One Month's Budget

[Doug]

I just finished my second month of a trial stay in Pattaya. There are several past queries about the cost of living in Thailand. I have tried to keep an accurate accounting of my expenditures with the goal of keeping costs below CAN$2400 or about BT75000.

My first month got hit with an unexpected Bt 12000 bill for an accident my Thai friend had on my rented motorcycle. This month it was an unexpected Bt13000 as a loan to my Thai friend his family needed to help complete construction of their new home. I have no expectation that this loan will be repaid but I may be surprised. These items have not been included in my budget but If I do come to live in Thailand there will be a new column on the budget titled, тАЬWhat the Fuck Was ThatтАЭ.

I am frugal but not stingy by nature. My apartment has a kitchen where I like to cook. I have one or two drinks a day. But I like to spend money having sanook with the boys of Pattaya.

Rent, cable,water & Electricity Bt 9800
Motorbike rental and gas 3400
Live-inThai friend & Family 5000
Live-in Thai friend daily expenses 6000
Off fees and tips 8000
Laundry, phone and internet 1800
Groceries 5200
Outside meals and snacks 5400
Alcohol, Bars and Parties 10000
Gifts 4000
Trips 6000
Clothing 2000
Drugs&Medical not including insurance 1500
Beach as often as possible with lunch 4200
Recreation 2000

TOTAL Bt 74300

It should be understood that this is one persons spending with their particular personality and spending habits.

75000 baht for a month for a single person? At a glance this figure seems high - but then after looking at the detailed expense report - it does make sense. My partner and I and a son have just moved here 3 months ago from Bali. We too have been trying to figure out a reasonable budget - but let me tell you whatever budget we set - it seems never enough!! Augie

10,000 baht for booze! You sound like you have drinking issues.

Easy to see where the priorities lie when you spend around the same on booze as you do on food

Either you have a drinking problem or you like top shelf - either way it will send you broke and mad

Seems like your Thai live in friend AND his family have some expensive tastes - especially if you are paying for offs as well (or are you a sexaholic as well as an alc....)

Rent, cable,water & Electricity 13%
Motorbike rental and gas 5%
Live-inThai friend & Family 7%
Live-in Thai friend daily expenses 8%
Off fees and tips 11%
Laundry, phone and internet 2%
Groceries 7%
Outside meals and snacks 7%
Alcohol, Bars and Parties 13%
Gifts 5%
Trips 8%
Clothing 3%
Drugs&Medical not including insurance 2%
Beach as often as possible with lunch \ 6%
Recreation 3%

[TrongpaiExpat]

I am not doing nearly as good as you. My break down is pretty much the same (not so much on the booze) but I get hit for a much higher rent. I also read all the posts on the cost of living in Thailand and worked a tentative budget. The "what the fuck" line item does throw out all the planing.

Sounds like you have a live-in BF. That doubles your "what the fuck" category. I let my BF know that there are limits. He tries to manage the money I give him but the demands of friends and family strip him dry every month. It's his money, I don't ask what he does with it but keep to a strict amount.

When I was working back in farangland I lived off of a lot less but did not do more than go to work and eat. I put away a lot of my salary then but now it's all on spend mode---what the hell you can't take it with you!

I have not had the discipline to analyze where my spending is going but if I do, I will not post it here giving those fodder to attack the details and make snide comments to foster their miserable low self esteem.

[Blueskytoday]

Well, this is what I PLAN to spend when I come to retire and stay.. What does anyone think about my rationale.??

Rent / Electric / Water --------------- BAHT: 15,000 (I want a nice place to stay in)
Transportation---------------------------------- 2,400
Food (eating out daily, not going to cook) -- 14,000
Internet ----------------------------------------- 1,200
Drinks (beer or cokes) ------------------------ 1,600
Massages + Tips ------------------------------- 18,000
OTHER ------------------------------------------ 7,800

TOTAL ---- 60,000 Baht..

I kind of think this is reasonable...You will notice, the rent, food and massages take up my expenses..
NO LIVE IN B/F,,,,NO B/F EXPENSES...

Doesn't anyone here do anything besides eat, drink, sleep, and fuck bar boys?

yes but you are obviously a drunk.

