The Real Cost Of Living In Thailand..
Video Overview & Insights
My extremely detailed costs of living: https://youtu.be/wWhns2J1Lxw
PLEASE READ FAQ BELOW BEFORE COMMENTING
As mentioned in todays video, drop your costs below and perhaps some tips of how you manage it. This vlog is about being realistic while preserving hope for those that want to make the move.
BUT THAIS IN ISAN LIVE ON 15,000 THB PER MONTH??
88% of people in Isan are in huge debt.
They’re often not supporting the wider family like I do
They’re not running aircons and many homes lack such appliances.
They don’t have a large number of well-fed animals
Most don’t have kids in private school or do extra tuition (drums and piano like we do)
They don’t have or need expat health insurance
They don’t have high-level technology they run and replace - phones and computers etc
They don’t have expensive subscription, no Netflix or the apps i require to work and provide for the family - they are not running high end internet
Many don’t have reliable transportation, motorbikes are common, but im running a car, insurance, fuel etc
I have to budget for visa renewals, work permits, and associated legal fees, which locals don’t face.
Locals don't travel much at all, i travel alot for both family and work
Most locals are not building or developing their property, much of my monthly expenses go on this development for my family
I follow a number of health related protocols that integrate high end olive oils and certain health ingredients locals would not use
My DETAILED COSTS, OFFERS FOR YOU, FAQ & CHAPTERS BELOW 👇
👉Here are my extremely detailed costs of living: https://youtu.be/wWhns2J1Lxw
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro Goal 1 Costs Of Living
00:54 Into Goal 2 Showing You Khon Kaen
02:10 The Terminal Room & Balcony
03:52 My Costs Of Living Per Month In Thailand
04:40 The Are Some People That Can Do It
05:26 Other Expats I Have Met Monthly Costs
06:35 Having A Long Term Place To Live In Thailand
07:22 Im Not Putting People Off Following Their Dreams
08:09 Something Always Pops Up In Life
08:37 Base Level Living Costs In Thailand
09:22 Savings & Investments For The Future
09:45 Getting Old In Thailand
11:07 Getting A UK Pension While You Are In Thailand
12:01 Who The $800 Budget Goes For
12:36 Comfortable Life Costs Of Living Thailand
13:18 How That Compares To The UK & USA
13:30 Things Have Changed - Thailand Is Getting Expensive
14:07 You Can Do It Under These Circumstances
14:25 Economic Migration - Rich People Arriving
15:06 Friends That Live On Nothing Day To Day
15:51 Ton Tann Market - Be Careful
16:36 Stories That Work Out Here In Thailand
17:50 Where Could We Take Our Costs To
19:12 Im Subject To Exaggeration
20:12 Review Of The Terminal
FAQ
1. I use the word EXPAT because in Thailand we have NON-IMMIGRANT stamped in our passport. As a non-immigrant you must check in every 90 days, cannot do a job a Thai can do, will be deported and separated from your children for 5-10 years if caught trying to support your family without a work permit, cannot own land, and face numerous other non-immigrant restrictions, hence the word expat. Most of us would love to be immigrants.
2. I own a health foods company here, which is how I make a living. Yes I have a work permit. Yes that permit specifies all our YouTube activities. Yes I pay and have paid tax for over 10 years here through my own companies (English school & jazz lounge) and through my career in the 5 star hotel industry (Anantara). Yes I speak Thai.
3. Yes, foreigners cannot own land in Thailand. However a superficies agreement will offer control the land for 30+ years, houses are also very cheap in Thailand (1-2m THB) so risk is negligible, and if you have children a house is essential in case of your death. Saying that, it is prudent to keep 80% of your net worth in high performance assets (eg BTC) outside of the country.
4. Ive been with my wife 12 years of the 15+ in Thailand, she earned more money than me and had a bigger property portfolio than me when we met. She has a degree in finance and is a very smart, hardworking and traditional wife and mother, that stayed by my side through periods of my life when I have had big money and no money at all.
