# Have I calculated living costs correctly?



## Lisaria (Jan 16, 2013)

Hi, We are thinking about relocating to Bangna, Bangkok and wonder if we can do this safely on 150 000AUD annually? My family currently lives in Australia. I am a teacher, my husband is an engineer. Our two children (age 5 and 7) enjoy a relatively free education of high standard. My husband has received fairly persistant offers of a job in Thailand. We are researching this and would love the adventure (for no more than 3 years), but having started to research living costs we are starting to feel it would not be viable. We do want to maintain our current western lifestyle (which is only an average income over here). We are debt free, but we don't have any savings or assets.
I've tried to research living costs online. Can you tell if these seem accurate? I've researched the following costs annual basis: 
800000B/30, 000 AUD international education for 2 children, 
300000B/9500AUD accomodation, 
60000B/1900AUD utilities, 
300000B/9500AUD food (my son has food intolerances), 
But then there is also medical? internet/phone? transport? Insurance? 

Any tips/advice/direction would be appreicated, with thanks.........


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## cooked (Jan 30, 2011)

Very difficult to read your message without spaces every three digits. Despite the international schooling, you will be living way above what most of us have access to, I live, out in the sticks with my wife, on one tenth of that. A very expensive health insurance would be about 2 - 300 AUSD a month per person. 
I wonder what visa you have?


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## stednick (Oct 16, 2011)

Lisaria;

Check out Cost of Living a cost of living website. This may answer some of your cost questions. 

From numbeo:
Consumer Prices in Bangkok are 54.22% lower than in Melbourne 
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Bangkok are 55.96% lower than in Melbourne 
Rent Prices in Bangkok are 59.28% lower than in Melbourne 
Restaurant Prices in Bangkok are 75.11% lower than in Melbourne 
Groceries Prices in Bangkok are 50.66% lower than in Melbourne 
Local Purchasing Power in Bangkok is 60.71% lower than in Melbourne

Now, food for thought, Have you visited Thailand? Do you like it? Living in a foreign oriental country is far different than vacationing? What about; medical? Transportation? Language? Culture? 

You have already presented reservations about the potential move. Do the pros outweigh the cons? Significantly?

The biggest part of the equation is your children. What will you do if your children cannot adapt to Thailand? The heat, the pollution, the noise, the smell, the funny language, the crowds, the vermin, the food? This list goes on and on. What if they "hate" Thailand?

You need to continue your investigation. Spend a great deal of time researching. Spend a considerable amount of time reading this forum. 

Use the search this forum tool (tab on center green bar). Ask specific questions to the forum body.

Be careful. Investigate the legal issues of a foreigner working in Thailand. Use care in reviewing your work contract and make sure you built in a "bail out" clause in case your possible adventure turns into a bad deal.

Read the "31st March 2012" post by canamom in the "Moving to Thailand in 3 years" thread, last post on 17MAY12 by highonthai, page 16 of this forum. 

Good luck with your investigation. Be critical. Be careful.


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## Lisaria (Jan 16, 2013)

Thanks Stedneck
You have made some very useful comments and given me further ideas for thought. The website is fantastic - just what I was after!

I've read the thread you recommended. Interesting to read someone's drastically bad experience and perception of Thailand. Good to know the obstacles up ahead. I can already tell my values and views are quite different to this person though and I don't think I would have quite the same reaction to these 'obstacles'. The biggest concern I have is taking my children away from the beautiful bushland setting we currently live in. I believe in outdoor play and lots of nature. So moving to a city was never factored in - yet I am very excited at the thought of life adventure, and giving the children this opportunity to experience another culture and broaden their views and understanding of the world around them. I would like to think that we travel Thailand and experience it's many different regions to make up for the city living (something else to look into). Thanks for taking the time to share your insight and info. Peta


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## PaulBart (Oct 12, 2012)

Lisaria said:


> Thanks Stedneck
> You have made some very useful comments and given me further ideas for thought. The website is fantastic - just what I was after!
> 
> I've read the thread you recommended. Interesting to read someone's drastically bad experience and perception of Thailand. Good to know the obstacles up ahead. I can already tell my values and views are quite different to this person though and I don't think I would have quite the same reaction to these 'obstacles'. The biggest concern I have is taking my children away from the beautiful bushland setting we currently live in. I believe in outdoor play and lots of nature. So moving to a city was never factored in - yet I am very excited at the thought of life adventure, and giving the children this opportunity to experience another culture and broaden their views and understanding of the world around them. I would like to think that we travel Thailand and experience it's many different regions to make up for the city living (something else to look into). Thanks for taking the time to share your insight and info. Peta


