Cost of Living in Thailand
- A typical factory worker or waitress in Thailand gets only 3,000 – 6,000 baht per month.
- A typical ex-pat English teacher will get paid 25,000 – 30,000 baht per month (US$900) when they start and can expect that to increase to 50,000 – 60,000 after 2 years.
- A typical expat office job can pay between 50,000 – 100,000+ baht per month.
You can survive on 20,000 baht per month (US$600) with 40,000 baht (US$1200) giving you a comfortable lifestyle with holidays. If you want your money to last, the cheapest places to live are outside of Bangkok, in the north, Chiang Mai and Isaan.
Bangkok
Prices are more expensive in Silom and Sukhumvit soi 1-63
| Product | Price in Baht |
|---|---|
| Apartment 28m2 | 3,500 – 6,000 |
| 1 b/r w/ kitchen | 15,000 |
| 2 b/r furnished | 30,000 – 70,000 |
| Electricity | 1,000 – 2,500 |
| Water | 300 – 1,000 |
| Taxis | 40 – 120 |
| BTS (Skytrain) | 15 – 45 |
| MRT (Subway) | 15 – 45 |
| Bus | 5 – 30 |
| Food (Street) | 20 – 30 |
| Food (Pub) | 150 – 600 |
| Large Beer (Shop) | 40 – 100 |
| Small Beer (Pub) | 80 – 150 |
| Bottle of Wine (Shop) | 350+ |
| Cigarettes (Local) | 30 – 45 |
| Cigarettes (Import) | 60 – 90 |
| Starbucks Coffee | 80 – 100 |
| Glass Wine (Pub) | 100 – 300 |
| Coca Cola | 10 -15 |
| Satellite TV | 1,500 – 2,550 |
| Mobile Phone | 300 – 2,000 |
| Internet | 500 – 1,000 |
| Movie | 120 – 150 |
| Laundry (Service) | 150 |
| Haircut (Barber) | 60 – 120 |
| Haircut (Salon) | 300+ |
| Education Fees (term) | 100,000 – 200,000 |
| Visa Runs (Border) | 2,000 |
Central, The North, Chiang Mai, Isaan
Prices are generally about 20-40% cheaper in Chiang Mai/The North and cheaper again in Isaan.
The South, Cha-am/Hua Hin/Samui/Phuket
Prices are similar to Bangkok in Cha-am/Hua Hin. Prices are generally more expensive in Samui with Phuket being the most expensive place to live (especially for taxis as there are no metered taxis and the locals charge pretty much as they like).