Ha! Truer words were never spoken. My enduring philosophy. Keeps life MUCH simpler.... and remember that if seeking companionship--- rent, don't buy.
A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
Re: A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
- 404cameljockey
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Re: A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
Two words of advice: medical insurance. At lease for inpatient/serious illnesses or accident (you know about the roads here, right? I stay on four wheels, safer). If an estimate doesn't include that it's not realistic IMO. Some people seem to get by on a prayer that they don't get a hospital bill for a two or three million Baht one day. It's a choice.
Re: A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
Oh yes and as one mentioned you always have to figure on U.S. Taxes will take a big bite out of your income and investments annually. Because of some unexpected capital gains in my investments my U.S. Tax bill was over $8,000 this past year. You got to love paying taxes when you get little or no benefit from them when living in Thailand.
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A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
I have been living in Thailand for 15 years and I am quite happy.
Negative comments generally come from people who cannot accept differences and always compare with their own country.
Of course, everything is not perfect and you have to weigh up the pros and cons language - weather - cost of life - food, etc.
I know a few people who live in aircon all the time, cannot eat thai food, are afraid of driving, dont speak 3 words of Thai or English and I wonder why they are still living here after many years complaining...
Negative comments generally come from people who cannot accept differences and always compare with their own country.
Of course, everything is not perfect and you have to weigh up the pros and cons language - weather - cost of life - food, etc.
I know a few people who live in aircon all the time, cannot eat thai food, are afraid of driving, dont speak 3 words of Thai or English and I wonder why they are still living here after many years complaining...
Re: A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
Part of that article is hilarious : With 5000 USD per month you could rent a 2 bed condo or a house, eat out sometimes and use your aircon. Now if that was 5000 USD, no one would live in Thailand.
Living with a girlfriend in a pool villa and having a motorbike and a car, plus using the aircon (555) and going out cost me on average 80.000 Baht per month, sometimes more sometimes less. That's half of the 5000 US..
Before i lived in a condo in Jomtien and the average bill there was 65.000 a month. You could do a lot less even without much of a problem, drop the car, live in a less lavish condo/house getting below 40.000 a month would be easy.
Maybe it's the American mindset, i come from Europe where an average nett salary is about 1800 Euro. You don't need 5000 a month to live a middle class lifestyle certainly not in thailand.
- Jack_Batty
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Re: A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
I spent exactly 83,040฿, or $2,609.68 for the month of May. That paid the mortgage on my 3bdrm, 2 bath house, a car payment, and an even mixture of eating out and dining at home. My electric bill was ฿3,040 and I run the 18,00 BTU AC in the bedroom quite often, and constantly while we sleep (22-24C). I really didn’t try to dial back or anything. If I wanted something I just spent the money. I wanted to see what the number would be. That money supported me and the girlfriend, and her son, who actually just moved to Bangkok last week to attend college. Our monthly numbers might actually drop, but might be skewed due to the lockdown. Either way, it ate just a little over half of my monthly pension, so I’m doing alright. A fantastic lifestyle can certainly be had by a couple here for $3,000 per month.
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Re: A pretty realistic article about Thailand retirement cost
My wife and I live well on $2000 a month. Less during the Covid-19 lock down. No restaurant bills, no trips to Bangkok, no extraneous shopping. I rather enjoy it.