Job Discussion Forums

[Pauleddy]

15k a month can be done, but I am sure that you would be miserable.

The whole point about Thailand for most folks is that they have fun, at least for a while. "Fun" can include beer, girls (or boys--I'm gay and I hate to stereotype others), shopping, movies, day trips to beaches, restaurants and 100 other things, good bookshops even. In BKK you can party 24/7.

Even folks who lived in monasteries (I know one guy) before they came here really seem to loosen up and want fun. It's that kind of place.

Trying to survive here on 15k would be like moving to Paris or Amsterdam and then shutting yourself in without enjoying all the fun of those places. I am not just talking about sex, but there is plenty of that here too. Up to you about that part of your life BUT, like anywhere, if you meet a pretty girl (or even boy) they will find you a more attractive option if you can buy them drinks and/or dinner, if you wear nice clothes and look good. Human nature. I am not talking about people who sell favours, there is that option as well.

If you can live on boiled rice and pork rind for 25baht a day then fine, but you will find supermarkets here with western snacks, wines and even your favourite candy or juices. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't end up being tempted.

My internet costs about 800b a month and my TV channels almost 2000b...basic stuff really.

I spend at least 50,000b a month apart from my rent, and we rarely go out (over 50 now so don't wanna!) I have a bottle of wine sometimes, and we eat well, but the money just seems to fly away, same as London or Madrid, on nothing in particular.

In the boonies it's a lot cheaper with rents and stuff but again it's horses for courses. Larger and even medium sized towns have malls, beer, wine and pizza places too. People can go mad with boredom so they sometimes spend more anyway.

Overall, you really need to be a saint or a recluse to live in this place on 15k. People write often to local web-boards here asking whether they can save money for their mortgage (etc.) at home in the UK AND have a good time on 30,000b. The answer is always invariably 'NO'.

Be warned.

This is No Country for Old (or Young) Men who don't want to or can't enjoy it.

Now, I am sure that I will get a reply from someone who lives on water all day in a room which costs 500b a year....but I am a fairly regular guy with fairly normal needs and outgoings. I like smart clothes and a few drinks, good food, DVDs, nice books, good friends and all of it. I wouldn't try it on 15k or even 25k.

PaulEddy

[Extraordinary Rendition]

The PP has more patience than I do, and said it very eloquently. I just think it would be helpful to break down his last list:

- Smart clothes. That means at least washed, probably pressed. Do-it-yourself in the WC sink? Laundries are cheap, but not free. The reality is that Thai laundries frequently ruin clothes. Complain to them? Ask for reimbursement? So a clothing budget is essential.

- A few drinks and good friends. This does not mean drinking alone in one's room. You can probably find a group who sits in front of a convenience store with their beer, if you're not in a rural area, but this gets pretty tiresome, pretty quickly.

- Good food. There are some westerners who can survive on the food from the street vendors and cheap Thai restaurants. Many find that their digestive system and metabolism will not allow that. Sanitation is not high at the 25 baht per meal places. Few would characterize this as "good food", even if they survive on it.

I don't know why no one else has said this, so I will. If you want to save some cash, why not think about Korea (or Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan...). Thailand is a place to go for many diverse reasons, but definitely not a place to try to extract money from; the entire design is to extract money from you!

[Nabby Adams]

Culturally it's the man who pays for near everything in Thailand. If the OP plans on getting a gf he will have to get used to paying for the dates. And the one thing that Thai girls hate in a man is meaness.

[Extraordinary Rendition]

[skann]

I haven't been able to find an answer to this question anywhere. When everyone says that a 35000-40000b job is decent pay, is that before or after tax? Is it like the US, where exployers quote you a before-tax salary and then it gets deducted from your paycheck, or is it like Europe where the job salaries are advertised on an after-tax basis? I feel this is important for me to know so I can better budget expenses. Any help is appreciated.

[roguegrafix]

That is after tax (generally). Thailand's rate of tax is very low - I think I pay less than 1,000 baht per year and generally, if the school/uni is half decent, they'll deduct it rom your salary before they pay it to you. My uni even does my tax return for me-- I don't have to worry about a thing. Some Rajabhats make you do everything yourself which can be a real pain and sometimes, if you do outside contracts with companies, you might need to take these payments into your tax return. But I just tell the office and they do it all. Tax was one reason I left Australia. I haven't personally filed a tax return in over 15 years

[Extraordinary Rendition]

All salaries advertised in Thailand are before taxes (i.e., gross, not net). If you're working legally (with a work permit), taxes are indeed deducted from each pay (which is generally monthly). On a 50,000 baht per month salary, my taxes were less than 1,000 baht per month, although I remember having to pay a little more (several thousand baht [about $200 U.S.]) when filing my tax return each year, because my employer had "under-deducted".

Addendum to my earlier posts: Don't forget to budget for toothpaste and soap.

[Master Shake]

[legaleagle]

Renzo, you say that a luxury is eating out once a month? I find that hard to fathom. While being non-consumer oriented is certainly commendable, I can't imagine not enjoying life a bit.

[Taiwanlight Zone]

One thing you ought to bear in mind is that many jobs in Thailand are not stable. So you may get a reasonable salary (for Thailand) one month and then be really struggling the next. As elsewhere, be careful who you work for.

[qcat79]

why are you so concerned about saving money in thailand?? especially on 30,000 baht a month?? like others say, if you want cash, take a job in korea for a year, then move to thailand and blow it all. (or not have to worry about how much you'll spend).

[ronald_reagan]

[Junka]

I've never understood why someone wants to live like a pauper in Thailand to save $500 per month. Those savings can be made easily and more in other countries.

Sure you can live in Thailand without the fun lifestyle but, Thailand is all about the fun lifestyle; or am I missing something?

[Junka]

Quick question, do you guys get any kind of medical insurance with your jobs there. Now I'm getting older this one bothers me a lot. I didn't have medical aid and recently had to spend $600 on minor surgery, local anesthetic type stuff.

[MaiPenRai]

I think people should stop considering Korea as a place to make good money these days. The Won has plummeted and when converting back to western savings, it looks pretty dismal these days. From what I hear, it is a lot harder to live a frugal lifestyle in Korea than it is in Thailand.

Personally I have lived on 15K/month in Thailand and it wasn't that bad. I didn't do much, but I practiced my Thai, focused on doing a good job at work and being prepped, read lots of books, became very creative with shopping/eating/traveling/etc. I think it is a great experience for most younger people and an experience that everyone should try. After that Living on 30-37K is a cake walk and you appreciate everything a lot more. I make a lot more than that now and have on occasion spent 40-50K/month as well (especially living in Bangkok). Two sides to every story and I have experienced them both.

On average, I would say that it is perfectly achievable to save 5K+ baht /month if making 30-37K/month (standard starting salary in Thailand for most TEFLer's) and still get to have a few perks now and then.