the standard premium.

 

 

PIB, you missed Part D, if you dont sign up for part D within the 7 month window to enroll in Medicare when turning 65 then you have a 1% per month penalty for each month you did not enroll when you were required too.  This is based on the national base average which last I checked was around $34.00 So this would increase by 1% for each month not enrolled. However if you decide never to enroll in Medicare or Part D then this is not a worry.

 

Fiddlehead said Part B is 104.90  however  part B is now $121.40 for anyone new to medicare, those already on Medicare will pay the 104.90 since they did not get a cola increase.  @Fidlehead you said you have a supplement but then called it a PPO, which tells me that you really you have a medicare advantage program.  People confuse these programs all the time. A medigap or supplement policy has a monthly premium anywhere from $150 upto $350 per month depending on age, location etc. and has no networks, so you can see any doctor that accepts original Medicare when you have a supplement.  No Supplement plan will include drug coverage, you would need to get a stand along drug plan. If you have a medicare advantage plan then you have networks (PPO, HMO, etc)  and co-pays to see a doctor, go to the hospital etc will have a Max out of pocket typically between 3500 -6500 USD and can include drug coverage. 

 

OP I have worked in Medicare insurance for 10+ years, this can be very confusing, but if you need help or have questions you can PM me. 

 

Another poster

[Goldbear]

OP, what specific areas in the USA and Thailand are you considering? It's hard to make a cost comparison without knowing that. If you already said that, I apologize for missing it. 

 

To me, Thailand is much less expensive but I am from California. 

 

 

[geriatrickid]

On 10/9/2016 at 10:16 AM, ClutchClark said:

 

Thank you for researching and posting this information.

 

One note about Medicare being accessible in these US Territories is that many Healthcare providers do not accept Medicare patients because the amount of reimbursement allowed by Medicare is too low.

 

This actually occurs in US States such as Alaska where the cost of medical care far exceeds the maximum limits set by Medicare so old people on Medicare that I know are not able to find a primary care physician that will accept them as a patient.

 

Again, thank you for the quality of your posts.

 

Please check your information on Alaska because it is just not true.

The law requires hospitals to provide emergency medical care. More specifically, the government  provides a listing of 20 hospitals who do accept medicare patients. It also lists all physicians who accept medicare patients.

Yes, some private care facilities will discourage medicare patients, but these really are private businesses.

https://www.medicare.gov/

 

[moe666]

On ‎10‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 8:06 AM, ClutchClark said:

I think it is cheaper to live in Thailand but the benefits gained by residing in the US are worth far more than the small increase in expense.

 

This is from a retiree.

 

Now if I was a young person and I was subject to the onerous financial burden of Obamacare, then the equation "could" be changed enough that Thailand would make more economic sense. Ofcourse, in the US, a young person needs to find a career path that includes employer paid healthcare. 

 

Ironically, every one of my liberal friends who adamantly supports obamacare happens to be receiving excellent health insurance provided and paid for by their employers...

I doubt there employer is paying for a full ride on their insurance even if they are liberals or conservatives.

[moe666]

Do not wait to take your SS benefit. Waiting until 70 means you will be close to 80 to make up the difference in what you could have collected earlier. A friend years back was waiting until 70 brain tumor at 69 dead in 2 months no SS

[taxout]

"PIB, you missed Part D, if you dont sign up for part D within the 7 month window to enroll in Medicare when turning 65 then you have a 1% per month penalty for each month you did not enroll when you were required too."

You cannot enroll in Part D unless you are living in the U.S. If you later return to live in the U.S. and promptly enroll in Part D, you will not pay the late enrollment charge. This is different than Part B.

[RedQualia]

Being able to sign up for Medicare as an expat is a relatively recent phenomenon. It couldn't be done a couple of years ago. I suspect the change relates to ObamaCare. I mean, if you're going to REQUIRE people to have health insurance, it's probably not a good idea to exclude expats from coverage, is it?

