cost of living

[cnkbud 0]

Hi Guys,

Have read several postings here about cost-of-living(COL) budgets and if you want to live like a Thai you can do so on X amount of money. Now, I would submit that requires some definition and qualification as it infers that the average Thai doesn't have a very high standard of living. Don't know how the Thai middle class is defined and what their average income is for maintaining a decent standard of living in rasing a family, buying a home, educating their kids, etc. Anyone care to chime in here. Thanks in advance and enjoy. Bud

[soi6 0]

I don't know if this helps provide a measure, but I met a girl in BKK who had just graduated from college and never worked in a bar, she had a BS in Economics and had landed her first job out of college.

 

It paid 500baht/day, and she worked 6 days a wk. so that gave her around 12,000 baht a month or 156,000 baht a year income. Now, this is just for a student fresh out of college. She lived with her parents and was a saver of every baht.

 

How much a middle class thai makes monthly I'd suspect is around 40,000 baht/month, i.e. what she would be making after many years at her job.

[Tengotodo 52]

I would not be eager to trade my middle class lifestyle in the US for one in Thailand. If/when I do take the plunge, it's because my standard of living and quality of pussy will be increased 2-3 fold.

[dacah 0]

Teacher....20 years experience....30,000 baht a month

 

Has a good middle class existence...

 

house ,car and bringing up her son who is in college studying engineering.

 

For retirement visa (o)...farang alone...must prove he is receipt of 65000 baht a month.

 

With Thai wife ...40000 a month...2 live cheaper than 1..hehe

[joekicker 53]

How much a middle class thai makes monthly I'd suspect is around 40,000 baht/month, i.e. what she would be making after many years at her job.

 

This is the lower (not low) part of the midde-class scale. Six, maybe 10 years into a decent Bangkok job, a mid-middle-classer, semi- or real white collar, would probably average 50,000-to-55,000 a month. I'm just basing on acute observation, not on actual stats. As always, you can play with the numbers.

 

As in the West, teaching salaries are a bad example, as teachers are under-paid compared with their counterparts in business and industry.

 

Here's a possible rule of thumb. Buying a new pick-up (the cheapest four-wheel vehicle in Thailand) would take payments of about 13,000 to 15,000 a month, a standard four-door automobile would be a few thousand more. So they have to make enough to cover that basic cost.

[Shilo 371]

This might help a little.... a little dated.

 

http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blog=5...p;tb=1&pb=1

 

 

Shilo

[Tengotodo 52]

It almost appears as if the Thai government does not want anyone who relies soley on SS income. Why 65K baht a month? Is that like $2K a month? SS won't likely cover that, but many people live in the US on just that (or barely live, that is). Damn. I guess if I bank the proceeds from my house, cash out and collect on my work-pension then by the time SS kicks in, (if it's around at all), I'll finally be able to enjoy my old age in Pattaya? sheeeeeeze!

[Owen` 2]

Pensions are disappearing fast. Government pensions will soon come under attack when it becomes clear that only the government has them.

 

SS will be the last to go, and it won't "go". It will shrink. The other pensions will "go".

[Tengotodo 52]

Pensions are disappearing fast. Government pensions will soon come under attack when it becomes clear that only the government has them.

 

SS will be the last to go, and it won't "go". It will shrink. The other pensions will "go".

 

I believe what you say to be accurate as I already hear the rumblings and had to, for the first time, start making contributions to my healthcare benefit. I can only hope they grandfather in the relics like myself who were duped into serving a life sentence of public service under the premise that pension and benefits would be lifelong. 10 years is what I need to get out. They are rapidly switching from defined benefit to defined contribution and poorly supported self-directed 401Ks.

 

Given this scenario, even LOS won't be affordable to the aboove average retiree..

[Saddic 31]

Pensions are disappearing fast. Government pensions will soon come under attack when it becomes clear that only the government has them.

 

SS will be the last to go, and it won't "go". It will shrink. The other pensions will "go".

 

In the "private" sector... pensions only exist for the upper top tier of senior management... Us low life scum don't get squat... They along with other "benefits" are among the many takebacks that companies are resorting to to make the bottomline (or pay the upper top tier of senior management )...

 

Same goes for whatever passes for healthcare...

 

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that one of my old companies had actually rolled out their pension plan to Fidelity to manage after cutting any subsequent payment to it.... so if I live till retirement... I have a small sum coming

 

I don't really expect to be able to "collect" on my SS payouts... but what ever I DO collect will probably go to TG's anyway...

 

Healthcare??? mostly I think I'm screwed (i.e. whatever the government medicare/cade covers in 15 years from now... )...

