Reader question: What does living in Thailand cost?
Dear readers,
I will retire in just over a year and have plans to live in Thailand. I am now busy putting everything together, but the big question remains how much disposable income per month should I have to live there?
I am 64 years old and want to rent a condo in Pattaya, don't need to see A location. For transport I want to use a scooter (I have a motorcycle license). I don't smoke and hardly drink (1 to 2 beers a day). I want to eat out once a day, but simple.
Internet is important and TV (sports). Other than that I live quite frugally. I do want health insurance for hospitalization. I have about $8.000 in savings myself. For now I want to stay single and therefore no costs for a Thai partner.
Who can tell me what I need per month to pay all costs?
Regards,
Chose
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Have you already checked whether you can live in Thailand? For a so-called retirement extension – valid for one year at a time – as a single person you must either have 800.000 baht (a good 20.000 euros) in a Thai bank, or be able to demonstrate at least 65.000 baht (over 1650 euros) in monthly income. If you meet these requirements, you can get by just fine in Thailand.
Assuming that a retirement visa is the best choice for you, you should have an income of at least 65.000 Baht per month. At a rate of 35 Baht per Euro (it can sometimes be against) that is Euro 1857.- per month.
I think you can live or survive on that with your package of requirements in Pattaya, although I cannot properly estimate the amount of the health insurance premium you want.
Your first problem is probably that you cannot live in Thailand with 8.000 euros in savings.
For a stay based on your age, if you want to convert your visa into an annual extension of your stay, you must have 800.000 Baht (over 20.000 euros) in savings in Thailand in the bank.
Otherwise, you will find yourself in a situation where you constantly have to go in and out of the country, which is a dead end in the long run.
Furthermore, health insurance is expensive and the premium will increase as you get older.
I'm afraid that with 8.000 euros in savings you have no option to emigrate, unless you have a large pension and can increase your savings to more than 20.000 euros in the not too distant future.
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It may also be a combination of income and savings with a retirement visa. With AOW and a pension you will soon be at 1600 net, then 8000 in the bank is more than enough.
Combination is indeed also possible, but if you 'deploy' that 8000 euro savings on a Thai account, you can never use it and you have actually 'lost' your savings, or you no longer have any usable buffer. Then you are not enjoying your old age in a relaxed way, it seems to me.
If you don't smoke and drink and are chasing women, you may be able to find another, cheaper, place in Thailand, then you won't be tempted so easily...
Combination is indeed also possible, but if you 'deploy' that 8000 euro savings on a Thai account, you can never use it and you have actually 'lost' your savings, or you no longer have any usable buffer. Then you are not enjoying your old age in a relaxed way, it seems to me.
If you don't smoke and drink and are chasing women, you may be able to find another, cheaper, place in Thailand, then you won't be tempted so easily...
Incorrect, incomplete, Ruud. With a minimum of 65.000 baht per month, you don't have to have a penny in the bank.
True only from his savings he cannot live in Thailand. But if he can show that he has sufficient income, it is no problem at all. Including health insurance, his income should be between 2200 and 2500 €.
@geert read some posts further. 3 months on and off is possible with that money 2200 to 2500 you live very luxurious but what do you need at least to live in Thailand with a half western lifestyle. 1500 is more than enough. 1200 is still going. That was what was requested. I live on and off for 3 months because of insurance. If I'm not in Thailand, I don't have any costs for travel and food, etc. I use that in the Netherlands. It's not like you have to eat twice. luckily there are also markets in the Netherlands, the LIDL, ALDI, JUMBO etc. I don't smoke, don't drink alcohol, tap water, lots of tea and no expensive soft drinks. Get the cola and orange juice etc from Germany because Real and Kaufland are cheaper. Buying and refueling once for 1 months saves a lot. It's just putting your money where your mouth is.
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Apart from the fact that the visa conditions must be met (see above), I am thinking of a net disposable income of 2000 euros to be able to continue living as you are used to. Health insurance will certainly be the largest component in this (think of 4-500 euros per month). A nice condo costs about 250/300 euros per month. Electricity (air conditioning) soon 100 euros / month
Furthermore, the cost of living in Thailand has risen enormously in recent years, I travel up and down every 6 months and I feel that I have lost just as much as in the Netherlands, globally. Good internet costs about the same as in the Netherlands.
It may be possible with a little less, but then an occasional trip - or a flight to the Netherlands - is no longer really an option.
jaspers
I think you are exaggerating a lot. Health insurance is possible for E 300 p/m. Electricity (with 2 air conditioners at night; dishwasher and washing machine) for about E 65 p / m.
