Job Discussion Forums

[travelinbri]

If I except a position in a smaller town in Northern Thailand (not in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai even), and my housing is covered, what is a realistic range of what I am going to be spending a month considering I love Thai food and dont drink very often? I know people run the gambit, spending from 200$ US to 2000$ a month, so it is a hard question to answer, but any advice would be helpful...

[JosephP]

Get used to using baht figures. Having said that, if you have modest habits, don't go out on the p!ss every night, are able to avoid extra-curricular nightlife (uh, hookers) and can enjoy Thai food and rice most meals, you'll do okay on 20,000-35,0000 baht a month. But expat comforts like UBC, English language books, etc, you will have to budget for those.
You aren't going to be able to put away for your retirement or retire much in the way of debt, but sure, it's doable.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Anyong-Haseyo travelinbri:

Spent 2000-2001 at SLP in Chonju. Ever been there?

Anyway --- I'm in Bangkok now, so I'll be happy to share a few thoughts with you about spending & budgets.

First, as JosephP suggests, let's use Thai Baht. It's easier.

At the moment, 1US$=40 Baht. Of course, this goes up and down a bit, but the Baht is relatively stable.

For today's exchange rates, go here: http://www.krungsri.com/eng/50/511.asp

ok - Here's a typical 'Thai product basket' for comparison:

1 kilo of rice = 15 to 25 Baht (depending on type & grade)
1.25 liter bottle of Coke = 26 Baht
lunch for 1 in a non-aircon Thai 'Mom & Pop' kitchen = 25 to 45 Baht (excluding drink)
lunch for 1 in a nicer aircon restaurant (Malls, etc) = 80 to 150 Baht
lunch set at McDonald's = 100 Baht, give or take 20
1 hot dog @ 7-11 with all the fixins' = 15 Baht
lunch buffet in a 4-star Hotel (J.W. Marriott, for example) = 500 Baht
1 pack of L&M = 38 Baht
1 beer in a bar = 50 to 150 Baht, depending on where you go
1 beer from the supermarket = 21 to 45 Baht, depending on brand
1 hour in a typical Soi internet cafe = 20 baht (more at the Malls & tourist zones)
1 new pair of men's trousers (good enough to wear for work) = 350 to 700 Baht
1 new long-sleeved shirt = 350 to 650 Baht
1 month Skytrain metro pass - includes 30 rides (the max) = 540 Baht, or 18 Baht per ride
1 roundtrip air ticket from Bangkok to Phuket = 3,196 to 5,440 Baht (depending on season & airline)
1 one-way bus ticket from Bangkok to Chiang Mai = 410 Baht (economy) to 797 Baht (First class)
short taxi ride = 50 to 100 Baht
short motorbike ride = 10 to 30 Baht
1 ticket to a Movie Theater = 100 Baht, give or take 20
1 brand new no-name PC = 12,000 Baht
1 brand new Nokia mobile phone (standard model 3315) = less than 3,000 Baht
1 brand new no-name mobile phone = 2,200 Baht
1 month electric / for 1 room, running aircon all night (set at 24C / economy) = 800 to 1,200 Baht
1 night in a cheap love hotel = 350 to 600 Baht, excluding girl (not that I've ever done this, of course!)

Oh yeah --- almost forgot this very important staple of life in Thailand:

feeding the elephant = 20 Baht (for that, you get a bag of sugarcane sticks, which the elephant loves)

Summary:

Here in Bangkok, I can live comfortably on as little as 500 Baht per day, especially on weekdays when I'm working. With 500 Baht in your pocket, you can eat well, get to where you're going, spend an hour in the internet cafe, have a beer and still grab a midnight snack at 7-11.

On the weekends, I like to travel around town, catch a movie, eat in a nice restaurant, etc. Sometimes I take a few friends along, and then it's generally my treat. I'm also known to tip a few (dozen) beers.

So --- on the weekends, I spend on average 1,000 Baht per day. Sometimes 2,000. Just depends on what I've got on the agenda, and whether I'm a homeboy, or a Soi Cowboy.*

Assuming for a moment that upcountry is a tad cheaper than Bangkok, and taking into account the 500 per weekday and 2,000 per weekend idea, you'd be spending roughly 20,000 Baht per month on the essentials.

This, of course, is a somewhat simplified estimate, and does not take into account all those unexpected 'little things' that tend to pop up and cost money. A pack of double-edge razor blades. A new summer wardrobe. A trip to the doctor. A weekend beach get-away. 10,000 liters of mosquito repellent. Laundry. A visa-run? A flight out of the country, etc, etc ...

The bottom line: 30,000 Baht per month net, upcountry, is a liveable salary. In Bangkok, it is probably on the low side, but still 'doable' for people who don't hang out in the expat bars every night after work.

It's the entertainment that gobbles up the Baht; not daily life. In fact, this is one of the few countries in the world today where a U.S. quarter (10 Baht) actually buys something.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

*If you're wondering what a Soi Cowboy is, try this link: http://www.bangkokbob.net/cowboy.htm (rated PG-13)