Monthly budget for an "average" expat in Bangkok?

These budget discussions on VF are always really interesting. I’ll let the expat experts weigh in, but just so you know, my 21-year-old student daughter needs at least 5,000 baht per month—minimum—and for the next school year, we’ll have to add another 1,000 baht on top of that. For your budget, just add whatever you need as a farang.

Hi, with 500-600 € excluding rent, you’ll live comfortably and it should be more than enough if you don’t go overboard.

Jean-luc from My Thai Language School

Hi there,

Just wondering—are you doing a cooking internship there? Because I’m interested! I’m leaving for Bangkok on October 4th and plan to stay in Thailand for my entire sabbatical year.

Since I don’t know Thailand at all, I’d love any info you can share. I’m hoping to find a cooking job in a French company (retirement’s calling! ;)) and an apartment like yours.

So if you’ve got any great tips to share, don’t hold back!

Thanks in advance. Gérard

500 or 600 € per month should be fine 😉

500-600 euros/month is totally doable for living in Bangkok—that’s about 21,000-26,000 baht.

I don’t know if you’ve been to Thailand before, but I’ll give you some examples of daily costs because it can be hard to picture from France.

Eating a meal at a Thai canteen: 50 baht

A metro ticket: 15 to 50 baht

A beer in a bar: 70 baht

A 1.5L bottle of water at a grocery store: 15 baht

A day of scooter rental: 150 baht (discount for a full month)

A liter of gas: 38 baht

A simple white T-shirt: 100 baht

A new, unlocked mobile phone: 900 baht

A SIM card: 100 baht

A month of internet plan: 600 baht

Keep in mind, if you work 40 hours a week, you’ll probably have a metro-work-sleep routine, and your biggest expenses will be weekend outings.

Even flights are cheap here—it’s easy to spend a weekend in Phuket for 3,000 baht round-trip from Bangkok, and find a really nice hotel for 900 baht/night.

A taxi ride from the airport to central Bangkok costs around 300-400 baht, depending on traffic.

Sometimes I read posts where people think it’s impossible to live on less than 1,000 euros/month in Bangkok, and it makes me laugh a little. Maybe we’re not living in the same Thailand.

With 500-600 € in Bangkok, you’ll live *way* better than with 1,200 €/month in Paris—don’t worry! ;)

thanks for these details, are you in Thailand yourself right now?

yes I’m in Koh Samui right now :)

Do you live there, do you work there, or are you just passing through?

Hello everyone,

I'm heading to Bangkok for a 5-month internship, and I'm wondering about the budget because I've read all sorts of things. So, I decided to post this to get an answer tailored to my situation :D I found accommodation that costs me 7,000 baht (I know it's a bit expensive, but it's very convenient...), which is about 160 € all included. I was wondering if it's feasible to live on 500 or 600 € per month, and if so, under what conditions? Is it enough, considering I'll be working 40 hours a week?

Thanks in advance for your replies—I hope they’ll reassure me.

Hi, Just in case, I made a little tool on my blog to calculate your budget. I’m talking about the provinces, but it might still be useful...

Check it out here: http://alainudon.over-blog.com/article-34637525.html

Happy settling in!

Alain

Thanks so much for your really detailed reply—it’s exactly what I was looking for. You’ve really put my mind at ease. Anyway, I’m going to try to live like a local: big hotels and all that aren’t really my thing. I’d rather take the buses, stay in bungalows, etc. Thanks again for your reply, have a great day!

Hey Alain, really handy your Excel file!!!

Hey, regarding the cost of living in Thailand, I read in an article that Thailand requires an income of 1200 €/month to qualify for residency. What is this based on, aside from retirement, of course?

In my case, for example—I’m in my thirties, a Belgian resident—I receive 410 € in indexed Luxembourgish pension.

I also have an apartment that will soon be available for rent, with a net yield of around 450 €.

Plus, I have a securities account with stocks/SICAVs worth about the same as my apartment, actively managed, with variable capital gains.

