Could I Retire in Thailand with 45,000 baht/month?

[TingTongJohn]

So things can change I know that but if I retired today I would be getting around 45,000 Thai baht a month. What do you think would that be enough to get by monthly for food and rent and maybe a treat or two? I was looking around at rent in Hua Hin and the cheapest I found was for 5,000 baht a month but is that crazy? I do not need much. A.C would be nice and internet and such just wanted your thoughts. What would you consider average and what would you consider as about right for safe income/pension per month.

[oakdale160]

You could easily exist on this income. You would be able to have a place to sleep, wash etc and you would not starve to death. You would ,of course, never be able to travel home. As for a treat or two, looking at the sunset and stars at night are a certainly a big treat. Do NOT EVER get sick or injure yourself.
A friend and I had a week where we ate b'fast and dinner for $70 for7 days (2200b/WK or 10000b month) it was easy but I'd hate to do that every week.
..

[Korkenzieher]

Survival is definitely possible. Travel and entertainment are the main issues as Oakdale says. You could buy a motorbike, which would get you around locally relatively cheaply but if you had to do visa runs, that might seriously impact. Home flights, as suggested, would be as rare as hens teeth and without an entertainment budget of some kind you might get a bit stir-crazy living in a single room for the rest of your natural life. Golf would be a fantasy - just maybe a computer game - and even travel in Thailand would be quite limited. If you have even a modest lump sum backup - and just live off pension income, then it would be much easier.

[Khundon1975]

To cut a long post short. No you cannot have any sort of life on Baht 45k a month.

[STEVE G]

If that is what you have, it's certainly livable but I wouldn't give up work if you can make more. If you had the chance to take that as a back up and then work back home on a freelance basis for a few months a year as well it might start to look a bit more attractive.

[TingTongJohn]

This is right at this moment and only a question. By the time I do retire its looking more in the realm of 60,000 to 65,000 thai baht but I was just wondering is all. It was a wishful what if I retired at this moment question could it work. Ahh one can dream.

[Gérard]

In the last 14 years, I think my purchasing power in Thailand has been reduced by 50 %.
It is still 3 times better than in Europe (France) and allows me to save half my yearly income.
I live alone, in "real Thailand", far from expensive tourist places like Phuket, Koh Samui or... Huahin.
I travel a lot everywhere in Thailand and neighbouring countries (between 20.000 / 25.000 km every year).
No luxury, no pool or golf, but a confortable 100 m2 house (5000/month) near the sea, 2 motorcycles (1 big bike), 1 bicycle, no car.
I had a car for 3 years, hardly used it because I prefer big bikes and know I will not be able to ride one in a few years.
Restaurant everyday, more or less expensive.
Quite happy with a simple but not miserable life for about 40.000 bahts/month. (4/5 times an average salary in this country)

[theprice01]

...this is the amount iv got to live on per month for my first 6 months...its possible, just got to be sensible.
what I used to spend on holiday in 2 days now has to last a week lol.
of course I think people biggest expense while on holiday is hotels (I was paying average 1000 bahts a night)

[Dannie Boy]

If you allocate 1000 baht a day for living on, that will take up 30,000 of your monthly allowance. Accommodation, electricity, water etc should be no more than 10,000, and possibly less so that leaves at least 5,000 for the occasional indulgence. You won't live like a king, but you shouldn't feel that you're living completely on the breadline - the more you cook at home, the less you will spend and the more for the occasional treat. If you want a small Honda to get around on, that will set you back a further 3,000 a month or so.

[buksida]

I live alone, in "real Thailand", far from expensive tourist places like Phuket, Koh Samui or... Huahin.
I travel a lot everywhere in Thailand and neighbouring countries (between 20.000 / 25.000 km every year).

This is a key point, if you choose to live in an expensive tourist town such as Hua Hin your money will not go as far. I could live comfortably on 45k per month with a road trip thrown in now and then ... if I didn't have the mrs, kids and all the associated costs.

[Pleng]

(edit: first part belong in a different thread!)

the more you cook at home, the less you will spend and the more for the occasional treat.

