Joseph
Working in Pattaya
Monthly Earnings 33,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work at a private language school in Pattaya and the hourly rate is 470 baht and a minimum of 33,000 baht a month. If you are a good teacher, you can earn 40K, even 50K during peak months when there are more students.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Saving more than 5,000 baht on a 33K salary is tough.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 7,500 (+1,000) a month for a nice studio apartment with room service and security. It is situated in Pattaya Klang so ideal for someone without a motorbike/car. For a more spacious apartment in Pattaya you would be looking to pay a minimum of 10,000. Anyone that tells you can get a nice room in Pattaya for 5,000 mark is probably lying.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
About 1,000 baht a month as I like to occasionally take trips to Bangkok / Rayong
Utility bills
Haven't exceeded 1,000 baht a month yet but I tend to use the air-con for just 3 hours a day
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I spend roughly 350 baht a day on food, however I have gotten sick of Thai food lately so I treat myself to Western food a few times a week and now some days I will spend 500.
Nightlife and drinking
I am really not a huge fan of Pattaya's nightife, so I really only head out once or twice a week for a few drinks with friends. I'd say in total nightlife doesn't cost me more then 4,000 baht a month
Books, computers
Nothing really but other costs would be getting my hair cut, the phone bill and gym membership which usually total around 3,000 a month.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
My standard of living here is comfortable; I can eat out three times a day, live independently and still socialise. This would not be possible in London. I can say however that the myth of "30,000 baht, you'll live like a king in Thailand" is just not true at all, I know expats in other fields of work earning a much higher salary.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Without a doubt bills are the biggest bargain here and of course food.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
In Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket etc you can survive on 30,000 but to really live comfortably 40,000 is a much more reasonable expectation.
Phil's analysis and comment
There is a big difference between 30K and 40K a month in terms of how it affects your standard of living. Just ask any teacher who has earned both salaries. On 40K a month you can do and afford so much more!
I'm reading between the lines a little but I guess that Joseph is on one of those 'guaranteed salary deals' which are often used by private language centres. You work for an hourly rate of X amount but the employer will guarantee you a minimum salary even if you don't do enough hours. So at least you always know you'll have enough to pay the rent at the end of each month.
As Joseph says, during peak months when there are more students, it's the popular teachers who will get the cream. That's generally how things work at a private language school. Teachers who are seen as good or entertaining or 'have a kind face' will always get more student requests. Unfair system? It's very often the teachers who aren't willing to up their game or change their mindset that get fewer student requests. They're often the guys you hear bitching.
If anyone fancies doing a cost of living survey, I've now put the questions on-line to make it easier and quicker for you. Please spare half an hour if you can.
A number of teachers complete the surveys with just a list of figures. I don't wish to sound ungrateful but that's not really what we're looking for. There needs to be some sort of 'story' behind the figures as it were (it certainly makes the surveys more interesting to read) Many thanks!
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