How long would 20k (Australian) last in Thailand?

[smotherb]

12 hours ago, kimura89 said:

The reason for my post is I'm seeing if I could stretch it out further if possible... I'd ideally like to stay much longer, but if that's the case I might have to settle for 9 months

Native English Speakers (NES) who teach English here live on B30k-B60k/mo--more toward the B30k than the B60k mark. Some NES may have some other source of income, but most likely do not.

 

However, the NES normally have a lower-cost long-term rental, are somewhat familiar with local less-cost entertainment, and are not incurring traveling costs on a regular basis as you suggest by using BKK as a hub for flights throughout SEA.

 

So, yes you can live on that, especially if you find cheap accommodation, eat mostly off the street, go out mainly on weekends, and keep your flights within reason.

[F4UCorsair]

I don't know what you expect to spend on actual transport throughout Asia, but I figure you could manage on A $50 a day/ $1500 a month, so A$20K should get you 14 months, possibly longer.

I wouldn't want to live on A$50 a day, but I'm not you. 

You could easily do the 9 months you budgeted on.

Edited January 30, 2017 by F4UCorsair

[Jdietz]

25 minutes ago, smotherb said:

 

The headline says 20k Australian and his conversion of B535,000 seems to be correct in AUSD

If you would read first, you'd notice the headline and content were edited afterwards to add this information.

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, kimura89 said:

That's not in the plan thankfully hahaha

It never is.

[chrisinth]

45 minutes ago, smotherb said:

 

The headline says 20k Australian and his conversion of B535,000 seems to be correct in AUSD

What Jdietz said in post ID:34

Edited January 30, 2017 by chrisinth

[GreasyFingers]

My spending over the last 4 years has averaged AUD $75 per day in Samui. That includes bar drinking most days, with or without a woman but little western food. Plenty of cheap Thai restaurants when you do not have a woman cooking for you, actually the costs are similar.

If you can bring the money in cash as you will get a much better exchange rate. Just declare it AUS immigration on the way out. It takes 5 minutes to fill out a form but no questions asked.

[sandgroper2]

14 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

20k what?

US Dollars? (many nationalities in the forum)

For 9 months?

20k USD ~ 700 k  Baht (THB)

About 77k Baht per month.

 

Read the third line , not just the heading.

14 hours ago, Jdietz said:

if you mean THB I'd say an afternoon.

 

 

 

14 hours ago, chrisinth said:

14 hours ago, chrisinth said:

20k what?

 

If you are talking baht, likely lucky to get weekend to weekend...............................

.............................

535000 lasting one weekend. Wake up.

[Jdietz]

Is this a write-only forum?

[IMA_FARANG]

I live in Bangkok.

I have a 3 month rental contract for my apartment.

I pay monthly by Baht.

My dent is about 18,000 Baht monthly.

I run around 200 Baht  a day for food or roughly 200 times 30 days= 6000 Baht for meals a month.

Add a little more for other expenses and we can call it less than 30,000 Baht monthly.

I know others will say they could do it for less, but I am happy with my lifestyle.

I have a U.S. pension. that handles it easily.

 

 

[kimura89]

My breakdown of costs per month was as follows (in THB), happy to take opinions on whether it's reasonable or not -

 

Rent - 17300

 

Food - 7500 (mostly street food with the very occasional western delicacy now and then I guess :) )

 

Jiu Jitsu Gym membership - 3200  (I plan to do some training Jiu-Jitsu while I'm there as I train and compete in Australia a lot)

 

Misc. - 18,700 (this is basically for everything else: Going Out, Drinks, transport etc.)

 

Thoughts?

[Jdietz]

Make sure you have travel insurance for the whole period you're staying here.

Have a Multi Entry Tourist Visa.

 

[12DrinkMore]

2 hours ago, recycler said:

but KL is very similar to BKK with cheaper beer

Last time I was in Malaysia beer in the 7/11 was about three times the price in Thailand (large bottle MYR 115 to THB 42), although that was before the Ringitt took a plunge and Thailand raised prices/taxes.

 

Unless the islamic State fun  tax has gone down  must still be well over double.

[Don Mega]

bout 2 months !!

 

[01322521959]

You can live OK on 25- 30000 Thai baht per month IMHO.

Sent from my i-mobile_i-STYLE_219 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[lungnorm]

It would last about 20 bar girls. A lot less if you eat street food. Hospitals are expensive in Bkk.

[Chaz1819]

That's more than enough for 9 months


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[whiteman]

How long is a piece of string  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Lovethailandelite]

Just looking at the figures here to run my condo alone which is bought and paid for. Inc Health Insurance the whole thing tops out at 25,000 a month without buying a single bowl of rice or a bottle of water. If you want a life of no TV, Internet, no aircon or worry about when you turn it on and no mobile phone and rely on not getting sick so no Health insurance, then yes, you can make it cheaper. How anybody lives here on 30k a month and pays rent out of it, I have absolutely idea. To have a life here you need 60k a month minimum unless you want to live like a Thai in a 2k a month room with nothing. Unless you are a special breed, Westerner's cannot ever live like a Thai. I have been here 30+ years and I know the difference between living and existing here.

