Cost of living

[perspectiff]

Hello fellow forumers,

 

Sorry if this topic already exists but theres just too much going on here for me to sift through.
Since I know some of you have been staying long term in LoS, could you please share with me how much are you guys spending on a monthly basis and which are you guys are currently residing in? It would be perfect if it came with a little more details such as what the amount has been allocated for.

It's my life long dream to retire in Thailand I just need to know how much would I need to save up for in order to achieve it. (My country does not have a pension or elderly care scheme so basically its up to me).

If theres already been a thread regarding this topic than I offer my apologies and would greatly appreciate a little direction towards it.

Khop Khun Krap!

[Sandman77]

It depend where you stay north or South
15k condo or more ! If you eat only thai street food 3 time daily also Aprox ,10000 for European food double !
If you always stay at home not going out many time I would say 40k should be enough one month ! Car or public taxi not include! If you spend more on food in good restaurants I would say 1500 baht a day it depends how you live , we have to need more about your daily lifestyle !
If you live in isaan you can stay for 10k when you have a house there !
Food in Chiang Mai I pay 500 baht eat soup menu salad desert drinks in pattaya double ! If you want save and good value go to Chiang Mai , but I can tell you the smoke is sometime terrib le there !


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[fusion58]

Yes, it does depend on where you want to live.

 

My monthly damages in BKK:

 

Rent: 55K

Electric: 5-7K 

Water: ~300

Internet/TV: ~1,200

Cell service (wife's and my own) ~1,700

Food: 15-20K (for two people who dine out 4-5 nights per week + groceries.)

 

YMMV, as they say.

[perspectiff]

3 hours ago, Sandman77 said:

It depend where you stay north or South
15k condo or more ! If you eat only thai street food 3 time daily also Aprox ,10000 for European food double !
If you always stay at home not going out many time I would say 40k should be enough one month ! Car or public taxi not include! If you spend more on food in good restaurants I would say 1500 baht a day it depends how you live , we have to need more about your daily lifestyle !
If you live in isaan you can stay for 10k when you have a house there !
Food in Chiang Mai I pay 500 baht eat soup menu salad desert drinks in pattaya double ! If you want save and good value go to Chiang Mai , but I can tell you the smoke is sometime terrib le there !


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Yea I realize the costs differs from where you live. I'm still torn between BKK and Chiang Mai. BKK since I have some friends there so it gets less lonely but I really enjoy Chiang Mai's surroundings and lifestyle. I've lived in a city my entire life and I often find myself longing for a quieter environment. Based on what you say it seems incredibly likely that I would need to have a small business of some sort in order to sustain the lifestyle there instead of just relying on savings alone. But Im just a little curious you mentioned about smoke in Chiang Mai though. What smoke are we talking about here? Ive been there a couple of times and I havent seen or smelled any smoke.

[perspectiff]

1 hour ago, fusion58 said:

Yes, it does depend on where you want to live.

 

My monthly damages in BKK:

 

Rent: 55K

Electric: 5-7K 

Water: ~300

Internet/TV: ~1,200

Cell service (wife's and my own) ~1,700

Food: 15-20K (for two people who dine out 4-5 nights per week + groceries.)

 

YMMV, as they say.

Hey thanks for the response. Isn't 55k rental a little too steep? What sort of accomodation do you reside in? I'm looking at something closer to 10-12k a month.

[akirasan]

I have a very simple life, I'm out in the sticks and I can get by on 10-15k/month (according to my atm withdrawls) if I don't go near a larger town.  But that's not for everyone.  I'm not cheap I just have everything I need already. 

30-40k a month and you wouldn't have a terribly hard existence.

When I was in BKK a few years ago I had a one bedroom apartment for 5,500k rent monthly.  I think you'd want to allow up to 10k for rent nowadays.  

Up to you.

Edited May 11, 2017 by akirasan

[perspectiff]

45 minutes ago, akirasan said:

I have a very simple life, I'm out in the sticks and I can get by on 10-15k/month (according to my atm withdrawls) if I don't go near a larger town.  But that's not for everyone.  I'm not cheap I just have everything I need already. 

30-40k a month and you wouldn't have a terribly hard existence.

When I was in BKK a few years ago I had a one bedroom apartment for 5,500k rent monthly.  I think you'd want to allow up to 10k for rent nowadays.  

Up to you.

