Many expats live in Thailand on less than 45,000 baht a month

[gk10002000]

9 minutes ago, seajae said:

actually we find it a lot cheaper to eat out, we cant cook meals for the prices they charge. By the time you buy the meat and vegetables(unless you buy 1 very small piece of meat, 1 small carrot etc) it already costs  what you pay going out, then there is the preparation time, etc etc, we both cook when we need/want to but with the low prices to eat out it is more convenient to do so. Going out to eat there is no waste either, if you want to eat the same thing every day then it can work out cheaper but not by a lot when you add in gas, spices etc that are needed, we find it a lot easier to jump on the bike and go down the road for really nice meals at very low prices. To be honest I cant think of any western friends that dont know how to cook but then none of them are under 30

Certainly can be very close. Go to Foodland in Pattaya and one can buy a saran wrapped assemblage of meat with vegetables fairly cheap.  But that doesn't include rice.  It is fairly cheap to go to KISS and get a fried rice with shrimps for less than 100 baht. For time, convenience and completeness, that aint bad.  Now if instead one goes to the Domocile and orders the meat plate or the weinerschnitzel with fried potatoes and salat, and a coke every day, well, that can add up if one is on a tight budget.  Of course one can choose the time they eat and hit all the specials like the 1/2 chicken or whatever they offer

[David Walden]

46 minutes ago, robblok said:

I try to spend around 40-45 per month.. its enough. Not that hard if you don't have to pay for company. I don't have to pay rent own the home so that saves money too. 

As I understand a farang cannot own a land in Thailand does this mean you live in a condo or have a long term lease (25 year) you say you own the home (not a house).

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, BEngBKK said:

I think the surway was silly.

I answered that I live for less than 25000/Month, but I earn more that 60000... ?

Since my wife own the house and it is already paied out and we have no children,  we do not have high expenses....And she earn more than me, so she newer ask for money.......

(And YES..... There are nice Thai women in Thailand.... Not all are gold diggers)


 

You have basically said what I was going to. The question was how much do I spend, not how much do I earn nor how much does my family spend.

 

I didn't take into account the 125k health insurance, the 400k annual school fees nor the large amount I spend each year on travelling. My partner has her own business and she spends what she wants. House and car, nothing to pay. 

 

So although I put myself in the 45-65k bracket I wouldn't class myself as living on the breadline!

 

 

[fvw53]

how do the "low income" farangs get long term visas without showing bank records when applying at Thai 

Embassy for such visa... and eventually later on for an extension at local immigration office.

[William_R]

I wonder how many of those lower 100 are living in rural Thailand. There are a lot of low income English teachers living comfortably in small towns. I have an income that is well above what Immigration requires, plus substantial cash reserves, but choose to live in a rural town on between 20k and 25k a month. I rent a large 2 bedroom home for 5,500 a month that is gated and has 3 covered outdoor sitting areas. Aside from the occasional pack of dogs barking and constant crowing of roosters, it is a quiet and very safe neighborhood. I ride a bicycle, because its good for my health, and get rides from friends when needed. Most restaurants will charge between 30 and 40 baht for a meal. I have A/C in one room that runs 24/7 and my electric is 1100 baht a month. Reliable high speed fiber Internet is about 1300 baht. There's a Big C, with cinema, about 3K from my house. When first moving to Thailand, living in BKK or one of the tourist trap cities is probably for the best, but once you learn the culture and a bit of the language, rural life has its charm. In the country, people still have their hand out, but there are less of them. Some do try to over charge, but that mostly goes away once they realize you are a permanent resident. For those that need western luxuries, bar girls, and shopping malls, rural life will be uncomfortable. After living in Thailand for 12 years I've found those things aren't all that important. If I want a week in the big city its only a few hours away and lord knows I've saved up plenty of cash to cover it. :-)

[Vacuum]

1 minute ago, fvw53 said:

how do the "low income" farangs get long term visas without showing bank records when applying at Thai 

Embassy for such visa... and eventually later on for an extension at local immigration office.

See post #124

[mommysboy]

3 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Certainly can be very close. Go to Foodland in Pattaya and one can buy a saran wrapped assemblage of meat with vegetables fairly cheap.  But that doesn't include rice.  It is fairly cheap to go to KISS and get a fried rice with shrimps for less than 100 baht. For time, convenience and completeness, that aint bad.  Now if instead one goes to the Domocile and orders the meat plate or the weinerschnitzel with fried potatoes and salat, and a coke every day, well, that can add up if one is on a tight budget.  Of course one can choose the time they eat and hit all the specials like the 1/2 chicken or whatever they offer

Agreed, it really is easy to eat well and cheaply- Foodland and KISS provide a good base as do Food Halls in Lotus or Big C.  Then fruit can he had cheaply and you can make sandwiches at home.  Even those Big C ready meals can be supplemented with veg.

