2 minutes ago, Ahab said:

Buriram (I like the countryside) for the first year or so, we plan on traveling within Thailand extensively after the first year or so. 

Nice and good luck - I hope it works out well 

Numbeo estimator works quite nicely.

 

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/estimator_main

4 minutes ago, james1995 said:

Numbeo estimator works quite nicely.

 

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/estimator_main

thanks James - if that is accurate then it is good news 

Are you going to get a car?

 

 

15 hours ago, Savilesghost said:

Thats english teachers live on you mean ? 

 

These types of threads always bring out the 'how can you live on that' often followed by the obligatory list of their ridiculous expenses. Big houses, vehicles, wives, girlfriends, serious health issues are the BIG money draws and these folks would likely be spending a similar amount if they didn't have to fork out for unnecessary stuff... bar the latter

 

Bottom line: if you are a healthy, single, non-mongering, non-alcy, your GBP1.5k will EASILY see you by anywhere in Thailand even at the current <deleted> exchange rate.

Those Thai "girlfriends" are sure expensive. Someone mentioned add 65℅ to the cost if you have a partner. Well, since I have a partner my life in Thailand is costing me 50℅ less.

14 hours ago, jonn1 said:

All many thanks for your inputs they have all been very informative and they are much appreciated - I thought I would be hit with a lot of negativity and unfriendly comments 

I've just realised it is late in Thailand so can I wish you all the best for the new year and good luck for all us in 2017 

Jon make sure you shop around for flights too On a average I pay no more than £200 per leg based on a return. Sometimes some good deals out of London City airport too. (Assuming your in london N1) £200 per leg is based on a fly within 2-3 day booking so last minute. These figures are for economy fligjts which are not direct but under 16.5 hours total travel time.

12 hours ago, kenk24 said:

 

And yes Gary, I am in a similar situation. Having built a house a long time ago, my only bills are electric and water which together run me about 2500 baht per month. And we live well for that. 

And what about your annual visa costs, and your medical insurance costs and transport, electric and water are not the only bills you have 

14 hours ago, jonn1 said:

All many thanks for your inputs they have all been very informative and they are much appreciated - I thought I would be hit with a lot of negativity and unfriendly comments 

I've just realised it is late in Thailand so can I wish you all the best for the new year and good luck for all us in 2017 

 

The negativity and bitterness typically comes from those farangs who never planned properly landed on thailands shores and ended up on the bones of their a@se for one reason or a another and are now basically "trapped" in Thailand and really hate the place and the Thai people who they blame for the problems they created thrmselves 

2 minutes ago, Savilesghost said:

 

The negativity and bitterness typically comes from those farangs who never planned properly landed on thailands shores and ended up on the bones of their a@se for one reason or a another and are now basically "trapped" in Thailand and really hate the place and the Thai people who they blame for the problems they created thrmselves 

You might feel it for totally different reasons. I mean a name like your's is not exactly well planned. Or maybe it is.

11 minutes ago, Savilesghost said:

 

The negativity and bitterness typically comes from those farangs who never planned properly landed on thailands shores and ended up on the bones of their a@se for one reason or a another and are now basically "trapped" in Thailand and really hate the place and the Thai people who they blame for the problems they created thrmselves 

I disagree, I have seen more bitterness from farangs that don't actually live here aimed at those who do......

17 hours ago, Savilesghost said:

Thats english teachers live on you mean ? 

 

I never take much notice of those kind daily estimation costs they are obviously based on big cities and are probably averages but my Thai son lives on much less than 45,000 a month in Bangkok and his fine without going into details.

Where l live Thai teacher friend is on 14,000 a month and happy enough,  we can live on that easily enough but without my goodies and toys. 

18 hours ago, sanemax said:

It costs 1200 Baht per day to live in Chiang mai

1500 Baht per day in Bangkok 

1700 Baht per day in Koh Samuii

1450 Baht per day in Pattaya

1550 Baht per day in Pukett

 

 

Not sure where you get Samui costs at 1700 baht a day... many live here on a fraction of that...whether they live here or are on holiday...

 

I would suggest all other prices are out of line too for other areas...

One of the downsides of clearing away the street vendors in many places in Bangok is the difficulty of finding cut up fruit vendors. My lunch every day only costs me 20 to 30 baht when I can find one. Eggs on toast or muesli for breakfast - another cheap meal for the day. Am I up to 100 baht yet?

Biggest expense is alcohol and I'm not talking about a glass of wine with dinner.

Mongering comes second. The expats here are not 20 year old jack rabbits. So the odd one here or there should suffice

The above is based on housing and necessitys are already taken care of

3 minutes ago, zorro1 said:

Biggest expense is alcohol and I'm not talking about a glass of wine with dinner.

