Job Discussion Forums

[vallillo1983]

Hey, firstly i would like to say thank you to everyone who offered advice on my last post(s); Now i have a question as its been on my mind, alot of people suggest to go to Taiwan or Japan 1st to earn some money,

In taiwan the average wage is NT$50000 (60000bhat) and in thailand the ave salary is 40000 to 50000 (with my qualifications!) so i wanted to know, if the cost of living is so much less in thailand, how is it possible to save in taiwan and not in Thailand!?!

Would be cool to hear your thoughts!

Cheers

[VanIslander]

depends... do you have a short time or long time?

[Sgt Killjoy]

Because there are more hedonistic pursuits available in Thailand. It is misnomer that it is cheaper to live in Thailand, I spend more in a month here than I did in Korea. but the quality of life is a bit better here. While you can live like a Thai person on 15,000 baht per month(and I have), it aint a fun way of life and there are lot of ways to improve your quality of life dramatically for just a little bit more money.

I am currently outside of Bangkok and I spend 40,000 baht per month and still don't have the kind of lifestyle I would have back in the states.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Hello Vallillo1983


Just wanted to add a couple ideas

to what has been written above:


Average TEFL salaries in Thailand are

32,000 to 38,000 Baht - not 40 to 50,000 -

even with a 3 year degree & a CELTA.


40 to 50K net represents the higher end

of the TEFL pay-scale here in Thailand.


You can earn 70+ at the international schools,

but that's a completely different kettle of fish,

both in terms of qualifications & hiring procedures.


As Sgt Killjoy mentioned, Thailand offers the '3B' life;

beaches, bars and babes, not necessarily in that order -

all of which can put a HUGE strain on the monthly budget.


Compounding the financial equation in Thailand:


Schools in Taiwan, China and Korea generally pay

airfare and accommodation, whereas in Thailand,

many schools won't even make a firm job offer until

after you've already landed (and that means bye bye airfare!)

followed up with the all too familiar but pleasant sounding

"We will assist you in locating an apartment" and that

usually means "We find, we call, you pay."


If an apartment is included in a Thai school contract,

the school will often be way out in the country,

and your salary will be 20 to 30K.


Thailand is a GREAT place to live

but a hard place to save $$$ in.


You can live decently on what you earn,

but return flights to the UK every year

is probably stretching it just a little.


Hope that helps?

[sigmoid]

I agree with Sgt. Killjoy. Living in Thailand (not just visiting) isn't as cheap as people believe it is nor is it as cheap as it used to be.

Meanwhile TEFL salaries have not increased very much, if at all for the past number of years.

[Sgt Killjoy]

Case in point, bread, you know the standard loaf of bread bought at 7-11 and just about everywhere else, the red load, used to be 22 baht when I first came to Thailand(4 1/2 years ago), now it is 27 baht. Most prices are up a good 10 to 15% food wise in the last 2 years, maybe the food stalls have stayed the same prices but their portions have gotten smaller....

A kilo of pork used to 60 baht in the wet market, now it is 80 baht.....I could go on, but why?

[sethness]

I'm considering moving to Thailand from Japan, where I've taught English for the last 5 years. I'm thinking mostly about Phuket.

However, it's precisely the cost-of-living question raised here that makes me hesitate.

Are salaries still typically as low as 30,000 bhat ?
Is this still too low to save money and have a decent lifestyle & health coverage ?

Are there lots of opportunities to speak Japanese and German ? (I wouldn't want those skills to rust.)

Do locals also pay about USD $50 for diving on the weekends, as tourists do ?

[sidjameson]

Going by the jobs posted on ajarn.com I would say wages have gone up in the last couple of years. There are, I feel, many more jobs around the 40k mark whereas it used to be the 30. IN Bangkok