Is it possible to live well in Thailand with 1000 usd per month?

This is a very common question among people from countries like the USA and Europe, who are contemplating to live for longer periods abroad, either as just a long time tourist, or for retirement:

How much can I live on in that or that location?

The immediate answer when it comes to Thailand, is that NO! you can NOT stay here in a decent way for 1000 usd a month.
But if you are desperate, of course you can survive in Thailand on that amount.

I have lived for quite some time in both Thailand, Indonesia and in the Philippines on a budget of 850 usd a month, so I can try to share some of my experiences.

In Thailand, I have lived for around 3 years, in Bali for 1 year, and in the Philippines for around 3 years.
Due to my low budget, I have had to lower the costs until a breaking point, not having a decent living situation really.

Here I will present some figures about what it will cost to have a normal good life in

 

THAILAND: 1262 usd/month

Thailand has some advantages over the other 2 mentioned countries when it comes to housing and infrastructure etc.

Some of the main reasons for Westerns, especially from cold countries like myself, to go to South East Asia is to be able to enjoy beaches, swim in a pool, enjoy eating out for a cheap money and also to explore the area or the country. Meeting Asian women are of course also a strong motivation for many men,but that may break your budget quickly!

HOUSING: 350 usd/month

Due to the fact that there has been built too many housing projects in Pattaya and the surrounding areas, it is quite easy to find a nice fully furnished studio condo here for just a month or two for a very reasonable price, especially in the LOW SEASON (February-June and September-November).

You can just do some online research and then when you arrive, you may already have your place with good quality furnitures and maybe even access to a swimming pool for the price of around 350 usd a month (including utilities). If you plan to stay longer, you can make a long term rental contract and get some really good place to live for this amount!
Thailand can offer far better location and quality on housing in tourist worthy areas that also are linked to great infrastructure and city life, compared to the Philippines.

You might get much cheaper rooms too, but then the standard will be very simple: A simple matress on the floor, shared bathroom, fan only etc. for around 100 usd/month, but you would rather save on other expenses than to go that route, I hope.

FOOD AND DRINKS: 440 usd/month

Your monthly budget for food can vary greatly, from spending 250 baht/day = 8 usdx30 = 240 usd/ month only eating local dishes like fried rice, soups, barbecued meats etc, and up to unlimited spendings on steaks, imported foods, wine etc.

You can get cheap purified drinking water from automated water vending machines, so water is not a big spending issue really, let us say 20 baht a day is plenty: 65 cents x 30 = 20 usd/month

A small can of Thai beer like Chang, cost 32 baht = 1 usd. If you can limit your beer consumption to 4 cans a day, that is then roughly 135 baht per day =  5 usd x 30 = 150 usd per month for alcohol.

A large bottle of soft drinks cost around 30 baht = 95 cents x 30 = 30 usd per month for soft drinks.

A total of 440 usd/month

 

 LEASURE AND ENTERTAINMENT: 220 usd/month

Living in a place like this demands that you sometimes go out to enjoy some good food, drink and entertainment. So to allow for this on a restricted scale, let us say that you spend 1500 baht per week for this purpose, that is 50 usd per week x 4 = 200 usd.


Going to the beach and rent a chair for the day, under an umbrella, will cost around 60 baht or more per day, so let us say you go to the beach 10 days per month, that will be 600 baht = 20 usd per month.
A total of 220 usd/month.

These figures are for a person who really has a tight budget, it is possible to spend 100 usd per night here if you are wreckless! There are so many temptations here, and so many people who are professional to grab your cash, especially if you are drunk and out partying.

INTERNET AND TELEPHONE: 32 usd/month

Internet is very good in this area, and many places the WiFi is included in the rent. But if not, you can get a 1 month unlimited data access with a SIM card for around 700 baht = 22 usd/month.

Having a local SIM card for calls to friends in Thailand, will be very cheap, let us say you spend like 300 baht a month on that: 10 usd.

Making it a total of 32 usd/month.

 

TRANSPORTATION: 100 usd/month

I am here talking about local transportation in the area where you live.
There are many options in Pattaya area for transportation. Using a Taxi is not one of the, as most taxi drivers here are thiefs, refuse to use a taxameter, and basically rip you off on local trips. You should use the app called GRAB if you ned to use a taxi.

Otherwise there are motorbike taxis that will bring you around from 20 baht up to 120 baht etc, depending on the distance. Be sure to agree on the price before you take the ride.

There are so called baht-buses plying the main roads. Those are dark blue pick up trucks that has been constructed for easy jump on and off. When you have reached your destination, you push a button, and the drive will stop and drop you off. Then you go to the driver cabin and pay 10 baht.

