# Retiring in Phuket



## walter4313

I'm considering retiring in Phuket and wanted to get an idea of the real cost of living from anyone who is living there in retirement now. I'd like to live within a 10 minute walk to the beach in an above-average condo or apt at least 100 sqM. I don't lead an extravagant lifestyle but enjoy eating out once in a while. Can anyone with recent experience give me a realistic cost of living for rent, food, utilities, transportation ( I will not own a car), health care, taxes, entertainment, etc?


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## windersports

walter4313 said:


> I'm considering retiring in Phuket and wanted to get an idea of the real cost of living from anyone who is living there in retirement now. I'd like to live within a 10 minute walk to the beach in an above-average condo or apt at least 100 sqM. I don't lead an extravagant lifestyle but enjoy eating out once in a while. Can anyone with recent experience give me a realistic cost of living for rent, food, utilities, transportation ( I will not own a car), health care, taxes, entertainment, etc?



Gd condo with 10 min walk to beach monthly rent 25,000 karon/kata area

food - thai food 40-50 thb per meal , if western food 120-300thb

utilities water&electricity - small studio is around 3000thb monthly

transport - need at least a small bike......there is no walking pavement to walk in phuket - 2nd hand bike about 30k petrol about 300thb monthly

My advise, buy 1 2nd hand car for transport......safety 1st. Lots of hit&run cases in phuket.

Lots of expat living in rawai/chalong area u might want to check round that area.

health care set aside 5000thb monthly

Entertainment - some ppl blow 50,000-100,000 thb a month by going ago-go bar, disco, buying ladies drinks, no limit.

Rawai seems the best place suited for your needs, i think u need at least 50,000thb for e 1st month,as you get to know phuket u can slowly reduce it to 40,000thb or 30,000thb a month if you avoid e bars, e touristy places with inflated price, gd luck


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## walter4313

thanks!!


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## Song_Si

> 10 minute walk to the beach


if you want a swimming beach you're limited to the west coast; for eg yachting, or just looking at the sea, east coast. 

Rawai beach is not suitable for swimming, we lived in Chalong (left there April 2010), after first staying in Karon, and the closest option for a swimming beach is Nai Harn which for us was a 25km round trip. 

Kata/Kata Noi/Karon may be good options but remember you are renting in some of the most popular tourist areas in Phuket, and will pay accordingly. In my opinion those locations are 'traps' in that once you're there, there is nowhere to go without hiring transport, bleak over the rain season, and as per rent, food/restaurants/bars are aimed at tourists/prices. 

Without transport Phuket is very difficult. Public transport extremely limited and Plan B, the local tuk-tuks are well-publicised/known for their extortionate rates. If you are to be 'on foot' first considerations will need to be location in respect of shops - if you want western-style supermarkets within walking distance of a beach you're restricted to Patong. Chalong has a small Tesco-Lotus, but a long way from the beach . . . 

some pics from our time in Phuket here - maybe ideas for your location. I'd recommend a holiday there first before committing to any long-term rental.

A note on health care - you'll need insurance for medical/accident cover, and there are good doctors/hospitals available.


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## walter4313

*Great pics!!*

Hi and thanks again for your reply and wonderful pics!! 

I was wondering if you could give me a insight on what it's like to actually live on Phuket - activities, culture, friendliness of people, are there many expats living there, is English widely spoken, cost of living - particularly rental, food, utilities, transport, etc? 

Thanks so much!!


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## Song_Si

Hi

I am out of touch with general cost of living on Phuket as it's over 3yrs since we left.
A few things I do know as an indication, the bungalow we rented 2009-10 for 9500 baht per month (including water, cable TV and broadband internet) in Chalong, now rents at 16,000 a month plus cable tv and internet (optional, about an extra 1000 baht). Electricity was around 500b a month then with very minimal air-con use, could easily get into the 1000s if we'd been heavy AC users - and electric costs have soared - ours have more than doubled in past 3yrs despite nothing changing usage-wise, same house, same appliances. Our water here is consistent at 100-110b per month but the rates are likely higher in Phuket. And a note - you need to buy drinking water, tap water OK for washing etc but not for drinking.

As I mentioned, transport is difficult. We had bicycles and motorbike, OK for daytimes at the beach, shopping etc, but to go out well-dressed in the evening it was a problem getting a taxi to take us over the hill to see our friends in Karon without paying him double as there are all sorts of odd 'rules' for taxis, Chalong ones could not do passenger pick-ups in Karon. And late at night, rates would go from eg 200 (daytime 100 was cheapest) up to 500 - and there is no choice but to pay (walking?)

For friends - arrived knowing no one. Depends what interests you have, I got involved with expats in swimming and surf-lifesaving clubs, coaching rugby, found a group (or they found me) of social cyclists - had no interest in wasting my days away drinking in bars, and some of the best people are volunteers! Some had jobs, some retired, and it lead to nice low-key social scene involving adult Thais and their families. 

