Every new arrival wants to know if they can survive or live well in Thailand on X thousand baht a month?
It's a difficult question because each person has different needs. However, the following surveys and figures are from teachers actually working here! How much do they earn and what do they spend their money on?. And after each case study, I've added comments of my own.
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Approximate Thai Baht (฿) conversion rates as of 24th December 2024
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฿36 to one Euro
฿21 to one Australian Dollar
฿0.59 THB to one Philippine Peso
James
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings At least 50,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work at a language school with three branches and earn 400 baht an hour plus a 50 baht an hour course completion bonus. Plus I do some corporate work. I average 100 - 150 hours per month.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
I try to save a third of my salary. My wife and I are currently having a house built.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
We pay 15,000 baht a month for a two-bedroom condo (65 square metres)
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I use minivans and public buses to get to work. No more than 50-60 baht a day.
Utility bills
Bills were included in the 15,000 baht condo rental. We don't use air-conditioning because we live on the 8th floor and we open doors to let the breeze in or just use fans.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I guess about 200 baht a day plus about 3,000 a month for restaurant trips. During the working week, I grab breakfast and evening meal on the go or at work and I generally skip lunch.
Nightlife and drinking
Zero. I'm not a drinker at all.
Books, computers
I buy a couple of paperbacks a month for about 800 baht and I use the computers at work for free.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Easy. I can eat, buy and do what I want. With no family to visit or wife's family to take care of, my money is mine to do what I want with.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
As I mentioned we are building a house on our farm ( bought the land very cheap 10 years ago) so I guess building a house is! ....blocks , sand , cement and labour
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
I think 30k is enough to survive in Bangkok but add another 30k if you want to really party.
Phil's analysis and comment
James actually said that in a really good month, he can reach about 100,000 baht. 50k is an absolute minimum. However, unless James is someone who really, really enjoys teaching, I see a teacher heading for burnout. 150 contact hours a month - a mix of in-house and corporate and bombing around the city - is way too much. I've been there and done that and eventually it wears you down. Skipping lunches and hardly having any leisure time at home during the working week - it brought back some not so good memories. That said, James is saving to build a house so one day when he's sitting on a porch overlooking his fruit trees, he might look back and say it was all worth it. I hope so.
Bob
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 136,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
My salary is 96,000 baht and I get a housing allowance of 40,000.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
80,000 to 100,000 baht depending on if we have a trip to an island or somewhere in Asia. ( my partner earns 50,000 a month and we live on that & my housing allowance)
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
28,000 baht a month. We have a nice, 2-bedroom old-build condo with pool, gym etc and it's a short motorcycle taxi ride to the BTS. Most importantly, it's just a stone's throw from work.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
1k - 2k a month on cabs. I use motorcycle taxis for short rides a lot and that's so cheap, maybe 200-300 a month on those. I'd say about that much on BTS too. I dont use it much
Utility bills
My bills are relatively extortionate due to the old air-conditioning units and greedy condo management. Around 3k - 4k a month, including internet
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
Food is the big one. I order from a well known meal delivery service and for the two of us, it comes to about 2k per week - that's just weekdays so we probably splurge about that much more on the weekend eating out. So food could be around 16,000 baht a month.
Nightlife and drinking
We're a pair of lightweights and don't / can't drink much so no more than 3k a month I'd say
Books, computers
The school has an incredible library and provides us laptops so no expenses there (although I did just buy FM 2017 for 2k.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Very comfortable. Could be lavish but I know the value of a pound to the baht and we're saving for a deposit for a place back in the UK.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Massages! Local transport and domestic travel. Air Asia is so cheap that we get to see a lot of Thailand & South East Asia on a budget.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Survive? 40k is plenty for a single person to survive and have a bit of fun in Bangkok. If you're intending to be here long term, you need to be looking at 50-60k minimum. I really couldn't speak for outside of Bangkok, though I imagine you'd need a lot less.
Phil's analysis and comment
Very nice Bob. You can't complain about 80-100k baht a month going into the tommy tank. And of course it always helps when you have a partner who's bringing a decent salary into the house as well.
I don't think 16,000 baht a month on food for a couple who enjoy eating out at the weekend is excessive at all. In fact, if you order from those delivery services every weekday evening, I'm surprised your monthly food bill is that low.
Must be a great time to buy a property in England as well Bob. 43 baht buys you a pound. Good times!
Paddy
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 35,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work at a Bangkok high school and my salary is 35,000 baht including a 2,000 baht travel allowance.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Just about nothing. I'm down to the last 1,000 baht by pay day.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I have a 1-bedroom apartment in a Thai area but close to a BTS station, 32sqm. 10,000 baht a month plus water and electricity
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I rent a motorbike for 4,000 baht a month plus I use public transport depending on where I need to go. Petrol costs around 120 baht/week, again depending on how much I use the bike. My school is 5km away. There is no BTS out there and the bus takes over an hour on a good day. The journey by bike takes 12 minutes.