 

My Dad just calls us youngings... "stupid" because we don't have UNIONS to fight back... (i.e. He got a military gov pension, state pension, and union pension (i.e. he makes more now that he is retired, than when he was working..) +++ healthcare for life)...

Edited May 1, 2007 by Saddic

[Blazer 0]

I keep hashing and rehashing the numbers and realize unless I quit drinking or playing golf I can barely afford to retire in Thailand. The USA is actually cheaper and I can get a gig on a golf course and play for free while making a few $$$. What I'm thinking of doing is spending 6 months in Thai and 6 in the USA until I'm about 55.

[soi6 0]

Found on another website, a listing of monthly BKK wages -

 

http://www.davetheravebangkok.com/tips.html

 

hope this helps...

 

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

 

 

Below are some sample monthly base wage ranges paid in Bangkok.

 

Keep in mind the wages are less in other parts of Thailand. Commissions are not included.

 

Sales associate small store or department store 4,500 - 9,000 baht

Restaurants 3,000 - 8,000 baht

Police 6,300 baht

Hotels 4,000 - 9,000 baht

 

Below are average monthly wages in Thailand for 2005

 

Agriculture, hunting and forestry 3,019 baht

Fishing 2,068 baht

Mining and quarrying 7,646 baht

Manufacturing 6,420 baht

Electricity, gas and water supply 17,841 baht

Construction 4,706 baht

Wholesale and retail trade, repair business 6,760 baht

Hotels and restaurant 5,680 baht

Transport, storage and communication 11,752 baht

Financial intermediation 19,325 baht

Real estate, renting and business activities 9,571 baht

Public administration and defense 11,375 baht

Education 14,883 baht

Health and social work 10,804 baht

Other community and social work 6,311 baht

Private households with employed persons 4,068 baht

Extra-territorial organizations and bodies 5,753 baht

[Tengotodo 52]

why do they cops get paid so poorley and what the hell is "finacial intermediation"?

[joekicker 53]

Found on another website, a listing of monthly BKK wages -

 

This is crazy. I don't even believe one of these wages is in the ball park. Well, maybe the paramilitary one.

 

Below are average monthly wages in Thailand for 2005

 

Agriculture, hunting and forestry 3,019 baht

Fishing 2,068 baht

 

Right down to the baht? Give me a break. Show me the hunter hired by the month. "Hotels and restaurant" is a silly description, with a HUGE wage fluctuation and the figure given is nowhere near the average I've seen.

 

Real estate, renting and business activities 9,571 baht

 

In 1988, maybe. Up-country.

 

Ask the guy who provides these figures how business workers are paying for their Toyotas.

 

 

why do they cops get paid so poorley and what the hell is "finacial intermediation"?

 

All civil servants get a low monthly wage, offset by annual bonuses of many months - four or five is not unusual - cost of living, plus the job security many crave. Cops get a place to live - it's a dump generally, but it's free. There are other cash perks if you get my drift, believe it or not there IS a prestige to this job.

 

At the end of the day, the cop is still low-paid, but it's not as bad as the monthly wage indicates all by itself.

[Tengotodo 52]

serious question: Are not most cops married? and if so, don't they live witih their wives somewhere offbase? And If the average cop makes more in "fines and intermediation" than salary, what does that say about Thais in general? What will $30K USA per year allow as a standard of living without sex every night?

[Shilo 371]

This is crazy. I don't even believe one of these wages is in the ball park. Well, maybe the paramilitary one.

 

Actually, the "source" of these figures is Thailand's National Statistical Office, First Quarter, 2005

 

Here is another link that quotes from the same source:

 

http://www.d-trac.org/en/average_thai_wages

 

And to answer the question of how some Thai's can afford to buy new cars... well just like in the West there is a BIG gap between the haves and have-nots.

 

Plant manager 73,396 baht (US$1,847)

Personnel/HRD director 71,222 baht (US$1,792)

Office manager 47,994 baht (US$1,208)

Executive Secretary 32,296 baht (US$813)

Engineering 26,051 baht (US$656)

Researcher (Thai) 24,722 baht (US$622)

Sales/marketing staff 23,785 baht (US$599)

Public relations staff 16,635 baht (US$419)

Office staff 15,222 baht (US$383)

Driver 8,528 baht (US$215)

Housekeeper 6,532 baht (US$164)

 

IT Manager 90,000-150,000 baht (US$2,265-3,774)

Webmaster 45,000-60,000 baht (US$1,132-1,510)

Web Designer 25,000-35,000 baht (US$629-881)

PC Programmer 22,000-35,000 baht (US$554-881)

System Analyst 40,000-45,000 baht (US$1,006-1,132)

Network Administrator 45,000-55,000 baht (US$1,132-1,384)

LAN Manager 60,000-80,000 baht (US$1,510-2,013)

 

 

I think the highest wage on this list above is 80K baht, which is dirt cheap when compared to wages in the west but a damn sight higher the what the "average" Thai earns.

