Every new arrival wants to know if they can survive or live well in Thailand on X thousand baht a month?
It's a difficult question because each person has different needs. However, the following surveys and figures are from teachers actually working here! How much do they earn and what do they spend their money on?. And after each case study, I've added comments of my own.
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Approximate Thai Baht (฿) conversion rates as of 9th May 2024
฿37 to one US Dollar฿46 to one Pound Sterling
฿40 to one Euro
฿24 to one Australian Dollar
฿0.64 THB to one Philippine Peso
Sai
Working in Nonthaburi
Monthly Earnings 30,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I make 30,000 a month from my full time job (which includes a 5,000 baht housing allowance). I have to be at school for 40 hours a week (25 hours of that is teaching and there is also some office / admin work) I haven't looked at teaching private students or teaching on-line yet but that time may not be too far away.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
3,000 to 5,000 a month.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 6,000 a month for a 23 square metre condo with a fridge, a microwave, a sink, a small closet, a little table, a sofa and a queen-size bed. For a single guy the accommodation is fine but the open air sewage from the canal outside makes it a very ugly place.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
As I live outside of Bangkok, I spend around 600 baht on train fares to go back and forth, at least on the weekends, plus around other 1,000 baht for taxis and such.
Utility bills
As I am careful with air-conditioning, electricity comes at around 300 per month
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I eat a rigorous diet of Thai food and fruit, I am not used to a so-called western diet anyway as I grew up in Italy.
Nightlife and drinking
Virtually nothing because the area I live in is devoid of any real night-time entertainment.
Books, computers
Sai did not answer this question.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
It could be improved a lot. I am planning to move anyway and hopefully find something better.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Petrol, taxis and spa treatments.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Certainly not less than 30,000.
Phil's analysis and comment
The life of the non-native English speaker on 30K a month. Top marks anyway for looking to improve your lot. It sounds like you do a lot of hours Sai for that 25,000 baht full-time salary. 25 contact hours a week is not to be sniffed at and then you've got your admin work on top. Have you ever worked out what you are getting paid an hour?
"but the open air sewage from the canal outside makes it a very ugly place"
Yes, I lived in an apartment for three years next to Klong Saen Saeb in the Ramkhamhaeng area of Bangkok. It wasn't so much the state of the canal that bothered me but you did get canal boat taxis going by about every ten minutes with their engines buzzing. It was something I guess I got used to. You could actually catch a canal taxi at the pier right next to the apartment building but I never used it so there was no advantage there. I like to keep my feet firmly on dry land whenever possible.
Anton
Working in Shanghai
Monthly Earnings 90,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work at a regular language centre for kids. My basic pay is 60,000 baht a month but we also get a 20,000 baht housing allowance and 10,000 baht travel allowance. There are also bonuses but I haven't included those.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
45,000
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 12,000 baht for a nice, clean but VERY small shoe-box. It's not close to the city center but near to my work so I don't really mind. Most of my colleagues pay almost double what I pay to be closer to the city center.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I have a bicycle that I use to get around. If it is raining I will use the subway. Probably not more than 300 baht a month
Utility bills
With the air-con running, utility bills are around 2,000 baht a month
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I don't cook food at home. I live on mainly fruit and protein shakes during the day and I buy dinner in the evenings. Probably around 10,000 baht a month including my protein shakes
Nightlife and drinking
I don't go out much at all so this expense is next to zero.
Books, computers
I pay around 500 baht a month for my internet and download whatever I need.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I am very comfortable. I tend to spend a lot of my money doing online shopping. That said, my accommodation is VERY cheap compared to others in the city and I don't go out drinking, so I save a lot there.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Shoes! I buy so many pairs of shoes online (the fake ones) But be careful because they have different level of "fakeness" if I can say it like that. The really cheap ones are horrible, but I bought a pair of the latest Nike Airmax for just 1,000 baht and they look exactly the same as from a proper Nike shop. So many good fake products for really cheap prices.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Well, my Chinese colleagues earn a lot less than I do but I would say 40,000 baht a month for a foreign teacher as an absolute minimum, but even that would not be very comfortable. I am actually very close to the bottom of comfortable, but I want to save a lot. Still comfortable, but living any tighter and I would hate it. I keep myself happy with buying little luxuries online.
