Lauren
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 39,835
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
I am a full-time English teacher in a secondary school in a mini English program. The 39,835 includes social security health insurance that I am only allowed to use at one hospital. I actually only get paid 10.5 months as the summers in April and half of May aren't paid.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
Honestly, I am not able to save much or invest anything for retirement.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I live in a condo and pay 10,000 baht per month in rent.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I live close to the BTS and my school is close to the BTS so I usually spend around 1,500 baht per month.
Utility bills
Around 1,000 baht per month
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
This is my biggest expense and comes out at around 15,000-20,000.
Nightlife and drinking
I don't really go out at night or drink.
Books, computers
I have a free library app from home and I bought my MacBook back in 2019. I probably spend around 1,000 baht per year on books at the book store.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I live comfortably but don't have peace of mind for the future.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Buying foods from local markets that are farther away from the city center, hair blow outs and massages.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
It really varies on what you eat, how much you want to travel, and where in Bangkok you want to live. In order to live comfortably and save for a rainy day, at least 60,000 baht per month. If you live far from the city center and can shop at markets for local food and not shop or travel often, maybe 25,000 baht per month.
Phil's analysis and comment
Lauren, I think it would be tough for any foreign teacher, regardless of nationality, to survive in Bangkok nowadays on a 40K salary, but 15-20K a month on food! What!?! That's 500-600 baht a day! I eat extremely well and don't spend even half that amount of money. I'd love you to have dived deeper into that sub-section. Admittedly I only eat out once a week, preferring to cook mostly at home... but even so. By my reckoning, more than three quarters of your monthly paycheck goes on food and a roof over your head. No wonder it's a bit of a struggle.
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