"I want to move to Bangkok... How much money do I need?"

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It's a common question posted on many online forums. I've read several responses between last spring and now but I never felt like I got a straight answer. This is paritally due to the fact that some people have much more lavish lifestyles tha I do, and partially because many failed to provide any form of helpful financial breakdown. If I'm going to plan I need a realistic idea what things will cost!

Obviously, there are some things tht I can't predict for others, like rent. I managed to find an apt on the lower end of the price scale. The closer you are to the BTS or MRT the higher your rent. Likewise, the closer you are to central Bangkok, the higher the rent. If you want to live in Sukhumvit the prices go up further. Most apartments want two months rent as a security deposit, so you need to have three months worth ready when you decide to move in. Most apartments marketed to expats start at around 10k a month for a studio and the prices can go as high as you imagine.

Everyone will tell you that taxis are cheap--and they are--but not if you use them all the time. Also, they tend to get stuck in Bangkok's infamous traffic. The BTS and MRT are good, clean, speedy, reliable values. On the MRT, you pay by distance each time; the BTS has two options, though. You can either pay by distance or you can buy "trips" and pay the same rate each time. "Trips" can save you quite a bit of money, but they expire after 30 days, so plan ahead. The BTS webpage is quite helpful in figuring this out.

Other costs that you can't avoid:


• 60 Day Visa. You need this before you begin. Price varies by country and/or visa-run pricing.
• Visa, 90 Day, Non-B: 2000 Baht
• Visa extension after the 90 days: 1900 Baht
• Work Permit: 3100 Baht
• Medical Exam to get work permit: Varies by hospital, but 500-600 Baht can be found easily.
• Photos and copies for all of this: 200 Baht or so



Chances are, as a teacher for sure, you'll end up paying for all of this and get reimbursed by your employer at a much later date. For me, it's the end of my contract. Save your receipts!

There are a variety of places to buy home furnishings. Robinson's department store, Ikea, and Tesco are all good mid-range options. After a lot of comparative shopping, I found that most of what I liked/needed was a better value at Ikea. But that's my personal preference. For a basic set up of towels, sheets, hangers, minimal dishes and kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies, etc, between Ikea and Tesco I spent around 8000 Baht. It seems like a lot, but I wanted to be sure I'd be comfortable enough that I would make repeat trips and end up buying things I didn't need. I never bought the top of the line stuff, but I also didn't buy the cheapest. (I did that in China ... and spent the next few years wishing I'd gotten nicer stuff.) I still don't have a proper broom, or cleaning supplies beyond bleach, and I can't have more than one friend over for dinner since I only have two plates and bowls. But it works.

Eating is another category best left to the individual. Street food and food courts are often cheaper than cooking at home, 30-50 Baht each time. Meals can easily be found for under 100 Baht. And the beer will almost always cost you more than the food.

My grocery shopping ranges from 500-700 Baht each week. I don't eat meat, which helps, but I still like to buy a few imported things like pasta, mac and cheese, and olive oil. Living abroad you still need a taste of home once in a while! And in this case, it is cheaper to make it yourself, rather than going out. Luckily for me, chocolate isn't expensive.

That's a rough breakdown for you. Obviously, knowing your timeframe makes a big difference. How soon you will start work (and get paid!) can change things drastically. And, since this is Thailand (TIT!), that can change with little warning, so it's good to have extra cash. My job was supposed to start August first, but due to some red tape issues, I didn't start until September first. While credit cards are accepted at some bigger stores (including major supermarkets) cash still is preferred.

It's also important to be honest with yourself about your lifestyle. If you like to go out a lot, budget for it. Beer at a cheap bar starts at 100B. Do you like to travel? Smoke? Are you a shopper? Budget, budget, budget. Even if you're without income for a while your lifestyle won't drastically and permanently change unless you run out of money. And that's not a position you want to be in.

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Photos

Glamour Shot!
Those are not my clothes. I think only part of that is my hair. And I'm an alien! Ahh, the wonders of the computer. But now I know why everyone has the same photo online.

One of these can be yours...
if the price is right!

Comments

[Home and Away]

You forgot utilities...
or was that included in rent? What about cable TV and cell phone? Thanks for the great advice. As for visa runs, since one has to fly into the country to get a 30 day visa, my son found it most cost effective to fly to Penang, and get the visa in one day. Of course, one could go to all the surrounding countries for a few days as a combined vacation.

[sunketing]

Utilities and other varying costs
Utilities are a pretty small fraction of the overall costs, unless you're running your AC non-stop. My apartment adds it to my rent, but some make you set up your own accts. In my mind, it's part of your monthly rent, just like internet or renting a fridge. Mobile phone plans vary widely. Just like prices for phones. Which is why I didn't mention it. No expat I know watches TV here because it's all in Thai; most stream/DL TV shows on the internet for free. You can do visa runs to neighboring countries (there are tours for this) and get your 60 day visa. You need to have at least 30 days left for processing time of the Non-B visa, so that's why you need to start with 60. If you start with 30, you'll run out and have to do another visa run. Or worse, maybe. This is, of course, assuming you want to work in the country legally. My main concern was that none of the forums posted anything about how much general costs are for immigration and that adds up to be much more than many will anticipate. Ditto for apt costs. Those are easily the two biggest costs a person faces up front and can't avoid.

[accountdeleted]

Portraits
Wow – that is a glamour shot! It definitely reminds me of all of the retouching that happens to official portraits in China. I’m enjoying your photos and stories of life in Thailand. Hopefully it’s sunnier in Bangkok than it was in Guangzhou. If I remember correctly, we had roughly zero days of sunshine in Guangdong province last November - I never did get used to the long stretches of dreary, overcast days there…