 

Many pharmaceuticals are much less expensive in Thailand than the states. Generic amoxicillin for a sinus infection I had in the states, for example, first required a prescription, which required I find a doctor accepting new patients, then pay that doctor, then pay the pharmacy. Total US cost out the door: $50. The actual generic antibiotic cost in the states was $18. In Thailand, I would simply ask any pharmacist for amoxicillin and they'd give it to me for about  $5 (150 Baht). A prescription received from a doctor at a major hospital a week or two ago for one or another exotic drug was written on scrap paper. When I asked if I needed a prescription, the doctor smiled and said "This is Thailand."

 

Some people consider healthcare here to be really cheap, and go by the idea of paying out of pocket. Not me... I figure that when one is in the process of fighting off dying, one needs all the help one can get, and health insurance is the first line of defense. Only after that's exhausted should one dip into one's savings, etc. I actually bought health insurance many years ago. It's good until I'm age 75 or 80. Can't remember which. I guess it will end after that, assuming I live that long. You would be very wise to buy health insurance in Thailand as quickly as possible, as others have suggested. It becomes much more expensive, the older you are, and/or becomes unavailable.

 

It's always possible to commute for healthcare, of course... I've seen cases of people commuting to the states for Medicare coverage, and too, there are threads on ThaiVisa in which people discuss commuting to India for less expensive heart treatments/surgeries, etc, there.

 

As to your generic question regarding cost of living in Thailand vs. the states: generally, Thailand can be much more affordable, depending on where you are. Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin? Maybe not so much. But life in those places is (IMO) of poorer quality anyway. Very easy to live on $1,000US per month upcountry, with money left over at the end of the month. No matter where... Udon, Roi Et, Chiang Mai, Phetchabun... Many, many places.

 

But compared to where, exactly, in the USA? Iowa? NY? Big difference. I just did find out that my old $300 per month two bedroom, one bath apartment in Mountain View, California is now renting for $45,000+ per year. And you know, compared to San Francisco, that's quite the bargain. My previous healthcare coverage through Kaiser Permanente in CA would have cost me $700 per month to extend as a single male when I left the states 7-8 years ago. Lord only knows what it would cost now. My health insurance costs here back then were about that much per year. Grocery shopping? Varies... If you eat local, buy Thai stuff and not so many imported things, it's dirt cheap. Was appalled recently when shopping at Rimping supermarket in Chiang Mai to see that all the relish was 160 Baht per medium size jar. I kept looking, tho, and as usual, there was a cheaper local brand hiding several shelves away for 75 Baht per jar. Same for sour cream, tortillas -- you name it. LOTS of expensive imported crap, but usually, somewhere in the store (or another store) there are much more affordable offerings. If you want to pay $8US for six imported flour tortillas (flour and water?), it's most easy to do. But if you look at the other end of the store, you just might find eight tortillas for $2US. Rent? I have two 3/2 houses that I rent to others here. Both are quite boffo compared to that $45,000US apartment in Mountain View, CA that I mentioned before. Beautiful homes, for 15,000 Baht per month (about $430US). Of course there are =many= less expensive places around, but they're going to be lesser homes... Of course, too, if you prefer to live in a 100,000 Baht per month condo in Bangkok, or buy a BKK condo for 45 million Baht, there are many who will fix you right up.

 

Remembering now that the first time I had to go into the hospital here in Thailand, the hospital tried to put me into a multi-room suite with lots of sofas and big screen TVs. My insurance agent had a complete fit, on my behalf. :) Which is to say that there are plenty of opportunists around, in both Thailand and the USA (Rick Scott in FL, for example) in the areas of healthcare, housing, groceries, automobiles, taxi service  -- you name it -- who will gladly try to sell you ten times what you actually need.(You want a US taxi to actually move? That will be $35. And what's the cheapest hotel room you can get in say, Ft. Lauderdale?)

