Cost of Living in Thailand in 2020

Hi everyone,
Cost of living can vary according to who you speak to.
Some expats come to Thailand and don't acclimatize to the weather or food some will live in Air-con and will not eat Thai food. Expats who live like this will more than double the costs below.
The way to be millionaire in Thai is to come with two mil
Many expats lose they life saving within a couple of years here, because they don't talk with the correct people. 
1000 baht per month. Electric per month  average
60 Baht  PM                  Government water
630 baht  pm                internet
2200 pm                        Food shopping, clothes ( don't need many )
12,000 PM                  I go out 3 or 4 times a week mainly THai food in Thai bars / clubs
4000    PM                     Fuel for car
2500     PA                    Car Tax
6000     PA                    Insurance.

If you want to ask me anything PM  me

I've just left Thailand to live in Vietnam, where the cost of living is about half the cost of Thailand overall. BUT - when trying to assess Thailand or Vietnam, the costs vary tremendously depending on what area you consider.

In Thailand I was staying on Samui; this is probably the most expensive place in the Kingdom now - there is no comparison with somewhere out in the sticks in the rural North or North-east - or indeed with Bangkok.

Also: I've found that it is unrealistic trying to break monthly costs down into clear little compartments. Some, yes, like insurance or rent or visa costs.  But things like food, drink, nights-out on the town (etc), then no. I started checking my outgoings closely for half-a-year before I left Thailand. And I found that the biggest item by far was the money that went out of my pocket every day. (And it was also the hardest to try to analyse and break down into separate categories.)

For instance, more or less every day I would go into a 7-11 for something - eye drops
fish oil capsules (salmon), deodorant, soap, washing up liquid; super glue. a chunky 9v battery, milk, a knife or a spoon, duct tape, an extension cable with multi-sockets, a 2-way wall-plug adapter, a tin of WD40, some felt-tip pens, a loaf of bread, a packet of ham etc, etc, etc etc.

Then I'd eat-out twice a day. Maybe go out for a drink twice a week. Do a shop in Big C a couple of times a month. Buy a new charger for my phone. Top up with gasoline . . . endless miscellaneous things, all coming out of my pocket each day (or off my ATM debit card).

So I started tabbing my 'daily spend' as an item, in with the known monthly or yearly payments. ie on Samui my daily spend was 750 baht. In Bangkok it was 500 baht (I had an small apartment in BKK). In Hoi An, Vietnam it was 350 baht. In Nha Trang Vietnam it is 180 baht.

Therefore my particular costings (for Thailand) are like this:
Koh Samui: (One pick-up and one motorbike)
Rent: (2-bed detached house,) - 12,500B
Electric at 5 baht (one aircon unit bedroom, fridge, microwave, desktop computer) - 1,400B
Tap water (owner set price per month) - 500B
Drinking water - 2 baht per litre - 50L PM - 100B
Visa Non Im B (costs calculated per month inc 90 day border run "holiday") - 2,200B
Gas (cooker) - 15B
Wifi (100 Mbit fiber) - 700B
Phone Data Plan (AIS 2 Gb per day) - 600B
Public transport  (including taxis) - nil
Car running costs taken per month (tax, ins, maintenance & repairs) - 2,000B
Motorbike running costs taken per month (tax, ins, maintenance & repairs) - 600B
Health Insurance (I am 70, thus comparatively expensive) - 1,800B
"Daily spend" - 21,000B PM
TOTAL PM = 43,415B

Bangkok: (One motorbike, cheap room)
Rent: Small studio apartment in quiet Thai block in unfashionable area - 5,000B
Electric at 3 baht (one aircon, fridge, microwave, laptop computer) - 800B
Tap water (owner set price per month) - 100B
Drinking water - 2 baht per litre - 50L PM - 100B
Visa Non Im B (costs calculated per month inc 90 day border run "holiday") - 2,200B
Gas (cooker) - 15B
Wifi (100 Mbit fiber) - 700B
Phone Data Plan (AIS 2 Gb per day) - 600B
Motorbike running costs taken per month (tax, ins, maintenance & repairs) - 600B
Health Insurance (I am 70, thus comparatively expensive) - 1,800B
"Daily spend" - 14,000B PM
TOTAL PM = 25,915B - but add another 5,000B for a nice apartment
ie - 31,000B comparatively

