Marcin
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 80,000+
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
My school pays me 80,000 BHT/month (including taxes). I also make about 10,000 bht/month teaching extra classes, substitutions etc. So let's say my monthly income is about 90,000bht/month.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Nothing really. My wife, a Thai teacher, lives in another province, where we own a house. I therefore have to pay for a house there (mortgage), my condo in Bangkok and I'm also studying for a Masters degree at ABAC. Too many expenses - no saving really at this moment. It will hopefully change once I graduate some time next year.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
In Bangkok it is about 8,000 Baht with all the utility bills (studio), my house in the province is about 12,000 with all the utilities.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
6000 - 7000 BHT / month (petrol, tolls)
Utility bills
Not much, electricity bill is about 2000 (condo + house), water is something like a 100 (again, for both), phone bills about 1500, internet about 1200 (condo + house).
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
Not much, I started cooking myself, so probably something about 8000 BHT
Nightlife and drinking
I stopped going out in Bangkok because I got bored. I go out sometimes with the wife. Not more than 2000 BHT/month, but it used to be much, much more!
Books, computers
Nothing really, a few hundred baht.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Very, very comfortable
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Transportation and food
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
I would say 50,000 in Bangkok and 40,000 in the provinces.
Phil's analysis and comment
Marcin sounds as if he's carefully building his future in Thailand. Responsibility has come a-knocking and he's swapped those steamy nights on the lash to mince around the kitchen with a measuring jug. You can't knock it. I'm just surprised that Marcin feels the need to add an extra 10,000 baht to what is already a good salary of 80,000. I would personally work out how I could live on that 80,000 and use the extra free time for exactly that - free time. At least until the university studies are over. But there are always those who will say make hay while the sun shines and if you're fit enough to do loads of hours, then why not go for it.
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