In rural Isaan, our average monthly spend is < 30,000 thb per month.
That number is with the house and vehicles all paid for.
30,000 a month would include insurance, utilities, food, gas and other monthly expenses.
So less than US $1,000 a month.
You get to a certain point when the house is furnished, closets are full of clothes and there is nothing really to buy or spend money on each month.
Then it becomes reasonably cheap to live in Thailand.
Whether selling up in your home country or you have the cash for the land, house, cars, once those major expenses are paid for, it is relatively cheap to live.
The big thing is expat insurance.
In the event of a major illness or accident you want to make sure you are covered.
30,000 a month, we eat out locally at the Mom & Pop’s all the time.
No need to cook as food is so cheap in rural Isaan and maybe cheaper than cooking at home.
Thailand is just another destination.
When you think about daily life, it doesn’t really matter what country you are in.
You will have routines and that becomes your life.
The big issue is getting things paid for and not have any monthly payments to account for.
If you can do that, you can live quite cheaply and have a quality of life.