Why do you say that?

Rent, cable,water & Electricity Bt 9800
Are you staying somewhere gross like a cheap room in Yensabai Condos?

Motorbike rental and gas 3400
You can get this for cheaper, Hon,

Live-inThai friend & Family 5000
Live-in Thai friend daily expenses 6000
Get rid of all them, silly old queen and save this waste, Dear.

Off fees and tips 8000
As well as the live in boyfriend????????? You are, quite simply Darl, a sex maniac...... Your live in boyfriend sounds like a barboy thats hit a good wicket on you, and is taking the baht , but, sadly, Pet, you have stopped getting that sweet arse, but just an unenthusiastic blow job once or twice a month.
Laundry, phone and internet 1800
ok
Groceries 5200
Groceries or Food Groceries? Hire a visiting maid to everything and to bring her own cleaning products Get the internet and a mobile bundled in a cheap plan.
Outside meals and snacks 5400
Seems stingy = are you addicted to 30B noodles?
Alcohol, Bars and Parties 10000
PLEASE get to AA.
Gifts 4000
To whom?
Trips 6000
Good to see you dont always prop up a bar stool
Clothing 2000
Reasonable
Drugs&Medical not including insurance 1500
Ok. This is essential

Beach as often as possible with lunch 4200
[b]Whadda eat at the beach??

Recreation 2000
Do you mean left over Hon?



TOTAL Bt 74300

I let my BF know that there are limits. He tries to manage the money I give him but the demands of friends and family strip him dry every month. It's his money, I don't ask what he does with it but keep to a strict amount.



Good point. Many farangs don't realise that is an accepted custom amongst Thai people, and especially bar and "working" boys, that if they are earning money it is expected that they give some to those who may not be earning at the time (mainly to buy their next meal or cigarettes). If you watch in bars your can regularly see a boy who has just been "offed" passing anything between 20 and 100 Baht to some pal or pals particularly if he/they have not had a customer for several days. It is an aspect of Karma and an insurance for the times when the tables are turned and the doner becomes the receiver.

i found the 73,000 baht figure to be right on. I won't have a bf expense or a high drinking bill. I do like to travel some around thailand but usually just weekend trips to bkk or chiang mai. My major expense seems to be on the food side as I do not eat thai food and usually end up cooking a meal aday for myself. I tend to eat dinner with friends 3 or 4 times a week. I do bar hop and off some but not as much as I use to. I know have a few specials that are regular thus saving the off and bar tabs. My electric bills do add up but in the future will go in milder weather seasons. I usually walk most places or use the baht bus so getting around is easy and cheap.

[bing]

Trongpai, I sort of agree with your idea about saving at home and spending on vacation. I also don't do a good budget. Actually I approach vacation with a hand full of baht and treat it like Monopoly money. It costs me about $2,000.00 for two weeks in Pattaya, that turns out to be about 70, 500 baht. This does not count the other thousand for the airplane ticket. Day to day at home costs are minimal.

I do understand if I were living in Pattaya and renting an apartment the costs would be more in line wiht much of the above.

[Smiles]

" ... Off fees and tips: 8000
As well as the live in boyfriend????????? You are, quite simply... a sex maniac ... "
Paul,
Doug is a Canadian. Need any more be said?

I support him 100%.

Cheers ...

I think the costs sound higher than average (except for the rent which is low). Someone living like a two week tourist all the time. I sincerely think most successful long term expats do not live that way.

So a guy who spends 10,000 bt on booze for a month is an Alci? RUBBISH.... CRAP...

Doug, by deduction, must surely frequent Boy Bars where the average cost of a bottle of Heinekin is about 125 Bt.

10,000 Bt therefore buys 80 bottles of Heinekin a month which is 2.5 bottles per day.

Doug you are NOT an Alci., in fact youre drinking is insufficient and there is scope for you to buy a round or two more!

Cheers and Bottoms Up....!
Gerefan

So do you think that going out to boy bars EVERY NIGHT is something to aspire to? Think about it. EVERY NIGHT. Not every night on your holiday, but EVERY NIGHT for life.

Jingtwang
2 Beers a night is NOT an alci....thats the point....!