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(and just out of interest . . . )

Nha Trang Vietnam (one motorbike)
Rent: Large 2-bed house (gated, with big garden) in unfashionable area - 9,000B
Electric at 1.4 baht (one aircon, fridge, microwave, oven, laptop computer) - 700B
Tap water (government rate) - 100B
Drinking water - 8 baht per litre - 50L PM - 400B
Visa tourist (costs calc. PM inc 90 day border run "holiday" flying to BKK  :-) - 2,600B
Gas (cooker) - 5B
Wifi (50 Mbit fiber) - 180B
Phone Data Plan (Viettel 2 Gb per day) - 130B
Motorbike running costs taken per month (tax, ins, maintenance & repairs) - 200B
Health Insurance (I am 70, thus comparatively expensive) - 1,800B
"Daily spend" - 5,240B PM
TOTAL PM = 20,255B

Hello Thailand lovers and such who're thinking about living here,

        We ( Thai wife and a 22-year-old son) live in the lower northeast, a city called Sisaket, only 65 km away from Ubon Ratchathani that might be more popular because it's a bigger city in Isaan.

We were very lucky to be able to rent a house after the big flood here where we'd lost almost all furniture and a lot more.

We found a nice and big house for only 4,000 baht/month.

But there's no way to find something similar now for under 7 to 8,000 baht.

Even small shags are so expensive that you've got to pay around 3,500 baht for a little and very hot house.

Not too many apartments, but the existing ones are usually occupied by foreign teachers. They range from 3,000 for a smaller place to 7,000 baht for a bigger one, if you're lucky fully furnished.

We pay around 1100 baht for electricity, 400 baht for water, 40 baht for the trash and a few hundred baht for a gas bottle from time to time.

I have a nice place with a roof and plants on it for my truck, we have two dogs and my bike also has a nice place in the shade, including a sitting area outside.

Trains are dirt cheap, but not the ones that drive to Bangkok. The 570 km in a sleeper is now 1,000 baht for one way, much better to take the plane from Ubon and book a ticket online.

The local taxis usually charge more for foreigners, they come up with a fee that wouldn't be taken from a Thai. Let's say, a ride from Sisaket to Ubon can be 600 baht, but also 1,000 baht.

There are local Songtaews who drive through the city for a few baht, I'd call it dirt cheap. Sisaket is the Rikscha city and they're always in your way.

They charge horrendous prices for shorter trips and I might never understand why people don't take a motorbike taxi instead.
If you can speak Thai, their local slang, it makes the ride pretty cheap.

It's important to show them the distance ( on a phone) and ask for the price before you get a surprise. I have a Mitsubishi L 200 Pick-up truck and I need around 1500 baht for a full tank.

I also have an 1100 cc Yamaha Virago, my hobby that eats quite a lot of money.

A full tank is around 400 baht and lasts around a week, depending on the free time I've got.

We also have an 1110 cc Yamaha Best with 75,000 km on the clock, still rides like a new one. Never had bigger issues, I service the bikes and sometimes also the car.

Changing the oil on all vehicles every 5,000 km, with the bikes more often. That's around 3,000 baht with filters.

I'd think I need around 5,000 + baht per month for our vehicles, but there's always something breaking down and then it can get expensive.

We get our rice for free from my parents in law who are rice farmers. Food and drinks are usually around 6 to 7,000 baht, but we often eat out. That's an additional 6,000 baht.

Again, I'm lucky to have the Thai social security working as an English teacher. All medical expenses, excluding dental care ( only 900 baht per year by social insurance).

Schools here range from 3,000 baht per year to 120,000 baht.

The 120,000 baht is even for Kindergarten level at the local demonstration school, part of the Rajabhat University, relatively new.

