I ran across a good website the other day that detailed the cost of living in Bangkok for English Teachers.

The site did a pretty good job on basic living and suggested you can live on about 30,000 baht per month.

Now since this was not a mongering site, I would be interested in finding out from some of you full timers in Thailand how much do you live on per month and where it goes.

I know some of you have businesses and/or pensions you may be living on. I am about to retire in Medellin Colombia but a few of my friends really want to try Thailand, so my interests is piqued.

My wealth, at a very conservative 6%, generates about $25K per year. This will allow me to live OK in Medellin, I'd be interested in seeing how it would do in SEA.

I'm also looking at working part time as an English teacher as well, not really for the money but to keep my brain active. But I anticipate I can proably earn 15,000 baht per month assuming the average wage divided in half because of the part time work.

Thanks guys. Don't be shy, most of us are basically anonymous here.

(Message edited by sniper on October 29, 2006)

Check out www.stickmanbangkok.com he just did a cost of living report on his website

If you spend any appreciable time in bars, 30k a month would lead to a fairly spartan lifestyle, in my opinion. Yeah, you could swing it, and some do. That being said, you would have to live in very basic accomodation, likely far away from where most farangs spend their time. Western food would be a rare treat and you'd pretty much have to have a live-in girlfriend (and one who didn't have dollar signs in her eyes). Living on around a 100,000 baht per month (which are the figures you provided about your own income) would, on the other hand, lead to a very comfortable (but not totally extravagant) lifestyle in Bangkok.

Manos.

Thanks for the info. Actually the site I went to was http://www.ajarn.com/index.html where they interviewed a bunch of teachers in Bangkok and they said it is easy to live a good lifestyle for 30K a month.

I based my budget on the responses from the teachers.

I found apartments to be about $200US in very central areas, but they were small. It included a bunch of amenities as well.

Here is the budget (in dollars) that I put together,it seemed to be reasonable.

Income
Investment $1,616
Employment $800
$2,416

Household Expenses
Rent $300
Cell Phone $50
Internet & TV $50
VOIP $30
Utilities $100
Miscellaneous $50
$580

Living Expenses
Transportation $85
Groceries $100
$185

Entertainment
Dining Out $125
Movies $25
Other $500
$650

Financial
Life Insurance $300
Health Insurance $100
Home Insurance $20
$420

Surplus/(Deficit) $581

I should also mention that I plan to live a normal life during the week and only cut loose on the weekends.

I also don't drink alcohol or smoke.

Sniper,
How old are you?

Life insurance $300 bucks a month? Do you have minor children you're needing to protect from living in an orphanage or something? Maybe I'm missing something, but life insurance for a single guy seems like a prime pissing away of mongering funds!

On the contrary, 100 bucks a month for total estimated health care costs seems quite understated to me. One thing that you often seem to leave out of your analysis about possibly retiring on a fixed income in that health care costs tend to mushroom the older you get, and even in the 3rd world, for quality care you're eventually going to have to pay for it.

Also, if you're considering retiring in Thailand and apparently working there at the same time, you need to investigate the visa issues. I've heard they are going to start closing visa loopholes allowing unlimited visa run extensions, but might have just been blowing smoke. Were I looking to live somewhere long term I'd damned well want to find out.

Not drinking would make a big difference. Cigarettes are dirt cheap here, but given that I go through at least a pack and a half a day, I suppose that adds up, as well. Honestly, the not drinking thing will save you a ton of jack. Still, some farangs do scrape by on 30k a month, but in my experience they are almost all teachers under the age of 30.

Manos.

Porker,

I'm in the Insurance business. I have a Variable Life policy which 90% or so of the money goes into investment.

I don't have any kids but I do have a niece that is fucked if I die, so its important I protect her.

I am 40 years old and in really good shape. No health issues, not overweight, excercise daily.

I have an MBA from a very good US university and a CELTA certificate plus I have owned my own business for several years. I'm not too concerned about getting a job as a teacher.

I got a policy quote from a US company that has worldwide coverage for $91 a month. There may be cheaper options in Thailand that I have not explored.

My total budget is based upon 6% return (very concervative) with no pension. I actually generate about 11% right now but I will only be withdrawing 6%.

I have just lived in Pattaya for 6 months.

Apartment 5 thousand Baht a month plus 1 thousand for Electricity and water.
Eating Thai food about 120B a day.
Falang food about 400B a day.
Cheap insurance from my bank $200.
Beer on tap about 50B
Freelancer from beach road 500B and 100B tip.
You can get a round trip from Phnom Penh for as little as $60[airasia] to stamp your passport for a month or get a 3 month visa from the Thai embassy, the trick is to get a roundtrip FROM PHNOM PENH.