Anyone can survive short term in Thailand on US $1,000 a month or less.
All you have to do is watch the 10,000’s of Youtubers that have posted a video how they survive in Thailand on less than US $1,000 per month.
Newsflash!
Surviving in Thailand is not the same as living forever.
I am NOT going to cover all the ways these Youtubers survive in Thailand because many are here illegally without a proper visa.
To live in Thailand forever takes 2 things?
- A long term legal visa
- Money
I am not talking about money to survive month to month living in a cracker box size condo, eating Pad Thai on the street everyday.
I am talking about living in Thailand with the same quality of life as you have in your own country, like a normal person would live.
If you are married, you and your wife can buy land and build a house or buy a pre-built house in a gated community.
Single people are stuck with buying a condo only.
The cost is 100% dependent on the location. The beaches and tourist areas are going to be much, much higher than in rural Isaan.
You will need a car and you will discover that cars/trucks are more expensive in Thailand than your home country.
Also a motorbike.
You will need car/motorbike insurance.
You will need drivers licenses.
You will need gas, oil and maintenance.
If you are smart, you will need health insurance. As people age, they have more and more medical issues and prescriptions that cost money.
Utilities including electricity, trash, water, cable TV, mobile phone, internet.
You will need a food budget to include eating at home and eating out.
You will need to park money in a Thai bank each year for visa renewal. 400,000 thb for married, 800,000 thb for single.
You will need a holiday budget to get yourself out of the house to see new things.
You will need savings and a good cushion for any unplanned emergencies.
To Summarize:
- House/Condo
- Car/Truck
- Motorbike
- Car/Truck/Motorbike Insurance
- Drivers licenses
- Gas, Oil, routine maintenance.
- Health Insurance
- Utilities
- Food
- VISA costs
- Holiday Budget
- Savings
- Add one more for replacement costs as things you own will breakdown and need to be replaced over the years. Appliances, Air-Con’s etc.
Now if you have your house/condo paid for, your car/truck and motorbike paid for, I would say a safe amount is as follows.
Tourists areas, Major cities, 90,000 thb per month
Rural areas like Isaan 60,000 thb per month
This amount should cover you now and even 20 years into the future.
Yes, Yes, Yes people live on much less, but less than the quoted amounts will always carry a risk and the last thing you want to happen in Thailand is to NOT have the money to pay for something unexpected during the course of your life.
Realistically looking for US $2,000+ in rural Issan and US $2,500 in a tourist area or major city.
Those amounts should give you some piece of mind to enjoy your life in Thailand.
However, every person has their own decision to make and live with the outcomes of those decisions.