Now if our Doug went only twice a week then he would be buying 10 bottles per visit.
Still NOT an alci as he has said some of the money goes on drinks and parties, so hes not drinking it himself anyway!

Bottoms Up Doug...
Gerefan

Jingtwang
2 Beers a night is NOT an alci....thats the point....!

Now if our Doug went only twice a week then he would be buying 10 bottles per visit.
Still NOT an alci as he has said some of the money goes on drinks and parties, so hes not drinking it himself anyway!

Bottoms Up Doug...
Gerefan
We are all making too many assumptions.
Maybe he spends it all on cheap Thai whisky to drink at home. Imagine 10,000 baht in cheap Thai whiskey!

Jingtwang
2 Beers a night is NOT an alci....thats the point....!

Now if our Doug went only twice a week then he would be buying 10 bottles per visit.
Still NOT an alci as he has said some of the money goes on drinks and parties, so hes not drinking it himself anyway!

Bottoms Up Doug...
Gerefan
We are all making too many assumptions.
Maybe he spends it all on cheap Thai whisky to drink at home. Imagine 10,000 baht in cheap Thai whiskey!

[Boxer]

75000 per month was on a few years ago but now standard living expenses and feeling good is costing 100000 per month a rise in two years noticable.
Unexpected costs will blow any budget where boys are concerned give them regular money twice a month and NO more. That's all you have tell em and make em believe it. If not you are DOOMED........

[TrongpaiExpat]

So do you think that going out to boy bars EVERY NIGHT is something to aspire to? Think about it. EVERY NIGHT. Not every night on your holiday, but EVERY NIGHT for life.

I have been in Thailand now for about a year and a half and grew out of going to go go bars in about a month. Now I only go if a farang I know is in town on Holiday.

However, I do know this farang that lives in Pattaya. He has been living in Pattaya for 5 years. He has left Pattaya only a few times for short trips. He goes to the bars every night with the exception of Sunday, his day of rest. I don't see him ever growing out of this pattern. Not a life that I would want but he is very happy.

[Doug]

I am going to respond to only one of the misunderstandings. The alcohol and PARTIES item is not drinks for myself. Most evenings I like to go the the green plastic chair bar in the middle of Sunee. I have one beer but I like to invite some of my Thai friends that walk by to join me. About 4 night a week I go to a gogo bar and drink one soda water. I order this because I don't really like it so I drink it very slowly. In the bar I often invite a boy to sit with me and have a drink. When I leave I give the boy 100 bhat so with 2 drinks, the boys tip, the tip to the waiter and often a 50 bhat tip to the most energetic dancer it usually comes close to 500 bhat...all of which is listed under "Alcohol and Parties". Also when I off a boy (8 time a month at 1000 bhat tip each) the bar's off fee is under alcohol and parties. My livein friend is welcome to have friends over which is good fun for me too and the beer and Captain Morgan is also under Alcohol and Parties. I hope this gets me off the alcoholic list...I would hate to see my protestant morals besmerched.

Doug, thanks for that as it was one of the topics I raised last spring before my summer in Thailand. It is a shame you were subject to so many flames and general BS. As for me, I tried to live on 120K baht per month on my four month stay, but I never really settled into the mindset of an expat and remained in tourist mode the entire time. However, I do know it is very possible for an expat to live well on 100K baht per month, but as Boxer says, it doesn't go as far as it used to.

As for alcohol costs, I think yours are very reasonable. Like you, when I drink, I like to invite people to join me. If one only goes out a couple of nights a week and spends 1500bt on a bottle to share, then that eats up 10K baht very fast. Take you and another person out in BKK to Soi Twilight and see how fast 1500 bt goes. Add in off fees and small tips to boys or staff, and one wonders if those who so loudly proclaim that 10K baht for an entire month in bar expenses is exorbitant have actually been out and about on a regular basis in Thailand.

Pete

120k bt per month...sure, you can spend as much as you can afford to.
For people who have less money to spend, don't be discourage, you can still have an affordable and good retirement in LOS.

Doesn't anyone here do anything besides eat, drink, sleep, and fuck bar boys?

I knit.

Doesn't anyone here do anything besides eat, drink, sleep, and fuck bar boys?

