Cor Verhoef
Working in Nonthaburi
Monthly Earnings 60,000 baht per month
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
60,000 is my monthly salary at the government school where I work. I rarely teach extra classes as I have a two-year old boy that I want to be with as much as possible.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
About 5,000 baht per month
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
We bought a 3-bedroom house in Nonthaburi and we pay 12,000 baht a month on our mortgage. I'm not the sole breadwinner though. My wife brings in another 25,000 baht per month as a teacher.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
4,000 baht on taxis all over the place.
Utility bills
electricity: 2,000 baht
water: 150 baht
garbage collection: 600 baht
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
Restaurants: about 6,000 baht. We like to eat out
Shopping: another 10,000 baht
Nightlife and drinking
We're not bar-hoppers (anymore). Probably 1,000 baht a month.
Books, computers
500 baht per month
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
We're well off and don't feel that we have to worry about money.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Housing, hands down, whether you rent or buy. In many countries, including some Asian countries, real estate prices have gone through the roof.
Food is still cheap and so are taxis. The flag-down rate of a cab is still 35 baht in Bangkok, just like it was when I moved here 18 years ago. I feel for these cabbies so I give them big tips.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
I think if you're single, 40,000 baht is required to live a decent life in a city like Bangkok. You could probably survive on 25,000, but that's surviving, not living. If you live in the sticks 30,000 would probably do.
Phil's analysis and comment
Thank you Cor. With that very useful 25,000 baht that your partner brings in, then a combined 85,000 baht a month for a couple with a very young child must be OK for Nonthaburi. And only 14% of that combined income is going on a nice three-bedroom property that will eventually be yours outright.
Thanks for giving a shout out to the cabbies of Bangkok as well. I feel the same as you. That 35 baht flagfall should have increased years ago. I just don't know how those guys survive; in fact, I'm sure in many cases they don't. I always like to tip well too for those reasons.
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