5. Any Patreon & Membership money is given away and supports the Thai extended family for food, school necessities, electricity etc
https://youtu.be/wWhns2J1Lxw
👉 OUR LAZADA SHOP For Honey, Cacao, Super Greens Powder, Ginger Extract Celtic Salt & Lots More! Here: https://shorturl.at/Q863r
Single person living in Bangkok - 30k for rent/bills.
Approximately 35k baht for food etc.
I don't drink alcohol, so not big parties.
Probably 150k baht for travelling per year.
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Did you say teaching grandma to suck eggs. 😂😂😂😂😂 Europeans and there sayings.
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I make $2300 a month with no job and im scared to move there because I dont want inflation ti catch up to me. I do make an extra $1k on investments so hopefully I can seve that when I move there
FULL DISCLOSURE: I filmed this video before seeing Life with Sergs video but I used his title because it was perfect and i agree with him, check out his video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPpJu_KDh-s check out his channel!
CHAPTERS
I know someone in Pattaya who lived on $1,000 a month for 15 years.
00:00 Intro Goal 1 Costs Of Living
00:54 Into Goal 2 Showing You Khon Kaen
On my monthly US retirement income of 65,000 baht, I have expenditures average 40,000 per month. Of course this is based on having no debt. The house, vehicles, etc. are all paid off. I currently have more money in the bank than I ever have in my whole life. No complaints, no worries.....
So far. 😁
02:10 The Terminal Room & Balcony
03:52 My Costs Of Living Per Month In Thailand
Okey then I will never go to Thailand. Vietnam it is
04:40 The Are Some People That Can Do It
05:26 Other Expats I Have Met Monthly Costs
Thailand is cheap to live, but it obviously varies from person to person. Go out every night, it's going to be more expensive than for someone who goes out once a week. It's fair to say, whatever your lifestyle, you get more "bang for your buck" than you would in a western country, so, based no that, it IS cheap.
06:35 Having A Long Term Place To Live In Thailand
07:22 Im Not Putting People Off Following Their Dreams
Korat, Thailand. own my house and truck. Married and my wife works; and manages our monthly budget. Our kid goes to Private School. Our monthly is around 50k/month; my portion that I pay is 32k month.
08:09 Something Always Pops Up In Life
08:37 Base Level Living Costs In Thailand
I spend less than 100,000 baht a month in the USA. 🇺🇸 🇹🇭
09:22 Savings & Investments For The Future
09:45 Getting Old In Thailand
Chantaburi area is much tidier & prettier than other areas. I'd say the same for Phang Nga. The rest same same
11:07 Getting A UK Pension While You Are In Thailand
12:01 Who The $800 Budget Goes For
The UK pension isnt index linked if you are in Thailand. Which means what you get when you are 67 will be the same when you are 77 etc
12:36 Comfortable Life Costs Of Living Thailand
13:18 How That Compares To The UK & USA
Having spent 3 months plus another ten day vacation.. it was more expensive than what I’ve seen on YouTube n Facebook. I’m sure long term rentals etc would be cheaper but I spent as much in Thailand as I did in Türkiye which really surprised me.
13:30 Things Have Changed - Thailand Is Getting Expensive
14:07 You Can Do It Under These Circumstances
There's a difference between cost of living and cost of lifestyle. On both cases we all live different and the countless videos are utter nonsense.
14:25 Economic Migration - Rich People Arriving
15:06 Friends That Live On Nothing Day To Day
As a pretty frugal single man looking to retire in SEA, I would not want to retire on a budget of less then 85k Baht.
That is about what I live on now in my home country (excluding my investments). If I would want to live in SEA I would want a better live then what I have now.
15:51 Ton Tann Market - Be Careful
16:36 Stories That Work Out Here In Thailand
One of my favourite lines in Peep Show goes something like this: "Do you have to live so relentlessly in the real world?"