 

But I am long term established in Thailand. For me, you couldn't pay me enough to go back to the states. You, however, are just starting out here, at age 65. So your circumstances may be different.

 

One other thing worth noting: no one gets out of life alive. We all be gonna die. It just comes down to a matter of how much you want to spend to fight off death at what age. Had a friend who died of cancer at age 33. My mother is now 85, and just be sitting there waiting for Godot. So what age do you think it best to kick off at?

 

Good luck to you. :)

 

 

Edited October 12, 2016 by RedQualia

[gk10002000]

While there are many ways to live cheaply in the USA, there is almost no way to have as much fun as in Thailand.  Cheap ideas for the USA:  Are you a veteran?  use Veteran's hospitals and you are exempt from Obamacare.  Move in with relatives, or a sibling, sharing a house.  Can be beneficial.  Transport and autos versus mass transit can be an issue depending on city versus rural life.  Yes you can take advantage of all the free libraries, DVDs, magazines, etc.  But going out and meeting pretty young ladies and being able to walk around and not freeze one's tukus off?  Thailand

[hdkane]

Thailand is like any country, with every expensive areas.  I spent quite a lot of time in BKK, and there are many areas in the city that are quite exclusive and expensive.  I'm always a bit annoyed when I meet farang who expect Thailand to be ridiculously cheap.  The one thing that Thailand has that the USA does not have is a lack of basic standards in construction.  When I meet people who think they can come here and find an apartment for 100 USD, I tell them that such places are available, but the room will not have furniture, indoor plumbing, a western toilet, air con, etc. etc...for some reason, people think you can come to Thailand, eat a lobster dinner for 50 baht, live in a nice place for 2000, buy a building for 100,000 baht...for comparable accommodation Thailand is a bit cheaper...Thailand has an advantage in that there are no minimum standards that are required in the USA...so an individual can live as cheap as their comfort level will allow...for some, I'm guessing that is pretty low.

[Gary A]

I have a good friend from Florida. His property taxes and insurance costs him more than the total I spend to live in Thailand. Granted, he has a very nice Florida home. I should add that here in Thailand, my wife has a nice home upcountry and I have a condo in Jomtien. We also have two motorbikes, her car and my truck.

 

The US is cheaper? You have to be joking.

[Ace of Pop]

Not easy to say,if you had a high standard in the World and maintain the same here it's not cheaper,due to import duty


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Grubster]

On October 9, 2016 at 9:10 PM, GinBoy2 said:

This is one of those impossible questions to answer. Depends where you would live in the US, how old, eligible for medicare, the variables are endless.

 

I would however venture that probably up until your mid 60's Thailand has the edge, slightly, but that gap is closing rapidly IMHO

 

Once you get past medicare enrollment age, all bets are off, and I'd  venture that you can probably live in the US with roughly the same cost, and with a great deal more certainty & security than here in Thailand.

 

Now I'm basing my opinion based on the assumption that you want to live a US equivalent lifestyle here. If you are content with living in a tin roof shack, well Thailand in your twillight years is for you

I agree, I have been enjoying it here for the most part, but I must say that my passion for golf costs much more to fulfill here than there, The food I like is costing at least an equal amount here, probably more, If you like to have gatherings here the beer is much more expensive than the US,  if in local bars, maybe the same or a bit more there. Clothes/shoes that are made here cost much more here than in the US. You can still buy a pretty decent used car in the US for $1000, here around $5000 for same car. Outpatient care here is cheap but as you say after 60 or so odds are you may need catastrophic care and you will need good insurance for that. I would say that if you have a good pension and SS/Medicare then the scale slides towards the US with age. If you don't have a pot to piss in, and you use typical Thai housing, food, health care, entertainment, etc. than you are way better off here. Lay off the gin a bit.

[Wake Up]

I have Cigna Global healthcare with 1,000,000 USA dollar limit in every country in the world including USA. I pay 15 dollars extra month each month for USA coverage and I cannot be in the USA for more than 90 days per calendar year. Can pay premiums in dollars or sterling - not baht. 

