I planned on a trip back once a year, and did that after the first year. Since then (7 years ago) I haven't been able to afford it and have not even been outside Thailand. A trip home, especially to the U.S. is very expensive from here. A one week trip for two of us would cost around six thousand dollars in transportation (air fares and rental car), motel (a cheap one), and food costs alone (mid priced restaurants).
Add a little crazy spending for things you are yearning for and can't get here or bargain products that are cheaper there, plus travel insurance and a splurge or two on meals or a nicer hotel and you are looking at easily ten thousand U.S.D. for one week (for two people).
That will be less of course if you have a place to stay there of your own or with friends or relatives, a car of your own there or one you can borrow, don't intend to move around the country much or do no shopping or partaking of entertainment venues.
I have lost four close relatives including my Mother over the last seven years and didn't have money to go to the funerals and I had many good friends, some who came here to visit once early after our move but now we have all drifted apart except for the occasional email.
I don't ever see a trip back in my budget going forward so I expect to die here without ever setting foot on home soil again.
