Zach
Working in: Hat Yai
Monthly Earnings: 33,000
Q. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
A. 33,000
Q. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
A. 10-12,000
Q. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
A. 5,000 baht for an apartment
Q. What do you spend a month on the following things?
| a) Transportation | 1,500 |
|---|---|
| b) Utility bills | 1,000 |
| c) Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping | 4,000 |
| d) Nightlife and drinking | 1,500 |
| e) Books, computers | 500 |
Q. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
A. I live very comfortably. I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
Q. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
A. Rent and food
Q. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
A. I've talked to falangs who survive on 12,000 a month, I would hate that. But they survive.
Phil's analysis and comment
Zach saves a commendable 10-13,000 baht a month from his salary (150,000 baht a year is no small money), so that must please him. I'm not entirely sure what 5,000 baht a month would get you apartment-wise down in Hat Yai though. It is Thailand's third biggest city and it is a major economic center. I'd be interested in how much space Zach has for that amount of rental money. 33,000 is not bad at all though for The Hat.
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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.
