Cost Of Living In Korat

[buadhai]

I'm thinking of retiring early next year and moving to Korat with my Thai girlfriend. (We live in the Western Pacific now.)

We'd have to live on about 80,000 Baht per month, for everything, including Thai and US taxes.

What sort of a lifestyle could we have on that monthly income?

TIA

[farangnoi]

Need a butler??

[jayenram]

Depends where you are considering living. In the sticks you could live like a prince. But what percentage is US taxes?

[jayenram]

For an example, it's almost 220 cases of *chang* per month

[buadhai]

For an example, it's almost 220 cases of *chang* per month

Well then, that leaves 20 cases for my girlfriend....

I'm not sure of the tax amount. Maybe US$2500 per year; 800 Baht a month?

What would the Thai taxes be?

[dutch]

Tax is a progressive tariff.

You can find everything in Thaivisa.com

USD 2500=9600 baht ???(800X12)

Housing?

Visa.Retirement visa need now 800.000 baht /year.

I not know if in July it will be 1.500.000? In that case you will come short to meet the official requirements.

Good luck

[ThaiFarmer]

Retirement visa need now 800.000 baht /year.

I not know if in July it will be 1.500.000?

From 800k to 1.500k...........????? Where did you find that piece of information? Is it just a guess from you because Marriage Visa is going up from 200k to 400k or do you have some sort of inside information?

Besides. Can anyone tell me why it's considered cheaper in Thailand to support a wife and children than to live as a pensioner (retired)? In Sweden it's on the contrary. More normal, I think. Or is Thailand having anything against pensioners?

I sincerely hope you are wrong about the 1.500k. Not too many employees in the world can have this sum as a pensioner. Not even as a salary when working full time.

[bangsaen bob]

Do you mean Korat City, or out in the middle of Nakhon know where?

Be sure you check it out before you build a house. Most farangs end of getting kicked out on their ass, i.e. house not in their name. If you are going to build a house, I would recommend you get a 30/30 year least from your wife. That way they can't kick you out. You can always be killed or have a nasty accident though. I'm not trying to be synical, but that's the way it is in the LOS.

You can rent say a condo in Pattaya for around 10,000 THB. Where I live in Bangsaen, 45km North of Pattaya. A 3br 2 bath house can be rented for about 6-8,000 THB.

As a reference manual, try HELLO MY BIG BIG HONEY

Cheers

[bangsaen bob]

Addendum,

Don't forget about health insurance. Althought health care is very good in Thailand, It's my opinion that health insurance is a must including med evac. If you happend to go to some surrounding country, med evac is a must, or it could cost you 15,000 USD to get back to good health care in Thailand. It happended to a friend of mine.

[dutch]

Thaifarmer,

I agree with you about thedifference in costs of retirement or family support.

I have no (final) information at all about the amount to be at the bank for retirement.

At the same time the new regulations (per july 2004) for spouse to be increased from 200 to 400K there was the talk of retirement sum to be increased ftom 800 to 1500K.

I think it is ridiculious to put that amount of money on the bank so I choose to go as spouse.

May be Dr.PP knows the final decision for retirement as July is very near now.

BangsaenB. I don't think he is thinking about builging a house.

That's why I put the question mark in my post

Your remark about health insurance is correct although for incidental travels you can book a travel insurance fot that period.

[ThaiFarmer]

May be Dr.PP knows the final decision for retirement as July is very near now.

Yes Dutch, I think many of us are waiting for Khun Doctor to tell us if he knows anything about this delicate matter. But I think I will do just like you and go as a spouse.....! Cheaper! At least for the moment. If they want they can double the sum EVERY year. They can do whatever they want. I mean if they really don't want us to come and stay in LOS!!!

Well, when talking about doctors....... Bangsaen Bob mentioned HEALTH INSURANCE. Does anyone know a reliable insurance company in LOS? Last time in our village I talked to a representative for a American insurance company, who said I couldn't choose just a HEALTH insurance. I must have a LIFE insurance first THEN I can choose HEALTH insurance as an option. Hmmm.... but I'm not interested in a LIFE insurance! I've no use for any money when I'm dead (at least as far as I know.... ) and Khun Wife will have more than enough anyway. And I'm sure the fee is much higher for a LIFE insurance than for just a HEALTH insurance. Of course. I'm sure that is the business concept!

Do any of you have some experience to share about HEALTH insurances?

EXACT instructions and/or figures if possible.

1. A reliable company that can help you when something happens and not only collect the fee.

2. What to ask for (=don't forget to ask about this......... and that!).

3. Example of cost per month or per year for one farang (50++) and his Thai wife (40++).

4. What DOES it use to cover?

5. What does it NOT use to cover? Important!!

6. Any warnings....!!! "Real life stories" from friends.

[dutch]

Thai farmer,

I think we have to go with the health insurance thread to the special topic in the forum.

Not be too optimistic tho. I started this topic with only few respons.

I am investigating through the website all the Thai and international companies.

None of them ever requested a life insurance together with healthins.

I do have a lot of names already and even quotations.

There is always a lot of exclusions(depending on the history) and also many timesw restricted till 65.

My wife is thinking about a foreign bank account with emergency money on it.Fill it every month with the premium that is asked for (but not covers everything!)

Indication of premium would be 3000 till 5000 usd/annual and raising!

If you put 200.000 baht on the bank every year ?

I will put all my info on the forum after selecting and researching.

Any body elso to contribute

[bangsaen bob]

Insurance

My wife and I use a Hong Kong Based company, Pacific Internation Insurance

www.insurance-pacific.com

[email protected]

They have a wide range of plans which include med-evac in the plan. I choose a $2,500 deductable per person (30%) discount. For $250,000 a year coverage our premium is around $1,000 per year. I'm 48, wife 27

I use the high deductable and keep the insurance for some sort of real major problem. Good health care is not expensive, but if you travel abroad you really need to think about it.

[ThaiFarmer]

Thai farmer,

I think we have to go with the health insurance thread to the special topic in the forum.

Not be too optimistic tho. I started this topic with only few respons.

Hi Dutch,

Sorry about my insurance questions above. The right questions! But the wrong place!! All sorts of questions are popping up in my head all the time. Mostly in unsorted order . I have so many questions that need answers before I take one of the most important steps in my life, to move to LOS.

I haven't even noticed there is a special forum for Health questions. I will now copy my insurance questions above to the right place in your topic "Health Insurance, Comparison". Hope it's OK for you and I also hope we can have some good answers to this important question. See you over there!

[Jeff1]

I do not think there is anything wrong with asking any questions here. You just have to ask the right way " Insurance in Korat " I found one Healthcareinternational.com Sounds as good as Bob's , but lower deductable.

But back to the thread.... korat is much cheaper than Bangkok for housing , food

pretty much everything. It all depends on what you want to do and where and how you live. You can buy a very nice house for cheap in town. I stay at the Sima condo 6000 baht a month for a large studio. You can buy one and pay 1000 a month for 25 years .......up to you

[gregchambers]

I am in Nakron ratcisma at the moment and apart from wandering around on the bike looking for sale signs can find no Thai newspapers with private adverts for real estate nor any estate agents (have Thai girl who can actually read BTW) so any links or ideas on where to actually find condos or houses for sale here? I have visited a couple of developments on the outskirts, a two bed detachouse going for 850-950,000 which is a bit expensive in my view.

[-J-]

I am also using HealthCare International they are providing a very good service ...