I have been offered a job in Bangkok. The basic salary is about 88,000 baht a month plus 30,000 a month housing allowance. Medical included. Flights included. Free education for my two children. The question is, is this enough for a family of four to live on? There is also something about a part of the salary being linked to the exchange rate for the UK pound so the salary may go up a bit. I don't really understand this though.
Any advice gratefully received
Living costs in Bangkok
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wrldtrvlr123
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- Location: Japan
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
If you do a search for "baht" in this forum, a fair number of relatively recent threads come up. As I recall, the package you are describing would be on the low side (especially as you would be supporting a family of four). Then again, living costs and necessities differ wildly for different people.
Someone may come along to offer more recent/firsthand feedback but ultimately it may come down to how badly do you want to be living and working in BKK?
Someone may come along to offer more recent/firsthand feedback but ultimately it may come down to how badly do you want to be living and working in BKK?
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
Would be a pretty good package for a single - not exactly great with 2 kids but you could do worse in BKK. If your spouse can get some work locally (ESL teaching, freelance writing are possible) it could make a big difference.
It's enough to live on but with 2 kids you will really struggle to save any money. Lots to do and see in country and prices have risen quite a bit over the past 5 years or so.
That housing allowance is doable for a family of 4 (assuming here you are after a large 2-3 bedroom apartment or townhouse), but do not expect anything extravagant or centrally located. However, living near one of the outer skytrain or subway stations is fine and many of these areas are up and coming.
That leaves you with 88k baht. Let's say Thai tax wipes out more or less 13k of that. You now have 75k baht for the month. If you are not bothered about saving money, you'll make it.
It's enough to live on but with 2 kids you will really struggle to save any money. Lots to do and see in country and prices have risen quite a bit over the past 5 years or so.
That housing allowance is doable for a family of 4 (assuming here you are after a large 2-3 bedroom apartment or townhouse), but do not expect anything extravagant or centrally located. However, living near one of the outer skytrain or subway stations is fine and many of these areas are up and coming.
That leaves you with 88k baht. Let's say Thai tax wipes out more or less 13k of that. You now have 75k baht for the month. If you are not bothered about saving money, you'll make it.
Response
I generally concur with the prior contributors. BT88K is is near the high end of the third tier of IE. Understand that there are many ETs living on BT30K, and some of them support (local) families on those revenues. What you define as livable is going to be the essential issue? BT30K will afford you a respectable condo/apartment outside the CBD, it will be nice but not lavish. If you want something glamorous and centrally located you will have to supplement your housing needs from salary. You could put in BT20K (total of BT50K) and get some thing nice in the CBD or high end western style with a bit of travel. This is important to consider as daily commute expenses are reasonable, but they are an expense both financially and in time, and this will apply to not only your work commute but for personal commutes around the city as well.
I concur with @buffalofan, Taxes will take about BT13K and leave you about BT75K. Are you going to get smart phone data plans for the kids? Smartphone/data plans for you and your spouse will run about BT3500, simple dumb phone prepaid text and call is about BT2 per minute/text for your kids (plus the cost of the phones). Utilities for a 3LDK apartment/condo/townhouse will run about BT4500/month if you are smart with the remotes. Internet access will run about BT1500/month for high speed. Metro will cost about BT1200/each/month. If you join an athletic club your going to pay about BT7K/month for a family of four, BT2500 for an individual. Though your IS/apartment building may meet your athletic requirements (high rise living generally gives access to a pool and a small gym).
McDs/KFC is about BT120 for a combo (there are always coupons and special offers). Local produce and food staples selections are so inexpensive you can stir fry for a fraction of the cost of a single fast food meal. This assumes your willing to adjust your home menu to live on the economy. What happens is a lot of expats try to maintain their eating habits from home, resulting in high costs for imports. Simple menu options like boxed cereal (milk) and blueberries are crazy expensive. Even junk food lazy breakfast staples for kids like pop tarts are pricy. A blue box dinner of Mac & Cheese or chicken nuggets and fries will cost more to make at home than eating out. Making beef stroganoff will cost more for the traditional noodles and sour cream than the steak will. In many aspects eating out is very reasonable.
An adult afternoon or night out can be very reasonable, you will find prices are similar to those you are familiar with. Social night life is very affordable dinner for 2 adults will run about BT1K (including vino).
What is pricy is clothes, and entertainment options. I dont know how old your children are but BKK is an 'adult' city, your student body is likely to be host nationals in which language will be a barrier between for your children and socializing, and many of them are going to be focused on studying. This can be boring for older children, necessitating enrollment or planing in a lot of weekend activities which is where your coin is going to disappear.
Clothing (imported) will likely be a significant cost as sizes in BKK are not going to be congruent with what westerners are used to (you will be unbelievably surprised how small a 'large' shirt is). Men (and to a lessor degree woman) have it easier then children, as you can get tailored clothes made inexpensively (though brazziers, shoes, and under garments in appropriate sizes will be difficult to come by). If your children need their Apostle, Hollister, A&F, GAP, A&E, H&M, Zarra, Nike they will be going up a size or two and those are almost sold at designer prices (unless you get counterfeit).
