Stu
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 63,000 (before tax)
Q1. How is that income broken down? (full-time salary, private students, on-line teaching, extra work, etc)
Full-time salary plus a housing allowance.
Q2. How much money can you save each month?
10,000 to 20,000 baht depending on the situation
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 25,000 for a large townhouse in Bangna with my dog and girlfriend.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
1000 on gas for my car, but for big trips sometimes that can double. I use the BTS and motorcycles to get around locally.
Utility bills
Used to be around 5,500 a month until I had to pay to replace the ac, now it's closer to 2,500 including internet, wifi, mobile, electricity, water.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
Average grocery shopping once a week is 1,300 and I cook breakfast lunch and dinner every day for two adults. Eating out on the weekends in Thai places or sometimes delivery so about 5,000-10,000 per month.
Nightlife and drinking
I don't drink but enjoy other libations roughly that come to roughly 1,000 to 2,000 per month.
Books, computers
Nothing.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I consider myself well off until I need to travel West or to go anywhere else.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Food, transport, massages.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Depends on the situation. I have student loans I need to pay, so I can barely afford it on a 60,000 salary but I would think to maintain a comfortable lifestyle and go for a Western holiday every year, you would need close to 100,000.
Phil's analysis and comment
Never underestimate the savings you can make by replacing an old air-conditioning unit if you have your own house or perhaps getting the handyman to give the unit a clean if you live in a rented property. I replaced my main air-con a year or so back and the electricity bill came down from 6,000 a month to 2,500 (the air-con is switched on almost 24/7 at my place)
Stu, I notice you spend almost half of your salary on rent. I hope your girlfriend is working and chipping in towards the costs.
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