Love your insights. Very pragmatic and evidence based. "Edutainment" is your niche, clearly.
17:50 Where Could We Take Our Costs To
19:12 Im Subject To Exaggeration
Morning from Kaset Wisai ( Roiet) Ryan,
Loved your vid with Chris in Sisaket.
What a guy he is...
Living in Issan ?
I have three monthly bills
Electric,water, wifi.
Live good eat well,
Can't complain.
Get by on average monthly baht of 20-25000.
Own house,car,motorbikes.
25 rai of riceland.
Loving the rural life
20:12 Review Of The Terminal
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Married, don't drink or smoke, paying for a new car in interest free installments at present, all costs come to around 75,000 Baht a month at time of typing. Don't live in BKK, but do visit from time to time and the costs go up when there. Don't rent either.
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I live in Pathumthani, my expenditure is around 30k per month. I think a big cost is what you eat. Do you eat western or Thai? If you can eat like a thai, rice, chicken/fish, seasonal veg, it can be cheap, but if you want western food, then it's considerably more
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👉 COSTS OF LIVING IN THAILAND 2024: https://youtu.be/wWhns2J1Lxw?si=5MQb89Nykwfsjaml
Thank you for some valuable information that I will take into account....... I'm 75 years old and have been looking at assisted living in Thailand and it is considerably cheaper than the US,,,,,,, It is actually afford able and the care seems to be better than what you find inn the US....... Namaste my friend....... I wish you and your family well.......
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My cost of living is 150,000 baht per month. I support 4 single women, 3 mums, 6 kids, 8 dogs not including the soi dogs and 12 buffalos.
FAQ
1. I use the word EXPAT because in Thailand we have NON-IMMIGRANT stamped in our passport. As a non-immigrant you must check in every 90 days, cannot do a job a Thai can do, will be deported and separated from your children for 5-10 years if caught trying to support your family without a work permit, cannot own land, and face numerous other non-immigrant restrictions, hence the word expat. Most of us would love to be immigrants.
1 comment on the background in videos .. we all like a bit of nostalgia and it's been a few years since I got to KK thank you for sharing the street views. And I love trains , I recommend the #25 😊
2. I own a health foods company here, which is how I make a living. Yes I have a work permit. Yes that permit specifies all our YouTube activities. Yes I pay and have paid tax for over 10 years here through my own companies (English school & jazz lounge) and through my career in the 5 star hotel industry (Anantara). Yes I speak Thai.
3. Yes, foreigners cannot own land in Thailand. However a superficies agreement will offer control the land for 30+ years, houses are also very cheap in Thailand (1-2m THB) so risk is negligible, and if you have children a house is essential in case of your death. Saying that, it is prudent to keep 80% of your net worth in high performance assets (eg BTC) outside of the country.
I'm not going to disagree with your general conclusions except to chuckle at your 45 to 50 year old being .. old age 😅 At 60+ I don't need to worry about the odd $ or even a thousand of them. I could get by on b35k pre COVID now it's about 50k and not feel like i was being cheap. 10k hotel, 4.5k bike rental, food 5k, coffee 1k. I don't drink or smoke but I do entertain and have had Thai girl friends. I love Thai food which helps, tonight in Ireland I will have ribeye something I wouldn't even consider in Thailand.
4. Ive been with my wife 12 years of the 15+ in Thailand, she earned more money than me and had a bigger property portfolio than me when we met. She has a degree in finance and is a very smart, hardworking and traditional wife and mother, that stayed by my side through periods of my life when I have had big money and no money at all.
5. Any Patreon & Membership money is given away and supports the Thai extended family for food, school necessities, electricity etc
As family of 3 living in Phuket we had to spend around 120k baht a month. (including schooling in an international school, kids hobbies, housing, car , food, etc.). and I know from all the other expats with kids are spending far more than we do.