[overherebc]

I find the acceptance of the extended family as being part and parcel of life here unbelievable. Yes I know people who say it is just normal.

Learned years ago from a mate who lived in patts, rented house, who hooked up with a girl who moved in with him. 3 or 4 weeks later he noticed a pick up outside the gate with a couple of kids in the back, asked his girlfriend who they were. Oh that's my family.

How much did it cost them to get here  he asked. Oh maybe 2000 baht.

Handed her 3000 baht and said that should get them back home and a meal on the way.

Never saw them again.

[lubfishin]

The moment I moved from the United States to Thailand, I became a multi-millionaire.............. In Thai baht.

[oldrunner]

I showed my wife this article and asked where my 15,000 baht was. She claims my allowance of 10,000 baht per month is more than enough for my Sugar-Free Tea and one Ladies drink. I should never let her take over the budget but since my mind is somewhat addled I didn't have a choice. I get a "once a week" at a bar where the ladies (all 3) work the bar and kitchen and are provided for by men 40 years younger than I. My wife asks what I would do with a young maiden. I replied "I'm still old enough to look."

[Jingjock]

2 hours ago, brianp0803 said:

Many expat over 50 living in Thailand very likely have assets in their home country in excess of a million dollars.

You have hit the nail right on the head. All money assets still in my home country, accept my car and motorbike here. To bring big money here, very chancy, even getting it back out of Thailand

[TSF]

If you're not paying for an entire Thai family, and not supporting a Thai wife/GF's card games, and not going to Patpong of Walking Street and ringing the bell in gogos, Then 40-45K THB is sufficient for a comfy lifestyle here. 

[david555]

3 minutes ago, lubfishin said:

The moment I moved from the United States to Thailand, I became a multi-millionaire.............. In Thai baht.

So..., I am / was, not the only one …? ??

[simoh1490]

45k Baht per month for a retiree in Thailand who is married and owns his owns home and has no debt provides for a good standard of living, I don't see the relevance of the point the article is trying to make.

[TechnikaIII]

Comfortably alone on 7,000 Bhat, 3,000 of which is rent for a secure, 2-story, 200 sq.m. shop style building, tiled throughout. There's plenty for the weekly 4-hour SRT trip to Bangkok and a day's buzzing around with BTS and MRT, and even a night in a hotel wherever. Locally I cycle. (Considering a Royal Enfield as an inter-provincial tourer on secondary roads. But I don't consider that purchase as part of my monthly expenses, except for the minimal cost of fuel, if I get it)

Food? In my town, I eat out a few times a week otherwise cooking at home works well. 

Booze? ... no thanks. A few bottles of beer a year and no more.                                                                                                                                                             

However, it all goes through the roof once a girlfriend is added to the equation.   ?                                    

[mommysboy]

2 minutes ago, TSF said:

If you're not paying for an entire Thai family, and not supporting a Thai wife/GF's card games, and not going to Patpong of Walking Street and ringing the bell in gogos, Then 40-45K THB is sufficient for a comfy lifestyle here. 

Agreed.... but there is a need to factor in health care-  a really comprehensive package would be 7000 baht a month or thereabouts, and it's difficult to get after 70 years of age.

 

 

[david555]

Just now, simoh1490 said:

45k Baht per month for a retiree in Thailand who is married and owns his owns home and has no debt provides for a good standard of living, I don't see the relevance of the point the article is trying to make.

Pushing us to overspend maybe …. may be sponsored article from the bar & real estate mob....?   they are suffering now ?

[Cranky]

Where most low-budget dwellers screw up is that they add up the the how-low-can-you-go figure and work on that.  5,000 for an apartment and 1000 baht a day for example, which you can live reasonably well on if you wish to.  Most forget: trips, health insurance, emergencies, new bike/car, buffalo, golf days, etc which can easily double the 'safe' figure.  Not to mention the cost of extra-curicular, which is after all the reason many are here.  Throw in the GF's drug and gambling habit and wonder why it so often ends in tears.

[theonetrueaussie]

Most westerners here can live amazing lives on 45k baht a month especially if you are single and no kids. I spend less then that most months and I get 3 massages a week, monthly gym membership, sauna 5x a week and eat like a king tons of avacado, chicken, beef, fish and vegetables. I don't drink much and never need to pay for women here so maybe if you are at the bar every night you will need much much more but the average person living here can live very well on 35-45k a month especially if you rent long term and own your own transport.

[beavenlen]

THANK YOU Thaivisa. about time someone recognized that some expats can survive comfortably on a uk state pension.

