Living in Bangkok on $615/month! Cost of Living Thailand

If you are looking to live or travel in Bangkok on a strict budget, this video will be your complete guide to Cost of Living.
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Why I moved to Thailand?
• I left the WEST and mo...
My cost of living in Bangkok
• Living in Bangkok on $...
29 Thailand Tips
• 29 things I wish I kne...
34 Scams to Avoid
• 34 worst SCAMS in THAI...
Thailand Condo Rental Guide
• Renting a condo in Ban...
Where to stay in Bangkok
• The 10 Best Areas to S...
Chapters
Intro 0:00
Breakfast 1:52
Lunch 2:27
Dinner 4:13
Snacks 5:26
Basic Supplies 6:06
Rent 6:25
Utilities 7:25
Phone and Internet 7:38
Transportation 8:31
Shopping 9:31
Nightlife 10:05
Fitness 11:04
Travel 11:29
11:57 Lessons Learned
Attributions
Music from #InAudio: inaudio.org/
Track Name: Lo-Fi Japanese Chill by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Tokyo Streets

[@mikewilliams4168]

It’s fascinating. For $615 USD you actually led a pretty full life. In North America you would likely be homeless on that amount of money. I’d love to bend your ear on where to get a great condo in Bangkok. I’m leaving for Thailand in 9 days!

[@MrORANGEMAN1966]

No way in Hell you can anyone live anywhere for $615 USD in this world

[@thebangkokguide]

I’d recommend coming and just checking the areas that interest you. I’m working on a video about the different areas to live in so that might be helpful! Cheers!

[@livinb450]

I call bs.

[@mikewilliams4168]

@@thebangkokguide Thanks Cal my pal. I look forward to the VOD 🎉

[@michaeldileo8815]

I'm not trying to blow sunshine up you, but when it's time for me to move to Thailand, I'm going to binge watch all your videos and take notes. The quality of practical info you provide is nonpareil. I appreciate each and every bit of advice you can provide!

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers! Thanks for the kind words. It means a lot!

[@zooman1036]

We would welcome you to Thaialnd

[@michaeldileo8815]

@@zooman1036 Thank you so much! Thailand is very welcoming, which is a big part of why I love it.

[@SoldierTrading]

I've just let the military, they give me $950 a month pension, I'm going for the basic life in Thailand at the end of this year, I'm just stuck between Jamtien, or Hui Hin, or Bangkok. I'm 42 and single so seems the right thing to do, the UK isn't a place I like being right now. Condo searching is my main focus right now, great video.

[@blazincanuk1859]

You have to be over 50 or spend a rediculous amount on elite visa.

[@auwz66]

Bangkok is expensive mate. I would not want to live on $950 PCM there. Jomtien is just a massive beach littered with condos and 65 year old s3x pests who have burned out on Pattaya bar girls. Hua Hin is probably the best between the two. Cheaper than both. Decent weather still and you can go in the sea if you are careful where you pick. Condos are cheap, food is cheaper and there is a decent number of expats. Just watch out for the all day beer sessions.. they turn into all week.. FWIW I just came back to the UK. Its got too expensive for me. Plus the new tax rules. If I were you I would not commit to Thailand long term to start with. Get yourself a 6 month visa (costs about £150). If you time it right you can spend about 9 months there on that visa. I would do that first and see how you get on. Dont forget you are still 8 years from being able to get a retirement visa... so you will need to buy a visa. They are not cheap. Your best bet on that front is to get an ED visa to start with. But dont do this straight away. HTH!

[@jfletchbeats5882]

Hua Hin prolly your best bet for that range :) should be a lovely life!

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah, good points all around. Definitely try it out with the Multiple Entry Tourist Visa first... you can get 9 months with that. I have a couple of videos here about visas. I recommend checking them out, and definitely watch the video about finding a condo. That link is in the description for this video. It will save you a lot of hassles. Overall I'd argue that Bangkok can be fairly inexpensive though. It really depends on your lifestyle (beach or city)...alcohol will generally destroy your budget quickly. Cheers!

[@MrORANGEMAN1966]

The only places you can live on $950 a month are Issan and maybe maybe Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai

[@kumasuke1]

Living on a budget that you are comfortable with and scalling up/down if need be as you said at the end is a very wise idea. Living well within your means is the name of the game. Great video!

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words! Totally agree!

[@cherylsaetae4818]

This video was 100 💯 correct!!! Having lived here before and now visiting for three months I found EVERYTHING you said to be right on track!! GOOD JOB

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words! Cheers!

[@retiredsailor4]

Love your videos Cal. You presented this particular video so well and I really appreciate you taking the time to do these so well.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words! Much appreciated!

[@alanpepper7250]

You’re impressive Cal. Resourceful and disciplined. Bent your reality to make it work.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words! Much appreciated.