It depends, I think.

For a start, if you're going to cook at home you're going to need somewhere with a kitchen which will mean you'll be paying more for rent.

And I guess it depends on what you like to eat. You can get a plate of duck or chicken over rice for 30-40bt a go; a few sticks of pork and sticky rice is about the same, a plate of sweet and sour, or basil and rice with a fried egg, fried noodles with meat and veg will be 40-50, and some grilled or fried chicken with sticky rice for about 70bt.

I find it hard to believe, even with a strict waste management system, that one could eat at home for significantly cheaper than that - maybe if you've got a family to feed?

If you like to eat a lot of western food, then of course the price will go up. And if you like a lot of fried breakfasts and bacon sandwiches then these are always going to be cheaper to prepare at home.

Of course, it's dangerous to base your budget based on the fact that you love Thai food; a lot of people come here loving Thai food and over time gradually (or even quickly) go off it and find themselves wanting more and more western food.

Also don't forget the exchange rate, if your money is coming from overseas. That 45,000 could very easily drop to 30,000 in the space of a couple of weeks (though of course it could also go the other way)

[Spitfire]

All depends on lifestyle choices.

There are many, both Thai and foreigners that live on 45k or less a month. If you are single and don't indulge yourself too much whilst living just out of the main town area then....sure, can be done on 45k if you bought a bike to get yourself around and were single. However, if you like to go party, drink and chase girls around in entertainment areas then you will soon blaze through that.

If you lived sparsely, you could even support a wife and kid on that but you aren't having treats too often. And if she worked or had a small business then you can put 15k on top of your 45k.......no reason why not then.

To be comfortable and live just out of town, have a car, go drinking or to a decent restaurant at the weekends with just a few glasses of wine at home in the week, eat foreign and Thai food at home, support a Mrs plus kid, True Platinum, Internet, Air-con etc.....then I reckon it could be done reasonably well on 70-75k a month somewhere like HH. Others may say more like 100k+ a month but those guys are doing pretty much whatever takes their whim on any given day, play golf, western reataurants 3-4 times a week, 2-3 cars plus a bike to ride sometimes, kids in an international school near BBK, let the wife go to beauty clinics all day etc.

[blue05]

(edit: first part belong in a different thread!)

the more you cook at home, the less you will spend and the more for the occasional treat.

It depends, I think.

For a start, if you're going to cook at home you're going to need somewhere with a kitchen which will mean you'll be paying more for rent.

And I guess it depends on what you like to eat. You can get a plate of duck or chicken over rice for 30-40bt a go; a few sticks of pork and sticky rice is about the same, a plate of sweet and sour, or basil and rice with a fried egg, fried noodles with meat and veg will be 40-50, and some grilled or fried chicken with sticky rice for about 70bt.

I find it hard to believe, even with a strict waste management system, that one could eat at home for significantly cheaper than that - maybe if you've got a family to feed?

If you like to eat a lot of western food, then of course the price will go up. And if you like a lot of fried breakfasts and bacon sandwiches then these are always going to be cheaper to prepare at home.

Of course, it's dangerous to base your budget based on the fact that you love Thai food; a lot of people come here loving Thai food and over time gradually (or even quickly) go off it and find themselves wanting more and more western food.

Also don't forget the exchange rate, if your money is coming from overseas. That 45,000 could very easily drop to 30,000 in the space of a couple of weeks (though of course it could also go the other way)

thw food court behind the 2 7/11s on soi88 has loads of western options many at 49bt you would be amazed at what you can actually get there

[sand_dancer]

TTJ

Something to consider......

If you do not need to pay for accommodation or transport...... Then it would be fairly easy to live on around 45k a month.....

Have a look at having the funds available to buy a place and transport...... It will make your 45k go much further.....

[Korkenzieher]

Buying a small bike like a Honda wave is definitely a big saver in the longer term. A new one is around 40k baht; used considerably cheaper (but riskier). One years usage pretty much makes it a free ride after that, if you estimate 3k or so a month for rental.