Lisaria

I lived in Thialand for 9 years and in the end moved my family away even though my wife is Thai. I could write a huge missive on this but suffice to say do Not move to Thailand if you have any morals or standards as Thais have absolutely zero. I speak Thai and that is when you start to realise how much contempt they hold for one another and all foreigners. The last 20 years has rendered Thailand uninhabitable by sane, sensitive and educated people, believe me. Thailand post-Chinese economic invasion is purely greed, sex and crime, no more. 

Let me know of you need specifics but that's the truth. As for education, the worst and highest priced on the world, bar none. Read Andrew Drummond on his eponymous website for more chilling details!

Paul


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## mogo51 (Jun 11, 2011)

hi Paul,
very intested in your reply to this topic and whilst not doubting your comments from my own observatons, do you not think that may be an over simplification of the place. I agree that I have met manyThais that jump out of your appraisal, but I have several friends who are married to a Thai (mostly educated) and they are fantastic people. One in particular is one of the nicest people I have ever met and looks after my affairs for me, pays for costs out of her own pocket and I repay her when I see her. This has been going on for years and I believe she is a wonderful person.
I am always very wary after going there naively 5 years ago, but you quickly wise up or get spat out. I stay in Pattaya but basically steer clear of the ******** that occupies so much of the place. Corruption, we could talk all day about it there, Police are a disgrace. But love the life style and I can actually enjoy life there.


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## stednick (Oct 16, 2011)

*due diligence*

Peta:

Another thread you may find interesting and a food-for-thought resource is "Expatriation" started 10AUG12, last post 15AUG12 by rewolf. Located on page 11 of this forum. Thread discusses expatriation planning and morphed into a discussion on taxation with links to English language translation of the Thai tax codes. 

You also need to be aware of your visa options, work permits, etc. Review at the Royal Thai Consulate General Thai Visa - Royal Thai Consulate General, Melbourne This is where you will apply for your visa(s). 

Be very critical in your investigation of the legal aspects of being a foreigner who works in Thailand. Pay particular attention to visa and work permit regulations, medical insurance and services, transportation options, pollution, comfort and noise in selecting accommodations. Don't overlook schooling for your children and the logistics of transporting to and from school, work, shopping and entertainment. Bangkok transportation really can't be explained, it can only be experienced with exclamations of frustration and wondrous looks of amazed disbelief.

Be prepared and be very specific in protecting your family and your options when negotiating the employment contract.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.


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## harryw (Jun 26, 2011)

I am a US expat, working for a US company in Bangkok, but am not on an expat package. I am married to a Thai, but we live a western lifestyle. Our rent for a 2 bedroom apartment in the Bangkok city center is about $2,000 US a month. We buy our food at either Siam Paragon or the Emporium or Villa on Sukhumvit and food expenses for the two of us is about $1,000 a month, including spending about spending about $80 for lunch on most Saturdays and Sundays. Internet charges from TOT for high speed??? is approximately $50 a month. Maid is $300 a month for 16 hours a week. Western quality brand clothing is the same as, or more expensive than in the US.

Also, the income tax rate will be 37%. If your husband is being heavily recruited by this company, I am very surprised that a company car and medical insurance is not part of the package. Further, your employer should be arranging the necessary work permit for you. A plus in the compensation area is that if an employee works the entire calendar year, he is entitled to a 13th month of pay. Also, most company's will offer a savings plan in which they match the employee's contribution. I would consider moving very carefully if these were not offered as part of the package. Also, you did not specify whether the potential employer is a Thai or a western company. Standards of a Thai company will most likely not be as high as a western company that has to abide by the laws of both countries

I really have little knowledge of life in Bangna. My wife has a friend living in Bangna whose husband is a medical doctor. One aspect you have to seriously consider is that your outdoor lifestyle will be severely reduced, particularly if it includes walking, jogging and similar activities - there are normally no sidewalks and Thai drivers have no respect for pedestrians. Further, you will have to drive everywhere and virtually every westerner that I know who drives in Bangkok will tell you that it is a very stressful experience, with or without traffic jams.

All of this being said, living in a foreign country can be a very enriching experience


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