Utility bills
Average around 1,200 baht a month on electricity and water.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I eat lunch at school every day for 25 baht. I shop at my local market and street vendors for most meals and I cook at home a lot to save money.
Nightlife and drinking
We go out to the local bar and drink the draft Thai beer every fortnight and split the bill. We also go to a movie once a month.
Books, computers
I buy books from a second hand shop (90-200 baht per book) and then return the books to get some of the costs back.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Not really living extravagantly or living the high life. It's comfortable, I get out a lot to see the sights, free if I can
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
I guess the variety of food is a bargain. Street food is pretty good, just have to be wary of some products.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Depending on how you want to live? I would think most companies need to increase their salary. I'd say 42,000 to 55,000, is not asking too much.
Phil's analysis and comment
Paddy doesn't supply any actual figures for the food and going out categories so it's pure guesswork. That said, being down to your last 1,000 baht every month probably tells you everything you need to know. That 35,000 baht a month in Bangkok just isn't enough?
Lance
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 90,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
90,000 before taxes from my job. No desire to teach private lessons.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
40,000 to 50,000
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
18,500 baht for a nice condo about 10 minutes walk from the BTS
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
1500, I use the BTS and Uber (far nicer/cheaper than a taxi).
Utility bills
5,800 baht because my wife likes to run the air-conditioning a LOT, plus internet costs are factored in
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
This is the bulk of my costs. My uncle is a chef and because of him I love to cook meals such as Steak Milanese with rosemary and thyme roasted potatoes, prosciutto with homemade toasted tomato bread, lamb kebabs with apricots...etc. The wife eats less and less Thai food these days (down to once a week) as a result and we rarely eat out (exception being eating fast food once a month or so just for a change). I'm beginning to think it would be cheaper if we ate out vs cooking at home.
Nightlife and drinking
0 baht. The exception is when friends or family visit us (about twice a year) but it's not much at all and does not put a dent into savings or the budget
Books, computers
I have Kindle Unlimited for $9.99 a month, We have an I-Flix account to watch movies and Western TV on occasion. Other expenses include cell phone bill (I don't know how much as ignorance is bliss in this case), monthly charitable donations is about 3500 on average, We also put aside about 5,000 baht a month for traveling as we use that towards our summer vacation.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Above average. If I cut back on the fancy food I'd be well above average I think. Side note: I was making close to 6 figures in the USA before moving here but I am far less stressed and much happier being in Thailand. Although we've been discussing making the move back to the USA as my mom's age/health is a concern.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Mass transit, clothes, massages, health care, real estate
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
To survive I'd say 35,000. To live average I'd say 40,000.
Phil's analysis and comment
After hearing about what you cook at home Lance, I've got just one question - what time do you want me round? :)
I sympathize with your mother's health situation and it's a situation that quite a number of teachers find themselves in eventually. It often becomes a case of which camp do you fall into - do you have family members (brothers and sisters) who live closer and can take care of the ailing parent or are you the only flesh and blood that a mother can call on? I hope things work out for you.
Jamie
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 60,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work at a private all-girls school and my take home salary is 38,000 (500 baht / hour) but I teach private students two hours a day six days a week.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Around 10,000 baht. I'm terrible at saving up because I like my comforts.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 5,000 a month for my room in a three-bedroom townhouse in Huai Khwang, sharing with one other person.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
1,500 baht a month or so. I use my Honda PCX to get around and it's a handy little scooter with tons of storage space for teaching materials
Utility bills
Utilities come to around 2,500 baht a month for air-con, water and internet
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I think food is my biggest expense because I grew tired of Thai food after a year here. I can spend up to 1,000 a day on Western, Korean and Japanese food. Why eat a small plate of stir-fried food and rice when I could have a nice sushi platter or delicious beef cheeseburger?
Nightlife and drinking
Close to zero. I don't drink much, at most two bottles of beer a month
Books, computers
I buy one or two books a month as I don't have much time to read with all the work I did. I recently bought a new laptop for 15,000 baht plus some accessories.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
My life is comfortable but busy. It seems that in order to have a fair life standard as a teacher here (in most cases) you have to do private tuition work, and use up your free evenings and weekends. Sometimes it's not worth it for me.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Food. If I was in the UK eating what I do here, I could easily spend twice as much in a day.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
Certainly at least 50,000 a month. Anything less and you're just getting by. Teaching is meant to be a professional career, and as such, one expects to live like a professional with a comfortable living standard.
Phil's analysis and comment
The cost of food within these surveys is beginning to interest me more and more. It's sometimes a monthly expense we 'overlook' and yet we all need to eat and the costs can mount up considerably depending on your tastes and cravings for Western food, etc.
Jamie earns a comfortable 60,000 baht a month but private lessons six days a week means he only has one full day off. I've never felt that one day is enough. I worked six days a week myself for many years but it finally dawns on you that life is becoming al work and no play.
Showing 5 Cost of Living surveys out of 437 total
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