 

Premiums are reasonable based on your deductible. I chose a large deductible as I can pay cash in Thailand for most sickness.  If I have a major sickness then I can get treatment in Thailand, USA, Switzerland wherever with a one million dollar maximum. 

 

Check out their website to see if it is for you. Google Cigna Global medical insurance.  Based in London. 

 

 One caution. You do have to pay the medical bills first and get reimbursed unless you are admitted to the hospital. 

 

I also got a quote from AXA but they were more expensive than Cigna Global. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Wake Up said:

I have Cigna Global healthcare with 1,000,000 USA dollar limit in every country in the world including USA. I pay 15 dollars extra month each month for USA coverage and I cannot be in the USA for more than 90 days per calendar year. Can pay premiums in dollars or sterling - not baht. 

 

Premiums are reasonable based on your deductible. I chose a large deductible as I can pay cash in Thailand for most sickness.  If I have a major sickness then I can get treatment in Thailand, USA, Switzerland wherever with a one million dollar maximum. 

 

Check out their website to see if it is for you. Google Cigna Global medical insurance.  Based in London. 

 

 One caution. You do have to pay the medical bills first and get reimbursed unless you are admitted to the hospital. 

 

I also got a quote from AXA but they were more expensive than Cigna Global. 

 

Do you know what their age limits are in terms of:

 

--the maximum age at which they'll write a new policy, and

 

--up to what age they'll commit to continuing coverage for existing policy holders?

[craigt3365]

On 10/12/2016 at 3:55 PM, wwest5829 said:

My experience only. I retired to Thailand because I cannot live as well on the same retirement income. I have maintained Medicare deductions from my Social Security (about $104 per month). Fortunately for me, my employer pays for a Blue Cross Seniors policy that will pay up to $5k per year for foreign care.

 

As a heart patient, Meducal insurance here will not cover any heart issues..my greatest liability. So, I am self insured in Thailand. Had a heart attack in December, my balance after the $5K  Seniors policy payment, was $6000.

 

on balance with car, motorbike, condo...it is cheaper for me to live here at a higher (comfortable) level than in the US. Monthly income $2400. Half from Social Security, half from investments. Should carry on into enter its and leaving something for my Sons.

My friend's bill here for a heart problem and pacemaker is now at about 2MM Baht. $1, 000 a day in the hospital adds up quickly!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

28 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

My friend's bill here for a heart problem and pacemaker is now at about 2MM Baht. $1, 000 a day in the hospital adds up quickly!

 

Craig, are you talking about -+35,000 baht per day ($1,000 U.S.) for his hospital bills?  Is that for a regular room, or CICU?

 

And I'm assuming that includes room, care, doctor's fees, medicines, supplies, etc...

 

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Craig, are you talking about -+35,000 baht per day ($1,000 U.S.) for his hospital bills?  Is that for a regular room, or CICU?

 

And I'm assuming that includes room, care, doctor's fees, medicines, supplies, etc...

 

My mother was in a regular private room for only 6 hours.  30k Baht.  Everything else was extra.  My friend was in the same,  initially over 30k per day,  negotiated down to 25k per day. Room only.

[lopburi3]

That is a very high price - are you sure this was just standard room rate?  Max very high quality standard private room at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok is 9,050 including all fees and western meals (and I can confirm as stayed for 10 days a few months ago).  And this is a very nice room.  But indeed with medical visits/services/materials/drugs and such the daily total bill could well be over 30k.

Type of room	Room Rates
	Room	Nursing Services	Hospital Service Charge	Food	Total Price
Standard
Ward 7C	2,400	2,100	1,400	690/1,350	6,590/7,250
Ward 6D, Ward 7B, Ward 10D, Ward 11D, Ward 12D, Ward 9D	3,700	2,100	1,400	690/1,350	7,890/8,550
Ward 7D, Ward 16D	4,200	2,100	1,400	690/1,350	8,390/9,050

[dddave]

The food I like is costing at least an equal amount here, probably more, If you like to have gatherings here the beer is much more expensive than the US,  if in local bars, maybe the same or a bit more there. Clothes/shoes that are made here cost much more here than in the US. You can still buy a pretty decent used car in the US for $1000, here around $5000 for same car.

