Is a monthly income of $3,000 sufficient for a retired couple to live comfortably in Bangkok?

Mar 6, 2024
8 months ago
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello

We are a retired couple plans to move to Bangkok. Our monthly pension and rental income is about USD 3,000.- is the amount enough to comfortably live in BKK?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Many responders indicate that a monthly income of around $3,000 (approximately 100,000 Thai Baht) is generally sufficient for a retired couple to live comfortably in Bangkok. While this budget allows for moderate living expenses, including decent housing and dining out, the actual comfort level can vary based on personal lifestyle choices and additional costs, such as healthcare and visa requirements. The consensus is that with careful budgeting, $3,000 can support a satisfactory lifestyle, though some recommend considering lifestyle preferences and the potential for higher expenses associated with certain accommodations or habits.
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Tobie *****
It's will be Okish but not great. Personally Inwould move to a cheaper area where money takes me further.
Terary **********
I am one person, I live in a condo (92M^2, 1000 sqft), my condo is about 1000 feet from the ocean, in pattaya. I pay 20,000 baht rent ($600/US). I make a monthly transfer of about $2,000/USD (65,000 THB). I am comfortable. I have enough money for weekly entertainment, I eat out on the weekends and cook for myself during the week. I have a motorcyle that will need to get replace about every 10 years. I can afford the various necessities, replace lost phone, renew passport pay for visa runs. And I have a little left over. I manage to travel a couple times a year.

Rent 20,000

Electric/Water: 3000

Bangkok is more expensive then other places. I enjoyed living in Bangkok but I am more comfortable in Pattaya. I have heard good things about Hua Hin.

Your comforts determine how much you need to get by. You determine how much comfort you need. If you require a Super Sports car then your budget is insufficient. If you are content eating only rice and eggs, then you have plenty of money.

Farang always pay more but if you hare thrifty you always find cheaper ways to live. I prefer have an air conditioner but its not entirely necessary. As they say "Up to you"
อาจารย์ *******
Well, if you live very cheaply … maybe in a cheap apartment in Jomtien and eat very cheaply, shop at 7-11 and eat street food, you could scratch out a meager retirement plan…
Lucas ********
Yes, it is,
Pradeep ******
If you have Health issues then Questionable
Michael **********
80% of the thai people living in bangkok lives decently with a budget of
*****
k per month. What makes BKK expensive are the western restaurants, bars and h00kers. Avoid those and you'll easily have a good life with that budget. PS: I just had a month in phuket (which somehow can be more expensive with bkk) and I could live more than comfortably with 100us$/day (I don't drink and I don't meet "girls" when lonely)
John ********
@Michael *********
you sound like a lot of fun
Richard ******
Plenty if you live within your means. With that amount you should even be able save some each month.

My wife and I are currently in Thailand 🇹🇭 and have been here for 4 months. We budgeted 3,000$ per month and it has been more than enough including our shopping and nice dinners out once in a while. Best of luck to you!!!
Chris *****
Define “ comfortable “
Windy *******
It would be enough to live a

good life in Bangkok although

it is not a cheap town anymore.

But spend your money quick

because you will die soon of

lunge cancer or heart desease.

Bangkok has horrible air and I

would prefer to stay in Alcatraz

in a cell than living in Bangkok.
Steven *******
Most rentals come furnished, so it’s easy to try a place for a year then try another place.
John ********
100K if you want to live like a Thai. That wouldn’t cover my weekly entertainment budget
Edgar ************
@John *******
100k will support an entire village. You're one of those people paying 800 baht for a pad thai at some asok fine dining restaurant
Alison *****************
@John *******
you need to get more informed on the average wage in thailand you are way off
Michael **********
@John *******
dude, 95% of the thai population earn way less than that. Actually over half of the population lives with 20k/month or even less.
Chris ******
@Michael *********
hes trolling ..
Hanneke ******************
In HuaHin are many houses for rent, some are nice some are not having the "standards" like a "western" kitchen.....folks are eating out more here since the food is cheap. My brother in law rents a house with garden near a pool ( 20 mtrs) for 18.000Bath what is 463 euro pm. It depends on where you want to live. He lives in a quiet place.
Kim *****
Absolutely enough but you do need to consider your standards of living and how you live... alcohol consumption, travel plans etc.
ปีเตอร์ *******
@Kim ****
absolutely enough …if you want to live here as a beggar. I agree.If you want live on a normal level, not enough.
Kim *****
@ปีเตอร์ ******
my spouse and I live on 2000 a month in Hua Hin and live very well
ปีเตอร์ *******
@Kim ****
congratulation
Steve **********
It will very much depend on your level of accommodation, rents in major cities are not cheap, and although bkk is cheaper than most, the rent could chew up a lot of your income. Suggest you consider other places to live, eg Chang rai or the issan area.
John ********
@Steve *********
Issan ? 555
Alison *****************
@John *******
issan is amazing
Robert *********
Why bkk ?