Savings, unless all of you are homebodies and all everyone does is go to IS and then veg out on their laptops and you eat a lot of rice and have a no frills flat then you arent going to save anything. Your annual net salary (after taxes) is only about USD25K, thats likely at least half of what your earning now.
Another income (even ET) would make a big difference, you could save whatever your spouse earns in its entirety.
I concur with @buffalofan, Taxes will take about BT13K and leave you about BT75K. Are you going to get smart phone data plans for the kids? Smartphone/data plans for you and your spouse will run about BT3500, simple dumb phone prepaid text and call is about BT2 per minute/text for your kids (plus the cost of the phones). Utilities for a 3LDK apartment/condo/townhouse will run about BT4500/month if you are smart with the remotes. Internet access will run about BT1500/month for high speed. Metro will cost about BT1200/each/month. If you join an athletic club your going to pay about BT7K/month for a family of four, BT2500 for an individual. Though your IS/apartment building may meet your athletic requirements (high rise living generally gives access to a pool and a small gym).
McDs/KFC is about BT120 for a combo (there are always coupons and special offers). Local produce and food staples selections are so inexpensive you can stir fry for a fraction of the cost of a single fast food meal. This assumes your willing to adjust your home menu to live on the economy. What happens is a lot of expats try to maintain their eating habits from home, resulting in high costs for imports. Simple menu options like boxed cereal (milk) and blueberries are crazy expensive. Even junk food lazy breakfast staples for kids like pop tarts are pricy. A blue box dinner of Mac & Cheese or chicken nuggets and fries will cost more to make at home than eating out. Making beef stroganoff will cost more for the traditional noodles and sour cream than the steak will. In many aspects eating out is very reasonable.
An adult afternoon or night out can be very reasonable, you will find prices are similar to those you are familiar with. Social night life is very affordable dinner for 2 adults will run about BT1K (including vino).
What is pricy is clothes, and entertainment options. I dont know how old your children are but BKK is an 'adult' city, your student body is likely to be host nationals in which language will be a barrier between for your children and socializing, and many of them are going to be focused on studying. This can be boring for older children, necessitating enrollment or planing in a lot of weekend activities which is where your coin is going to disappear.
Clothing (imported) will likely be a significant cost as sizes in BKK are not going to be congruent with what westerners are used to (you will be unbelievably surprised how small a 'large' shirt is). Men (and to a lessor degree woman) have it easier then children, as you can get tailored clothes made inexpensively (though brazziers, shoes, and under garments in appropriate sizes will be difficult to come by). If your children need their Apostle, Hollister, A&F, GAP, A&E, H&M, Zarra, Nike they will be going up a size or two and those are almost sold at designer prices (unless you get counterfeit).
Savings, unless all of you are homebodies and all everyone does is go to IS and then veg out on their laptops and you eat a lot of rice and have a no frills flat then you arent going to save anything. Your annual net salary (after taxes) is only about USD25K, thats likely at least half of what your earning now.
Another income (even ET) would make a big difference, you could save whatever your spouse earns in its entirety.
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
I do believe the housing allowance is taxable also! When I lived in Thailand, my housing allowance was taxed, approx. 20% in my case.
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
Whether the housing allowance is taxed (in thailand or any country) can really depend on the school. I've heard of some schools making "adjustments" to payroll which essentially makes the housing allowance tax free, but there are definitely schools where it is taxable. Not sure it matters a whole lot in this case as the stated salary with 2 kids is going to mean paycheck-to-paycheck living either way.
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buffalofan
- Posts: 350
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
I can agree with that, but I can't imagine a worse place to be a homebody than BKK and SE Asia in general. So much to see and experience in that region.
Discussion
@buffalofan
I agree and in such cases the IT is likely better compensated remaining in in their DS. I have met ITs that there is essentially no market for their teaching field, and they subsist in low end ISs and ESs. BT30K isnt much but its better than nothing back in the west waiting for an Art, etc.. DT vacancy.
I agree and in such cases the IT is likely better compensated remaining in in their DS. I have met ITs that there is essentially no market for their teaching field, and they subsist in low end ISs and ESs. BT30K isnt much but its better than nothing back in the west waiting for an Art, etc.. DT vacancy.
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Helen Back
- Posts: 242
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:16 pm
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
What is a DS?
Re: Living costs in Bangkok
I live in Bangkok right now as an ESL teacher (I would like to get certified and become an international school teacher). I'm making like 40k a month, and I live in a really small apartment. Basically I am a homebody in Bangkok, and it's not fun. When you think about Thailand you think about the beaches, the massages, the good food. But if you don't have enough money here you won't be happy. You'd be making a lot more than I'm making, but you also have 2 kids. I want to wear clothing that fits and Gap jeans cost about the same here as they do in the US. I can't afford $60 for jeans. A gym membership is also $60/month. So, I've learned the hard way that unless you can get a really high paying job, Thailand is for vacation. But if your spouse was working it could be doable. The housing allowance is enough to get a decent apartment. But I would not want to try to support 2 kids on 75k baht in Bangkok, and it wouldn't be possible to support your spouse too and have any kind of life, in my opinion. People do make it in Bangkok on much less, but I don't think their quality of life is great. I know mine isn't.