Stephen
Working in: Phuket
Monthly Earnings: 60,000
Q. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
A. 60,000 after tax – I teach IGCSE maths at an international school in Phuket. Could do more but too lazy. Value my free time too much.
Q. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
A. 25,000 to 30,000 (I am single)
Q. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
A. 5,000 (incl bills). Apartment complex with hot shower, fan, TV, balcony (nice view), swimming pool and fridge in Phuket Town.
Q. What do you spend a month on the following things?
| a) Transportation | 1,500 baht petrol for my chopper (paid for). |
|---|---|
| b) Utility bills | Steve did not say but probably about 1,000 baht I guess |
| c) Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping | Never cook at home. About 5,000 |
| d) Nightlife and drinking | Too much. Around 15,000 - 20,000. |
| e) Books, computers | 600 internet as above. |
Q. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
A. Excellent. I earn the same as I did as an IT engineer in Northern England in 2005. Compounding this is the lower living costs of Thailand! The Quality of Life is superb here. However, I have just spent £2900 (about 140,000) on a PGCE course at Nottingham University - that should pay for itself in less than a year.
Q. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
A. Food. Motorbike insurance and tax. Accommodation.
Q. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
A. I earned less than 30,000 teaching in the sticks (2 years ago) and was able to live well. I reckon one could live well in the sticks for 30,000 (40.000 for Phuket). Add 10K to those figures and I'd imogen you could live like a premier league footballer - perhaps someone like Ryan Giggs.
Phil's analysis and comment
Steve first posted in the ajarn cost of living section back in 2009, when he worked in Trang and was earning 29,000 baht a month. Now he teaches maths in an international school in Phuket and has nigh on doubled his salary since then. Well done sir! But 20,000 baht a month on entertainment? Take more care of that liver Steve!
Featured Teachers
-
Karolina
Certificate (2), Diploma (1)
Pole (female, 27 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Calum
Diploma (2), Certificate (1), MA (1)
British (male, 60 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Ronald
BA (1), Diploma (1), Certificate (1)
British (male, 32 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Daniel
Certificate (5), Diploma (3)
British (male, 27 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Jamie
BA (1)
British (male, 28 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Jenni
Certificate (4)
Australian (female, 46 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Marc
Certificate (1)
British (male, 41 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Adekunle
Certificate (1)
Ivorian (male, years old, native Yoruba speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Dewaal
Certificate (1)
South African (male, 24 years old, native English speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
-
Lennon Joh
BA (1), MA (1)
Filipino (male, 25 years old, native Tagalog speaker). Currently living in Thailand.
Ajarn Guests
Going Home
I possess ten years of classroom EFL teaching experience, plus a solid education, and this was the type of work available to me. There were many moments, such as when I was cleaning a toilet bowl, or when a housekeeper ordered me to do something, that frustration welled up inside me.
Teacher nightmares part two
More stories from teachers in Thailand who have found themselves in difficult situations often through no fault of their own. Can you offer them some good advice?
Fear of change?
In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed
About Ajarn.com
Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.
Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.