Which of these would be taken into account? Do you think it’s better to keep a rental property in Belgium or invest in Thailand?

If you're not fifty years old, you won't get a retirement visa... If you're not married to a Thai woman, you won't get a spouse visa... So these resource requirements don't apply to you...

hi,

This forum is amazing—so full of great info... but I’m totally "blown away" by your analysis and calculations! Bravo and thank you so much!

Morghane

Hi there, and thanks for the info. Wow, this is solid stuff! Cheers, Morghane

Yes, the 1,200 euros per month or 20,000 euros in a Thai bank account only apply to retirees. In your case, a tourist visa and an education visa for a while if you want to stay longer... hmm... marriage ;) But tell me, if you don’t mind me asking—you’re in your thirties and you’re receiving a pension?

Do you think it’s more interesting to keep a rental property in Belgium or invest in Thailand? For my part, I sold in France and invested here. Property prices are still very low, and in the long run, I think the baht will keep appreciating against the euro. The advantage is having rental income here directly in baht, and European real estate should decline for a long time after a strong period.

hi,

Yeah, it's a work accident pension, so I have a fixed income. Thailand is a long-term plan (10-15 years) because I'd rather contribute as much as possible in a stable country, and at worst, expatriate when I'm 50 if everything goes well—unless I find a great business opportunity, since marriage is out of the question.

Still, it's hard to say what the country will be like by then. Renting a house seems like the best option right now based on what I've read on the forum.

Investing in real estate here seems risky given the country's political situation and Thailand's protectionist policies, doesn't it?

I don’t regret my journey, but if I’d known about Asia sooner, I might’ve stayed here earlier—why wait until you’re 50?... Have you been here before? If not, come check it out for yourself if you haven’t already! 🙂 From what I’ve read, you’ve got enough resources to live here—what do you want to contribute to in Belgium for? Real estate investment is risky: yeah, it’s not without risk, I get you... but it *can* work out too. It’s like anything—you’ve gotta know where you’re stepping and really understand the terrain, because there *can* be surprises, and here, you can’t count too much on Thai justice. But where to invest now? If you’ve got any solid tips, I’m all ears.

Yeah, that does sound really interesting. I don’t work in Belgium—I’m in Luxembourg, where I’m aiming for at least 20 years of career to secure a decent pension for my retirement.

After visiting many countries in Europe and Africa, I’d love to get to know Thailand. From what I’ve heard from people who’ve settled there, it’s a beautiful country with a comfortable lifestyle.

How old are you, smil? Do you have a business in Thailand?

yes, the 1,200 euros per month.

Watch out... As mentioned elsewhere, it’s not 1,200 € per month you need to prove for the retiree visa, but 65,000 baht. With 40 baht to the euro right now, that means you need to show around 1,600 € per month in retirement income... If the baht strengthens even more, it could get really tight for a lot of retirees...

To give you a few points of comparison, local salaries are: - Basic worker: 6,000 baht - Junior manager: 15,000 baht - Confirmed manager: 30,000 to 50,000 baht - Department head in a large company: 50,000 to 200,000 baht.

You need to justify income for the retirement visa, but it’s 65,000 baht. With 40 baht to the euro as it stands now, that’s around 1,625 € per month in retirement income you need to prove...

So, you have to justify as much as a department head, and ten times the basic salary to be a permanent resident there.

Like you said, if the euro keeps dropping, some people are gonna feel it if they’ve moved to Thailand in that case.

if you’ve got a good, well-paid job in Luxembourg, it’s definitely something to think about—waiting until you’re 50, though... I’m 45, no business here, I give a few French lessons, but I need to find other income too

Yes, Henri, you're right to point that out, and in the long run, I can see one euro equaling 30 baht... sniff, there should really be a rebalancing of global currencies. Before that, after targeting Greece and Europe, the markets might realize that U.S. debt is colossal, and we might just get a chance to see the euro rise against the baht. :)

No, I earn a base salary as a private employee, so it's not huge (+/- 1800-2000 €/month).

You manage to earn 1600 €/month with French lessons? How do you do it otherwise to be a resident?