 

.

[BigDUSA 71]

What will $30K USA per year allow as a standard of living without sex every night?

 

You can live like a minor king on this amount of money.

[joekicker 53]

serious question: Are not most cops married? and if so, don't they live witih their wives somewhere offbase? And If the average cop makes more in "fines and intermediation" than salary, what does that say about Thais in general? What will $30K USA per year allow as a standard of living without sex every night?

 

Generally it would be the other way around. A single cop would live away from the station house. A married one (a) probably couldn't afford it and ( his wife would often rather be with the other wives. They often get a co-op of sort going. After all, they already have free protection!.

 

 

You can live like a minor king on this amount of money.

 

No kidding.

 

Actually, in most places it's not the sex that's expensive, it's the going out to get it. Transport, drinks, LDs, bar fines, snacks before going home, etc etc ... not hard to get a LOT more than just the pussy.

[MAD MAC 0]

I am retiring from the military. My pension in baht at the current lousy exchange rate is worth about 97,500 baht a month. I am retiring to Mukdahan, pretty cheap up there. So I feel comfortable that I should be OK.

[Gary 4,100]

To get a good idea of wages here, just take a look at the minimum wage. MOST factories pay the minimum wage. Minimum wage varies from province to province and I think Bangkok is currently about 175 baht per day. Many small places pay less.

 

I ofter see questions from guys asking if their girlfriend can get by on 10,000 baht per month while living upcountry. What do you think? In the village where I live, I'd bet that less than one out of 10 families earn 10,000 baht per month.

 

I certainly DON'T live like a Thai and my wife and I could easily get by on 15,000 baht per month. In fact she pays all the bills and is able to save about 5,000 baht per month from the 20,000 I give her. Most Thai families don't have three vehicles, satellite Internet, air conditioning or UBC TV.

[joekicker 53]

To get a good idea of wages here, just take a look at the minimum wage. MOST factories pay the minimum wage. Minimum wage varies from province to province and I think Bangkok is currently about 175 baht per day. Many small places pay less.

 

191 baht

 

But I have to challenge that statement. Most factories don't pay the minimum wage. Plus, most Thais don't work in factories.

 

Some factories, particularly garment-type factories in the more remote provinces, employ what are basically indentured, illegal-immigrant workers and they pay the minimum wage or less.

 

But "most factories" includes Ford and Seagate and Toyota and Nike and Arrow and BMW. They include Charoen Phokphand and UFC and Unif and Bumblebee tuna. And they don't pay anything close to 191 baht. Most workers work for factories like that. And offices don't pay anything close to minimum wage, they pay way more.

 

Minimum-wage is as lousy an indicator of what people earn in Thailand as in any Western country. There are much better figures available, and anecdotes like your own household are a hell of a lot better indicator than minimum wage.

 

Oh, and actually at more than 40%, the four-wheel vehicle ownership in Thailand is higher than in any other Asian country bar Japan and Korea. Singapore, rated a first-world country, has 20% vehicle ownership. There's not a Thai house without a TV and "cable" is becoming quite common.

Edited May 15, 2007 by joekicker

[jacko 8,766]

why do they cops get paid so poorley and what the hell is "finacial intermediation"?

Possibly the same reason waiters are so poorly paid in the USA, below minimum isn't it?

'Financial Intermediation', sounds like what I had recent knowledge of, the Russian rapist's victim got paid $3000, but he was told to bring 5k$ along.

Edited May 15, 2007 by jacko

[BigDUSA 71]

Singapore, rated a first-world country, has 20% vehicle ownership.

 

S'pore is a self contained city/state. No need for a car.

[amphora 0]

Most Thai families don't have three vehicles.

 

You don't have to brag about your new buffalos so obviously

[joekicker 53]

S'pore is a self contained city/state. No need for a car.

 

I have no idea what you mean by this. How do you think people in Singapore are to move from their home to their employment, and then to their entertainment and home? Singapore is the size of Guam. Singapore has roads and stuff. It's really neat if you want to go where the subway goes, but the subway goes to about 0.03% of Singapore. It's really nice if you live on a street with a bus line, but 99.85% of Singaporeans can't afford to live on such a street. If you manage to hike out to the main drags and get a taxi when you want one, you pay more in one month than a normal car payment.