Heavy pollution
Jennifer ******
@Robert ********
do you have a PM2.5 meter? Go get one, it's not as polluted as you think.
K.C. *****
Jennifer Chia, Jennifer Chia, don't need a PM meter. An app called Airvisual tells the story. It's not the best city to be. Or is 107 healthy??! And it's not the only area.
Robert *********
@Jennifer *****
I have lungs ,they complain to me when I am there .

I will not stay in polluted places .

If you think bkk is not polluted ,think again
Jennifer ******
@Robert ********
there are places outside of Bangkok that have worse pollution.
Robert *********
@Jennifer *****
and I avoid them as well .

Want a nice city?

Chanthaburi
Jennifer ******
Arch *********
Thailand was a cheap place once upon a time,some things are actually more expensive there than back home.
Nigel ***********
If you don't know the answer yourself , do not come to thailand
Paul ********
Yes
Bruce *********
Be careful about wanting to retire here and live here forever if you have never been. Lot's of people come here and give up everything to live the dream and then realize it's not for them.
Dylan ********************
Idk about retirement visa. But we are a family of 6 and our amount is 2k usd/month with 2 ED visa. I think you’ll be alright. It’s subject to change the way you live and spend your money. We don’t have a vehicle and don’t drink and only go to the doctor office if needed.
YT ********************
I spend
*****
baht per month for very comfortable living.
Dennis ***********
@YT *******************
where do you live?
YT ********************
ปีเตอร์ *******
Rent a condo. Water and electricity bills.Food, fruits, caffee etc. Health and accident insurance for 2 people - Expensive.Sometimes you want to eat farang food, expensiver than thai food. Drinking water, beers, zigarette ( or not)

Sometimes hairdresser. Sometimes need to buy clothes. Movie. Taxi.Visa and visa extensions.Maybe border run or visa run. Tv and mobile telephone costs.Sometimes you want to go home ,visit the family and back.

And many other expenses.

This money not enough for 2 people to continue a dezent life in Thailand.
ปีเตอร์ *******
@YT *******************
it is very pitiable if you dont have any personal needs already, because of the lack of money. I hope charitable thais help you sometimes.
YT ********************
@ปีเตอร์ ******
I have no needs because I already have everything. think about what you write. you're making a fool of yourself. making money is not the meaning of life. it's the worst thing you can do in life. If you have to go to work every day, you are poor. and nothing will change it.
YT ********************
@ปีเตอร์ ******
100k baht is enough for half year of living in Thailand with everything.
ปีเตอร์ *******
@YT *******************
if you are a beggar and lives under the bridges.
YT ********************
@ปีเตอร์ ******
no, it's enough if you're not life loser 😁
Bruce *********
@YT *******************
Try dating on that. Your girl will leave you when someone else takes her to a place where the food cost more that 60 baht a meal.
YT ********************
@Bruce ********
I don't think so. We know the best places to eat and none of them are more than 50 baht per meal, but the best of the best costs, mind you, 45thb. Are you one of those who thinks that if you spend more, you are better than others? No, you're not, you're just stupider.
Bruce *********
@YT *******************
the best of the best does not cost 45 baht. Haha.
YT ********************
@Bruce ********
believe me. This is fantastic and incredible tasty.
ปีเตอร์ *******
@YT *******************
it means, if i have enough money and i like to use it, i am a life loser?! Hahaha and who are you?
YT ********************
@ปีเตอร์ ******
You will never understand it because you will never be rich with this attitude.
ปีเตอร์ *******
@YT *******************
hahaha i think you dont understand the essence of the life. If you want to be rich, the making of the money more important than the saving
YT ********************
@ปีเตอร์ ******
you really think that making of the money is essence of life? 😂😂😂😂😂 What a pathetic 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 you will never be rich, believe me 😁😁😁😁😁
YT ********************
@ปีเตอร์ ******
no I don't, just visited 50 countries but no, I don't 😂 what a stupid answer. This is your muppet level.
Bruce *********
@ปีเตอร์ ******
Haha. That was funny and true.
YT ********************
@Bruce ********
not funny, just pathetic.
YT ********************
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@ปีเตอร์ ******
will keep your advice in mind
Jessie ******
It's pretty good as others have said you for sure can be comfortable
Pawy ********
$3,000 is comfortable for basic lifestyle in the city..for a value for money lifestyle, Isan provinces is a better choice...Mukdahan is good province to reside in as you can enjoy the best of both world Laos and Thailand..where the 2nd Thai and Laos friendship bridge is located.
Don *********
My guess is (like me) a year in Bangkok will have you craving greenery, clean air and fresh breezes. Try it, enjoy it, but suggest don’t make any commitments beyond a 12 month lease.