No, not half, but now I don’t work full-time anymore and I’m not a resident.

Yeah, Henri, you're right to point that out, and in the long run, I can see the euro at 30 baht... sniff, there should be a rebalancing of global currencies. Before that, after targeting Greece and Europe, the markets might realize that U.S. debt is colossal, and we might have a chance to see the euro rise against the baht. 🙂

Aside from global speculation, this is a really interesting topic. I was wondering what happens to an expat who’s been living there for several years and sees their income drop below the minimum required by Thai authorities... Anyone have any insights?

It's simple... it's outside... if you're not within the limits of what Thai immigration requires.

it’s simple... it’s outside... if you’re not within the lines of what Thai immigration requires.

In theory, yes. But has anyone actually seen a real-life example?

Not sure if many people try the adventure of being outside the rules here. Generally, they don’t mess around. One time, I overstayed my visa by a day. Oops... At the Nong Khai border, a nice smile told me: "Sir, you should have left the country yesterday." I said, "I know, I know, but it’s just one day, it’s not a big deal..." "Oh yes, it is—go to the office on the right over there." Result: I had to fill out papers, wait 2 hours... and pay a 500 baht fine. 🙂

Thanks for your message, but I’m looking for specific first-hand experiences on this point.

Hi everyone, Is the budget of 1600 € you mentioned per person for a couple? And for an unmarried couple? Thanks in advance for your details! Jacques

Yes, the 1,200 euros per month or 20,000 euros in a Thai bank account only apply to retirees. In your case, a tourist visa and an education visa for a while—after that, if you want to stay long-term, hmm... marriage ;) But tell me, if it’s not too personal—you’re in your thirties and you’re receiving a pension...

In principle, sufficient income requirements apply to all visas, including visa exemptions, since Immigration can request proof at any time, even if they don’t usually check in practice.

at least $1000 a month if you wanna live normally... not kino (which means stingy in Thai)

Expat in Bangkok since 2021, updating the numbers for 2026 because things have changed quite a bit since the last replies.

Housing: 15,000-25,000 baht/month (380-640 €) Studio or one-bedroom in a condo with pool and gym in On Nut, Phra Khanong, or Bang Na. Furnished, AC, internet included. If you want Thonglor or Ekkamai, expect 30,000-45,000 baht. A decent two-bedroom with a view in Rama 9 or Huai Khwang: 20,000-28,000 baht.

Food: 8,000-15,000 baht/month (200-380 €) Eating Thai daily is unbeatable. Pad krapao from the street: 50-70 baht. Meal in a food court: 80-120 baht. But cheese, decent bread, wine—those will cost you. Drinkable bottle of wine at the supermarket: 600-900 baht. Average Western restaurant: 400-700 baht per person. My personal budget: 12,000 baht/month, mixing 70% Thai and 30% Western.

Transport: 2,000-4,000 baht/month (50-100 €) BTS and MRT: 25-60 baht per trip. Grab scooter: 30-80 baht. Grab car: 100-250 baht in the city. No need for a car.

Internet & phone: 1,000-1,500 baht/month (25-38 €) True or AIS fiber: 600-900 baht for 500 Mbps. Unlimited mobile data plan: 400-600 baht. Honestly, better and cheaper than in France.

Healthcare: 2,000-5,000 baht/month (50-130 €) No social security here unless your employer provides it. General practitioner visit at a private hospital (Samitivej, Bumrungrad): 800-1,500 baht. International insurance (Cigna, SafetyWing): 1,500-8,000 baht/month depending on coverage and age.

Realistic total monthly budget: - Frugal but comfortable: 30,000-40,000 baht (770-1,020 €) - "I treat myself": 50,000-70,000 baht (1,280-1,790 €) - Premium expat: 80,000-120,000 baht (2,050-3,070 €)

Compared to France, for the same comfort as a 45m² in Lyon with regular dining out, you’ll divide your bill by 2 to 2.5. The trap is Western food and nightlife—those are where the budget blows up.