Job Discussion Forums

shoeboy · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 11

Which is cheaper to live in for a month, HCMC or Bangkok? Ill be taking the CELTA course and wont be going to bars or traveling around. Ill be trying live as cheaply as possible.

pt2323 · Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 9

Bangkok for sure....no question!

sheikxhoni · Joined: 28 Jun 2009 Posts: 48 Location: Bangkok

I lived in HCMC for a month in January / February and now I live in Bangkok. For me it is cheaper in Bangkok only because I have had time to scout a cheaper room in the suburbs near my job. For a person arriving in either place without a lot of inside help, I think the price is about the same.

Most CELTAs are with ILA and I recommend the guest house they recommend. I forget the name but it was Queen something or other. It was about $350 US for a month. Food in the ILA cafeteria might seem expensive for the seriously budget minded person but the convenience can't be beat. Other Italian and Indian food in the backpacker area is very reasonable.

In Bangkok I stayed a month at the Pelican Guest House off Soi 22 for about $650 a month but I know I could have done a lot better price wise. But the Pelican is a great hangout with lots of fun people and great food in the bar under my room. They had several free all-you-can-eat BBQs while I was there. This is also the headquarters for a dart league and Bangkok's ice hockey team in a four country ice hockey league. Cool place. There was a simple but safe room a block down the street for about $120 a month but my budget wasn't that tight. The cheapest rooms are not always acceptable to my - and maybe your - standards and that applies to both cities.

I should start an arrival travel service for newbies here in BKK by finding good $100 a month rooms like mine for new arrivals. My girlfriend can be my Thai partner and maybe she won't watch so many of these dumb Thai soap operas like she doing now.