After that year you’ll either be head over heels in love with the city and its quirks, or be ready to look elsewhere
Steve *******
@Don ********
but still remain in thailand....as in Chang Mai etc. many options.
Don *********
@Steve ******
absolutely: Chiang Mai / Hua Hin / Phuket etc
Lye **********
More than enough for a simple lifestyle. Even better if retiring outside cities like Bangkok or Phuket.
Nup ******
It’s descent for a normal luxury retirement, but dont expect to “live like a king”. For example, Its enough to get a luxury condo but not a luxury pool villa.
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nup *****
only need a 2 BR condo near BTS and not more. We are not night birds nor party animals
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nup *****
any city you suggest where we still find English speaking community
Ivan ************
@Nasir ******
and while most of Thailand outside Bangkok is a bit cheaper, personally I would think $3,000 is "enough" for a comfortable retirement in Bangkok. Medical costs would be the only question, if they are covered with insurance outside of that, definitely.
Ivan ************
@Nasir ******
Chiang Mai is great most of the year if you can go somewhere else March and April, take a holiday and go south. March and at least the first half of April the pollution is really terrible but most of the year it is better than Bangkok. It's also significantly cheaper, although you can live almost as inexpensively in Bangkok too, it's more that there are more things to do and spend money on in Bangkok. CM attractions are more the nature around it and that's free. As a general rule, if pollution is a critical factor, the south and islands are much less polluted on average, to the point it's not really much of a consideration anywhere south of Chumphon or so. Can still have bad days but you don't get months of it like in Bangkok or the north.
Nup ******
@Nasir ******
in thats case, its enough. Rent is probably the highest fixed expense. Food is very cheap if you avoid high end restaurants and transportation are reasonable. Its your personal preference, but i personally dont like Bangkok, mostly because of air quality. I do recommend mid sized cities as bolt taxis and international hospitals are present in most of them, and they are much cheaper. But again, its your preference.
Alan *********
As a retired couple, that should be enough for decent housing and eating out at a good restaurant at least once a week.

(Obviously depends on your lifestyle. Medical bills can be expensive).

Check out numbeo & expatistan.

****************************************************
Grant ********
@Alan ********
Numbeo!wow, what a great website!
Alan *********
@Grant *******
here is a very similar site... may be using the same data set.

*****************************************
John **********
Might be more than enough to live on but is it enough for visas? That will depend on whether you are able to get a trailing spouse visa for the wife
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
I was thinking of yearly retirement visas for both of us
John **********
@Nasir ******
then you need 800k baht each in a Thai bank in your own name
Janin ******
@John *********
, if his wife is dependent they need
*****
0 baht, not each 800 k
John **********
@Janin *****
if his wife is able to get a dependent visa then only he would need 800k, but it is now exceedingly difficult to get a dependent visa from someone on a non-o retirement visa. Certainly not available inside Thailand nor any of the nearby countries
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
USD 50K can be placed in the bank in fixed deposit
John **********
@Nasir ******
yes in a Thai bank and only as long as it is instantly accessible. But you may need one account each of 25k usd
Nasir *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
thank will talk to the bank once in BKK
John **********
@Nasir ******
yes but you should also talk to immigration first
Stuart *********
That’s around 100k Thai baht. More than enough per month for many. Whether it’s enough for you is subjective. It certainly is an amount that many could cope with.
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