John
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 140,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
My monthly net salary is almost exactly 140K teaching maths in a decent international school. This includes basic salary and housing allowance. There are other benefits paid annually, the main ones being a '13th month' and money for return flights home. I give additional tuition to students immediately after school for which I charge 2,000 per hour. This extra work is usually only one hour per week and gives me a little extra pocket money that my girlfriend doesn't know about :-)
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Every payday I immediately invest 50K in funds (mostly stock related). If there is anything left at the end of the month, that gets invested too. The bonus and flight money usually go on a summer holiday for me and the girlfriend. Hopefully in 20 years there will be enough to retire on!
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 24K for a two-bedroom unit in a nice but aging condo just off Sukhumvit Road and about 10 minutes walk to the BTS. I live with the girlfriend, but as she earns a much smaller local wage, I cover rent.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I make most trips (including the commute) via BTS or MRT. Including occasional taxi trips, transportation probably comes to less than 3,000 a month.
Utility bills
When one of us is at home, the air-con is on, pushing electricity to about 2,000 a month. Phone, internet and water push the utilities total to about 3,000.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
This is probably my biggest expense. Paying for two people really adds up, especially on weekends and holidays when there's no free school lunch. My best guess for a total figure is 30,000 during term time, and more during holidays. Whilst 30K sounds like a lot, it's only 500 Baht a day each and not an area I want to scrimp on. This is one of the world's best food cities right??
Nightlife and drinking
Since meeting my girlfriend a couple of years ago, the amount of money spent on nights out has really dropped (a lot of the money saved here is now spent on food instead). An evening at the cinema is MUCH cheaper than an evening at the bars, and even if we do go to a bar, I can now pay the regular price for my girlfriend's drinks. In total nightlife is probably costing 10,000 a month.
Books, computers
I love reading but can't remember the last book I bought as there is a library in school which staff have free access to. Likewise, work provides me with a desktop in my classroom and a laptop that I can take home. So usually I spend nothing in this area.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I used to teach in London. I lived in a bedsit on my own and struggled to save anything whilst living a dull life. In Bangkok, well, life's great! I have a nice place downtown, can eat out everyday, take of my girl, travel regularly and still save. I often think about how well teachers live here and wonder why more UK based teachers aren't moving overseas. There are LOTS of international jobs.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Whilst prices in the shops aren't always cheap compared to home, what makes living here cheap is the amount of disposable income I have. Income tax is lower whilst National Insurance and Council tax don't seem to exist.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
See comment section below.
Phil's analysis and comment
Thank you John for such a detailed and interesting survey.
John had this to say on the question of how much money does one need to survive? - "When I read these surveys, this is the question that interests me the most. Many long-term expat teachers survive in Bangkok on less than 40k a month. But I can't understand why they do this. I presume that most teachers have degrees (otherwise they wouldn't find work, right?). Surely it makes sense to study for one more year and become properly qualified (PGCE or equivalent). Armed with such a qualification, 100k plus salaries are normal, regardless of whether you teach a traditional subject or provide EAL support. London is a great city, the reason I left is that I didn't want to 'survive', I wanted to enjoy life"
It certainly sounds like you have a much better life than you did back in London John. Good on you!
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