[@user-hc3ce7ye6r]

Great advice. Just found your channel and subscribed. First time in BKK was 37 years ago and I manage to return every 5-7 yrs although this time will be 12 year gap. Will be amazing to see the changes. Arriving March 1. Will see how much Thai language I’ve retained. Hope to return to the north (depending on air quality) and jump over to Danang for a few days. Love this channel, keep it up👍!

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words! I just visited Danang. Will get around to posting some content. Absolutely beautiful region there as well! Cheers

[@BazinThailand]

You live in Thonburi, which is way cheaper than the other side!!! So cool!

[@thebangkokguide]

Yep. Although now I live in Rama 9. Very nice as well 😊

[@bradley_Bradley]

Excellent Vid and packed with great info ! Thx again Cal !

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers! Thanks for the kind words!

[@CullenTravels]

Your adventures inspire me to step out of my comfort zone and explore the world! Thanks for sharing these incredible moments.

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers! Thanks for the kind words!

[@marcinliandzis1827]

Love your videos Cal , I was going to come to Thailand in Feb for a recon trip before moving there , but because of some unforeseen circumstances Im unable to do so . Its just a matter of time so until then I will be watching your videos Cheers !

[@thebangkokguide]

It’s alright. Your skipping expensive pollution season haha! Hope everything get sorted out. Cheers!

[@myfha9999]

Thank you for presenting Thailand. It was excellent. Welcome to Thailand🙏😊😊🇹🇭

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 🙏

[@jbsimplechart]

Great Video, i am thinking to come to Thailand over the Winter from Dez. - March and your video will help to calculate my budget :)

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers! I’m glad it was helpful!

[@Clembo]

Just had some of the best scran of my life for 80 baht. You can live on 700 USD easily and live a great life.

[@thebangkokguide]

Yep, great value! Cheers!

[@LamNguyen-qb4ic]

Woo I am impressive with your budget. Good luck and enjoy your time in Thailand 👍.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you!

[@mintitathailand8793]

Thank you bro for your explain 😎

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers!

[@Sa7biUK]

Outstanding info as usual. I am torn between BK and HCMC having visited them both in the last year and currently wrapping things up in London UK before I make the big move. Your videos make a strong case for BK, the government should pay you a commission if I decide to move there 😀

[@thebangkokguide]

HCMC is great as well. Just visited central Vietnam and it’s beautiful. Will upload some content from there as I’ve spent a lot of time traveling in Vietnam as well. If you don’t organize a long term visa, your best option might be splitting time between the two. This is very common for digital nomads.

[@Sa7biUK]

I look forward to your VN content eagerly. And thanks for the tip about splitting time between the two, I'd never have thought of that but it's a great insider tip!

[@eamesho7723]

both beautiful countries but based on my personal experience, bangkok trumps it for me. More english speakers there, and thai is also an easier language to learn. Public transport is non-existent in HCMC and the traffic is a nightmare to drive on as well.

[@symesn]

Best budget video yet. Shows you can live a very fugal healthy life on the budget. People tend to spend money because they are lazy and they need a distraction so they over spend

[@thebangkokguide]

Very well put. I always find that the more focused I am on a project, the less money I spend...simply because I'm busy. Cheers!

[@Paul_R1206]

I enjoy your videos Cal. I’ll look you up once I get there after the sale of my house. I’ll be in Pattaya though.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you and sounds good! Cheers

[@scandicdream]

Great video btw 😊.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you!

[@WanderlustReports]

Great video as are all your others. There's something you didn't talk about as you are still young and in good health, but for older people, most of them would need a good health insurance, and that might cost up to half of your 600$ budget depending on age...

[@thebangkokguide]

This is definitely true. I am working on a healthcare video as it’s also necessary and would definitely add an additional cost. I think this budget wouldn’t make sense for a retiree though…this is more of a digital nomad hustle budget. I will talk more about retirement in another video as I have met many retirees here as well. Cheers!

[@nigelc.7818]

IF and fitness teaches great discipline which enables you to do this budget easily. For most people, they would struggle as they would not be so disciplined with food.

[@thebangkokguide]

Great point. Totally agree!

[@Jorge-Perez]

Hey Cal, thanks for the info and well done!. Fellow Canadian youtuber here, any tips for short term stays and short term rentals? let's say a month or two, I'll be there soon so would love to get some tips and tricks from you, I'll buy you a beer! cheers bud!

[@thebangkokguide]

I would recommend getting a serviced apartment. These are normally listed on Renthub and do shorter term rentals…otherwise you can check Facebook marketplace for lease takeovers, but there can be a lot of scams there so need to be cautious! Sounds good and safe travels!