And to say that living is just as expensive as in the Netherlands seems a bit exaggerated to me. Try to rent a “nice condo” in NL for E 300 p/m. That's not going to work. I think that in the Netherlands you will soon lose E 500-800 for such a condo.
And what about things like diesel, road tax, etc.? It is (still) considerably cheaper here.
And by the way: how do you know what Koos (the writer) is used to? He indicates that he has few requirements. He even plans to risk his life by moving around on a moped.
I'm not going to argue any further about how much exactly what costs.
I have made a calculation and I would have lost € 2 per month for housing, living expenses and health insurance, excluding a holiday to Europe. I now live in France and I now spend about € 000 per year for everything in total, including my holidays to Asia, so Thailand would cost me about half.
If you would like to live in Thailand on the basis of a retirement Visa with EUR 8.000 in savings, you will have to be able to demonstrate another EUR 1.200 monthly income. 1.200 euros income per month or about 45.000 Thai Baht now (but that can be less or more depending on the exchange rate) Is a bit on the tight side to live the Pattaya life as you describe. I think that would be fine in the countryside of Isaan, but there are people on the forum who live there and could tell you better.
Health insurance is definitely the first thing you should look into. The Healthcare Act lapses if you emigrate.
Apart from the visa requirements, you have to take into account the following costs:
Rent condo 10.000 baht
Electricity 3.000 baht
Simple food/beer
How do you get electricity 3000 bath. I live with my wife in Banglamung, we have 2 TV sets that are on for several hours every day. We cook on an electric fire, have a refrigerator, freezer and washing machine and a computer. We never have to pay more than 1500 baht per month.
Aircon uses a lot
Air conditioning ?? incl.
Well,
The four of us live and there is 1 air conditioner on during the day and 2 air conditioners at night and we always pay 3.800 / 4.400 Bhat for electricity. So with 1.500 Bhat we will not come out in any case.
Chose.
if I were you I would opt for 8 months minus 1 day Thailand 4 months Netherlands.
If you put everything in a row, this will not make much difference with living in Pattaya. and you don't immediately burn all the ships behind you.
But then you must have shelter in the Netherlands for those 4 months. If you have a rented house, you must continue to pay the rent. If you want to cancel your rental home, you will still have to remain registered somewhere. So it's not that easy what you say. It depends on the personal situation.
Apart from the visa requirements, you should roughly take the following costs into account:
* rent condo 10.000 bath per month
* electricity / water 3.000 bath per month
* Thai food / few beers 21.000 bath per month, 700 bath per day
* some shopping at Big C 5.000 bath per month, 1.500 bath per week
* health insurance 9.000 baht per month, with an excess of 115.000 baht per year
(patient only)
* medicines 1.000 bath per month
* rent scooter pm
* unforeseen costs 6.000 baht per month
Total, roughly 55.000 baht per month (roughly 1.500 euros, at an exchange rate of 1 euro = 37 baht)
So definitely not included in this. visiting agogo tents and only a sporadic visit to beer bars, no hiring ladies. So pretty simple, but doable if you stick to your budget.
@Leo, Join me on finances.
That's right, but it's better, especially in the beginning if you're still looking to take it on and off every 3 months and to keep something on in the Netherlands. Are you immediately insured for illness etc. Are some more costs but I come out with 2400 Euros per month.
Shuttle between Jomtien, Uttaradit and the Netherlands.
3 months on and off.
Is easy to do driving in Thailand and the Netherlands car. If I do the calculations I come to the conclusion that I have 1400 euros to live in Jomtien in a condominium.
Cooking yourself, Buying food at the market. Eat in and out at home and out here across the street. With his two.
So a Thai lives on 500 Euros per month??.
Hi,
I live on 1000 eur per month…then I have a hut to live in and 1000 baht per day. That is easy to do, but Thai partners usually have nothing, so a lot goes into that. I could live for 500 baht/day.
I just got a new tourist visa in Malaysia and had to show at the border that I had 9000 baht. The trip hua-hin-> malesia already costs more than that, but the gentleman didn't care about that. When he saw my Thai girlfriend (and yes, I understand a little Thai) and he got the guarantee from her that I would take care of her, it was suddenly good.
>Rent condo 10.000 baht
>Electra 3.000 baht
Agree…I have a good house for 7.000 a month and my electricity is 2500.
It also depends on where you are, Hua Hin is expensive, Kanchanaburi can rent a house with a swimming pool for 4000.
insureinthailand.nl
“Thailand is not a treaty country of the Netherlands when it comes to healthcare costs. This means that you are no longer entitled to Dutch basic insurance if you emigrate to or stay in Thailand for a long period of time.”