Phil's analysis and comment
Thank you Anton. We don't get too many cost of living surveys from China but it's nice to know what teachers earn there. No place seems to divide opinion quite like China. Teachers seem to love it or hate it!
Chris
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 41,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I teach at a private bilingual school on the outskirts of Bangkok. I earn 33,000 baht a month as a full-time salary and I earn another 8,000 baht a month at a private language school on Saturdays.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
A maximum of 10,000 baht.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
Accommodation is a tiny apartment close to the school. It costs about 3,500 baht a month.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
Transportation is roughly 1,000 baht a month as I can walk to school. It's my daily exercise. The transportation is purely for any buses and taxis that I take.
Utility bills
Chris did not answer this question so we'll assume it's covered in the 3,500 baht a month rent.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I eat out every chance I get, so at least once a week. Western food is expensive here. Eating out and groceries probably come to 8,000 baht a month
Nightlife and drinking
I did the nightlife thing in my twenties. I'm now so over it.
Books, computers
I pay about 1,000 baht a month on data for when I'm not at home or at school. I buy at least one or two books a month but under 1,000 baht.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
My standard of living is pretty decent but I don't need to stay in a luxury apartment. I do stay in the outskirts of Bangkok though so I don't end up buying or spending money on needless things on a daily basis and I don't eat out every day either. School provides a decent lunch for free during weekdays. They also pay for holidays once you've completed a full year's service, so that helps. I do work through half of my holidays at the school doing Summer School for new students.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Taxis (when they run the meter) and rent. Also electronic products are cheaper than South Africa (not sure compared to USA / UK), flights, street food.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
At least 35,000 baht a month. I struggled a bit before I started the extra work at the language school, as you sometimes have unexpected expenses like doctor's visits, replacing your old laptop for a new one once it starts giving you problems, buying black shirts for everyday use during mourning periods, etc.
Phil's analysis and comment
I felt a tinge of sadness reading Chris's survey because it reminded me of me. A life where you are working all the hours Godsend so you can make ends meet. The dreaded six days a week! I've been there Chris. I did it for ten years or more. And what you end up doing is cramming all the shopping and those weekly chores into your one solitary day off and before you know it, you're back on the six-day treadmill.
I am yet to meet a Thai person or a farang who says that one day off a week gives them enough time to organize their life properly. It doesn't.
My wife works for a Japanese company and it is written in their contract that they have to work 13 Saturdays a year. So on the Saturdays she has to work, she gets up, gets changed into her company uniform, let's out a deep and audible sigh and says "six days a week is bullshit!" - and I couldn't agree more. In fact, show me a petition calling for a four-day working week and I'll sign it. We'll probably all get just as much done as well.
Chris, what I did was start teaching privately in the evenings two or three nights a week. OK it made for some very long and tiring days but when you get to Friday night and you're looking forward to a whole weekend off, it becomes well worth it.
As I've said before in these surveys, if you truly enjoy teaching and you're young and energetic, you can cope. But that six days a week is not for me.
Danny
Working in Phuket
Monthly Earnings 55-60,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work full-time as a year two teacher at an international school in Rawai, Phuket. My basic salary is 55,000 baht a month after tax and I can make an extra 3,000 to 6,000 baht every month from either coaching or giving extra lessons at school.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
10,000 - 15,000 baht. Maybe even 20,000 if I splurge a little less in a given month.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I rent a two-bedroom house for 14,000 baht a month. This includes basic cable, water, and decent wi-fi.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I rent a 125cc Honda Click scooter from a friend for 2,500 baht a month. Fuel doesn't cost me more than 300 baht though as I only ride around on average only about 10 kilometres a day
Utility bills
My electricity can cost me anywhere from 1,000 to 1,400 baht depending on how much I use the air-con in the house (government rate)
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I do tend to splurge on food as I am a picky eater. I don't cook at home so I eat out or get takeaways every evening and on weekends. I eat lunch at school on most days. I mix it up between Thai and Western, depending on what I am in the mood for so I spend about 8,000 to 10,000 baht a month. I am sure it would be less if I cut out my daily mochas and Magnum ice creams!