[@gregsmitz6310]

Very informative, i have plans to move to Thailand. I been speaking with a Thai woman that is a farmer. I am 58 and she is 53 years. It definitely seems very cheap to live in rural areas. I am not a farmer 😂 but maybe after speaking with her about it, we may move to a beach location, thats if we sell the farm and buy a condo on the beach ⛱️ which has always been a dream of mine. She does have a nice house, but to upgrade to American Standards would take much money possibly. Thanks for the video!

[@thebangkokguide]

Sounds like a good plan overall! Beach and rural life might be quite nice also! Cheers

[@louis20122]

All of your vlogs are very informative and useful. For me, probably $2,000 USD a month is sufficient enough to live comfortably there. But air quality is a concern. Also, I may prefer Hua Hin or Jomtien for retirement.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. My current budget is $1700 and definitely a nice quality of life. Air quality is definitely a problem. Been a rough few days here! If you can escape south for January and February, it's a lot better. I'd recommend trying them all out and seeing what you like best! Cheers and thanks for he kind words!

[@suhribzevolution645]

1,200-2,000 US live The king

[@ITW_YTRealRoadTo500_TH]

Thankyou for coming to Thailand🙏🙏🙏

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 🙏 😊

[@aislynn001]

I'm in Bangkok right now (a month-long stay), we're planning to retire here. We love the street food. When I was in my wheelchair, we had to go to wheelchair accessible places (the sidewalks aren't usually great), but it's so much more affordable than where we live (Denmark). Thankfully no wheelchair this time, it's much easier to get to all that wonderful street food. Hello again, fried chicken ^_^

[@thebangkokguide]

It's definitely much more affordable than my home country of Canada as well. Accessibility is a challenge though! Cheers!

[@aislynn001]

@@thebangkokguide And the weather is so much nicer, too. Though 34 is pretty intense today.

[@relaxtravelers]

If you life as Thai people local. - Meal not over 10$ per day is fine. (1-2$ per meal)😊 - Room , apartment or condominium 200-400$ per month is ok 😎 - Transportation in city Should not over 5$ per day is fine. 🙏

[@thebangkokguide]

It’s a very nice life even on a low budget! Cheers

[@ManSantichai]

Yeah, as a Thai, my start salary was just around $450 but I could live in Bangkok just fine. Living in Thai is cheap but foreigners might be charged extra in something like Taxi cost, the bad taxi drivers would not use mitre but try to charge foreigners double or triple the usual cost. I recommend you guys to use the metro train (and walk a bit) instead of taxi.

[@thebangkokguide]

This is true. I generally prefer the public transportation… faster and less traffic as well! 🙏

[@2005CessnaPilot]

@@thebangkokguide The red buses we rode daily to MBK Center from Sathorn w/out air conditioning (just ceiling fans) were 12 baht last spring and a real experience! Windows open, lots of action, noise and crazy bus drivers. Try it for the adventure. You'll be the only farangs aboard.

[@thaidawg9231]

Was this apartment you;re speaking of in a quiet area and did you have flooding in your area ?

[@thebangkokguide]

It wasn't ideal. Traffic was a bit busy, although the room itself was quiet. Didn't have any flooding problems.

[@AndrewCouch]

For me on a tourist visa I'm paying 25k baht for rent (utilities, gym, internet included, 300m away from BTS Nana), 400 baht a day for food, 1,000 baht for transportation, 350 baht for phone, and 5000 baht for odds and ends (drinks, clothes, toiletries, etc.) So for a total of 25,000 + (400 * 30) + 1,000 + 350 + 5,000 = 43,350 baht / 1,200 USD a month. Obviously the 5,000 baht fluctuates for going out and rent would be much less if done on a yearly contact but it's a pretty good budget for upper middle class living compared to the US (my rent in Omaha was $1,000 a month alone).

[@thebangkokguide]

That's a good budget. My current budget is actually 60,000 Baht but my condo is still only 10,000! After living on a very cheap budget, I realized that I didn't need to spend more on my condo.. that was actually fine, and I added to my food and travel budget to add more value to my life. Bangkok is great for budgeting because you can add or take away so many different expenses at any time. Cheers!

[@MrORANGEMAN1966]

Jesus Christ !!!😂😂😂 you might as well live in NEW YORK !!!!!

[@farangatang]

25k per month is ridiculous. I agree that your budget should be focused on doing things, instead of your condo. 10k max per month even in Bangkok for a very decent condo

[@lavista4u]

Purchasing Power Parity of Thai Bhat is 3.6 times higher than USD, so 1000 dollars in Thailand buys you stuff equal to 3600 dollars in America. An average Thai earning 500 USD is equal to an American earning 1800 dollars. Even if you could make 500 dollars online, you could live a good life in thailand

[@thebangkokguide]

That seems very accurate. Good information. Thanks for the input!