I knit.I boss the office staff around and complain about the maid in the apartment. Apart from that it's non-stop fucking, I'm afraid. However my budget is:
Apartment + utilities, UBC, Internet etc. ~ 20K
Regular massage (2 or 3 times/week so say 10 times/month) ~ 5K
Boys ~ 30K
Food, alcohol etc. at home (yoghurt for breakfast, fruit for lunch so that's 50 baht/day) plus eating out at times ~ 5K

I'm up to 60K. Oh, I forgot - The White Man's Burden - maybe another 20K but I doubt it. 75K about does me

[Smiles]

Wonderfully detailed outline Doug.
From my point of view (i.e. less than a year to go before retirement) I really appreciate the opportunity to compare, critique, learn from, and question specific amounts.



Rent, cable,water & Electric: .........................................9800
Motorbike rental and gas.............................................34 00
Live-inThai friends........................................... ............5000
Live-in Thai friend daily expenses.................................6000
Off fees.............................................. ........................8000
Laundry, phone and internet.........................................1 800
Groceries......................................... ..........................5200
Outside meals and snacks............................................ 5400
Alcohol, Bars and Parties........................................... .10000
Gifts............................................. ..............................4000
Trips............................................. .............................6000
Clothing.......................................... ............................2000
Drugs&Medical not including insurance...........................1500
Beach as often as possible with lunch ............................4200
Recreation........................................ ...........................2000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL............................................. ............74300


My "hopeful" would look something like this ( understood that I have a wonderful Thai lover who is distinctly low maintenance and ridiculously mature regarding day-to-day expenses. He also knows & understands that I am not rich, yet fairly comfortable ... and we shall be living a "middle" (not "high") life together in Hua Hin (NOT Pattaya or Bangkok):

Rent, cable,water & Electric: .......................................16000
Motorbike rental and gas.............................................0
Live-inThai friends........................................... ............0
Live-in Thai friend daily expenses.................................4000
Off fees.............................................. ........................0
Laundry, phone and internet........................................18 00
Groceries......................................... ..........................5200
Outside meals and snacks............................................ 2500
Alcohol, Bars and Parties........................................... ...5000
Gifts............................................. ..............................2000
Trips............................................. .............................8000
Clothing.......................................... ............................0
Drugs&Medical not including insurance...........................3000
Beach as often as possible with lunch ............................4200
Recreation/misc.............................................. .............3000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL............................................. ..............54500


Given that my pension alone (i.e. not including personal investment income) is going to be somewhere between 84000 and 90000 bahy a month, that would leave us 'about' 29,000 baht a month leeway (assuming my calculations are reasonably close to reality) to make up for miscalculations as well as The Unforeseen Sanook.

Cheers ...

PS .... Any observations from those 'On-The-Ground' regarding any perceived naivete on my part regarding these figures would be most welcome.

Way to go, Smiles. You've restored my hope to someday retire to Thailand. Until this thread appeared I had never put anything to paper. My estimate includes a bit more for groceries as my other half is a great cook + 2000 baht. His personal expenses + 2000 baht. I've excluded trips as we don't travel very much -8000 baht. Clothes and toiletries for him + 4000 baht. All in all, this is pretty much how I see my expenses going for a month give or take a few thousand baht. Great topic. Helpful responses. Much success, Smiles. I envy you.

Dax

[Smiles]

:blackeye: :blackeye: :blackeye:

I've already had to go back and revise it! 12000 baht is too little for the first category (rent +) if it includes the utilites and cable as well. Upped that to 16000 which is more realistic. Leeway is still 29,000 for comfort.

All this is just an intellectual exercise of course. The Real World has a perverse way of taking care`of "leeways". :albino:

Cheers ...

[TrongpaiExpat]

and we shall be living a "middle" (not "high") life together in Hua Hin (NOT Pattaya or Bangkok):


Clothing.......................................... ............................0




Apparently living nude in Hua Hin?


These rents are very low or I have a high-so taste.

My first few months the spending was very high having to buy everything from dishes to a home entertainment center.

I could survive easily on 70,000 a month there...

...If i could give up drinking, smoking & tipping lol

Maybe i need a strict bank manager?