Thank you akirasan. I lead a relatively simple life right now but that may change. Actually in my mind im hoping to allocate around 25,000 baht monthly for expenditure (excluding rental) but im pretty sure it's only enough for 1. 
I've set aside 10-12k for but again im not entirely sure if thats a fair amount taking into account inflation 15 years later. And yes I agree anywhere between 30-40k would be ideal. It's just the small matter of achieving that amount lol.

[akirasan]

Depending on where you're at in your life, it's very easy to get an additional 10k monthly doing online work.  That was my initial plan, just do a few casual jobs here and there to keep my head above water, but I've ended up with more work than I can keep up with at the moment and almost working as many hours as I was back home.

The main problem with budgeting for 10k(ish) is you need a plan in case something goes wrong.  You could have extensive hospital or medical bills, or have to return home in a hurry.  

Before I moved here I wracked my brain for a long time trying to think about what I can do to keep the cash rolling in and I'm glad I did, it made life so much easier when I did because I didn't consider that we would have to buy a car, renovate our bathroom etc..  it's allowed me to sleep easily at night and not stress.

I dont know about setting up a business here..  it's not something I'd want to do in the current political climate.  The conversion rate works in your favour if you can get money from your home country/clients too.  
 

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, perspectiff said:

Actually in my mind im hoping to allocate around 25,000 baht monthly for expenditure (excluding rental) but im pretty sure it's only enough for 1. 

Issan yeah,  Bkk or CM would be possible but a scrimp and scrap existence IMO .  

[Jackie66]

Rent: 106m2 - 2 bedroom in Bangkok near Central Rama 3 i pay 20k (studios from 8-9k)

Internet and tv a little bit less then 1k (AIS 75/10 + basic tv package)

Electricity bill: 3.5-6k (4ACs with one at least running almost 24h and now that kids are off from school another one so that's why the bill this month was 5700, 3PCs etc..)

The rest i guess depends on you. I have a wife and 2 kids. Wife is self sufficient and i do not support her in any way other then i do pay rent and the basic bills for the family.

I guess if i divdied by months there is also the school which is about 10k a month paid twice per year and insurance for the kids about 4k a month paid every 3 months.

 

I probably spend a total of about 60k sometimes more if i go out at night or we all go on holiday so lets say about 22.000 USD/EUR per year not including any international travel which easily for 4 people goes to 100k+.

 

So for me with 2 kids 60k is getting by and 100k is comfortable without worrying about money at all.

 

Edited May 11, 2017 by Jackie66

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, perspectiff said:

Actually in my mind im hoping to allocate around 25,000 baht monthly for expenditure (excluding rental) but im pretty sure it's only enough for 1. 

I find myself spending 2 to 3 times that in Pattaya and since I own my condo, I have no rent ... and I don't consider myself extravagant, but certainly not trying to scrimp either.

[BJones]

5 hours ago, perspectiff said:

Hey thanks for the response. Isn't 55k rental a little too steep? What sort of accomodation do you reside in? I'm looking at something closer to 10-12k a month.

You'll get a studio in a half decent condo in BKK for 10-12k. 55k will get you something sweet downtown. 

I spend about 50k - 60k a month, and it's comfortable without being too luxurious.

[al007]

There is no simple answer

 

Healthcare is a very big imponderable

 

It also depends on what you need want and absolutely have to have

 

A reasonable figure for a family, with house paid for say £2500, and you would be OK

[dotpoom]

A policeman wouldn't even ask me that.....at least wait till you get to know me (like she said).

[catman20]

As little or as much as you can afford that will deturmend your life style. I know people here that live on as little as 30k and others as much as 100,000 plus.

[likewise]

Krabi, without debt, mortgage free, car loan free, around 50K/month, going out to eat 4 nights/week. USed to be 80K in the days I was still drinking and partying.

As many said a lot depends on what you want to do in your free time.

[perspectiff]

Thanks everyone for your generous inputs. I understand the amount is dependent on your choice of lifestyle. Im just curious how most local Thai's are able to survive on an average wage of 30k, 

Im not too concerned about healthcare since I will likely retain citizenship with my native country since im only a couple of hours flight from home and retain its healthcare benefits. I will probably get a travel insurance just in case though.

 

It seems on average most of you are spending 60k a month, that works out to around 1700 USD. To be honest it's way more than I had expected. Looks like I will need to plan ahead to generate more passive income or operate some form of business while living there.