[@julienrocher1]

That is a massive price. My Thai wife and I rented a serviced hotel room with kitchenette, small dining bathroom and bedroom for 10000 (282USD) for the month. Had we done a deal for a few months it could have been 7000 bhat. (197 USD) It has parking a gym and pool. Everything is new clean and it is air-conditioned. The price includes electricity water and WIFI! You just need to be one to two train stops away from the bargirl touristy locations.

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah, the apartments are definitely a cheaper option. As I mentioned in the video, it would definitely be possible to save more money on the rent. Cheers

[@kattykatty3554]

Hi, can you provide the hotel name? And how can I find out those serviced hotel information?

[@alviislam4412]

Woulld you say if i want to stay in a decnet 2-3 star hotel and spend mod amount on food likee 700-800 bht on 2 meals a day, including food, trarnsportation and hotel, would you say i can surrvivve ethailand with $400 for 12 days inlcudinng food 2 meeaels a day, transportation and hotel and other expenses?

[@thebangkokguide]

You could do it but you’d need to stay in very inexpensive hotels.

[@goodtaste4]

A Little off topic. How do you deal with air pollution? That's my biggest worry if i'm going to relocate.

[@thebangkokguide]

Not very well. My place is filled with air purifiers. Pollution season is a big negative overall.

[@lancewilliams5726]

How good can the food be when they don't store it in a container, everything is out in the open air, which doesn't seem healthy

[@thebangkokguide]

It really depends on the time of day and freshness. Definitely need to be a bit careful when the food is sitting out in the heat for a long time!

[@Ginnyyy16]

Great video 👍😄

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you!

[@RamenGirlASMR]

How does one stay past the 1 mth visa is that hard or is it hard to stay say 1 year?

[@thebangkokguide]

You can stay fairly easily for around 9 months. I recommend watching this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5_UlJurlJeAp7ssi=qAI6tQEam_koARJL

[@Hello_Vuitton]

I’m going there this July and need to find a place to stay for one month in July any ideas.? Of where the best budget place?

[@thebangkokguide]

Checkout a website called renthub and look at serviced apartments. They normally do 1 month rentals!

[@TheChadNapier]

Nice video bud

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks 🙏

[@scandicdream]

Haha, so funny, I remember about 20 years ago I had friend living out there. The city grows so fast (back then he didn’t even consider it Bangkok 😮)….

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah, I came here 10 years ago and it has changed dramatically since then. I think it would be almost unrecognizable from 20 years ago!

[@ytviewer172]

Cal, do you still have your Canadian/US bank and/or stock brokerage accounts? Do they require you to have a Canadian/US residential mailing address or they accept your Bangkok mailing address? What if you continually move to different cities in SE Asia and don't have a permanent Bangkok mailing address? Those banks and brokerage firms require 2 Factor Authentication to access your accounts, so are you using your Bangkok phone number for them to (somehow) text you a pass code?

[@thebangkokguide]

I have an account in Canada that is linked to Canadian banking. I set that up while I was in Canada but I try to avoid using it too much due to tax residence stuff. I have another account that is linked to my Thai account, and that required proof of address in Thailand. 2-factor authentication works fine for both with my Thai number, and I never had any issues.

[@ytviewer172]

@@thebangkokguide What if you no longer have a Canadian mailing address? Do the Canadian banks accept your Bangkok mailing address or will they close your accounts?

[@thebangkokguide]

I’d recommend just adding a relatives address for anything that is mailed. Normally they won’t close the accounts…at least they haven’t for me!

[@BokuMoney]

How is the air quality in BKK on average around this time of the year?

[@thebangkokguide]

Not good. This is pollution season. It’s best to avoid Bangkok and central-northern Thailand from January through to around mid March.

[@chaowaritc]

If you rent condo price 2,000-3,000 baht/month. You can save money more. Condo near Don muang Airport about 2 km. from Red line sky train Don muang station about 5 minute by minibus (รถสองแถว). I'm stayed but no gym , no swimming pool , no furniture but can cook and can doing anything many more same as home.😊 In Bangkok 10,000 USD. You can buy condo 1 bedroom 1 bathroom no furniture.

[@thebangkokguide]

This is true! You can find very inexpensive condos and apartments!

[@chaowaritc]

@@thebangkokguide Yes. I stayed. I buy 2 room. About 300,000 baht per room for 5th floor. Included air conditioner , bed and new paint with I like.

[@irkorpus]

what is a water refill station?? is that just tap water with a filter?

[@thebangkokguide]

It's a water purifier that some condos have... it's basically a filter system. Can also just buy one and put it directly on your tap though!

[@Wearenick]

Superb video.

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you!

