How low can you go, monthly budget cost

[Jasun]

Where is this myth that the ‘average’ Thai earns 10,000 a month coming from?

A typical 22 year old secretary in Bangkok earns double that, as do cops and junior bank clerks. Take a tiny step into semi-skilled or middle management and you can easily quadruple the figure. Start talking professional or skilled workers, and you’re normally looking at salaries over 100K a month. Even the average hooker earns 6 figures.

These are everyday middle class folk, not hi-so types or people with 'na' in their name. The fact is, the average salary is Thailand is a tick over 80,000 baht a month. And that's individual income, not combined household income. So in many cases you can double or triple that amount.

What's more, the average local doesn't necessarily have to budget for things like visas, trips home, emergency health insurance or English speaking schools for their kids. These farang extras really add up.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s entirely possible to live a great life in Thailand on very little money. You don't need money to be happy. But I don't think people should be under the illusion that you’ll be living the same as the ‘average’ Thai if you're doing it on anything like 10K a month. What you're really talking about is living like a very poor Thai, only with higher expenses.

[Khon Thai Ben Khon Dee]

^^ Of course it needs to be counted, as it is 4k less pocket money (or whatever) the OP has to give her out of his 26k fortune.

[Khon Thai Ben Khon Dee]

The fact is, the average salary is Thailand is a tick over 80,000 baht a month. And that's individual income, not combined household income. So in many cases you can double or triple that amount.

The fact is: You're wrong.

Unless you are talking about expats.

Out of an average uni a local would look to start at around 15-18k, this does rise rapidly though as they progress, annual bonuses are often close to half the year's salary!

All those without uni quals and working the menial jobs (millions and millions of them) probably average around 10k (between 6k-15k depending). Their life is nothing but a never ending struggle.

[Jasun]

The fact is, the average salary is Thailand is a tick over 80,000 baht a month. And that's individual income, not combined household income. So in many cases you can double or triple that amount.

The fact is: You're wrong.

Unless you are talking about expats.

Out of an average uni a local would look to start at around 15-18k, this does rise rapidly though as they progress, annual bonuses are often close to half the year's salary!

All those without uni quals and working the menial jobs (millions and millions of them) probably average around 10k (between 6k-15k depending).

Aware there is loads of people on the minimum wage, potentially millions earning less than 10K a month. And for all those millions, there are also millions earning significantly more. As you mentioned, kids straight out of uni are pulling 18K a month with that figure going up rapidly.

The 80K average is obviously inflated by super wealthy. But the (full time) median salary is still a lot higher than you might expect.

I've run large departments at MNCs in Thailand, hiring and firing, so I knew exactly what everyone was earning. These were Thais, not expats. A good portion of them were on 100K plus, the rest ranged down to high 20s. Cleaners and drivers were subcontracted, but no doubt they were on less.

Thai salaries:

http://www.adecco.co.th/Uploads/Knowledge-Center-Thought-Leadership/Thailand-Salary-Guide/Adecco-Thailand-Salary-Guide-2012.pdf

http://www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-survey.php?loc=215&loctype=1

http://www.payscale.com/research/TH/Country=Thailand/Salary

http://www.robertwalters.com.au/wwwmedialibrary/files/Salary%20Survey%202013/Thailand.pdf

[Khon Thai Ben Khon Dee]

^ The thing is, for every skilled employ earning 80k+ nationwide, there are likely 40 earning under 12k.

[BradinAsia]

Folks, comparing Thai income levels and expat income levels is a bit like comparing apples and oranges...

For this reason:

Monthly expenditures for Asians (for example, Thais here or Japanese in Japan) is a whole different paradigm.

Some years ago when I was living in Japan, my income was the same as my Japanese father-in-law. But his

family lived a very nice life while I was dirt poor and often borrowed money from him.

I was amazed at how he could maintain such a high standard of living on the same income as mine. That

was a big learning experience for me. I learned that Americans (me) waste a huge portion of their incomes.

- My entertainment was drinking in bars, my father-in-law drank just as much but always at home, which

meant his cost was about 90% less than mine.

- I often ate out in restaurants, he always ate at home. Again a huge savings.

- I drove a car 3 km to work, he road a bicycle to work (or walked in snowy weather). Big savings.

- He had a nice Minolta SLR camera, I couldn't afford one.

- He had a nice late model car, I had a rusty old $150 car that often quit and needed push start.

There is a huge gap between the spending patterns of Asians and Westerners. On the same income, Asians

will usually have a much higher standard of living than a Westerner.

This is my observation from 27 years in Asia -- for whatever it's worth, maybe very little...

[happylarry]

Brad if you are answering the few posts in front of yours then they are not comparing Thai incomes with expat incomes.....but Bangkok Thai wages with the national Thai wages.

