Ray
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 120,000
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
This is purely my full-time salary for teaching at an international school.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
70,000
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I do not see the need to overspend here. I rent a studio within easy reach of the BTS for 10,000 baht a month.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I use the BTS to get to work so pretty minimal.
Utility bills
1,500
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
OK, this one is interesting. Recognising the necessity to save money, I have devised a system where I do not overspend. The rule is to never have more than one 300 baht+ meal per day. Breakfast is Western and never comes to more than 150 baht. Lunch is generally street food so 100 baht including a bottle of water. Evenings are either circa 300 baht for Western food when I am eating alone or if I am dating one of my Thai girlfriends, it's around 200 baht for local food - a spread of dishes which we share because they generally hate Western food. Cheap local food is a babe magnet. Total no more than 25,000 baht a month.
Nightlife and drinking
I do not dig clubbing. My idea of a good night is a dinner date with a Thai girl (including food above) or if by myself, no more than 150 baht per night on booze. 5,000 baht a month tops.
Books, computers
I can download anything I want for free.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Great food, great women, great life.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Food and cheap, effective dating.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Assuming no saving and some control, then 50,000 baht per month is ample.
Phil's analysis and comment
Sounds like you enjoy the ladies. How do you get away with 150 baht for beer on a night out unless it's slugging cans while sat on the steps of a Family Mart? Your food spend is pretty impressive but what do you eat on the street that costs 100 baht?
Submit your own Cost of Living survey