[@djsweatshirtx]

The local mom & pop shop sells water orange thai brand 1.5Lx6 35B or 3 for 100B. Or 100B is 27L 😅. I way I cut my water costs. Although its a juggle getting that much water back on My scooter. The floor. Some in the storage. Big old backpack & your good

[@thebangkokguide]

That’s a solid move. Haha I have 711 downstairs and the laziness has me 😂

[@ceneusa]

I'm struggling for visa options in Thailand. What visa did you use yourself while there past 7 years? Great video BTW!

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words. I’ve used a work visa mostly. Visas are definitely one of the more difficult parts. I have a couple of videos on the subject that might be helpful.

[@ceneusa]

@@thebangkokguide thank you!

[@magnusemanuelsson4298]

Good video. You speak a very good english🙂

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@TheCasualTraveler]

How did you get a $6 phone plan?

[@thebangkokguide]

I walked into an AIS shop and asked the customer service rep. Just walk in and ask for the best pay as you go plan.

[@KB3TLE]

I hear no visa provision in the $615 budget ? How does it figure in your remaining in the country legally ( ? ) over time ? Not sure I understand this ?

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah I mentioned that I was working when I was on this budget. The visa was covered by my employer. I’ve covered visas at length in other videos as it’s kindof it’s own subject altogether.

[@KB3TLE]

@@thebangkokguide This is the 1st I saw of your videos - never seen you before. Thailand just doesn't impress me with being very friendly towards expats ? Been looking 2 years for cheap comfortable relaxed place to retire - and their Govt. want's too much $ of mine ! Now I also heard they want to tax incomes from anywhere !?! -- Has many pissed and wanting to leave. ( ? ) > Siem Reap perhaps to live and just visit there ? Cheap 1 hour flight away. (back and forth)

[@thebangkokguide]

If your over 50 the retirement visa is very straightforward and inexpensive… you’ll have no issues with that. The tax stuff is still pretty unclear, as it is likely intended to target offshore tax havens rather than retirees that will mostly be covered by double tax treaties. Worth waiting a few months until tax season comes along and see what makes the news. Plenty of great options in the region for sure though!

[@WillJ99999]

$21 per day is 600baht per day…..dude, most locals live with 300baht per day!

[@thebangkokguide]

300 baht is daily minimum wage…but the average salary in Bangkok is actually closer to 30,000 per month.

[@ReachingEgo]

Question do locals get better prices?

[@gmm5550]

Most important when u live in se-asia is to write down your expenses and make a budget "fun pleasure and alcohol" is as always he most expensive in se-asia and after a while u see what u spend on that and can make a fixed amount that u stick and never exceed it.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. It’s very inexpensive but alcohol and nightlife will blow a budget very quickly! Cheers

[@macspelling2239]

I read one of your comments about your visa and working at an international school. I taught English for 3 years in Korea from 03 to 05. I'm now 53 and curious if the schools hire people my age? Thanks for your time.

[@thebangkokguide]

You can probably find a job, but international schools normally require you to be a certified teacher in your home country with some teaching experience there. The job market for uncertified teachers is pretty rough... salaries are quite low and working conditions are pretty rough. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend it.

[@macspelling2239]

@@thebangkokguide Good to know, back in Korea, some people would work under the table, you know, outside the system doing one on one tutoring. Any knowledge on that?

[@hemorideriecht2329]

How much did you have to add for visa related cost ? e.g. for me it was around 130-140 USD per month for language school and visa extensions etc (which was already on the cheaper side) ..,...if visa runs, that also should add up quite much (while also being "fishy" if done too much)

[@thebangkokguide]

I had a work visa during this time at a fairly low commitment job at a university. Highly recommend that approach as you’ll avoid visa problems while not having a large workload.

[@hemorideriecht2329]

@@thebangkokguide ahh, that indeed sounds interesting, never thought of that. What kind of job was that? And did you just ask at universities, or is there an online place to look for such positions also available to foreigners? Was that part time Job? And there should be some qualification requirements justifying to allow a foreigner instead of Thai citizen?

[@thebangkokguide]

It was a lecturing position. It was full time but the hours were more part-time. I made alot of connections in the city and was offered the job through a mutual friend. But you can check for jobs at a site called ajarn.com There are very specific requirements for hiring foreigners. It can’t be a job that a Thai national can do.

[@hemorideriecht2329]

@@thebangkokguide ok , thank you for clarifying, I thought so Cheers

[@andypunlop]

How do you get visa for long stay period?

[@thebangkokguide]

I’m employed on a work visa.

[@Irina_You]

Обожаю Бангкок 😍🏙🛕

[@gif24gt60]

Is vietnam even cheaper for same quality?

[@thebangkokguide]

Yes, although the condo market is somewhat less developed. I'll be covering Vietnam shortly and some comparisons as I've spent quite a lot of time there as well!

[@mdebac]

Which visa you use for live there 7 years?

[@thebangkokguide]

I’m on a work visa! Visas are definitely a challenge for long term residency.