So you will have to take out your health insurance here.
Success!
Sit there for 7000 baht in a condo electricity less than 1000 baht search and you will find unless you want luxury.
Jomtien count on Studio 8000 bath and 2 room apartment 10 – 12000 and a 2 room apartment 12000 to 15000. But then fully furnished.
A little past Rimhad 2 on the second beach road is a new complex with studios for 8000 a month.
Dear Kos
I have to agree with Jasper completely, I myself use > € 2.000,00 per month do not smoke do not drink and do not spend money unnecessarily. Have my own house so do not have to pay rent and I am still insured in the Netherlands because I stay in the Netherlands for 4 months every year, I will continue to have health insurance in the Netherlands.
I personally don't I must say; but if you go to Cambodia travel in Soi Boakhow in Pattaya you don't have to have a penny in the bank and no income, they will arrange that for you, it costs 11.000,00 Baht, but then you do have a Retirement annual visa for a all year round completely arranged for you.
Don't say it's not true because I have several friends who do this every year again in this way, they have to because most of them have no income or too little income and no savings.
Could be cheaper but the story is true. You can even BORROW 8000 bath for 800.000 bath. Cq you get a bank account with 850.000 baht in your name (just can't withdraw it) with the bankbook you can easily get a visa. I don't use it, I get it on the basis of my disability benefit, but just want to indicate that there are plenty of options.
If necessary, I will become a PARTNER of my brother-in-law and I will have a company with him. That is also possible. I suddenly have 15 Thai working for me.
@Wiel Do you realize that by writing this, you can get into trouble not only this agency but also the people who use it?
I know you mean well to help people.
Dear Koos,
If you only have aow with a small supplement from work. say a total of 1350 euros net, I don't think living in Thailand is an option. Also take a look around the Philippines. Not so many rules. no income requirement and living is advantageous. Outside Manila you can rent from 3.000 pesos = about 50 euros / month. Electricity and water are added, but are cheap. Tickets from Amsterdam about the same price as Bangkok. If you arrange it well at imigrati in Manila. Do you have to do a visa run after 8 months. To eg China or Taiwan.
You can fly back the next day. And repeat the same with immigration.
Enjoy your freedom.
Regards Anthony
Everything is possible. Then I prefer North Vietnam. Once again cheaper. For 500.000 dong, 4 euros with 12 people is extensive food (no alcohol).
The question was how much do I need to live in Thailand, I don't know everything, but my experience over 8 years says an average of 1300 to 1400 euros is enough. Can be cheaper that's right.
1000 euros has also been mentioned. When I'm in Uttaradit I don't even need that.
if you can get by on your pension in the Netherlands, you can live on it in Thailand like a god in France.
Do deregister in the Netherlands, so that you are no longer liable to pay tax there, only on state benefits such as AOW and state pension (ABP). Your Dutch gross income becomes your net income here, making a difference of more than 30%.
How much you need depends entirely on your spending pattern and you decide that yourself. In and around Pattaya you can rent accommodation from 3000 to 400 000 Bath per month, depending on your wishes. You can eat out every day, there are plenty of places where you can get a good meal from 40 to 100 Bath. You can't make it yourself. A good second-hand motorbike costs between 10 and 000 Bath, getting a Thai driver's license about 20, is immediately your Thai ID, with which you can get a discount on all kinds of attractions. A retirement visa all together costs about 000 Bath per year, free stamping every 700 days.
I myself live with my wife, three children and two dogs in a detached house with a garden in the Darkside, to my complete satisfaction. Quiet street, close to everything. We all have a motorbike for mobility, have guests who eat and drink with us every day. We can go out whenever we want, in short, I am not short of anything. I have about 15 00 Euro per month for this.
I can easily get by with my wife on about 500 Euros a month.
Live in the countryside (Pho Thale) no housing costs, have no health insurance (but have a buffer for something like that), we have a car, I eat delicious food every day, drink my drinks in the evening (usually at home)
Live in a lovely house with 10000 meters of land.
I love my life.
Apart from the amounts that have been mentioned and all come pretty close, the most important - and still - unforeseen cost item is: how will I spend my day? I don't assume you moved to Thailand to sit in your condo all day. You might want to build a social life, I think it's wise, by the way! You want to do things, see, experience. All things that need a certain financial basis. Of course, amounts cannot be put on it, but it is necessary to take this into account. If you have less than 300 euros per month to spend (including food) I would not start. In Europe there are still all kinds of social safety nets, in Thailand you are alone at all times.