My wife's best friend is working in a market shop in Pratunam, belonging to family.

She works morning, afternoon and then when the market closes she has to sort out materials etc in the warehouse in the evenings.

Many, many hours and that is every day of the week, and for that she gets 20,000baht per month. Admittedly she doesn't have to pay rent or food out of that because she lives with the family but it is considered a very good wage and she is a university graduate etc.too.

Jasun speaks of a myth but I think it is he who either living in a dream world or just travels in different circles to the real world.

Obviously there are those that earn higher amounts as in any country but to claim that this is nationwide.........

Thai school teachers with degrees earn less than 20,000, office workers earn less than 15,000 to 20,000.

My wife used to work in a lawyers office and just earnt 12,000 and when she was a tour guide in the fossil museum she earnt 9,000. Maybe similar workers in Bangkok do earn a bit more but I doubt if workers in all the other smaller cities in Thailand do.

Just remembered my wife's brother and his wife both work in a factory in Bangkok and earn about 50,000 between them.

He talks about the average person earning 80,000 a month but I bet workers in Burger King or in any of the hundreds of petrol stations only dream about earning a quarter of that. Dream on mate.

HL

[larsjohnsson]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[balo]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Again if you read OPs posts from the beginning he is not broke. He has cash availale and will use it if there is a sudden emergency, like a dentist.

So try to use common sense and you'll see it's possible to live on this budget .

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[happylarry]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Again if you read OPs posts from the beginning he is not broke. He has cash availale and will use it if there is a sudden emergency, like a dentist.

So try to use common sense and you'll see it's possible to live on this budget .

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'm not contradicting you balo but would it not be better to use the term "survive" on this budget??? Because it certainly would not be living well.

HL

[larsjohnsson]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Again if you read OPs posts from the beginning he is not broke. He has cash availale and will use it if there is a sudden emergency, like a dentist.

So try to use common sense and you'll see it's possible to live on this budget .

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Where did I say he was broke? And a normal family go to the dentist and doctor even when it's not a sudden emergency. That's the reason people include those things in a budget.

Yes he can survive on that budget if no serious emergency happen. But is that the life you would recommend for a family with children

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rhodie]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Again if you read OPs posts from the beginning he is not broke. He has cash availale and will use it if there is a sudden emergency, like a dentist.

So try to use common sense and you'll see it's possible to live on this budget .

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Where did I say he was broke? And a normal family go to the dentist and doctor even when it's not a sudden emergency. That's the reason people include those things in a budget.

Yes he can survive on that budget if no serious emergency happen. But is that the life you would recommend for a family with children

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

<deleted> he has 12 to 15 thousand pounds as backup. He owns a house and one back in the UK.

What do you want? That is plenty for any emergency. Wake up an smell the roses and stop being so negative.

[DILLIGAD]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Again if you read OPs posts from the beginning he is not broke. He has cash availale and will use it if there is a sudden emergency, like a dentist.

So try to use common sense and you'll see it's possible to live on this budget .

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Where did I say he was broke? And a normal family go to the dentist and doctor even when it's not a sudden emergency. That's the reason people include those things in a budget.

Yes he can survive on that budget if no serious emergency happen. But is that the life you would recommend for a family with children

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

<deleted> he has 12 to 15 thousand pounds as backup. He owns a house and one back in the UK.

Well said,sir!

There are enough farangs already in Isaan surviving on a lot less. They lurk in feral villages and pretend to live a healthy life by eating all sorts of crap whilst under the illusion that they are happy.

the roses and stop being so negative.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[PattayaPhom]

22 year old surelycan get a job to help

[JASON THAI]

22 year old surelycan get a job to help

Can you please read the other posts before you post as you may find out that she is working, she will pay 1k a month until she finishes paying off for her motorbike which will be about 7 months after we are there then she will raise this to 2k per month, I am not going to ask her to pay more as I want here to enjoy herself which the rest of her money

[JASON THAI]

When loking at your budget:

200 baht a month for medical insurence!!! Nothing more for the medical or medicin for 4 people !!!

And nothing for dental care. Are your plan that none in the family will never ever visit a Dentist?

And nothing for repair or buying stuff for your house!!

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Again if you read OPs posts from the beginning he is not broke. He has cash availale and will use it if there is a sudden emergency, like a dentist.

So try to use common sense and you'll see it's possible to live on this budget .

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Where did I say he was broke? And a normal family go to the dentist and doctor even when it's not a sudden emergency. That's the reason people include those things in a budget.

Yes he can survive on that budget if no serious emergency happen. But is that the life you would recommend for a family with children

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

<deleted> he has 12 to 15 thousand pounds as backup. He owns a house and one back in the UK.

