Moving to Pattaya

[Skymaster 0]

I read a post that a westerner bought a condo for $7500 US and is living there for about $500 per month. That is about 20,000 Bhat roughly. Is that realistic? What type of condo can one buy for $7500 US?

[for_ard 0]

I think you are refering to Soi 7. I have not seen him post on here for a while, so maybe his latest budget cut is his internet access. Think his appartment is near to Shagwell Mansions, slightly off the beaten track.

[JohnnyK 28]

Do some work and use the search function, lots of info on this.

[Owen` 2]

JohnnyK is right. I'm not a multi year board member, but despite the brevity of my membership I've seen perhaps 3 good threads on this subject.

 

None of them seem to answer the question. What you will see on the threads is lots of talk about what it cost each individual poster to live in Pattaya. Soi7 has a good quote on this . . . something to the effect that "one can live on (insert small number here), but that's not the question. The question is can YOU live on that small amount."

 

That's what I have a hard time deducing from the threads. No one person is likely to want to live your particular desired lifestyle so it's difficult to extract information from multiple posts that describe particular expenditures for particular things that sound "right" to your preferences.

 

In general, it appears there are two truths that are universal among BMs:

 

1) It can and likely will be much less expensive to live in Pattaya than in Farangland at the same level of lifestyle.

 

2) Item 1 will not be true if you try to go drinking and woman chasing every night of your life.

[Gary 4,118]

I read a post that a westerner bought a condo for $7500 US and is living there for about $500 per month. That is about 20,000 Bhat roughly. Is that realistic? What type of condo can one buy for $7500 US?

The short answers are $500 is cutting it pretty thin unless you live up country. For $7,500 you get a shoebox and not a very nice one at that. There are many threads on this. The subject has in fact been beat to death.

[Larryst 7]

I think you are refering to Soi 7. I have not seen him post on here for a while, so maybe his latest budget cut is his internet access. Think his appartment is near to Shagwell Mansions, slightly off the beaten track.

Yes you are referring to SOi7. He is still out & about in Pattaya. I've talked to him recently and he is still within his budget. There is no problem with living under 20K a month. It all depends on what you want and what your needs are. Everyone will post what there budget is. Every individual will post a different amount. The bottom line is up to you. I can live under 20K, but I live up north and things are a lot cheaper here.

Edited December 19, 2005 by Larryst

[Raylene 1]

I read a post that a westerner bought a condo for $7500 US and is living there for about $500 per month. That is about 20,000 Bhat roughly. Is that realistic? What type of condo can one buy for $7500 US?

 

Yes. You are referring to Soi 7.

Yes, he's living on roughtly $500 a month (20,000 baht).

Yes, it's realistic.

The Condo is nice.

I live nearby to Soi 7 and in the same Condo complex.

My room size is the same as his.

It is nice for me and has all I ever want.

 

 

I think you are refering to Soi 7. I have not seen him post on here for a while, so maybe his latest budget cut is his internet access. Think his appartment is near to Shagwell Mansions, slightly off the beaten track.

 

Yes it's near Shagwell Mansions.

Yes, it's a bit off the beaten track, but it's still near everything.

Besides, what people fail to recognize is that the condo complex here has almost everything.  It has many salons, internet cafes, bars, haircut places, restaurants, mini marts, and even room service.  Maid cleaning of your room can even be arranged.  There's 2 swimming pools.  And, daily garbage collection.  Security guards that roam around and protect the grounds.  Even a front gate with security guards that raise and lower the drawbridge.

 

No, Soi 7 did not cut off his internet access to his room.  He still has internet access in his room.  He is still on the internet.  No, he doesn't post here anymore for his own personal reasons.

 

 

The short answers are $500 is cutting it pretty thin unless you live up country. For $7,500 you get a shoebox and not a very nice one at that. There are many threads on this. The subject has in fact been beat to death.

 

To you, $500 is cutting it close, but for Soi 7 ... it's not.

He lives within his budget and does so nicely.

He does all he wants.

Even go out to nice dinners from time to time.

Yesterday, even bought some of that Gelato Italian Ice Cream. It was good.

Nothing like Dairy Queen Ice Cream, though.

(smiles)

 

Yes, Soi 7 bought his condo.

No, it's not a shoebox.

It's a decent sized room with western toilet, a balcony, fully furnished, with lots of storage space too.

His room has more amenities than my room!

 

Add to all this, Soi 7 is living within his budget in PATTAYA.

Not up north where it's cheaper.

Also remember, Soi 7 doesn't drink or smoke ... so that's an added expense he doesn't have.

Edited December 19, 2005 by Raylene

[OnMyWay 0]

Yes. You are referring to Soi 7.

Yes, he's living on roughtly $500 a month (20,000 baht).

Yes, it's realistic.

The Condo is nice.

I live nearby to Soi 7 and in the same Condo complex.

