Richard
Working in Chonburi
Monthly Earnings 110,000
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
I work as a senior teacher at an international school and my full-time salary is 110,000. It's not one of the top-paying international schools by any stretch but more what you would call mid-range. I also get a month's bonus at the end of each year but I haven't factored that in. I use that money to make the annual trip home and can usually treat myself to a business class flight.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
I don't set out to save a specific amount each month, I guess I'm like most other teachers, you pay your bills, do your shopping, spend what needs to be spent and then see what amount you have left over. I don't think there are many months where I don't save at least 30-40K.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I've recently moved into a nice newly-built condo unit, and that cost me just under two million baht. I paid half of the amount myself, and family members have helped me out with the other half. The bank of Mom and Dad offers fantastic interest rates! It's only a small condo with a living room space, a kitchen and a bathroom. It would be a fairly tight squeeze for a couple but it's fine for one. I absolutely love it here!
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I have my own car, which I bought three years ago. It's only about a ten-minute drive to work so gas barely costs a couple of thousand a month. I don't tend to use the car if I do any travelling in Thailand (which I do at every opportunity I get) I find driving long distances here too stressful so I prefer to take the plane or the train, book a nice hotel near the beach, and spoil myself a little.
Utility bills
I'm billed directly by the utility companies so it's around 2,000 a month for electricity and water. There is also a 700 baht a month service charge to keep the community areas maintained, etc.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
One of the reasons I love Chonburi is there are so many new cafes and eateries popping up all the time. One closes and another one springs up in its place. I love exploring on foot (or motorcycle taxi) and finding new places. I can't imagine anything more laborious than planning meals and cooking at home. Why would you when eating out is such great value! I don't skimp on food and drink. This is probably 20,000 a month. What's that? 600 baht a day. Yes, must be at least that when you factor in the odd bottle of wine and craft beers.
Nightlife and drinking
I put supermarket alcohol in the above section. I'm actually not that keen on Chonburi late at night because it has its fair share of beered-up loose cannons. To be honest, I'd rather swerve the drinking in Chonburi and head down to Pattaya for the weekend. I do that once a month and can easily drop 20K.
Books, computers
I prefer watching TV to reading so I have a Netflix subscription (around 500 baht isn't it) I do like to have the latest smartphone though and those can be around 40K these days. Difficult to put a monthly figure on this one.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Absolutely fabulous! I sometimes feel guilty when I'm lounging around the condo pool, drinking and laughing with a few fellow residents I've become friendly with, and think how my home country has gone down the toilet. I hope the day never comes when I have to return there. Thailand is just paradise in comparison.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Eating out. It's terrific value once you get out of Bangkok and avoid the tourist rip-off joints in places like Pattaya and Phuket. You can get a fabulous meal in Chonburi for a couple of hundred baht.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
I wouldn't want to live in a major Thai city on less than 80K a month, so what I earn is more than enough! You have to strike a work-life balance. Having a great time here doesn't necessarily mean spending lots of money. Some of the best things are free or cost very little. I can happily go down to the seafront for a run and eat 50 baht's worth of hawker food.
Phil's analysis and comment
Thanks Richard, it sounds like you're really enjoying life here. And I absolutely agree with you - eating out in small cafes, etc is very reasonable once you move outside of Bangkok, etc and no, you don't have to spend, spend, spend to have a good time. Sometimes it's actually a joy to find those pleasurable activities that cost very little.
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