Karen
Working in Bang Bon
Monthly Earnings 38,000 baht plus an income of £350 from the UK
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
My salary from teaching is 30,000 baht. I make another 5,000 baht from teaching online and 3,000 from a private student I teach face-to-face. In addition, my income from the UK is from a rental property.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
Zero.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
The rent on my condo is 9,000 a month.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
5,000 baht on taxis and MRT fares.
Utility bills
About 1,200 - 1,500 on electricity and a 1,000 baht for wi-fi and phone.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
This comes to about 10,000 baht a month.
Nightlife and drinking
At the minute zero due to the virus situation but usual nights out in central Bangkok are 2,000 baht a night on average.
Books, computers
About 500 baht. I wish there were more good second hand bookshops in Bangkok.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
It's OK but definitely not luxurious. My condo is 30 sq metres but has access to a pool and gym (although it's a Thai style gym where almost nothing works)
The odd extravagance of a weekend away or a stay over in central Bangkok is mainly paid out of the savings I had on arrival.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Anything you can buy at the roadside such as fruit/ vegetables in season.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
To survive and be happy, I would say at least 40,000 baht. The nearer you are to central Bangkok, the more you'll need.
Phil's analysis and comment
Thanks Karen. So with that income of about 14,000 baht from a rental property in the UK, Karen's earnings get pushed to just over the 50K mark, which is OK for the Bangkok suburbs I guess. In fact to quote Karen - 'it's OK but not luxurious'.
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