Money just evaporates from my wallet.

[Smiles]

and we shall be living a "middle" (not "high") life together in Hua Hin (NOT Pattaya or Bangkok):
Clothing.......................................... ............................0
Apparently living nude in Hua Hin?
These rents are very low or I have a high-so taste.
My first few months the spending was very high having to buy everything from dishes to a home entertainment center.
:blackeye: :blackeye:

Hi Trongpai,

Both of us have piles of clothes and I assume that I'll be bringing a good portion of my pile to Thailand. Clothes buying will be minimal at best for quite a long time. Obviously one has to purchase what one needs as time goes by, but that list was 'monthly' expenses, which is why I left it as zero. (I'd lump it under "leeway").

I agree, the first month wil be expensive in terms of purchasing "stuff" ... TV, better mattress, kitchen stuff, stereo bla bla bla ad nauseum. There again I did not include that in the "monthly" expenses as most of that will be a one-shot deal.

The town house we are thinking of renting will be something like this:

http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=1556

http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=1555


Two-story, 2 bedrooms, balcony, big living, dining and kithcen area downstairs, room for parking the beloved's pickup behind a locked gate ~ or alternatively, one can make this area into quite a nice garden with dozens of big potted plants, like one of these owner has done. Hua Hin has a lot of these types of places for rent . . . many of them quite fully furnished.

This particular street is a mix of Thai and farang, buyers and renters ... a very clean and spiffy Thai neighbourhood feel. Eight minute walk from the beach, or into the heart of downtown Hua Hin. These townhouses rent for 'around' 10,000 baht a month (not ncluding utilities), and they seem to me to be an excellent price for what one gets. We did a walk-through of two of them last April, and liked what we found very much.


" ... Maybe i need a strict bank manager? Money just evaporates from my wallet ... "
There's no question that one has to change one's thinking about day-to-day living when it becomes full time. One simply has to say bye bye to "holiday mode" and come to terms with the Evaporation Factor. Such needful care of course is moot if one is stinking rich (which I am not ... though a good solid lottery win would certainly help things along).

Cheers ...

Um so your age is 36 yo at present BBB, Dear????? This IS a revelation. You stupid fat old fool - I reckon you are closer to 76.

And, for your information Sweetie, it does not require a silver spoon to retire at the normal retirement age in Australia IF one has planned it well and has acquired assets, has a decent job and a half decent brain. NONE of these apply to you Dear.

The fact you have to slave your slot off in a factory for minimum wage is your problem, HONEY.

Thankfully, the closest you will ever get to LOS is panhandling outside your local thai takeaway for the leftover scraps, Darl

What interests me is how you propose to fill in your day in Hua Hin without becoming either brain dead or a hopeless alcoholic within 6 months. It sounds mind-numbing

[Smiles]

" ... What interests me is how you propose to fill in your day in Hua Hin without becoming either brain dead or a hopeless alcoholic within 6 months. It sounds mind-numbing ... "
I'll have to work on that challenge. To be perfectly frank I was hoping to accomplish both of those in less than 6 months.
But thanks for the warnings ... I know you mean well and are undoubtedly writing from experience.

Cheers ...

Every day passes in a haze of pink gins, Smiles dear boy

[Bob]

What interests me is how you propose to fill in your day in Hua Hin without becoming either brain dead or a hopeless alcoholic within 6 months. It sounds mind-numbing

Geez, Hom, and you're implying that this would be a problem? It's worked for you! (only slightly joking there....).

What sounds mind-numbing to me is being retired in Thailand and feeling the need to daily visit and/or post on a message board. I'd rather be sitting under an umbrella watching the breeze....

Man cannot live on warm breezes alone! One must also continually deride other human beings in order to be a complete man, right Homi?

[Smiles]

" .... What sounds mind-numbing to me is being retired in Thailand and feeling the need to daily visit and/or post on a message board. I'd rather be sitting under an umbrella watching the breeze...."
Well said Bob ... thought about that as well. Weening myself from the Board may end up being a life's work :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Cheers ...

Geez, Hom, and you're implying that this would be a problem? It's worked for you! (only slightly joking there....)But then, I'm not retired