Peter
Working in Hanoi
Monthly Earnings 210,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
190,000
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
150,000
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 20,000 baht for a two-bedroom condo. School pays us a 40,000 baht housing allowance.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
Petrol for my motorbike costs about 150 baht.
Utility bills
This is paid for by the school.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
15,000 baht
Nightlife and drinking
2,000 baht. I'm not really into either of these.
Books, computers
1,000 baht a month on books.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Very comfortable and I can save quite a lot for the future.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Housing.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Maybe 35,000 baht. I've completed this survey as I saw you had only two Vietnam responses so thought another one might deepen the picture a little more. If you work in a top-tier international school you can do very well in Vietnam, particularly in Hanoi. Let's put it this way: what I've saved in nine years here is enough to give me a 50,000 baht a month salary in Thailand for the next 20 years. Have a think about that.
Phil's analysis and comment
It sounds like working at a top tier international school in Vietnam is not a bad gig at all.
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