Cost of living per month Pattaya area

[thegreatone]

What is the problem with owning realestate?

[..]

Simply put, a farang cannot own land. Yes, there are exceptions, but most are dodgy at best (or expensive) and not recommended. Of course your wife can own it outright. And a competent lawyer can make the paperwork such that you can be on the deed with the caveat that you must sell it (or give it to you child if he/she has a Thai passport) within one year of wife's death (or a divorce).

 

The price of a home vs the cost of renting is way in favour of renting at least in Bangkok at the moment (dunno about Pattaya). This article discusses that: http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/rent-forever-dont-buy-a-home.html

 

Lastly, with the stability of LoS in question now with the military junta in power and the King as old as he is, are you sure you want to tie up a bunch of money here? With a rental, it is not so painful to just walk away if it gets dodgy in the future.

 

Cheers,

SD

[simie]

SD, i think you have summed it up very nicely. I also think the cost of renting in Bangkok is very favourable compared to property prices there now and i've always been a bit concerned about how things will go when HM the King dies. I've never understood some peoples obsession with "owning" property in Thailand. Far better in my book to keep your money invested in your home country and rent in Thailand. The possible exception to this is paying for your Thai wife too build a modest house in her home town/village. Cent wrote an excellent post regarding that in a thread a while ago. And basicly he said by all means build her a house but only with money you can afford to loose and if things do go pear shaped then just walk away.

Simie.

[cavanami]

>...And basicly he said by all means build her a >house but only with money you can afford to loose >and if things do go pear shaped then just walk >away.

 

Have a friend that loved South Africa, got the company that he worked for to transfer him there, got married to a lovely SA lady, bought a house...that was then.

 

Now, the house sits empty, in shambles and he is living and working back in the USA.

So the dream can turn into a nightmare quite quick and my friend lost a small pile of $$$.

[torrenova]

I live in Pattaya with a girlfriend and rent a condo for Bt12,000 per month. I could rent cheaper or have a larger house for the same money. I suppose I spend about Bt50,000 per month but I don't play around.

 

I continually answer this question and the 2 figures which define any budget are girls and beer. Everything else pretty much has a definable cost.

[thegreatone]

Does that include the rental b12,000 or is that extra?

[torrenova]

No, I just suppose about 50k walking around money and for shopping etc. Remember also that I don't have to pay for anything I use in my bars such as beer ! If I did, it would be substancially more than Bt50k.

 

Household bills and essentials run to around Bt5000 or so and with transport, Bt20k is gone. For food add another Bt10-15k unless you cook at home and then top the number up with beer money and women.

 

At the bottom end I suppose you could get by on Bt60k or so but Bt40k is struggling. Living outside, not using or having aircon, eating home cooked food etc. and you really knock the costs down. I suppose you could even get by on 25k but you would have no life.