My room size is the same as his.

It is nice for me and has all I ever want.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guys, the reason Soi 7 is mentioned so much here is that he's the EXCEPTION, not the rule. We all have different standards. I've been to Soi 7's room and although I couldn't live there full time, he can and obviously Raylene can.

 

His room is 28 square meters and the balcony is for drying clothes and has a gas burner stove/propane tank on it as there's no kitchen in his room. To enter his room he has a hasp screwed into the door with huge padlock on the outside of the door to his unit and then a deadbold to get in. I don't think he would describe it as nice when his neighbors just thought it was acceptable to throw their old mattress out in the hallway and leave it there. Soi 7 jokes because there are condom dispensors next to the mail boxes. Soi 7 had one hell of a cut on his foot from the pool as it's got many tiles that are broken on the bottom and are like razors. He won't ask management to replace the tiles because he's afraid they would just drain the pool and fill it with dirt. To say maintenance is lacking would be an understatement. For many that hear "the condo is nice" as Raylene describes it, I think they are picturing something different. There are 1800 condos in his complex and Soi 7 estimated 30-40% of them are sitting empty. Yes, you can buy one for $7500.

 

He lives within his budget and enjoys the pool that the complex has. It works for him and he's happy so that's all that matters. Something to also remember about his budget:

 

1- He doesn't ride baht buses, he walks everywhere as part of his fitness program

2- He drinks only water and has a live in girlfriend. He's not out taking on the booze and paying barfines at all.

3- He has no health insurance or medical expenses planned for

4- There's no provision in his budget at $500 a month for any trips home for holidays or family visits

 

To get to the original posters question: Do a search on cost of living in Thailand. It's a beaten up topic that seems to surface every week.

Edited December 19, 2005 by OnMyWay

[Gary 4,118]

Yes, Soi 7 bought his condo.

No, it's not a shoebox.

It's a decent sized room with western toilet, a balcony, fully furnished, with lots of storage space too.

His room has more amenities than my room!

 

Add to all this, Soi 7 is living within his budget in PATTAYA.

Not up north where it's cheaper.

Also remember, Soi 7 doesn't drink or smoke ... so that's an added expense he doesn't have.

Soi 7 paid 300,000 baht for his condo? I have seen some 28 square meter units for 400,000 baht but I consider them shoe boxes. No separate bedroom and quite cramped. I don't think I could stand to live in one room. Living in my condo I think I could do it for 20,000 baht a month if I didn't drink. YES, that is where a major part of my money went. Up country my biggest expenses are UBC TV and Ipstar satellite Internet. Health and car insurance run about 2,500 per month. I live up here as I like on less than 20,000 a month living farang style with a few goodies.

 

Actually now that I think about it if it meant going back to the US I COULD live in one room.

[Eneukman 1]

I doubt whether many of us could live on 20,000 baht per month in Pattaya with or without a live in gf.

 

I haven't bought a condo yet as I've still to decide where I want to live in the longer term. Also, renting gives me the freedom to move around when the lease is up (or for the landlord to decide not to renew the lease). I have a 74 square metre condo and pay rent of 20,000 baht per month. This may change at the end of June when my lease expires.

 

I kept a note of my expenses for September and they came out at just under 70,000 baht though I would say that closer to 80,000 baht per month would be more realistic. Bear in mind that this does not cover side trips to Chiang Mai or wherever, holidays to neighbouring countries or visits to the home country.

 

Alan

[torrenova 644]

I don't mind guys asking this question as it often throws up some useful information about condos, new deals, offers etc.

 

The essentials:

 

Rent - a good studio for Bt12k all in

Food - around Bt200 per day

Laundry - Bt1000 per month

Transport - Bt100 per day - mixture of bike and baht bus

 

The necessities:

 

Beer - a case of Heineken at average Bt100 per day

Girls - Bt2000 per time including barfine and drinks

 

So the essentials cost you around Bt22,000. The necessities could add another Bt130,000 or so. So it is really easy to see where you have to concentrate in order to economise. Factor in some rainy day money, some health insurance and some money for side trips and flights back to the home country and you really increase the cost.

 

In reality, most guys who live here end up with a live in. That cuts the girl costs but not the beer. Sure you can't drink 24/7 but most people go out at some point each day and every trip costs money, be it to the bar or to the cinema.

 

I couldn't live like Soi 7 does but I think OMW puts it into perspective that you do get what you pay for and that is in live as well as accommodation. Anyone contemplating living here in Pattaya with less than maybe Bt50k+ per month and some rainy day money put away should perhaps reconsider.

[Emil 0]

Yes that is Soi 7 and as others have mentioned he can do it is because he doesn't drink and he has a TGF. He has gotten a little lazy here of late as he rides a motorbike except when he's doing his morning walks. He told me that he had 40,000 a month to live on when he first moved over the end of June but he's managed to get by on 20 K a month and is taking a trip to Cambodia later this week which is above the 20K a month.