Government high schools without an English program where kids only have an hour of English per week are cheap, from 3 to 5,000 baht per year.

But you have to add uniforms, books, etc..and the usual corruption fees...

( Even when they say education is free). Then there are certain English Programmes, many of them are not even good, but very expensive.

The one high school with an EP is around 120,000 baht per year, the one with an IEP ( Intensive English around 6,000 to 8,000 baht per year).


Electricity is usually between 950 and 1,200 baht, gas around 400 baht, ( good for 2.5 months of cooking), water usually between 350 and 500 baht, TOT Fiber high-speed Internet 750 baht/month.

We don't have mobile phone subscriptions as I've got the internet at school and at home.


  Almost nothing. I might start some weight lifting which is quite expensive doing it at a studio. Around 600 baht /month, perhaps more. Depending on the length of the contract.


Having a few vehicles, you'll find out that always something breaks down.

If I need new tires at my car they're around 20,000 baht, pay for insurance and tax for all vehicles, another 6,000 are gone.


    Kind regards,

     Mike. Sisaket

When considered about the cost of living in Thailand, it depends on the person who and how he/she is spending their income. Considering us, we are two, living in Rayong “An industrial City”. We are here for past 2.5years and previously was in central Thailand. When compared to Bangkok the expenses incurred here are quite less but it has its own disadvantages.

As we all know our basic necessity includes food, clothing & shelter. It's time to talk about the important one SHELTER. We live in a detached house in a small community near Central, Rayong. 1st to 5th of every month we need to settle our rent along with the electricity and water. Also there's a huge expense in the name of RENTAL DEPOSIT. Normally it's 2 months deposit which is about 20,000 thb for one year contract. 
1.    It's a 2BHK fully furnished house costing 10,000 Thb per month
2.    Electricity 4.5 thb per unit varying from 600-1000 thb per month and
3.    Water is about 30 thb per unit again somewhere from 150-300 thb per month.

Let's elaborate some more about the FOOD section expenses. Being vegetarian, we have very less opportunity to eat outside. We have very minimum options like sizzlers, pizza hut, the pizza company and burger king. When we consider the typical THAI cuisine, we do have options like requesting someone in the food court of any mall to make it “J”.

Roughly when we consider eating outside for 2times a week, it may cost around 1000-1200 thb per week. So, it comes to 5000 thb per month. And all the weekdays that left out is for cooking at home (huge task). When we cook at home, we buy
1.    Groceries – 1200 thb
2.    Vegetables – 1200 thb
3.    Fruits – 1000 thb
4.    Diary like milk, plain yogurt – 1000 thb

7-11 is the one main thing that induces our food cravings more. Weekly basis we spend about 300 thb like buying pepsi, nuts, desserts – Danish roll, cakes, breads, chocolates, biscuits, ice creams and what not!! 

The last important necessity is CLOTHING. Since we are a little miser people, we spend less on this department. We don't buy it every month. So, it varies from month to month. If we purchase some clothing, it might come from 3000-4000 thb (OMG, definitely not every month).

When we go to other important costs, we will consider the following:
1.    Something very important to commute – A CARrrrr… which comes with a gasoline (E85). We used to go for a round if we feel boredom at home, weekends outings, groceries shopping 2times a week, gym and market. Per month approximately we incur about 2500-3000 thb for gasoline only. We also have a bike and gasoline(E95) comes around 300 thb PM.
2.    Toiletries probably around 300-500 thb
3.    Telecommunications including
a.    Internet subscriptions – 250 thb (3BB Fiber)
b.    Mobile top up – 600 thb (2 SIM card – AIS & DTAC)
4.    Maid for cleaning restrooms – 300 thb
5.    Mowing the lawn – 400 thb (3months once)
6.    Cooking gas – 400 thb (4months once)
7.    Entertainment including movies, popcorn, drinks, outing with friends, entrance fees – 2000thb


TOTAL EXPENSES PER MONTH = 30,000 thb approximately (excluding clothing).