[SaintLouisBlues]

6 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

To have a life here you need 60k a month minimum 

Which is completely coincidentally more or less the income Thai Immigration says you need for the "retirement visa"

[kimura89]

7 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Which is completely coincidentally more or less the income Thai Immigration says you need for the "retirement visa"

Even as a single late 20's male who isn't planning to be out on the town every night?

 

I budgeted 45k a month and can find a decent place with aircon/TV on AirBNB or an actual rental website for under 20k p/m.

 

Am I missing something here?

[Lovethailandelite]

4 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Which is completely coincidentally more or less the income Thai Immigration says you need for the "retirement visa"

Your right and 100% truth that never even crossed my mind. To be honest, this thread actually made me sit down and write out my costings because I never actually had a clue and I just pay the bills as they arrive. Yes I do pay quite a lot on health insurance but I cannot be here and not have good cover and repatriation to the UK should I ever need it. I have cover for absolutely everything for any hospital I choose for a large amount but at 58 yrs old I could need it at anytime and don't intend to be wiped out by a medical bill. The cost is 11,000TBH with AXA PPP.

[Lovethailandelite]

6 minutes ago, kimura89 said:

Even as a single late 20's male who isn't planning to be out on the town every night?

 

I budgeted 45k a month and can find a decent place with aircon/TV on AirBNB or an actual rental website for under 20k p/m.

 

Am I missing something here?

You still have to run the place. All the services and sundries are not free. 45k a month don't go far here anymore, particularly Bangkok. As I said, there is a difference between living an existing here. If anybody is coming here to just exist, stay where you are and just come for holidays. At 20 something, you also need to factor in Visa costs for running in and out the country.

[fredbear10]

16 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

20k what?

US Dollars? (many nationalities in the forum)

For 9 months?

20k USD ~ 700 k  Baht (THB)

About 77k Baht per month.

 

 

 

16 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

 

How long would 20k (Australian) last in Thailand? I believe this was the topic but maybe im wrong, happens alot :)

[kimura89]

18 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

You still have to run the place. All the services and sundries are not free. 45k a month don't go far here anymore, particularly Bangkok. As I said, there is a difference between living an existing here. If anybody is coming here to just exist, stay where you are and just come for holidays. At 20 something, you also need to factor in Visa costs for running in and out the country.

Define 'run the place'? I'd imagine water + electricity would be around the 2,000thb mark per month right?

[Lovethailandelite]

Just now, kimura89 said:

Define 'run the place'? I'd imagine water + electricity would be around the 2,000thb mark per month right?

Electric 3000 (Can be more depending on condo rate or how much you use it)

Internet 900
Mobile with calls and Internet 700
Water 100 (Can be more depending on condo rate)
Maintenance fees (Jurasic fees) 3750
TV Package 2400
Cleaner/cleaning materials xxx
Household goods etc xxx
Straight away after the rent you've made a dent in the 25,000 you have left.

As I said, you can live a decent life or live a life to just survive. You also need to build in 10-20% for the swing of exchange rates.

[kimura89]

1 minute ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Electric 3000 (Can be more depending on condo rate or how much you use it)

Internet 900
Mobile with calls and Internet 700
Water 100 (Can be more depending on condo rate)
Maintenance fees (Jurasic fees) 3750
TV Package 2400
Cleaner/cleaning materials xxx
Household goods etc xxx
Straight away after the rent you've made a dent in the 25,000 you have left.

As I said, you can live a decent life or live a life to just survive. You also need to build in 10-20% for the swing of exchange rates.

Thanks for the breakdown. Kind of reaffirms going down the AirBNB route for accommodation, most of them are fully furnished, have everything included bar the water and electricity for around 15,000 p/m.

 

Not a big TV guy so happy to without that. And any calls/messages I do through Whatsapp/Line which can be done on Wifi anyway.

[Lovethailandelite]

Just now, kimura89 said:

Thanks for the breakdown. Kind of reaffirms going down the AirBNB route for accommodation, most of them are fully furnished, have everything included bar the water and electricity for around 15,000 p/m.

 

Not a big TV guy so happy to without that. And any calls/messages I do through Whatsapp/Line which can be done on Wifi anyway.

No problem enjoy your stay but make sure you allow the funds for visa runs.

[kimura89]

Just now, Lovethailandelite said:

No problem enjoy your stay but make sure you allow the funds for visa runs.

 

Thanks :)... I'm still figuring out the best way to go about that, I think us Aussies can get up to 90 day multiple entry visa somehow. Not 100% sure though.

[Lovethailandelite]

Just now, kimura89 said:

 

Thanks :)... I'm still figuring out the best way to go about that, I think us Aussies can get up to 90 day multiple entry visa somehow. Not 100% sure though.

Not sure as I don't need to do them. You also need to make sure that these rentals actually do include the electric because you can run big bills up here running air con continually. Also the locations as you will need to be near the BTS or rely on Taxis.The closer to the BTS, the more the rent though. You also need to arrange some medical insurance. Travel insurance will not cover you over 60 days normally. It's easy to have an accident or get sick here and have a 1 million BHT plus hospital bill as many have found out. 

[khunPer]

It's a typically case of "how long a rubber band is", i.e. depending totally on life-style. If there is such a thing as "under normal conditions" – OP, you say you're not much to partying and dine street food – then around 55k to 60k a month will be Okay. Lots of folks live fine here for 40k to 60k baht a month – some even less – others can hardly survive a week only...