[@mdebac]

Cool, do you need to work for some their domestic company, or it can be foreign/outside of Thailand, as developers can? Thank you for answer

[@thebangkokguide]

It can be both. But the company needs to have an actual office in Thailand, and there are a bunch of regulations governing hiring foreigners legally. Remote work for a company without a presence in Thailand would not qualify for a work permit, except under very special circumstances.

[@EOWilsonWy]

What’s a 5 star Michelin restaurant?

[@thebangkokguide]

Missed the "and".... speaking on camera for a long time can lead to slips.

[@martred4579]

Nice overview of how to live on a budget in Bangkok, but you left out long term visa costs and health insurance. The last one can be pretty expensive if you are older. And I understand this was your budget in 2019 - those prices are not valid anymore in 2024, with inflation kicking in heavily the last couple of years.

[@thebangkokguide]

Correct. I was working at the time and had my visa and insurance covered, so I had to leave that off. But I agree they insurance would especially add a significant cost. Inflation hasn’t gone up too much in that time here… rent at the specific condo is still almost exactly the same.. massive condo oversupply has helped; and I’d add about 20% to the food budget. So it would be a little higher but nothing like the inflation in the west. Cheers!

[@salahuddin_dev]

Is 1000$ in koh samui okay?

[@thebangkokguide]

You should be able to survive on that, but Koh Samui is definitely more expensive!

[@albertomelendez9848]

Do you offer paid assistance to relocate to Bangkok on a budget ?

[@thebangkokguide]

Not at this time… although I may add some information around this at a later date

[@albertomelendez9848]

@@thebangkokguide I’ll be interested when you do, OK ?

[@thebangkokguide]

Sure. Definitely. Cheers!

[@r3llax]

damn im interested, and how do you earn your money? and how do you handle visa?

[@thebangkokguide]

I work here so that sorts out my visa as well. I also have online income streams. You'll need a relatively low stress work environment for it work best. Cheers!

[@davidm770]

Can you do a video on what online income stream you built please?

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah, I can discuss that in a future video. Cheers

[@namesurname7332]

Been spendind around $1k in Pattaya, this time hope to reduce my expenses in BKK and start a new Thai chapter. You didnt cover the way you legally stayed cause borderruns or school visas cost a bit too.

[@namesurname7332]

Very invigorating video by the way, I'm thrilled to try a new city 😊

[@thebangkokguide]

Thanks for the kind words. You should do fine with $1k in Bangkok if you control your spending. Visas are definitely a main challenge for staying long-term. When I was on this budget, I had a work visa with a quite relaxed job with what might be considered part-time hours. This can be the best approach to sorting out a visa longterm. Earns some extra money while still having a lot of free time and the visa sorted.

[@auwz66]

The main issue is food. Food is what makes 99% of people happy and content. You can live off street food and mall meals for a month ... or two.. or maybe 6 if needs must. But in reality the day will come when you want that burger. You want that steak and a glass of wine. I always tried to eat healthy (because a lot of street food is not healthy) and this cost more. Also beware the fruit sold by street vendors, its often grown in semi urban areas and can have a lot of toxins due to the poor soil and water quality. Personally I was spending around $500 per month on food. That was a mix of eating in my condo, malls, cheaper restaurants and the occasional grab. My 3 treats each year were Christmas, new year and birthday. Would normally spend $100 on each of those. Condos are very subjective. Overall budgets are subjective I guess, but Bangkok has so much to tempt you. Malls, nice shops, food every 20 paces, Grab, bars, nightclubs etc etc. Its one of the worst places to live on a budget IMO because there is so much going on and if you have any sort of social circle its almost certainly going to involve spending money. Add a Thai female into the mix and you can spend your life savings on food alone before she gets anywhere near a mall.... :)

[@thebangkokguide]

Good points and tips. When I followed this budget I was very focused on work, projects and fitness... actually I found it enjoyable. I cooked at home frequently, which I enjoy. So that gave me a lot of balance in my diet. Overall I think this budget works really well for somebody that is very focused on work and projects. It would be more difficult if you planned to relax and enjoy leisure time.

[@MrORANGEMAN1966]

I agree 1000 % I have been to Thailand 9 times and everytime its been the food that has broke me, I can only eat Thai food for so long can not tolerate eating the same 4 dishes over and over and over again !!!!!

[@keekwai2]

Buy mince, cook burger. Buy steak, cook it in a frypan. Are you REALLY that useless you have to go to a fast food joint or restaurant? LOL

[@namesurname7332]

Khao man gai every day for life 😊

[@anthony7091]

For me, every time l leave my house in Thailand I will spend money which is every day 🤷🏼‍♂️ Am fortunate with not paying rent or health insurance.

[@thebangkokguide]

I agree. There is always something to buy haha

[@AnuchaKanyakamin]

How foreigners live in Thailand really depends on how you want to live your lifestyle in Thailand .we can live high lifestyle or low budget as ex packer.