Another important aspect is the MEDICAL EXPENSES. Since we have insurance issued by the company, we are managing. Even with the insurance, sometimes they will charge about 2000-5000 thb for one visit if they do ultrasound, physical treatment, blood tests etc. if there is no insurance and if you don't know to speak Thai, you have to visit the fancy huge hospitals, eventually come out with the bill for about a  minimum of 1500 thb just for one visit if you have common cold, fever, sprain, inflammation, accident etc. 

1.    Car insurance and taxes – 2500 thb
2.    Bike insurance and taxes – 800 thb
3.    Gym membership – 10,000 thb for 2
4.    Rental Deposit – 20,000 thb (will be returned in full if the house is returned in the same condition)
5.    Taxes that you pay to the government from your income – 130,000 thb

Contingent expenses include:
1.    Car wear and tear – 4000 thb even if I have an insurance
2.    Huge medical expenses


TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENSES INCLUDING ALL = 540,000 thb

These are the major and main cost of living in Thailand. As I said earlier, it may vary depending on the possession of goods, spending mentality, purchasing power etc.

Thank you

Regards
Ragini

This is my 3rd year in Bangkok.

I rent a small studio apartment at one of the IDEO condos, near the ICON SIAM mall. It is 1 minute away from the BTS station. It's small at about 26sqm. I pay about THB14k a month and it's a minimum of 1 year rental agreement. The condo has a small swimming pool, car-park and also someone who does the laundry for a small fee. There is also a Max Value convenience store there.

I don't drive. I rely on the BTS skytrain and MRT underground. I use the ARL to go to the main airport and take the A1 bus to DMK. Depending on distance, tickets can be as cheap as THB16 to more than THB50. I would say THB1,500 a month should be more than enough for daily travels

I eat out alot being alone. You can get a meal for THB100 and below and most foodcourts. Food at restaurants are rather expensive, expect to pay more than THB1,000 at normal cafes or restaurants. I don't singles can save much more if they cook at home.

Health insurance is a little tricky. It really depends who your provider is and how comprehensive the cover will be. It also depends on your current health condition and age. I would say good plans will cost at least THB70,000 and above - depending on the coverage you will need. This will get you access to high end private hospitals and possible regional medical facilities. Medical costs in Thailand can be expensive and medical inflation is known to be high.

At home, i have a postpaid mobile phone subscription with data. I pay about THB600 a month and get about 7GB i think from AIS as operator. I also use their playbox service and you get HBO channel for example and along with the internet 100mbps - about THB1,500 a month.

I switch on the air-condition unit for at least 15 hours a day. Only 1 unit. I also hog the Playstation a lot. Electricity is on average THB2,000 a month. Water is cheap, it goes as lows at THB300 and i do take many showers and sometimes hand-wash certain garments.

I don't have kids but i mingle with many principals / teachers. International schools can vary but THB80,000 per semester should not sound out of ordinary

I have a couple of credit cards. A Visa annual fee costs me about THB10,000 a year. An American Express costs me about THB35,000 a year. They don't seem to offer a credit card waiver charge for using them. (at least i have not been successful) 

I think many above have mentioned, depending on your threshold - you can cut corners in terms of rent location and food choices (quality of life) and even shopping items.

I would say a single expat  earning at least THB50,000 a month can probably have a decent life with little luxury or savings. You may not get to go to Europe for holidays so often but you can have access around the country or even regionally at reasonable prices.

Happy to address any queries you may have

JWNYsg wrote:

I have a couple of credit cards. A Visa annual fee costs me about THB10,000 a year. An American Express costs me about THB35,000 a year. They don't seem to offer a credit card waiver charge for using them. (at least i have not been successful)

Huh?  What exactly do you get in return for this yearly 45kTHB?

Please check out the link below to see the average cost of living in Thailand which can also be used for any other country in the world.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c … y=Thailand

Can anyone help or confirm the new health insurance rules when applying for a OA Visa, they appear to be very high and was wondering if this is causing financial difficulties for existing expats?
Are expats leaving Thailand because of the new rules?