If you want to go from Pattaya somewhere, and then continue to Jomtien, you will have to jump off right after Walking Street, cross the intersection, and continue on another baht bus from there, which will also cost you 10 baht, no matter how long u travel with it.

So let us suppose you spend an average of 90 baht = 3 usd/day on this kind of transportation, it will cost on a monthly basis roughly 100 usd.

(Then you can, if you have the skills, the guts and a valid Driving licence for motorbike, rent a scooter 125cc-155cc for around 2800 baht per month = 90 usd/month plus gasoline, give or take, a total of 120 usd/month for transportation)

VISA costs: 120 usd/month*

If you plan to stay on a Tourist visa, it needs to extended once after 2 months, that will cost you 2000 baht = 65 usd. You already paid a similar amount when you got the Visa, so it will be a montly cost of roughly 50usd/month

If you plan on staying more than 3 months, that is getting more difficult. You might do a Visa Run to Laos with an agency, then travel with a group in a van for many hours, going over to Laos, spend the night there, and return with a new Tourist Visa that again has to be renewed for extension within 2 months to the third month.
The pice for such a package was, last time I checked (that is a couple of years ago), around 9 000 baht = 290 usd. Adding the cost to extend it before 2 months has gone by, is 50 usd. So you will on average spend 340 usd only for Visa expenses every 3 months, making it a montly cost of around 120 usd/month.

If you are over 50 years of age, you might have a one year retirement Visa that until now has cost approximately 20 000 baht to obtain for all practical reasons: 635 usd/year divided by 12 = 52 usd/month. But is has to be extended/followed up every 2-3 months, and I do not know if you need to pay something then, but I guess you will have to come up with another 2000 baht per extension, so if during one year you have to "renew/update" the one current Visa every 3 months, that means you will have to pay another 2000 baht x 4 = 8000 baht/year, adding a monthly cost of 21 usd to the already 52 usd a month for the annual fee. This means that the montly fees for Visa is 73 usd.

The Thai Immigration laws are getting tighter month by month it seems, and they will now demand a large amount of 800 000 baht =25 362,39 usd to be deposited in a Thai bank account for most Westerns, in order for them to obtain the annual retirement Visa. After some months, you can take out 400 000 baht, but there must remain 400 000 baht in the account for the whole year.

And you must show that at least 65 000 baht = 2060 usd comes into that account every month.

It seems that this will drive thousands of low income retirees from the country.

 *for people who stay more than 3 months, but do not have a one year retirement visa.

 

SUMMMARY: 1262 usd/month

Let me sum up the amount for basic good living in Thailand on a monthly basis, for a person who stays for a longer time, and who do Visa runs every 3 months:

Housing, included electricity and water: 350 usd 
Food and drinks: 440 usd
Leasure and entertainment: 220 usd
Internet and telephone: 32 usd
Transportation locally: 100 usd
Visa costs with runs: 120 usd
Total amount for basic living: 1262 usd/month

Recommended extra: 

Health insurance economy local offer: 120 usd (depends on your age and condition etc).

You might skip the health insurance, but not smart! (I did, coz I did not have a budget for it. It meant that I have had some struggles when I needed medical attention.)

On top of the above showed budget, you will need to have money for flights, hotels etc if you need to go home or leave the country for some reason other than mentioned here.

The result is really up to your lifestyle and your choices.
Do you have vices? it will add on to the costs, obviously.
Do you get involved with Thai women? You might be disappointed if you try to do it on a 1000 usd a month budget!

However, if you find a good, decent and honest woman that is willing to be your partner, it is fully possible to get by with the One Thousand Dollar per month budget.

The future for low budget living in Thailand really depends on the new Immigration policies - if you are eligible to do so.

WHERE TO LIVE

I have lived for almost 18 months put together in Bangkok City, but I will not recommend the place for long time living if you don't have a job there or similar purpose.
My longest living experience is in Jomtien, close to Pattaya city.

Staying in the area close to Pattaya Beach Road, and the famous Walking Street, is not advisable, because that area is too crowded with BAD people!

Pattaya is a wicked City where it is too easy to get ripped off, so if you have a problem with loneliness and/or you have a drinking problem, you'd better stay far away from this place!

Your whole monthly budget can easily disappear in one single night out in the city if you are not very diligent and stay sober!

So let us say that you are a "normal" person who do not have issues with intoxication and "bad" women. Then Pattaya and especially the areas far away from Walking Street, like Jomtien etc, can be a wonderful place to live a good life on a small budget.

Finding a local room with fan only might be a solution for a person who can tolerate the HEAT, but if you can not, you should find a room with Airconditioner.

Or simply just stay in a cooler climate. Like up in Chang Mai or similar areas.