 

A box of Leo lasts me a week, that's about 80b per day. Hardly a big expense

1 hour ago, Savilesghost said:

And what about your annual visa costs, and your medical insurance costs and transport, electric and water are not the only bills you have 

 

Visa cost is so minimal, that I barely consider it - transportation is discretionary spending and I was just listing my average fixed living expenses.. sure, I get a haircut every couple of months at 50 baht per... anything else you want to know? I will give you the phone number of my accountant... and since I was responding to Gary, I listed the expenses that he was discussing... but yes, electric and water and the bill from my accountant are actually the only bills I have, other than tax bills if you want to call it that... 

33 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

A box of Leo lasts me a week, that's about 80b per day. Hardly a big expense

But Leo might be a bit low on the pole when thinking of the good life.  

Just now, lopburi3 said:

But Leo might be a bit low on the pole when thinking of the good life.  

 

 

its all the same when its passing through my bladder.

The biggest impediment to living here is the culture shock, you need to be able to adapt to a Thai lifestyle I think, at 50 years of age you may be able to adapt.
The short answer to your question on money is another queston, if you can live in a Western country why wouldn't you be able to live here? We need no excuses to live at home, we do what we do, golf club, mates for a beer, shopping, doing the. chores etc. living in fact. Away from home I think that we need a reason for everything that we do, you can get bored and feel that life is passing you by so inevitably a lonely man is found and before you know it you have a companion. At this point or shortly after you will know how much it costs to live here.


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Jon make sure you shop around for flights too On a average I pay no more than £200 per leg based on a return. Sometimes some good deals out of London City airport too. (Assuming your in london N1) £200 per leg is based on a fly within 2-3 day booking so last minute. These figures are for economy fligjts which are not direct but under 16.5 hours total travel time.

Wd love to know more (single back to city airport).. esp as I live 20 minutes from there.

missed my flight back and there was no way to economically do a replacement.

16 hours ago, jonn1 said:

Gary thanks - this goes back to my question though - is 1500 gbp enough for a decent life in Thailand - if I stay this will increase when I can draw my pension so things will get better but for now 1500 gbp will be the amount I am comfortable with to cover any outgoings - I think the consensus is that it will be enough without me living the high life  

 

GBP1,500 per month might get you by in Thailand.....at the moment but you might have to jack it up quite a bit if, as expected, the pound weakens further.

The terms under which we exit the European Union and steadily increasing inflation pose a very real existential threat to those who rely on sterling-denominated income to fund their lives here.

 

Many have found themselves having to cut expenditure to the point where they've had to compromise on things like medical insurance and accommodation in order to maintain a half decent standard of living.

Don't be one of them.

2 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

GBP1,500 per month might get you by in Thailand.....at the moment but you might have to jack it up quite a bit if, as expected, the pound weakens further.

The terms under which we exit the European Union and steadily increasing inflation pose a very real existential threat to those who rely on sterling-denominated income to fund their lives here.

 

Many have found themselves having to cut expenditure to the point where they've had to compromise on things like medical insurance and accommodation in order to maintain a half decent standard of living.

Don't be one of them.

So LOS folk all live on about 70,000bht a month.....?

Outgoings in Thailand guessing 3000 a day in my case

A box of Leo lasts me a week, that's about 80b per day. Hardly a big expense

Brewing your own moonshine would come in well under that but I was actually referring to drinking outside the condo.

Drinking 4 bottles of Leo a day is not drinking lol

10 minutes ago, Cook my sock said:

Wd love to know more (single back to city airport).. esp as I live 20 minutes from there.

missed my flight back and there was no way to economically do a replacement.

Same here. It's not a mainstay option but in the last year I travelled twice using LCY to AMS and German city ( mind blank sorry) from those two locations it was direct to bkk after arrival from LCY. Was 420 actually and operator was France air but I think FA contracts to Klm for that route and if I'm recalling correctly the German operator was german wings. I used farecompare.com but my dates can be highly variable so I litrually check all dates etc. I recommend farecompare.com but I normally don't book using them. I send the flight offer to a named contact at flight Centre and give them the opportunity to beat the price by £1. Easy to get a named contact from FC too.

1 minute ago, Cook my sock said:

Outgoings in Thailand guessing 4000 a day in my case

Really, can you post a breakdown....?

£1500 a month. No problem.

 

Just don't get seriously ill, cancer or anything like that.

Don't have a bad accident.

Don't buy pricey vehicles.

Don't let a partner drain your finances. Be able to say, "No."

Don't pay clueless farang prices.

Don't be talked into making any investments that you had not planned to make.

Beware of Belgians, Nigerians and Indians that try to sell you anything.

 

You'll be fine.

4 minutes ago, transam said:

So LOS folk all live on about 70,000bht a month.....?

 

How did you extrapolate that from what I said?

 

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

£1500 a month. No problem.

 

Just don't get seriously ill, cancer or anything like that.

Don't have a bad accident.

Don't buy pricey vehicles.

Don't let a partner drain your finances. Be able to say, "No."

Don't pay clueless farang prices.

Don't be talked into making any investments that you had not planned to make.

Beware of Belgians, Nigerians and Indians that try to sell you anything.

 

You'll be fine.

Belgians? First I heard about this nation being mentioned in the same breath as the other 2. Tell us your story please.