Unlike the theatrical polished content of our main channel, this channel will more livestreams, free talking, diary vlogs, adult themes, discussions on current affairs and topics of interest. It is a place to share, have a dialogue with subscribers and bring others into the mix, which enhances my quality of life as a rural hermit in Thailand!
'The Naked Guru" Is just a fun metaphor for being open and honest.
I agree
Thanks for joining!
Moving out there for good next month ill logging all my cost i don't drink smoke or do the bar shit hopefully 65k a month will be easy
More User Perspectives
average 25k a month, . 5k bunglo, 8k food, 1,2k scooter fuel, 1.8k click repayments, Random cash buys 7k (puff, beers, eating out, market), 1.2k bottled water, 1k giving randoms money.
@GrowthMirrorsGood morning. Quick question for your experience living in Thailand as long as you have.
Has there been any positive benefits to you acquiring your yellow book and Pink ID?
Just recently received mine.
I live for one year in Chiang Mai, lived in rural for 6 months and the rest inside the city center. I have a girlfriend and our monthly expenses are below 50,000 baht overall, usually less than 45,000 baht.
With this said, it is not including travel and we both do not party or drink in bars - which in my opinion something that costs for most foreigners over 10,000 baht in monthly expense. We live comfortably and can afford most things we deem necessary but avoid luxury restaurants etc.
Living here at this budget I live better than in Europe for 3,000$. Just be aware and intentional with what you buy, always look at the reality the way it is - if you earn 1,500$ then don't live like you earn 3,000$ trying to chase a dream.
Lived in Thailand 4 years full time now. Age 33-37.
Visa- elite visa (1 million over 20 years) = 4166thb/month
Car - none, Thai gf has
Total monthly expenses excluding Visa - 17500 (my gf pays half of rent, utilities, etc)
Total expenses with Visa - 21666
2 floor 50 sqm modern condo, 2 pools, new gym, have my own home office area, modern technology (that I bought that isn’t included in budget, laptop was 55k, tv was 15k. Used them 3 years now so the cost is nothing really. Add 2k a month but I still plan to use them another 2 or more years.
I eat very healthy, eat out 50%, cook my own 50%. No expensive hobbies, if I feel like travelling it’s not expensive.
Idk, when ppl say 50k+ minimum it’s shocking tbh, I think it’s because they are “supporting” other ppl. In the west I would t support someone, not sure why I would need to do that here.
Most ppl tell me since I have an elite visa I must be a rich snob and they could never afford it and I just laugh as I spend peanuts ….
80,000 a month for us in Hua Hin as a family of 3. No rent or mortgage. If we travel then much more. It will go up when our daughter starts private school. Less expensive than the U.S. where we used to live but not cheap. Fortunately we are well off financially so we love very well here. $1000 a month? Good luck with that. Maybe you can do it (who’d want to?) but you can never account for the unexpected expenses that will happen every single month.
@BillonBassI agree, our family of 4 lived in Chiang Mai costed us about 100k a month. Milk, education for kids, western food like pizza, electronics are expensive in Thailand
@jkumpaar2 people in Buriram Countryside just cost of living, not including beer or renovation... 12-15'000b. This is the true amount for 7 years to date. Ps, In are own home, no renting.
@TEAMDOGE2.0Great content. I am looking at several countries for a retirement destination and many of the typical questions get answered on your channel. I spent about 6 years in China for 6 months at a time, so I understand the complications that come with living abroad. Not being able to own land as a foreigner and the lack of permanent residency makes me nervous about the rural/farm life. Really out of all the places I am looking Portugal is about the only country that seems to have a realistic path to permanent residence. Renting is the other option, but I like to tinker with projects :)
@jeffg2024Same problem of Span.😊 Immigrants proplem.Same French.😅
@เพ็ญเพิ่มแซ่ขู้-ฑ6ฆHi Ryan. I've been coming to Thailand on and off since 1996, but Jan 6th of this year I have come indefinitely. I have rented a bungalow for a year in Jomtien for 10,000 a month, plus about 1200 a month in electric and water. I'm using this as my base and going off to various places to check out where I really want to live.