See article link below;

https://www.emigrate.co.uk/news/2020030 … ree-lives-

AussieG

Can anyone help or confirm the new health insurance rules when applying for a OA Visa, they appear to be very high and was wondering if this is causing financial difficulties for existing expats?
Are expats leaving Thailand because of the new rules?

See article link below;

https://www.emigrate.co.uk/news/2020030 … ree-lives-

Hi,

Foreign applicants for a non-immigrant O-A visa will be required to purchased health insurance from 31st of October 2019. This new insurance rule is going to apply to both new applicants for O-A category and current O-A category visa holders. 

The new rules states that, for those aliens who has been granted non-immigrant O-A visa, must buy a Thai health insurance online via https://longstay.tgia.org/home/companiesoa, which will cover the length of the stay. The amount should not be less than 40,000Thb coverage for outpatient treatment and no less than 400,000Thb for inpatient treatment. All aliens who has granted non-immigrants O-A visa category based on the above-mentioned condition will be allowed to stay for period of insurance coverage. Further extension will be granted for one year.

However, it doesn't apply to those who are applying for an extension of stay based on retirement (class O visa) and applies for class O-A visa only. 
The Thai government claims that the new health insurance rule was introduced because of the increasing number of unpaid medical bills from expats living in Thailand. The majority of unpaid bills were from retires.
This is actually not a new rule though. However, holders of non-immigrant visa O-X (five years retirement visa) have required mandatory insurance since 2017.

The Thai government is specific with the insurance providers which includes the following companies:
1.    Thai health insurance Public Company Ltd
2.    Bangkok insurance Public Company Ltd
3.    Sompo Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Ltd
4.    Aetna health insurance (Thailand) Public Company Ltd
5.    The Navakij insurance Public Company Ltd
6.    Thaivivat insurance Public Company Ltd
7.    AXA insurance Public Company Ltd
8.    Thaivivat insurance Public Company Ltd
9.    Pacific cross health insurance Public Company Ltd
10.    The Viriyah insurance Public Company Ltd
11.    Dhipaya insurance Public Company Ltd
12.    The Falcon insurance Public Company Ltd
13.    LMG insurance Public Company Ltd

The insurance plan should cover both inpatient and outpatient coverage and these amounts have to be clearly stated in order to avoid any miscommunication with immigration officer. Right now, you can't make or renew the retirement visa with offshore insurance. But this may change in near future.

The easiest way to acquire an insurance is though https://misterprakan.com/en/health/heal … insurance. You can compare the local insurance plans and choose the best one that suits you or you can also hire a broker for more suitable plans. The premium amount depends on the age, underlying medical conditions, area and amount of coverage. But the plan should satisfy the new requirements of 40,000Thb for outpatient coverage and 400,000Thb for inpatient coverage.

If you are planning to apply for class O-A visa or if you are extending your stay, you need to have the health insurance with the above-mentioned amounts and classifications.

When considering the income for non-immigrant visa based on retirement category, you should possess either one of the following:
1.    Monthly income of no less than 65,000Thb
2.    At least 2 months prior to filing date and at least 3 months after the granting of visa, you should have a deposit in a commercial bank located in Thailand of no less than 800,000Thb. However, after granting permission, you can withdraw the sum amount. But you should maintain balance in the bank account for no less than 400,000Thb.
3.     Annual earning (65000 X 12) + deposit in commercial bank located in Thailand with totaling of no less than 800,000Thb as of filing date. The said deposit will remain in the bank prior to and after the permission granted. The withdrawal condition remains to be the same. (same as mentioned in point 2)

Full details of the new requirements can be found here: https://www.immigration.go.th/read?cont … LUU_LlGn0.

Hope I helped you.

Thank you
Have a good day

Thank you Sai for taking the time to respond, very informative and very much appreciated.

Cheers G

Why do people include things like food, consumables, toiletries etc, when at your home country you would be paying for them, and likely at a higher prices.

Odd. i.e. you have to eat. I never factor food into a budget, as it's a given (unless going somewhere more expensive than your home country, or where you're going from).