Given it's your first ever flying in and out be a good idea .. Kuala Lumpur is good since you only get a small stamp rather than a disgusting full page consuming sticker..
I agree. I don't spend that. Sometimes I'm sub 30k/month up in Chiang Mai ... I don't eat much western food , maybe once a month .. I just said that because I know many pensioners who don't eat Thai food , drink like fish , have cars etc .. They the people that spend 60k+