Got to know the few westerners in our street, and some good advice on people/places to avoid, there's many a dodgy foreigner waiting to fleece the unsuspecting/trusting newcomer and good advice to choose your 'friends' carefully. 

I'd always recommend a 'no-commitment' holiday first; we had two people retire 'permanently' in our town last year, one left after 3 weeks, the other 5 months. Have a look at this thread what goes wrong

English - maybe it's improved a little, but I found it rare to find local people who could hold a conversation other than basic greetings.


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## Song_Si

three online news sources also have classified adverts

_Phuket_
phuketwan http://phuketwan.com/
Phuket Gazette http://www.phuketgazette.net/
Phuketnews http://www.thephuketnews.com/


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## mauroest

Very interesting for me, thanks.
We (couple) are going to stay one months to test and plan to retire here.

I am worried to leave passport and money inside the condo appartment, nor I want to keep with me on the beach.
Any idea ?


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## laguy

*laguy*

I am new at this site. I am considering moving to Phuket. I have visited Patong twice. I just took a trip to Chaing Mai in December. If I move to Phuket can I rent a place and pay extra for tv that is more than 1 or 2 channel's in English. I would appreciate any comment's on how to do this. Can any one give me some feedback?
Thank you 
Nigel


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## Wayward Wind

mauroest said:


> Very interesting for me, thanks.
> We (couple) are going to stay one months to test and plan to retire here.
> 
> I am worried to leave passport and money inside the condo appartment, nor I want to keep with me on the beach.
> Any idea ?


Check out the Pacsafe line of items: Pacsafe Anti-Theft Bags & Travel Security Products | Home Page. They have a wide range of portable security safes which may fit your needs. I have one in my condo, and also a small one to take to the beach - lock it around a deck chair and it isn't going anywhere unless the thief has bolt cutters.


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## Wayward Wind

I agree with the advice to plan on spending some time looking around before you decide where to plant roots. I have been coming to Thailand for 30 years, have visited all major cities, and when my wife and I retired, decided on Naklua, just north of Pattaya. Quiet and peaceful life, plenty of restaurants and supermarkets, an hour by taxi from Suvarnabhumi, and plenty of cheap public transport. It suits our needs just fine, but you really should look around and not limit yourself to Phuket.


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## dhream

I will add to this just to say that, unless you are in BKK, (I am in Chiang Mai, and I have read the other posts here too) planning on getting by without a car, unless you find scarce and expensive downtown accommodation anywhere, is just not practical.

The first and last time you will hail a meter Taxi in Chiang Mai is at the airport.

They all hang out there and the fee starts at THB200 and forget the meter. When they drop you at your hotel they go straight back to the airport without looking for a fare in town to rinse and profitably repeat. 

Unless you have a Thai partner the more cost effective ways to ride Thnglors and Samlors will largely remain a mystery.

Bikes are dangerous anywhere and suicidal here, I only use one putting around the back streets of my town, where they can't speed. Never on the major roads. I don't care if you are Evil Kenevils, smarter brother, if you try hard enough and are ghoulish enough, you can Google up images of lots of badly broken dead bike guys, they almost all posed for their final pictures here in Thailand. Wearing leathers and a helmet? You won't die of a crash then, you will just bake slowly from the inside out... no matter how fast you ride.

Get a big ugly pick-up truck, they're relatively cheap life insurance here, stay whole, be happy.


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## mauroest

@wayward
I agree with you. With my russian wife, we spent one good month in North Naklua, (close to the fish market). Easy to move, good food markets around and with a motorcycle or bathbus we moved everywhere in Pattaya. When we wanted a nice weekend, Bangkok is not far.

In Phuket we spent another month too. Nice island, nice beaches, but far from big city and you are always a tourist to squeeze like lemon.


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## donna s

Now cost of living in Phuket is a bit high depends on where you go.
compared to prices in most areas which cater to Tourism outside of Thailand , we are still a better deal unless you go to the rip offs , just like in BKK, Chiang Mai or Pattaya.


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## Andrey9

laguy said:


> I am new at this site. I am considering moving to Phuket. I have visited Patong twice. I just took a trip to Chaing Mai in December. If I move to Phuket can I rent a place and pay extra for tv that is more than 1 or 2 channel's in English. I would appreciate any comment's on how to do this. Can any one give me some feedback?
> Thank you
> Nigel


Nigel, usually there are cable tv everywhere with couple of english channels, should not be a problem.


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## andy1967

Hi 
Interested to know what happened 
regards
andy


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## gnazi71

I think that Phuket now is a little bit expensive, as others said.
Best thing is to take a room and go around to look for a place that meets your requirements.


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