[Andy32]

I'm a single male in BKK, and I would say my monthly expenditure is approximately 30k-40k per month. That includes a 10k 1 bedroom apartment, round the corner from an MRT station which is only a few stops from Asok. I don't live a crazy, non stop partying lifestyle, but normally go out for drinks once or twice a week. I would say I live a very comfortable life with that money. I don't need to keep checking my money or budget day to day.

Saying that, I know other foreigners here who stay in more "Thai style" apartments who only pay 3-4K rent with air con, or as little as 1.5-2k rent without. And that's within walking distance to a BTS. Personally I need to feel a little more comfortable though. So for a western style apartment, along the mrt or BTS lines, you should be looking anywhere between 9-15k.


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[al007]

4 minutes ago, perspectiff said:

Thanks everyone for your generous inputs. I understand the amount is dependent on your choice of lifestyle. Im just curious how most local Thai's are able to survive on an average wage of 30k, 

Im not too concerned about healthcare since I will likely retain citizenship with my native country since im only a couple of hours flight from home and retain its healthcare benefits. I will probably get a travel insurance just in case though.

 

It seems on average most of you are spending 60k a month, that works out to around 1700 USD. To be honest it's way more than I had expected. Looks like I will need to plan ahead to generate more passive income or operate some form of business while living there.

Im just curious how most local Thai's are able to survive on an average wage of 30k,    Well as you say survive, they have very different needs

 

Remember there are many choices other than Thailand, originally on my list was Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and many Caribbean islands

[perspectiff]

1 minute ago, al007 said:

Im just curious how most local Thai's are able to survive on an average wage of 30k,    Well as you say survive, they have very different needs

 

Remember there are many choices other than Thailand, originally on my list was Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and many Caribbean islands

Of course, all beautiful countries. I chose Thailand  because it has a somewhat similar cultural values to mine and the proximity to my home nation as compared to those you mentioned. 

[perspectiff]

5 minutes ago, Andy32 said:

I'm a single male in BKK, and I would say my monthly expenditure is approximately 30k-40k per month. That includes a 10k 1 bedroom apartment, round the corner from an MRT station which is only a few stops from Asok. I don't live a crazy, non stop partying lifestyle, but normally go out for drinks once or twice a week. I would say I live a very comfortable life with that money. I don't need to keep checking my money or budget day to day.

Saying that, I know other foreigners here who stay in more "Thai style" apartments who only pay 3-4K rent with air con, or as little as 1.5-2k rent without. And that's within walking distance to a BTS. Personally I need to feel a little more comfortable though. So for a western style apartment, along the mrt or BTS lines, you should be looking anywhere between 9-15k.


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I guess you are right on the need for comfort. If I should decide to relocate than it makes sense to live better off than how I used to. I'm not too sure if I would eventually want to get my own property or not as I have heard many low to mid tier condos in Thailand are difficult to sell and the high-end ones are bloody expensive to afford. 

[al007]

4 minutes ago, perspectiff said:

Of course, all beautiful countries. I chose Thailand  because it has a somewhat similar cultural values to mine and the proximity to my home nation as compared to those you mentioned. 

Yes I too love Thailand , and am lucky enough to have peace and contentment, and enough to live on  very comfortably despite some very large medical bills, I am self insured

 

I am fascinated on what your home country might be, maybe Singapore !  !!   !!!

[perspectiff]

Just now, al007 said:

Yes I too love Thailand , and am lucky enough to have peace and contentment, and enough to live on  very comfortably despite some very large medical bills, I am self insured

 

I am fascinated on what your home country might be, maybe Singapore !  !!   !!!

Haha spot on! Wise financial move from you to ensure you are medically covered though. A few days in a hospital in Thailand is no laughing matter. 

[MyFriend You]

Sort of like asking 'how long is a piece of string'  we all have different expenses, I for one am a 'geographical bachelor' six months a year - kind of goes like this in BKK

 

Rent:   25,000

lights/water:  3,000

Food:  approx 500 baht a day eating out, but I eat Thai and street food - say 15-20,000 a month

Bars/Ladies, tips takes up a good chunk, I'd say 25,000 a month

Internet/Cell - 2500 a month, but have long distance expenses on top.

Train/Taxi's/Motocy - 2000 more.

Gym cost is 300 baht a day, massages 3 times a week another 

easily 100,000 baht a month, but I don't skimp

soon moving to Jom Tien so expect it to be cheaper.