So far I have just counted that I've transferred £8500 to my Kasikorn account, about £2000 of which I bought a truck with, fully insured etc. So I've managed on £6500 so far, which I am amazed at because I don't skimp if I want something, and I like a drink.
I'm not short of a few bob and could easily pay three times in rent if I want to. My intention is to get a house or villa with a pool eventually when I have decided where to live, but so far I guess I'm not doing too bad money wise.
Cheers.
Hi I stay in khon keen, women are gold diggers here
@ennemidestas5921as a gambler in the west i can safely tell you beyond rent and electricity i can tell you straight out you can live on next to nothing if you want to.
add on the cheap costs of general things there its certainly easily done without you having to spend a fortune
fully right
@carl7428This guy, Casper, has no idea what he's talking about- $900 in the Philippines? $1000 in Vietnam? The Philippines is a way more expensive place, and you (as a foreigner) can't make it $900 if you have to rent. Just no way. Especially in Manila or some resort area
@cervergso good advice
@BlueinThailandso its as expensive as america according to you, then why would anyone go?
@nosajkeram$800 is highly doable.....not if you marry soi 6 leech though😂😂😂😂😂
@Jehovah-r8faverage 30000 baht a month
@johnsmusicpassions9740I’m living in Phuket and spend 150,000 baht a month for 2 pax and live like I would in the USA.
@anthonytuttle3306All of them. Every single one of them . And I never took advice from them clowns whenever visa crap was brought up because why would they reveal they're hack and tricks like getting a visa they won't even use like Muay Thai...when it's what everyone else wants as well in turn makes the government create even complex stricter policies and further more, I suspect a lot of them do have income by illegal means in the sense that working without the proper legalities is illegal by definition in Thailand.. I mean what are they really contributing to the country besides eating at the same vendor 2000+ visit and a already over saturated social media vlog everyday of the week.. or they're little ploy financial schemes to make the money stretch the furthest amount which just makes them look and sound like insufferable idiots.. like why are they really here and what are they really doing to help Thailands economy.. nothing. Imo . And avoid them like the plague..
@CaptainHowdie1945It's going up everywhere.
@edgeavalancheeI retired in Thailand. I am debt free and live below my means. I love it here. Living expenses are low.
1. Housing - Condo fully furnished, that is a five-minute drive to the beach, the rent is $207 + elec & water $105 = $312/month, (I have a video of the Condo)😀
2. Food - I eat out all the time - $360 (shrimp fried rice with vegetables and an egg = $2.05)
3. Vehicle - 2022 Honda ADV 150 rental - $160
4. Debts - I do not pay others for money I do not have.
5. Care - Haircut -$3, other stuff - $20
6. Insurance - Health $145/Month (I am over 60) $250,000 policy
7. No pets
8. $25 - google phone
9. Gas - I fill up about once every 3-4 weeks Scooter $20
10. Services - $40 (my Wifi speed is 927 mb/s down, 513 mb/s up, $19/month)
Total = $1,082
I did not include entertainment. You live next to the beach; you can get a beer in a bar on the beach for $2.50.
PS
I paid $2,600 for my Custom Metallic Lamborghini Orange 2022 Honda ADV 150, so I do not have a scooter Payment.
You can buy a condo like mine for $30,000 (they are not good investments).
If you take the condo and scooter price out it is Total = $715
The Thai People are great (land of smiles). Crime is very low; so low I do not worry about it. I left my phone on my motorbike for four hours. When I came back it was still there (I have done this twice so far).
When I was working in BKK back in 2010 to 2016, I was taking in ฿50k a month, which was great for me back then. Now in Yasothon, we can spend considerably less here because we own our home and things cost less here; however, we make more than ฿50k/ month now so we obviously spend more.
@AJSeese3 quid a day anywhere in Vietnam is normal. This can be done in a city also.
@leeb7924