So, what does it really cost to live in Thailand?  Of course this is a loaded question with many answers, depending on your location, lifestyle, drinking and smoking patterns, age and married situation.

As discussed under "Housing", the range is huge, from 25,000 dollar units to multi million dollars ocean front mega castles. 

Rentals go from 3,000 baht (about 94 dollars) for a one bedroom apartment to 120,000 baht (about 3,750 dollars) for a beautiful fully furnished 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo in Downtown Bangkok.  In Phuket and Samui you can rent a very reasonable and beautiful home for 30,000 to 50,000 baht.  In the NE, you can get the same home for 10,000 to 20,000 baht!  Smaller units are even less.

(Retire-Asia.com offers advice about retirement in Asia with extra income.)

Example: A "real" cost for the month of March 2009.

Area:  Nong Khai, Thailand, near town, 2 large bedroom townhouse, 3 bath, small front and rear yard.  Newer building, western style large kitchen. 

• Rent:  7,000 baht per month (unfurnished)
• Electric:  1,670 baht
• Water:  240 baht
• Food:  13,000 (we eat alot) Including household items such as soap, floor cleaner, paper towels, etc..etc..
• Entertainment:  4,000 baht
• Gas for Truck:  3,500 baht
• Insurance (truck):  1,000
• Live in Maid:  7,000
• UBC Statellite Cable TV:  2,000
• Misc:  3,000

Total monthly expenses:  42,410 baht (current baht to dollar is 32 to 1)

Total US dollars:  1,326 US dollars

These costs will remain fairly constant, except for the increase in electric during the really hot months, when we run the air conditioner many hours per day.  Figure another 2,000 baht during these 3 or 4 months.

This is also assuming that you own your vehicle (paid for) and your funiture. 

Note*  Most rentals go fully furnished.  Many houses are also sold fully furnished, unless you are purchasing a brand new home or building yourself.

To estimate your expenses in a more tourist area such as Phuket, Samui or Bangkok, just add in the extra rent mentioned above and increase your electric by 50% as you'll need more airconditioning.  Food will be 15% higher and of course there are many more ways to spend your money for entertainment.

Of course the best possible solution to a stress free and hassle free lifestyle is to purchase your home outright (no monthly payment) and also buy a new car, fully paid up.  This leaves your monthly expenses at a fairly constant rate and easy to budget.

We deal with many real estate, developers, condo's and property managers through-out Thailand.  Let us know if we can help:  info@whyretireinthailand.com

 

 

 

 

If you are an expatriate, Thailand is the best country to find love - however, it's also one of the hardest places for learning the local language.

Canada, Australia and Thailand are regarded by expatriates as the premier places in the world to live and love, according to the second annual expatriate experience survey by HSBC Bank International.

Canada has the best quality of life and is among the easiest places in the world to integrate with the local population, according to the survey of 3,146 people working in 30 different industries and 50 countries. Australia and Thailand come next on the list.

One in five expats has found love, with Thailand being the most likely place to fall in love followed by Germany and Brazil. Almost half of Thailand's expats say that they have found love.

Asia emerged as the place to go for making friends, with Thailand ranked first, followed by Vietnam, Hong Kong and Malaysia. More than half of the expats questioned in the survey - 58 per cent - have lived abroad for more than five years.

The top three countries for settling down are South Africa, Thailand and Canada, where expats have lived for more than five years.

The survey found that for expats, a higher income does not necessarily mean a better quality of life, said Alan Smith, head of international wealth management for HSBC.

Those earning less are also more likely to find love, with expats earning under US$60,000 (1.9 million baht) more likely to find love abroad than any other group. Similarly, expats over the age of 55 will have a greater chance of finding their life partner - one in four expats around the world aged 55 and over have found love or a life partner while living abroad.

Expats living in English-speaking countries have less trouble with language barriers, regardless of their origins. Learning the local language remains the biggest expat challenge of all.

While Thailand is seen as the easiest place to make friends, it is ranked 26th for ease of learning the local language.

For ease in finding a school, Thailand comes fourth; organising finances, 11th. For arranging healthcare, it is ranked second; finding somewhere to live, first. For setting up utilities, 9th; making local friends, 16th; and arranging accommodation, second.

Last year Germany, Canada and Spain were the top three countries deemed to have the best lifestyle for expats.

In another online survey, the British rated Thailand their No.1 holiday destination of 10 countries.

A total of 1,241 Britons responded to the survey, which polled 24,000 people around the world.

Thailand scooped 25% of British votes and the United States 11% but France came last, scoring a miserable 2%.