[Capt Rob]

42 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

education and work.  I agree.  I have been broke, jobless and homeless, after 40 years of hard work even my family abandoned me even though I had never cost them a dime, never did anything illegal, etc.  Oh well.  I survived it, put my nose back to the grind stone, worked hard and long, arguably got one big break on a long term contract and I took advantage of that and socked the bucks away so that now the investments pay nice dividends and interest.  I remember after my first trip to Thailand my desire to be able to live there should I choose.  I looked up the retirement income required (65,000) baht or about 2,000 USD per month.  That became my near term goal.  A few years later I remember checking my portfolio and saw I was getting 24,000 a year, or 2,000 a month.  It felt so good.  Then a few more years and I passed, 3,000 a month, then 4,000 a month.  Now the monies feed on themselves and there it is very reasonable to believe I can live quite comfortably on that, and I am not even counting this year's and then the upcoming future Social Security.

 

   I really was down and out.  Had been just plain stupid, but I always had an idea and a plan.  And I was lucky I had my BS and MS behind me and my Air Force experience, so with a little luck I was able to move forward and get work.   What did Ben Franklin allegedly say:  "If you think getting an education is expensive, you should try not getting an education and then you will see how expensive that is"

 

  I think the survey numbers are reasonably accurate.  But what they don't tell is how many of those people are really long term livers in Thailand.  I mean, many could be low level young english teachers just giving things a go, or things like that.  They are not retirees per se.

Good to read of someone picking themselves up after a stuff-up or so - one thing is true if you say you can or cannot you will be right.  Some folk I have met here have quite modest incomes, but do manage quite well

 

[Development at Khaoyai]

CLW is perfectly right. If you are living in  Thailand and have to get by with less than 25K per month, take lessons from Thais, who will show you how !

[fakser]

I pay 7,000 THB a month for a specious condo in Pinklao.

I spend 10,000 for food and petrol for my Motorbike

Add entertainment 13,000.

It sums up to 20k. And by no means I am poor.

[bkk6060]

8 minutes ago, fakser said:

I pay 7,000 THB a month for a specious condo in Pinklao.

I spend 10,000 for food and petrol for my Motorbike

Add entertainment 13,000.

It sums up to 20k. And by no means I am poor.

Uh??.nice try but that adds up to 30 k not 20...

.ps: I think you are poor.  Sorry.

[ravip]

31 minutes ago, David Walden said:

Like I said before many men retiring to Thailand are seeking a MBR  (Mutually Beneficial Relationship).  We do know that the best thing in life are free but you can pay for them if you like.  Mostly works in Thailand.  Usually not so good in the West.

Yes I understand about the MBR part.

But, if you are a millionaire in the West, WHY leave all the comforts there, to settle in a 3rd world country, many even risking their life? Has the countries in the West fallen so low with 'development' that a man cannot find a proper woman? I mean, this is a very basic factor in life.

The worst and the most disgusting part of the entire pantomime is when these expat millionaires starts bashing EVERYTHING in the 3rd world - the people, the government, the infrastructure, the everything! Even the wife they are living with is not trusted.

A sign of frustration? Derangement?  Geriatric Problems? or a show of natural pure cussedness?

Why so much of whinging? Where are the MBR's? 

[Myran]

"They were trying to survive on less than 25,000 baht - about what a recently graduated twenty something Thai person might try to scrape by on in Bangkok."

 

If they score bigtime, perhaps. Many of my Thai classmates from uni were happy to get salaries of around 15,000 after graduation.

[Dustdevil]

1 hour ago, connda said:

If a food court sells if for 50bht, then that same food in a US Thai restaurant will cost you 500bht.  So you can move to Thailand and eat at local restaurants, saving 5 to 10 times of your eating costs as compared to the US -- and you don't even need to cook! 

I had the best local dinners in Chiang Mai for 50 baht last year. And around the corner from my flat I got a full American breakfast for 35. Why on earth would I want to cook in CM? I don't even cook in the States, not that I'm wealthy either.

[Black arab]

Surely some in the survey were disclosing their monthly budget in thailand and not their total monthly income/savings.

[david555]

2 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Uh??.nice try but that adds up to 30 k not 20....

you are cruel to him , maybe he feel poor now after correcting the calculation …?…( me just joking...)

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

You forgot the wonga, clams, wedge, stash, folding-stuff, c-notes, shekels, loot, groats, smackers and my all-time favorite, filthy lucre.

Pieces of Eight,Spanish Doubloons,Thalers,Livres,Sovereigns,Denarii,Obols, Talents and my all time favourite.-Lakhs.

 

Anyone being paid in Confederate dollars misses out big time...