Doug

Working in Bangkok

Monthly Earnings 54,000

Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?

I earn around 54,000 per month. Sometimes more if I have to substitute teach.

Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?

Not much, sinceI have a child on the way. I figure my expenses just about match my income. However, Sometimes I can hide 5,000

Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?

I pay 13,000 per month for a 50 square meter apartment.

Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?

Transportation

3,000

Utility bills

3,500

Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping

5,000

Nightlife and drinking

1,500

Books, computers

1,000

Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?

Pretty much equal to what I had in America, just minus the car. Luckily, I don't need one here

Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?

The public transportation system.

Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?

Probably 50-60,000 baht/month in order to maintain a lifestyle equivalent to "the west." With that said, you can survive with a small level of comfort on 35,000 baht/month.

Phil's analysis and comment

Doug earns a very nice salary - make no mistake. I just feel that he could be saving (or hiding) more than 5,000 baht a month (even with a kiddy on the way) Perhaps he needs to eat more Thai food and take public transport a bit more often. That said, I never begrudge a man sinking his teeth into a hearty rump steak or jumping into an air-conditioned taxi while the Bangkok massive stand sweltering at their bus shelters.


Submit your own Cost of Living survey

Back to the main list


Featured Jobs

NES Grade 4 Math and Science Teacher

฿40,000+ / month

Chiang Mai


Early Years Teacher

฿60,000+ / month

Bangkok


Primary Science Teachers for MEP Program

฿33,000+ / month

Maha Sarakham


Part-time NES Summer Camp Teachers

฿450+ / hour

Bangkok


Summer Camp Teachers

฿700+ / hour

Chiang Mai


NES Primary English Teacher

฿45,000+ / month

Bangkok


Featured Teachers

  • Elesio


    Filipino, 28 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Tunde


    Nigerian, 51 years old. Currently living in Nigeria

  • Christine


    Filipino, 31 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Dawit


    Ethiopian, 30 years old. Currently living in Ethiopia

  • Su


    Myanmarese, 26 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Shwe


    Myanmarese, 32 years old. Currently living in Thailand

The Hot Spot


Will I find work in Thailand?

Will I find work in Thailand?

It's one of the most common questions we get e-mailed to us. So find out exactly where you stand.


Teacher mistakes

Teacher mistakes

What are the most common mistakes that teachers make when they are about to embark on a teaching career in Thailand? We've got them all covered.


The Region Guides

The Region Guides

Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.


The dreaded demo

The dreaded demo

Many schools ask for demo lessons before they hire. What should you the teacher be aware of?


Air your views

Air your views

Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


Need Thailand insurance?

Need Thailand insurance?

Have a question about health or travel insurance in Thailand? Ricky Batten from Pacific Prime is Ajarn's resident expert.


Contributions welcome

Contributions welcome

If you like visiting ajarn.com and reading the content, why not get involved yourself and keep us up to date?


The cost of living

The cost of living

How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.