 

Are you serious?  A decent used car for $1000?  Not likely.  Most states have introduced stringent vehicle inspection standards that make registering "beaters" very difficult.  I am currently in the US. I just scanned a used vehicle classified website and "decent" $1000 vehicles were non-existent.

A 12 ounce draft beer cost me $7 at the neighborhood watering hole...and that wasn't a primo craft brew, A hamburger almost anywhere is $10+.  Bought a Sunday New York Times today..$6

Shopped Target a few days ago for some long sleeve shirts...nothing under $25. White cotton T shirts are less here...a little more than $3 each when bought in a 5-pack.

I shopped at a local supermarket.  Things that used to be 5/$.99 are now $1.99 each.  Staples are through the roof.  I found some popular things that I can buy at my local Max Value supermarket in Bangkok to be no more expensive than a supermarket in Boston.  Heinz Spaghetti sauce was $2.49 in Boston, about B70 ($2.20) in Bangkok for a similar sized jar.  I sure would hate to be feeding a family in the US now.

[craigt3365]

5 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

That is a very high price - are you sure this was just standard room rate?  Max very high quality standard private room at Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok is 9,050 including all fees and western meals (and I can confirm as stayed for 10 days a few months ago).  And this is a very nice room.  But indeed with medical visits/services/materials/drugs and such the daily total bill could well be over 30k.

Type of room	Room Rates
	Room	Nursing Services	Hospital Service Charge	Food	Total Price
Standard
Ward 7C	2,400	2,100	1,400	690/1,350	6,590/7,250
Ward 6D, Ward 7B, Ward 10D, Ward 11D, Ward 12D, Ward 9D	3,700	2,100	1,400	690/1,350	7,890/8,550
Ward 7D, Ward 16D	4,200	2,100	1,400	690/1,350	8,390/9,050

Talking with Wifey now, seems it was the entire bill for my mother. Sorry! Could have been the same for my friend. But his medical services for 3 weeks in the hospital weren't that much. He had an infection and was there mainly for isolation.

 

Edited October 17, 2016 by craigt3365

[craigt3365]

4 hours ago, dddave said:

The food I like is costing at least an equal amount here, probably more, If you like to have gatherings here the beer is much more expensive than the US,  if in local bars, maybe the same or a bit more there. Clothes/shoes that are made here cost much more here than in the US. You can still buy a pretty decent used car in the US for $1000, here around $5000 for same car.

 

Are you serious?  A decent used car for $1000?  Not likely.  Most states have introduced stringent vehicle inspection standards that make registering "beaters" very difficult.  I am currently in the US. I just scanned a used vehicle classified website and "decent" $1000 vehicles were non-existent.

A 12 ounce draft beer cost me $7 at the neighborhood watering hole...and that wasn't a primo craft brew, A hamburger almost anywhere is $10+.  Bought a Sunday New York Times today..$6

Shopped Target a few days ago for some long sleeve shirts...nothing under $25. White cotton T shirts are less here...a little more than $3 each when bought in a 5-pack.

I shopped at a local supermarket.  Things that used to be 5/$.99 are now $1.99 each.  Staples are through the roof.  I found some popular things that I can buy at my local Max Value supermarket in Bangkok to be no more expensive than a supermarket in Boston.  Heinz Spaghetti sauce was $2.49 in Boston, about B70 ($2.20) in Bangkok for a similar sized jar.  I sure would hate to be feeding a family in the US now.

Cars are way cheaper in the US. Eating out depends on where you are. My friends bar in rural Colorado charges $2.50 a beer. Big pizza and 2 beers is about $12. This is a nice bar.

