lopburi3 Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Many guys are living from THB 20K - THB 30K per month Most are only surviving on that amount. But when young you can equate living with surviving if you are having a good time. But for the long run MOST people are going to need much more than this to have much of a middle class life later on in life. The Thai government sets the amount at 65k per month for a retirement type visa and believe most people will want to have that much, or more. But for those who can live upcountry without extras the amount could be less. Perhaps we could look at the guest house person happy with 20-30k. The Nana Hotel type at 40-50k. The 3 star hotel type at 60-80k and the 4-5 star type at 100-200k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Says lopburi3: Many guys are living from THB 20K - THB 30K per month Most are only surviving on that amount. Am I ???? I rent a much too big house (6 bedrooms, 7 bahtrooms), but I like the space for 5k baht. I have all I need, eat restaurant food almost every day and save 10k baht/month on 40k, don't have a car though, just a motorbike. Without the gf I could live very well on 20k. I had a heart attack (myocardial infarct) in may 2000, I have a government allowance and a lousy 35% of the contract value of a private insurance (they are just bastards, am still in a fight with them I can not win) My last job was "consultant ERP systems" Sincerely fed-up dealing with people who have no clue what a computer system is made for, solving fake problems. Bunch of idiots. I have been travelling and sanuking to LOS twice a year since 1990. Remembered this place from passing by. No Bangkok life for me, thanks. Everything is green opposite my house and the beach is at 400m. I was even that stupid to take a bg out of the bar and we live happily toghether since. She's the sweetiest lady I ever met. I live peacefully here, biking, swimming and writing that book that will never be published. Maybe I will title it: "30 years of computer mistakes" or "30 years of solving unexistant problems" or something similar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Hi, "Most are only surviving on that amount." Fully agree. You can not have a decent life on this kind of money. I also think that if the nightlife is your (general your, not refereing to anybody here) main motivation of moving to Thailand that you should seriously reconsider your move. Very few people can handle the nightlife for more than a year or so without other things to keep them interested. And sane! Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Hi, Granted, life outside the main cities is much cheaper. Still are you considering health insurance, visa trips, trips back home, etc.? Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit_of_town_hall Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Sounds like a nice life, do you get AC for that ammount? STH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 Am I ???? You are happy with your life and I accept some can be. But most would not be content. By saying 'guest house' I was referring to a lifestyle rather than number of rooms one might have (most places would not have that kind of house for 5k and what you call a restaurant might not appeal to some). I contend that you live closer to a simple guest house style life rather than the keeping up with the guy next door lifestyle of the 3+ star guy. I know my take may not be your take or anyone else but believe it is way to easy for some to get the idea they can live on peanuts when they have a pistachio appetite. If you can control your appetite fine. But if not you are going to be in big trouble. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1000 Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 I moved here seven months ago. My Thai wife was in the UK with me for 6 months and after doing the sums, wondered why I was still in the rat race. Had a 9am to 7pm high pressure job with a sweaty one hour underground train journey each way. Sold my house and possessions in the UK and figured it would finance us. I?m 53 young, have a very small private pension and the interest on my savings in the UK to live on. After we bought a nice bungalow just outside Pattaya (with a 30 year contract from the wife) and a house and small farm in Buriram, the savings left give me an interest figure of about 40,000b per month to live on. I have all the creature comforts I had back home and I am very happy. I thought this interest figure might not be enough, but knew I had the savings to fall back on if need be. I was wrong. We eat out most days and go out every other night on average. So far I have not had to dig into my savings and often have a few thousand baht left at the end of the month We do not skimp on anything and have a very good lifestyle, much better than we had in the UK. No car, but bought a new motorbike (Kawasaki Boss) 5 months ago. Still have the once or twice a week prowl with a few mates here, and don?t regret for one second making the move. I think it is important to keep the bulk of your finances in your home country. If things go pear shaped, I could always go back and buy a small house or rent. Not that I think I would ever want to do that, ?no matter what. Of course you have to tell yourself that you?re not on holiday, but after you settle down it?s a piece of cake. I have a few rules, not drinking during the day and not to drink and drive. Can?t explain how it feels waking up in the morning with breakfast on the patio looking over farmland, instead of grey damp London and the journey to work. Plus the added bonus of smiling friendly people. Mike. Edit. General reply, not meant in response to khunsanuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatbastard Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 The ability to support yourself financially is important but not as important as the ability to keep intellectually stimulated. You go down to Pattaya and see the results of advanced brain rot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardy641 Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 2K USD can be more then enough or by far not enough! It all depends on your life style. Are you a heavy drinker and want a Bargirl every day, then expect to easliy spend the double. Are you living a normal life, looking for a job, then 2k are more then enough these days. I am living and working (!) here now for more then 7 years and I hardly need more then 75.000 THB a month without being limited to this amount. 25.000 for a two bedroom/two bathroom appartment 5000 for electric, telephone, water 45.000 for all the rest (food, insurance, clothes...), from which I spent 15.000-20.000 THB for leisure activities. But you should consider: I don't drink at all during the week and only a couple of drinks the weekend. I work 5 days a week and often late in the night, which keeps me from spending (some days are only spent 100THB) I never pay more then 1000THB for a girl (no barfines), mostly I get regular girls from Internet or have a GF. I don't pay any Baht to a family upcountry. Am I happy here? Yes I am, but I also know that I am lucky to have a good job here. I wouldn't even think to stay here without a job, because like Khun Sanuk already said, you can't live here and just playing around w/o getting mad and bored after a while. You also should consider the inflation here in Thailand is quite high, especially in the farang scene. Today 2K might let you live like a King, but nobody knows what life you have in 10 or 20 years living on the same budget!!!!! My personal advise to you: You can come here, but only if you have a job too or at least have the real chance to get one here, which isn't easy at all with the current government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardinalblue Posted May 12, 2003 Report Share Posted May 12, 2003 I don't think anyone can say there is an absolute correct amount to live on as that will be determined by lifestyle and unforeseen issues/costs arising. What you need to consider is inflation into your formulas. LOS could be the cost of HK today in 10 to 20 years. Make contingency plans like where else could you move you if LOS becomes too expensive on a fixed amount. Build some type of social security into your equation. Will you get something when you turn a certain age to add on to your fixed monthly income. don't spend savings to live here especially someone in their 40s or 50s as you will not be able to make it up later in life. Live only off interests or stable income that doesn't impact some investments you have in growth instruments like real estate or the stock market. Keep those growth investments separate from your income/capital calcualtion amounts. You must plan for unespected costs. Also, your medical costs will grow a some rate as one ages so you must build that into your equation like an insurance company does with risk. Your costs will not be the same over time. People change or the situation changes. Maybe marriage or a kid or a house or a health problem or a new hobby, etc. If you stay the same for 20 years, you aren't living or growing as a productive human being.... Think about working in some capacity even if just 10KB or 30KB a month not so much for extra income which is nice but for a better integration into thai life and its society... cardinalblue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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