 

Like Owen mentioned the amount will vary from individual to individual. Here in the states some can get by driving a used Geo while others need a new Mercedes and some enjoy living in a $100,000 home and others need a home in excess of a million.

 

What was good about his condo purchase was that he was renting the place for a few months when the owner offered to sell it to him. His monthly rent was 4k so if he had continued to rent he would have paid 300,000 baht in 6 years 3 months. Even if he gets tired of the place in a few years he should come out ahead.

Edited December 19, 2005 by Emil

[Emil 0]

The necessities:

 

Beer - a case of Heineken at average Bt100 per day

Girls - Bt2000 per time including barfine and drinks

 

So the essentials cost you around Bt22,000. The necessities could add another Bt130,000 or so. .

Your figures work out to 127,000 baht per month for girls. Living there you can get by on alot less without a livin. You can get all the shagging you need without visiting any bars and paying barfines or ladydrinks. I witnessed OnMyWay collect a dozen phone numbers one afternoon by the Soi Buakaow night market is less than a half hour. All you need to do is get out of your room in the afternoon and chat up the TG's that smile at you.

[roderick17 0]

Emil

 

But what do you for companionship if the girls dont smile at you ??? :frustrated

[OnMyWay 0]

I witnessed OnMyWay collect a dozen phone numbers one afternoon by the Soi Buakaow night market is less than a half hour. All you need to do is get out of your room in the afternoon and chat up the TG's that smile at you.

Pssst, Emil....I promised the girls that the number was for my handsum brother!

[wacmedia 277]

Hi

 

Don't think soi7 is a good example as he has no rent to pay and has a girlfriend. Plus he dosen't drink or smoke. I'd say enuekman is a better example of how much you need.

[Larryst 7]

It doesn't matter which example you want to follow. It's up to each persons needs and what they want.

[sinbinjack 251]

If you live well in farang land then you will live beter in pattaya for less

if you live on the edge in farangland then you will live better in pattaya for the same money.If you have money you will spend it if you have no money you will economise thats the way of the world ,you cant expect to ask this question of another man as he will have a different view of what is and what is not essential. the state pension for a single man in the uk is a minimum of £105,in the uk it would be almost(not quite) impossible to live on that much even if you had no housing costs but in pattaya with no housing costs you could live resonably well and bar fine a girl or two evey month , so its horses for courses , you have to come ,look around ,calculate how much money you will have and think can I live at that level.

[Emil 0]

Emil

 

But what do you for companionship if the girls dont smile at you ??? :frustrated

I have yet to see that happen and I'm no Brad Pitt. One needs to not have a frown on his face but a smile and in a good mood. Also take frequent showers as the TG's are big on cleanliness. When you first get over there you will initially have to meet some in the traditional way. If they enjoyed being with you or are desperate for money they will ask for your number and give you theirs.

 

Mark has your codo closed and when are you due back in LOS.

 

wacmedia, Soi 7 was spending 20 K when he was renting, now that he owns the place it could drop or he could apply the 4k savings of rent on other things.

 

I'm not suggesting that many could get buy on 20K, only that he has managed to do that even though he could be spending double and he prefers it to when he was living in the Bay area and working.

[mike100 0]

Hi

 

Don't think soi7 is a good example as he has no rent to pay and has a girlfriend. Plus he dosen't drink or smoke. I'd say enuekman is a better example of how much you need.

I’m probably not a good example either.

Lived here for over three years, have a Thai wife, own our own house and we both have transport just outside Pattaya.

 

In the early days expenditure it was about 35,000 baht a month, and now it is around 45,000, including BUPA medical insurance and a trip back to the UK once a year. Also drink and out most nights. For those that know me here would agree that for me, life is good.

 

One thing I can ensure here, is that I have a much better life style in Thailand than I had before in the UK when working my balls off.

 

Mike.

[JohnnyK 28]

Pssst, Emil....I promised the girls that the number was for my handsum brother!

Are they gonna get a surprise!

[wacmedia 277]

I'm not suggesting that many could get buy on 20K, only that he has managed to do that even though he could be spending double and he prefers it to when he was living in the Bay area and working.

 

Hi

 

I can well understand why.

[Emil 0]

Let me add one more thing about Soi 7 for those that are fortunate enough not to have meet him. When I first joined this board back in the spring of 2001, Soi 7 was constantly the target of flamers for being an over spender and accused of paying too much to the TGs and driving up prices. Probably back then when he was a butterfly he would spend in a couple days what he now spends in a month. Its ironic that now he is used as an example of being frugal and living on the bare minimum.

[Larryst 7]

I'm no Brad Pitt.

That's for sure.

[Emil 0]

That's for sure.

Yes Larry, but remember before Angelinia was with Brad she was married to Billy Bob.