[@thebangkokguide]

Correct. It is very nice!

[@jimmccann3856]

Where is Rent in all of this?

[@thebangkokguide]

I cover rent at around the 6:30 mark

[@jimmccann3856]

ok thanks. I was really quite impressed with what you got for 10K! (The OTHER side of the river. Of course! Very logical.)@@thebangkokguide

[@nlqga]

Cal, weird question but i am going to bangkok on firday, can u score us some Coldplay tickets $$ ;)

[@thebangkokguide]

Sadly I can't help you there. Those sell out within the first hour here normally!

[@gif24gt60]

$615, with $350 toward health insurance?, idk

[@thebangkokguide]

Insurance will depend on age and underlying conditions…but you can definitely get cheaper insurance than that! Cheers

[@auwz66]

@@thebangkokguide I was paying about $120 a month. That was with World Nomads. The coverage was decent. I am in my 40s. Its still $1500 a year!! If you are over 55 I expect its going to be 3x that easy.

[@BB-yi6qn]

Would you rather live in Thailand or Canada?

[@thebangkokguide]

I like living in Thailand. Love Canada as well though!

[@Feewchann]

What up👋, Im a local thais, and I am living on less than 600$ per month sir!!

[@thebangkokguide]

Good. Can live very nicely! 🙏

[@williamfearon6180]

5 star Michelin restaurants... still waiting for those to happen mate

[@thebangkokguide]

Haha tripping up a couple of words while speaking 20 minutes to a camera. Try it out for yourself!

[@ayub44]

One of the honest cost of living in Bkk

[@thebangkokguide]

Thank you 🙏

[@bofares8935]

Hey cal, thanka for thr video. If i have 2000 dollars, wull i have a nice life there ?

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah you should live very comfortably. If your a big drinker you might blow through it a bit fast though!

[@robertbrzheintzbrz147]

And on which visa are you living there? At your age you can’t use retirement, so there is only marriage, which I highly doubt, or an elite visa which needs a few 100k USD spent. Otherwise you can’t stay long enough in Thailand.

[@thebangkokguide]

I was on a work visa at the time.

[@ThaiStyle]

เมืองไทยยังมีสิ่งดีๆอีกเยอะครับ มาเที่ยวไทยกันเยอะๆนะครับ

[@thebangkokguide]

Definitely! Love Thailand!

[@edsanjenis9416]

Very accurate: Thai people probably earn less than $400 a month, and in most videos, you seem to need $2,000 to live comfortably.

[@thebangkokguide]

It really depends on lifestyle. I have lived on many different budgets, and they actually all allow for a comparatively good quality of life.

[@user-sr9le7xn2j]

Hi, you forgot to consider visa and healthcare cost. Without visa you can't stay in Thailand.

[@thebangkokguide]

This is true. In this situation I managed to get a work visa. The visa situation is a whole different story to cover, but this is definitely true.

[@paulthulborn]

What about visa and that I'm 40k baht month with visas and everything live with girlfriend

[@thebangkokguide]

I have a work visa, so it isn’t an issue for me…but would need to add visa costs.

[@paulthulborn]

Ok thanks was just wondering that's all

[@thebangkokguide]

Cheers

[@Hmmm313]

⁠whats up with the tax?

[@thebangkokguide]

Which tax? Sales or income?

[@morningcoffee4456]

According to reddit you need at least 3k usd a month to live in bangkok lol. Had people telling me they spent 25-30k baht for a 1 bed...smh.

[@thebangkokguide]

You can definitely live on much less. I get a lot of comments telling me that half the budgets I've followed are totally impossible. Always entertaining lol

[@TheListPlanet]

My god, some of the ignorance in the comment section, how do you deal with it? lol. Good video.

[@thebangkokguide]

It can be entertaining at time 👀😅 Thank you for the kind words!

[@jonatankaszkowiak]

How you are able to stay in Thailand for 7 years, are you working for thai company? What is your visa?

[@thebangkokguide]

I teach at an international school here.

[@maniastrat]

Good low budget living but should include visa fees & some kind of accident insurance or health insurance for most folks. Unless of course they have 5 million baht in a bank for such an emergency. Folks need to know 60 die per day on average in Thailand at road accident sites. Tons more are badly injured. Hospitals in Thailand are cheap for diagnostics but not for major items. This is why Go Fund Me is so often pleaded in Thailand by foreigners...Not a good look & most do not realize Thailand will ask before treating you how you will pay...If you cannot show that they need not treat you but will send you to a govt hospital where you will still have to pay .