 

I've found clothes to be a much better value in the US. Especially sheets and towels. Huge difference,  if you are looking for quality stuff.

 

Prices are way up here also. We feed 5, so really notice the difference over the past 7 years. My wife says she could probably save money on groceries if we lived in the US. We eat a lot of Western food.

 

Some things are definitely more here, like pool supplies and hifi equipment. And terrible selection!

[CaptHaddock]

We moved from Manhattan to Bangkok in 2011.  Before the move I budgeted that living in Bangkok would cost about 25% less than living in New York.  Our actual experience has been very close to that.  I have complete data for all household income and expenses for the past twenty years.  Over the course of a hopefully long retirement a 25% reduction in cost would be huge. 

 

Housing is 31% of our budget, but we have three times the space that we had in Manhattan on a  rent is less than two-thirds the smaller place in NYC.  A big savings for us is not to have to pay state and city income tax any longer, although, of course, we still pay federal income tax.  Without keeping a car in either location, public transportation is much cheaper here.  Medical care is ridiculously cheaper in BKK than NYC, even at the private hospitals, but we have not had major illnesses.  I buy imported grocery items exclusively which boosts the grocery budget up to 8% of the total.  Electricity is 2.5% of budget in BKK, at one-third the rate of Manhattan.

 

Of course, nearly anywhere else in the US would have been cheaper than Manhattan, but we didn't want to live in any of those places. 

[lopburi3]

Quote

Medical care is ridiculously cheaper in BKK than NYC, even at the private hospitals, but we have not had major illnesses

We have spent about 1.5 million baht in the last six months so it can cost a bit - we do have insurance; but for someone without that could be a big hit (and all too many expats do not have insurance). 

 

Quote

Of course, nearly anywhere else in the US would have been cheaper than Manhattan

Yes indeed.  

[Sheryl]

On 10/10/2016 at 9:29 PM, dddave said:

I was experiencing chest pain, got checked at a local cardiac center in Bangkok and was told I probably needed an Angioplasty.  The local (Sukhumvit Hosp., Bangkok) total cost was estimated to be close to B300,000.

I have Medicare, A & B.  I did a bunch of research and found the bottom line cost including co-pays in the US would be around $10,000

So pretty much the same at that level.  The real problems begin when a chronic condition appears: Cancer or something of that magnitude that requires long term, ongoing hospitalization.

 

I discovered I was eligible for Veterans Health Care (I had done 2 years active duty as a reserve) and recently returned to the US for what I assumed would be an Angioplasty but  woke up to a triple bypass.  Overall, I was impressed with the level of care I received at the VA Hospital in Boston.  Total cost, $0.  Those of you who may be eligible  should check it out.

Unfortunately, like Medicare, care is available in the US only unless you have a specific service connected condition

 

I suspect this was a few years ago as costs in private hospitals in Thailand have gone up substantially. greatly reducing the gap between here and the US.

 

Angioplasty these days in private hospitals runs around 400-500K depending on hospital. everything else has gone up as well. And prices continue to rise.

[pattayalover]

one of my friend live with a Thai lady. he lives in a room with balcony and have a good life. he spent less than 10000 bahts a month. everything included. food and rent.

his gf take care of shopping and cooking at a Thai market, they have a TV, fan, furniture. some of the things included in the rent and he buy stuffs at auction market, second hand market....

they have probably a better life style than in the USA.
they travel around Thailand with bus and planes. go Ko Samui , Chiang mai,...

he told me that his life style is better and 10 cheaper than back in the states. he still has an old iphone as he doesnt need apple pay in Thailand as system not work here in Thailand.

a very smart guy.

[craigt3365]

With respect,  10x cheaper here doesn't make sense. Unless you are living a completely different lifestyle.  Which could also be done back in the US. Living is cheap if you pick the right location.