What do you want? That is plenty for any emergency. Wake up an smell the roses and stop being so negative.

Thank you, I think people here think I am planing to live on 26k for the rest of my life which I know cannot be done.

I will have 12-15k GBP as backup if I need to return to the UK and also for any emergency, I will be also renting out my house and the money from that will go to pay the morgage and will leave me around £100 - £150 per month which will be used to top up the emergency fund.

I don't have to pay for my daugther anymore as she is grown up and working and she will help with the food bills

I have 800k saved up in a Child trust fund which will be over 1mil by the time he turns 18 which will be used to pay for his collage/Uni fees in Thailand so he can get a good paid job and I am sure he will have some money left over from this to start off in life.yes I know that the UK has better standards in education but that does not mean that children in Thailand will all be poor and working in a rice field

I think I made the mistake in my OP about the 26k per month and I should have explained that this was for only a year only as I wanted time to adjust and learn more Thai as I think this is very important if you are staying in another country and you should be able to stand on your own 2 feet without help from others, this is why I am looking at the mininum cost so I don't have to dig into my emergency fund on the first year.

Our total income for the first year will be 33k per month including my wifes & daughter contributions, then in the second year I will be working but only PT which will bring the income upto around 43k per month as I have other Ideas that I will working on as I don't want to teach all my life and depend on this.

[DILLIGAD]

Sounds good, Jason. What type of other work are you considering doing when in Thailand?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[JASON THAI]

I am at present learning web design and looking at doing more internet based stuff,but all this depends on internet speed, if I can get AIS Airnet with 7mb connection then things will be all ok if not then I will have a problem !

[SantiSuk]

If all of those who are questioning your sustainability had half your apparent budgeting/planning skills OP, this would be a much slimmer thread.

[Khon Thai Ben Khon Dee]

I am at present learning web design and looking at doing more internet based stuff

Ah okay, not to worry. That's a completely unsaturated market, you'll have no competition and the rates you can charge will be massive.

[siampolee]

Worth while remembering that this life is for real not a fun run. To hell with existing, learn to live . if one is to be constrained by Scrooge like methods that's an existence you are not living nor are your family.

Money was made round in shape to go round, we rule money , money should not rule us.

Leaving one perceived rat race and then creating another rat race does seem rather like ''Taking coals to Newcastle''.

Money does not, and in fact it cannot buy ''POVERTY.''

[siampolee]

Worth while remembering that this life is for real not a fun run. To hell with existing, learn to live . if one is to be constrained by Scrooge like methods that's an existence you are not living nor are your family.

Money was made round in shape to go round, we rule money , money should not rule us.

Leaving one perceived rat race and then creating another rat race does seem rather like ''Taking coals to Newcastle''.

Money does not, and in fact it cannot buy ''POVERTY.''

[SantiSuk]

But the sort of stuff that the "live life to the full merchants" like doesn't suit everyone and especially not the designer drugs part. Sorry - you are just another punter trying to impose your preferences on the population

[Well-off guy]

[khunPer]

I am at present learning web design and looking at doing more internet based stuff,but all this depends on internet speed, if I can get AIS Airnet with 7mb connection then things will be all ok if not then I will have a problem !

Often it is not only a question of you ISP-connection; it’s also a question of the speed/traffic out to the Big World. There may be no difference between a 2MB and 10MB, if the routers out of Thailand or Southeast Asia are too crowded. At some points the speed to Europe may not be better than a pair of old-fashioned IDSN-lines, whilst the domestic speed is light the-speed-of-light.

Furthermore, the 699 baht/month 7MB is not a clean line, but shared with up to 10 other so-called 7MB connections, and virtual IP-number. At periods a number of shared users may downloading, making your speed slow. A clean/unshared line with dedicated IP-number will cost around 3,000+ baht/month, but may not be worth the money. I have tried having both for a number of years; dedicated line is not faster out in the Big World than a shared line.

If you will be working mainly locally and upload, you may not face a problem, but working on-line on a remote server may cause time-outs and data can be lost. When working on-line, be careful to copy/store data locally before hitting a “send-button”, so do don’t loose your work.

[JASON THAI]

I am at present learning web design and looking at doing more internet based stuff,but all this depends on internet speed, if I can get AIS Airnet with 7mb connection then things will be all ok if not then I will have a problem !

Often it is not only a question of you ISP-connection; it’s also a question of the speed/traffic out to the Big World. There may be no difference between a 2MB and 10MB, if the routers out of Thailand or Southeast Asia are too crowded. At some points the speed to Europe may not be better than a pair of old-fashioned IDSN-lines, whilst the domestic speed is light the-speed-of-light.

