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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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)
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Nup ******
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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).
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
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.
Reply to
Stuart *********
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