Zach
Working in Hat Yai
Monthly Earnings 33,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
33,000
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
10-12,000
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
5,000 baht for an apartment
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
1,500
Utility bills
1,000
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
4,000
Nightlife and drinking
1,500
Books, computers
500
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I live very comfortably. I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Rent and food
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
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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