Furthermore, the 699 baht/month 7MB is not a clean line, but shared with up to 10 other so-called 7MB connections, and virtual IP-number. At periods a number of shared users may downloading, making your speed slow. A clean/unshared line with dedicated IP-number will cost around 3,000+ baht/month, but may not be worth the money. I have tried having both for a number of years; dedicated line is not faster out in the Big World than a shared line.

If you will be working mainly locally and upload, you may not face a problem, but working on-line on a remote server may cause time-outs and data can be lost. When working on-line, be careful to copy/store data locally before hitting a “send-button”, so do don’t loose your work.

Thanks wil take this on board

[siampolee]

SantiSuk post # 263

But the sort of stuff that the "live life to the full merchants" like doesn't suit everyone and especially not the designer drugs part. Sorry - you are just another punter trying to impose your preferences on the population

The only designer drugs I've ever done was Abbot Ale at parties.

Well off guy ?

Living on our farm in Surin can hardly be described as life in the fast lane can it Living in our home in Samut Prakarn is hardly high living is it ?

Yes two homes one tied to farm and village life the other is also rural in many ways too.

I worked over the years to make my working life and my subsequent retirement fun even now at 68 I still have our youngest at school. even now I still enjoy work, however it's choice not necessity.

I was not, nor am not forcing my lifestyle upon anyone, I made a statement which it seems offended you.

I have seen many a dream turn to a nightmare over my 23 years here as I am sure you have too. Hence my comments.

If life is a bitch in ones home country it certainly can and will be a lot worse here if the whole dream turns bad.

Ones retired life and life in general should be an enjoyable experience, not composed of watching ones pennies and living on a razor edge budget, that's the road to a martial and family breakdown.

[JASON THAI]

SantiSuk post # 263

But the sort of stuff that the "live life to the full merchants" like doesn't suit everyone and especially not the designer drugs part. Sorry - you are just another punter trying to impose your preferences on the population

The only designer drugs I've ever done was Abbot Ale at parties.

Well off guy ?

Living on our farm in Surin can hardly be described as life in the fast lane can it Living in our home in Samut Prakarn is hardly high living is it ?

Yes two homes one tied to farm and village life the other is also rural in many ways too.

I worked over the years to make my working life and my subsequent retirement fun even now at 68 I still have our youngest at school. even now I still enjoy work, however it's choice not necessity.

I was not, nor am not forcing my lifestyle upon anyone, I made a statement which it seems offended you.

I have seen many a dream turn to a nightmare over my 23 years here as I am sure you have too. Hence my comments.

If life is a bitch in ones home country it certainly can and will be a lot worse here if the whole dream turns bad.

Ones retired life and life in general should be an enjoyable experience, not composed of watching ones pennies and living on a razor edge budget, that's the road to a martial and family breakdown.

True but I am not retired and will work, not looking at being a teacher all my life thats why I am learning web design and other bits

not composed of watching ones pennies and living on a razor edge budget

As you quoted above, this is what a lot of old people still do in the UK and have to carry on working well after they retire to make ends meet and never get the chance to live their dreams

[happylarry]

I,ll look out for a link to more information and post it here.

Again,you are correct it has not been passed by parliament,but they have outlined their plans,as i,ve posted today.

Well I guess you couldn't find that info then striking sunset......so I will carry on believing the info from the UK government website then that the maximum requirement is still thirty years.

HL

[strikingsunset]

I,ll look out for a link to more information and post it here.

Again,you are correct it has not been passed by parliament,but they have outlined their plans,as i,ve posted today.

Well I guess you couldn't find that info then striking sunset......so I will carry on believing the info from the UK government website then that the maximum requirement is still thirty years.

HL

Sorry for the delay,it is within the article that is linked to here.Regards.

http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/state-pensions/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

and to quote from the article ;

"The Government has announced its intention to reform the state pension system, by changing it into a single-tier pension for those retiring on or after April 2016. Under the proposed changes, the number of qualifying years required for a full pension will be raised from 30 to 35"

[JASON THAI]

I,ll look out for a link to more information and post it here.

Again,you are correct it has not been passed by parliament,but they have outlined their plans,as i,ve posted today.

Well I guess you couldn't find that info then striking sunset......so I will carry on believing the info from the UK government website then that the maximum requirement is still thirty years.

HL

Sorry for the delay,it is within the article that is linked to here.Regards.

http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/state-pensions/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

and to quote from the article ;

"The Government has announced its intention to reform the state pension system, by changing it into a single-tier pension for those retiring on or after April 2016. Under the proposed changes, the number of qualifying years required for a full pension will be raised from 30 to 35"

Yes and it will go upto 40 as it was before sooner or later as they are raising the age of retirement as you are now working longer