buddha Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Perhaps we should 'sticky' a post about cost of living in Thailand as it gets asked so much. The question is so subjective that it couldn't possibly be answered correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kojis Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 "Perhaps we should 'sticky' a post about cost of living in Thailand as it gets asked so much. The question is so subjective that it couldn't possibly be answered correctly." that makes sense, it's the second thread in a single week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Yeah - sure I'd love a huge salary living here. Then I'd be out shagging every night, my table would be full of lady drinks, my ego would be stroked to the point where I thought I was Brad Pitt and I'd be too hung-over to go to work every day. Lucky I don't want that. The number of expats I have seen that happen to over the years is unbelievable. The company I work for employs approx 750 people of which about 10% percent of us are expats, amongst the expats there are 3 distinguisable groups 1.Came here married status with wife and kids 2.Came here single and settled down within the first year. 3. Thai based expat married / long term relationship with a Thai. (The fourth Group are no longer here and only Groups 1 and 3 are considered for employment now) Anyway back to the original question. I am probably spending on average 110,000 / month, out of which fixed outgoings are 25,000 Mortgage on Home in BKK 20,000 Serviced apartment in Pattaya (for work) 12,500 Depreciation on car (I reckon 450,000 over 3 years) 7,000 Gas/Service/Insurance on Car 7,000 Utilities (Internet, Electric, Water,UBC,Phone, Cell Phone Jurisic Fees etc) 0,000 Health Insurance (part of the package) The Rest Food / Drink / Ciggarettes, Entertainment. This does not include luxury items such as buying a New LCD TV, getting a New Laptop or the Latest Mobile phone, thay come from savings. Whoring I restrict to overseas business trips, I do get to Singapore, China and Korea on a regular basis and more often than not the cost of this is covered by booking meals and drinks to the room and the daily overseas per diem on top that I get paid. Being realistic at todays current cost of living I would not consider retirement until we have built our house, Sathorn area of BKK is OK for now not for retirement and we already have the land in Rangsit, all property was paid for and an income of 120,000 / month from investments. That figure would allow for reinvestment to build up the capital to cover cost of living increases, buy luxury goods and travel without touching the capital and also having some for emergency's. Again this is all subjective, each of us has our own requirements, I would not consider myself extravogent but I do like to live comfortably, just some base figures for the OP to consider and adjust as neccessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Hi, Sticky? Good idea, but I think it would make more sense to make a new post giving some general insights (cost of accommodation, food, entertainment, travel, etc.) with real life examples rather than a thread such as this one. If someone is willing to write it I'd be happy to sticky it. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kojis Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Mekong, in those figures, if one's family expenses are not taken care of by the company, education costs should also be taken into account. They don't sound cheap from in BKK prestigious schools. We're plannning around 120 000 a month for the condo -to begin with- and I'm not sure about the rest. It will be more than that anyway for my own travel expenses only but I also used to live in BKK for 30 000THB a month. BKK is definetely a city where one can live for cheap but there's not much of an expense ceiling either. Quite different upcountry where life is dirt cheap and spending opportunities very limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Kojis, We don't have kids in Thailand and never will, I was a father of twin daughters in the UK when I was 17, they are through uni, and are now both home owning career women so I don't have that commitment anymore . My wife in Thailand also puts career before kids, she is quite happy spending 2-3 hours a week with her nephew rather than have any of our own which suits us both fine, probably one of the factors in our compatability. I got very fortunate meeting the wife I did,BKK Uni Grad masters in the States and fluent English, some of the guys in the forum have met her and they will tell you her english is probably more understandable than mine. She is also in a well paid job with an MNC in Bangkok, this is the reason our home is BKK and I stay in an apartment during the week for work, having worked rotations in the Middle East this is easy. She was financially independent when I first met her and wishes to stay that way, plays the SET, speculates in property (investing in Private downtown property developers)if she wants to trade her car in for a newer / better model for an extra 400K, sure why not its her money. I actually believe that my figures will be based on my needs only, but including treating the wife now and again, but even so if she was to loose all her investments overnight that the two of us could live comfortably on that amount. This proves why there can never be one definitive answer to the "How Much Do You Need?" question, we all have such differing circumstances and requirements ... I think it is time to go to the pub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Munchmaster Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 .....that makes sense, it's the second thread in a single week. Buddha does write very sensible stuff these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kojis Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 "I got very fortunate meeting the wife I did" It seems like you did ! Mine is right now on the phone discussing with her mother the prospect of opening a thai chinese branch in their family with us moving to BKK... hope I'll be able to look back and come up with the same conclusion as you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 The cost of living in Thailand is a very subjective question. There are so many factors that enter into it. I live in the northern suburbs, in a nice big house for 12,000 baht a month. The same house around Sukhumwit could easily cost you 50,000 to 60,000 per month. I like Thai food and eat it about 90% of the time. Live on western food, and watch your expenses climb higher. I hate driving in Bangkok and won't have a car here. If you want to drive, figure that in too. Also, just being able to speak Thai brings prices down quite a bit. As to the nightlife scene, I'm burnt out on it and usually only go out when friends are in town. When I first started working in Bangkok, I would go out 2 or 3 times a week -- one visit to an MP and a couple of nights at the go-go bars. Nowadays, the bars bore me silly very quickly. Thus, the cost of living is a very personal figure. Also, it changes the longer you live here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooNoi Posted June 2, 2007 Report Share Posted June 2, 2007 Buddha does write very sensible stuff these days. Yes. I haven't had a belly-laugh at any of Buddha's posts for a long time now. Maybe he's settling down in his "old age" (2550 this year, Boodzie?) I miss his interesting philosophical takes on life and pointers to "ultimate jai dee-ness" Bring the "real" Buddha back! :thumbup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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