[JAFO]

Informative read, but sad in many cases.  Seems that folks from the US sure have a huge fixation on medical care and drugs. In fact most seem obsessed with it. I guess that's the product of our society nowadays (I am a US citizen). Before I moved to Thailand I used to see nothing but drug commercials which was all part of the "Fear " element in marketing. They come up with an ailment and miraculously the drug company has a pill for it.  While I can appreciate that some are saddled with poor health and destined to require medical assistance forever, most basically can control their own destiny to a larger degree. IMHO US people have grown far too dependent on medicines and doctors and it has gripped the nation. I know people that will not even travel to far from home because they will not be near their doctor. If you stress over medical care you will only make yourself sicker. Stress is the number 1 reason for the ailments many have. 

 

As for living in Thailand being less expensive then the US...Absolutely ( for my wife and I).... but the big HOWEVER is always going to be back to the individual and their expectations and wants and that's where the debates begins.  I have zero financial liabilities back in the US. Here my living costs are almost noise. But there are many key elements that made this possible and it all started with a plan.

1) My wife and I paid cash for the house we built here and cars in Thailand. It makes life simple. Not having a mortgage, property tax, car payments etc makes life WAY more financially manageable. 

2) We have very basic bills (Water, electric, phone, internet, gas, food) and that amounts  between $500 to $1000 a month and $1,000 is tops and doesn't happen very often.  Its usually around the $600 to $700 mark and we live very comfortable. 

3) My wife cooks at home 90% of the time and what I have yet to understand is why people feel the need to eat western food? I am not saying eat Thai Somtum or noodle everyday but sheese, you can BBQ chicken, pork and fish, have vegetables, rice if you want. You can make spaghetti sauce from all the local items here and all the pasta styles are available at Tesco and Big C. You can even buy Garlic bread at Makro for .$.60. The options are endless. I guess I do not understand what is Western food? Is that processed boxed food, canned food,??. I have never felt I missed any US food. 

 

The biggest perk for me living in Thailand is life is just easier,.Easier means less stress and more personal free time which in the end improves ones mental and physical health. I am not fixated on medical care or coverage. I have used the doctor here a few times and the cost was darn near the same as my Co Pay was in the US and I was paying money each month out of my check to have a small Co Pay. Getting my teeth cleaned here is almost laughable $15 and done. 

 

So my summary is this, Yes we all get old and we will all suffer with some ailments. Its life being a carbon life form that degrades and eventually dies. The best approach is be proactive, eat right, stay active.  As for food, I am not buying the high Western food costs. Stop shopping at Villa Market. there is absolutely no need. I am living here for far less then I could have ever lived in the US living how I want to live.  Sure I could have moved to some far out in the country log cabin deal but then what? I am all alone and removed all to make ends meet/ I will pass. Here I live in the suburb of a nice city where I can go do anything I pretty much want to  The US will be a place I visit from time to time to say Hello and pick up some things I need for here. 

 

To the OP, Good luck on your decision but I sure wouldn't fixate on medical stuff and let that be the main driving point, go live life. 

[Alive]

The western world is far from developed if so many people have a problem just surviving in old age. I remember hearing about some old lady eating cat food in the 70s because she didn't have enough money. People shut off their heat in winter as well. What's wrong with the world? Well, my thought on this is Thailand in rural areas can be a lot cheaper than the US if you eat only local food and live a simple life with little expectations. The cities can be as expensive as the west depending on how you live. The have to be some places in rural America where a person could live a simple life and not have too many problems. One other consideration for Thailand is getting overcharged and the language and culture confusion can hit your wallet at times. Most people in Thailand on tight money always end up with problems from what I have seen and by the way I am one of those people.

[Goldbear]

10 minutes ago, Alive said:

Most people in Thailand on tight money always end up with problems from what I have seen and by the way I am one of those people.

 

What sort of monthly budget are you calling, "tight money"? And how much money per month do you think a person needs to avoid those sort of "problems"?  If you don't mind sharing. Thanks.