Nightlife and drinking
I definitely don't go out as much as I used to and Rawai doesn't have a pumping nightlife scene anyway. I'll have a few drinks at the pub or cocktail bars. The popular Bangla Road has only seen me three times in the past four months so no more than 2,000 baht a month.
Books, computers
I had my motherboard repaired and my laptop's battery replaced for 4,000 baht at Central Festival but other than that, nothing. I haven't bought any books or magazines and those I do read I have borrowed from a fellow teacher.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Far better than the standard of living I had in South Africa. Back home, most teachers were paid next to nothing (or only got their salaries once every few months). Mix that with a high cost of living. I would never be able to half of the things I do or buy here back home. You know it's bad when South Africans move to Thailand to save money!
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Most items are really cheap here (I know Phuket is more expensive than the rest of the country but still!) I was also able to stay at the 4-star Centara Resort in Khaolak for only 2,750 baht for 4 nights! Travelling expenses are quite cheap here. Fuel and electricity as well.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Nothing under 40,000 baht in Phuket unless you live in the more northern parts. Even then, the island-hopping, cocktails, beach clubs, shopping etc will eventually chew through your wallet. If you can be extremely strict with yourself and eat only Thai food and barely ever do anything on the weekends, then maybe 30,000. But then what's the point of living here if you're just surviving?
Phil's analysis and comment
Danny, this is exactly what we look for in these surveys and what makes them so enjoyable to read! A detailed set of figures mixed in with some nice personal anecdotes and observations. We really do get a feel for your life down there in Phuket. Well done sir!
Hmmmm......it sounds like you enjoy life and it certainly sounds a lot better than eking out a living back in South Africa.
I don't think anywhere in Thailand - with the possible exception of Pattaya - fascinates me more than Phuket as a place for an English teacher to live and work. Admittedly I've never been, but when I think of Phuket, it always conjures up images of tourists and more tourists (with prices to match) It never strikes me as a place that would be high on the list of teaching destinations for a chalkie. Not unless you were earning a very decent salary. However, there are many TEFLers down there.
I think your answer to the last question pretty much summed up what I thought already - you wouldn't want to live down there on less than 40K. And you're obviously doing very nicely on 55-60.
David
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 140,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work at an international school in Bangkok and my full-time salary is 140,000.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
50,000
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 8,000 for a detached house out in the suburbs. It's a little run-down, but we have plenty of our own furniture, so it's comfortable enough.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I have a car and three bikes (only one of which I use regularly). Petrol for the car comes to about 4,000 baht a month as we drive around a lot and often go out of the city
Utility bills
4,000 a month, about 3,000 of which goes on electricity. We don't skimp on air-con.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
Maybe 15,000 baht a month. We'll eat out in decent restaurants maybe twice a week and the rest of the time either cook ourselves or get street food
Nightlife and drinking
Virtually nothing.
Books, computers
I spend maybe 1,000 baht a month on books - I like reading. Computer / laptop / tablet all bought and paid for so nothing on them.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Comfortable. I save a lot, pay into a savings plan and also pay off a mortgage on a house upcountry. I could cut down on savings and spend more on 5-star hotel all-you-can-eat brunches, but they've never really appealed.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Taxis, rent, fruit and some food. Otherwise things are pretty middling for a developing world capital city.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
You can survive on around 30,000 baht a month but anything lower than that would be intolerable. 30,000 would still be pretty rough and you'd be treading water. You would not be making any progress with your life.
Phil's analysis and comment
Nice one Dave. Here's a man who lives well within his means and a guy who's feathering his nest very nicely. 140,000 a month is a very decent salary and there's always going to be plenty of spare cash left over when you're only paying 8,000 baht for your rent. Dave sounds happy enough with the house he lives in though.
Dave makes several references to 'we' so I assume he is married or lives with a partner, etc. It would be interesting to know whether that partner is working and bringing home a salary as well. That would make life even more comfortable!
Showing 5 Cost of Living surveys out of 426 total
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