Edited May 11, 2017 by TunnelRat69

[perspectiff]

Just now, TunnelRat69 said:

Sort of like asking 'how long is a piece of string'  we all have different expenses, I for one am a 'geographical bachelor' six months a year - kind of goes like this in BKK

 

Rent:   25,000

lights/water:  3,000

Food:  approx 500 baht a day eating out, but I eat Thai and street food - say 15-20,000 a month

Bars/Ladies, tips takes up a good chunk, I'd say 25,000 a month

Internet/Cell - 2500 a month, but have long distance expenses on top.

Train/Taxi's/Motocy - 2000 more.

easily 100,000 baht a month, but I don't skimp

 

soon moving to Jom Tien so expect it to be cheaper.

Yeap of course the amount differs accordingly to ones lifestyle and location, which is why i asked to include a list of the expenses if possible so I am able to gauge what my own expense will be like.

100k is alot even for Singapore standards! You must be living the life!

[Peterw42]

22 minutes ago, perspectiff said:

Thanks everyone for your generous inputs. I understand the amount is dependent on your choice of lifestyle. Im just curious how most local Thai's are able to survive on an average wage of 30k, 

Im not too concerned about healthcare since I will likely retain citizenship with my native country since im only a couple of hours flight from home and retain its healthcare benefits. I will probably get a travel insurance just in case though.

 

It seems on average most of you are spending 60k a month, that works out to around 1700 USD. To be honest it's way more than I had expected. Looks like I will need to plan ahead to generate more passive income or operate some form of business while living there.

You can have a great lifestyle for not much money. Its also very easy to spend money here if you are not careful. You can spend 1,000 baht a week on food or 1,000 baht on one meal. Come for a holiday and you will realize how incredibly cheap it can be and how ridiculously expensive it can be.

I live in a 1 br condo and run airconn all the time and my electricity is around 1,000 a month. Today I got a craving for western food and I just spent 1,000 baht on some bread rolls, ham, cheese, real coffee. A couple of bags of western groceries costs the same as my monthly electricity bill.

[Peterw42]

OP, what do you currently live on per month in Baht ? What would you ideally like to spend per month in Thailand ? Maybe people can advise if its possible.

[al007]

14 minutes ago, perspectiff said:

Haha spot on! Wise financial move from you to ensure you are medically covered though. A few days in a hospital in Thailand is no laughing matter. 

Govt hospital costs here can be very good and  also affordable

 

I consider Singapore very expensive, and if you are living there especially if you own real estate early retirement to Thailand is very achievable, but keep your property in Singapore, I believe it is a better and safer bet than Thailand

 

Some of the very cheap fares between Singapore and Bangkok make exploring and checking our easy and not expensive, and you then judge for yourself first hand

 

And then there is Malaysia, almost swimming distance

 

Enjoy yourself sir, in time you will achieve your wishes I am sure, 

 

Good Luck

[canarysun]

Dear Viewers..

It appears that some of our viewers seem to be living on " The Amalfi Coast of Italy " and not Thailand......... 

Greetings to you all x

C.S 

[perspectiff]

23 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

You can have a great lifestyle for not much money. Its also very easy to spend money here if you are not careful. You can spend 1,000 baht a week on food or 1,000 baht on one meal. Come for a holiday and you will realize how incredibly cheap it can be and how ridiculously expensive it can be.

I live in a 1 br condo and run airconn all the time and my electricity is around 1,000 a month. Today I got a craving for western food and I just spent 1,000 baht on some bread rolls, ham, cheese, real coffee. A couple of bags of western groceries costs the same as my monthly electricity bill.

I second that. I once had a meal at an italian restaurant near phrom phong with my then- thai gf and the meal almost cost me 3k. Whereas there have been days where I just have a nice bowl of fried egg omelette with rice which tastes absolutely divine for 25 baht. But in all honesty its a tough ask for me to totally avoid eating at fancier places. 

As for your second question, I spend between anywhere between 20 - 25k baht in Singapore if I didnt do anything fancy for that month. But with that amount I eat home most of the time and I currently still live with my parents (housing here is incredibly restrictive and extortionate). 

Ideally I would also like to spend around 20-25k a month in BKK after housing. Of course I would love to be able to spend more but it's incredibly challenging to accumulate enough savings or passive income to be able to afford more so Im being conservative here.