[@thebangkokguide]

This is true. But these costs are just a bit more complicated because they really depend on each individual's circumstance. On this budget, I had a job with visa and health insurance coverage. For people without a visa or health insurance coverage, it is too complicated to cover in a budget video. I have a separate video about visas, and I'm working on another one about healthcare. It would have tripled the length of the video if I covered these adequately here.

[@robertbrzheintzbrz147]

AND NO HEALTH INSURANCE???

[@user-vt9bk9qn5l]

$615 per month is my car payment excluding gas, insurance etc 😅

[@thebangkokguide]

This sounds about right!

[@frankkluz9787]

2019 prices are useless for 2024 expectations of costs. I quit watching immediately after 1:49 ! (for that reason) How about a redo on maybe $1000/mo. and include visa costs w/o any huge deposits in their banks ? 🤔

[@thebangkokguide]

Thailand hasn’t experienced inflation like western countries. The condo prices are almost identical and often lower due to the drop in demand from the Chinese market. Food prices are a bit higher, but again nothing like in western countries. Anyway no worries. Cheers

[@frankkluz9787]

@@thebangkokguide Appreciate that but it's either expensive for a huge deposit required or do the pain in the ass visa runs isn't it ? Cambodia is much friendlier and so is the Philippines where both speak much more English and offer easier friendlier cheaper visas ? --- I'm still looking - Malaysia included because of English. -?- Trying to get '''comfortable retirement''' on about $1500 (usd) w/o much fuss !!! > Seems only logical English (for me) would greatly simplify daily life ? --- All the best.

[@thebangkokguide]

Yeah that makes sense. The visa can definitely be more of a hassle in Thailand. If your over 50 the retirement visa is very straightforward but does require you to have 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account. English is quite good in Bangkok and more touristy areas like Pattaya and Phuket, but Philippines and Malaysia will certainly have higher levels.

[@philgoescrazy]

Bali is better than Thailand (unless it's rainy season) and the local women don't have HIV...or do they?

[@peterdutchy]

No way,Bali is living on past glory perhaps, Thailand .so many options.

[@lifeasithappens]

$615 a month ??? Where are you living under by the train tracks?

[@thebangkokguide]

Actually the condo was very nice!

[@Emdep17213]

C'est toujours mieux chez soi. Partir vivre en étranger, je vous dis que ce n'est pas terrible. La loi dans les pays asiatiques change très vite et brusquement, cela peut vous coûter très cher.

[@thebangkokguide]

Correct. The laws change very quickly and randomly.

[@livinb450]

I could never live here no matter how cheap. I’m in a 2 month stay, and this is a very sad lonely place.

[@thebangkokguide]

Fair enough. I have definitely met a few people who didn't love living in Bangkok! Cheers

[@livinb450]

And breathing air, is essential to live. This is the worst air I’ve ever had to live on.

[@thebangkokguide]

been tough lately

[@livinb450]

@@thebangkokguide another problem that I can’t accept is how hard it is to do simple visa stuff. As an American, I get an easy 30 day visa. Extending it another 30 was a horrible experience. Multiple visits to accomplish nothing. Hire an agent, same documents, easy. I had to spend 6500 baht, for a 30 day extension. Other countries visitors, get 90 days, from all Russia, China, India, ect. Me pay and jump thru hoops. Needing an agent, having this whole industry of visa help.. unbelievable. I’m not welcome here. The gov isn’t welcoming. Not the land of smiles. I get good morning and a smile out of strangers in Mexico, not here.

[@erdncgurel3489]

Wow it looks cheaper than Istanbul

[@thebangkokguide]

I think it probably is... but I've never visited Istanbul!

[@erdncgurel3489]

@@thebangkokguide well the decent studio here starts with this price! So… and it is not easier to rent like this

[@isabellaschopper8988]

Wow 1000 dollar wow to mutc me only maybe 300 Euro I have a house in cavite filipines

[@thebangkokguide]

I think smaller cities would be less expensive here as well!

[@MeditateMeHigher]

I did it on 750AUD 😂 easy! Dont listen to the expensive folk! But u cant go to Jomtien forget pattaya go north! PAI!

[@thebangkokguide]

Pai is great. Very beautiful and relaxed!

[@vivigirl1456]

1:33 You look like Bear Grylls!

[@thebangkokguide]

Very nice compliment! Love Bear Grylls! Thank you 😊

[@bsways]

That condo you show is absolutely not a 280/month one. That’s a bit misleading.

[@thebangkokguide]

First, this is a budget from 2019…so there might be a slight price difference. And second, have you actually looked at the prices at that condo? Yes… it is.

[@bsways]

@@thebangkokguide what's the best way to see places? Go to the touristic office of the condo or contact from websites? Is it possible to negotiate the price?

[@thebangkokguide]

I would recommend watching my video on finding a condo here as I cover a lot quickly in it! It will answer all the questions better than I could here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4G3qqyOqcapbtksi=uv2VyslsvFFZEsKv