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1000 Bath thailand - any cheaper place to live than Phuket? Any work?

Last activity 22 September 2015 by Benouda

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tomdeschepper

Dear fellow travellers,

Currently travelling in Thailand with a 1000 baht daily budget available, and realize that my options are rather limited. I will be here for 2 more months and at this stage i'm around phuket where everything seems to be 'expensive'. Any thoughts for cheap places to live or some voluntairy work?

Kop koon krup!

big frank

go to cambodia

JAMSTU77

Puket expensive - bangkok expensive - pattaya/jomtien cheap.
Cambodia not cheap these days - on a par with Pattaya.

big frank

you may want to go back home--thialand is not for everyone --May God Bless You

thailand4me

Are you just talking about food?  We spend the 2 of us less than half of that everyday in a restaurant in Bangkok. Unless you are buying beer, it would be easy.

Gravitas

accommodation and food etc.

JAMSTU77

If you are planning on travelling around thailand then on that sort of budget you need to consider guest houses / hostels.
If you are going to stay one month same place then you should be able to rent room for one month at reasonable rate. You coyld get a nice room/apartment jomtien 8000 to 10000 bht one month

thailand4me

Try the youth Hostel, or sleep on the beach.

stumpy

With that amount of money I would cut your holiday to 1 month which would just give you enough to get by on. Just don't get sick and need medical attention or hospitalization.

bkk tea blog

too bad you can't ordain as a monk; no expenses at all after a voluntary contribution, usually made by a sponsor.  odd no one has mentioned that you can't do volunteer work on a tourist visa in Thailand, at least not legally.

if you can find a place to live for very little, some hostel or guest-house, which should be possible, and don't mind eating noodles or fruit you'll be fine.  but it wouldn't be much of a vacation, without any spending or travel money, on the edge of getting enough to eat, walking around for something to do.  it might actually be practical advice to be homeless and travel instead of sheltered and not.

all this sounds a bit bleak but some unconventional solution might work out.

thailand4me

If that is all you have, I would go to my Embassey and have them send you back home. No point in trying to milk the system here, it just won't work.

tomdeschepper

Thanks for the info guys! Was able to save a lot of money the first weeks so my budget got to 1400 bath a day, i should be allright.

Tiriya

That is 30K a month, pretty uncomfortable to live depending on your life style.
I lived in Hatyai and Songkla Beach is about 25mins away from here by minivan every half hours from Bus Station.
Around the town center there some guest houses that goes for 4.5-7K a month with aircon, tv, hot water, etcs that come with walking distance to all the amenities that you need.
There's also the convenience of short distance to the Airport, Railway Station and the popular Border Duty Free Shop too.

smileofasia

1) Verblijf telkens een week in de goedkopere plaatsen : Bang Saphan - Prachuap Khiri Khan - Kanchanaburi - Ko Samet - Khao Yai - Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai - Mae Hong Son - Udon Thani - Khon Kaen - Nong Khai... Eventueel overland naar Myanmar - Laos - Cambodja al moet je wel de extra visa kosten inrekenen dan.

2) Budget : propere kamer ( 300 baht ) - 3 goeie maaltijden ( 300 baht ) - transport ( huur een motorbike aan 150 baht per dag + 50 baht benzine of nog goedkoper... huur een fiets aan 50 baht per dag ) - tourinformatie en communicatie met het thuisfront ( internetcafe 50 baht ) - entertainment (100 a 150 baht - koop frisdrank, water of een fles bier in de 7/11 en bouw een klein feestje)

3) Vermijd de toeristiche trekpleisters en dure entertainment centra: Phuket - Koh Samui - Hua Hin - Pattaya - Pai - Krabi...

4) Voorzie een extra budget van 1000 baht, telkens op de dagen dat je van de ene plek naar de andere reist. Voorzie een emergency budget voor onvoorziene omstandigheden (ongeval, diefstal, ziekte)

5) Werk? Al dan niet betaald of vrijwillig - Forget it! Thailand is een vakantiebestemming en dus niet de ideale plek om te werken. Als je langer wil blijven dan de voorziene maximum 90 dagen, maw. valt niet meer te beschouwen als een vakantie, echter met de bedoeling om hier permanent te leven... zal je zeker een beter plan moeten voorbereiden... Wat ga je doen? Beschik je over het nodige budget? Beschik je over de nodige reisdocumenten en visa?...etc. Tijdens je vakantie kan je wel je oor te luisteren leggen bij mensen die hier reeds leven en je bijkomende informatie kunnen bezorgen om deze onderneming succesvol af te ronden.   

Succes en Prettige Vakantie !

stumpy

:unsure:unsure 

As this is an Anglophone forum with ENGLISH speaking members can you please post in ENGLISH only so that we all can understand your post and perhaps offer information or advice.
Thank you.

Christine

Hi smileofasia > As stumpy said it. Could you please write in English in this English speaking forum? Thank you

smileofasia

1) Stay each time for about a week's period at the cheaper places  : Bang Saphan - Prachuap Khiri Khan - Kanchanaburi - Ko Samet - Khao Yai - Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai - Mae Hong Son - Udon Thani - Khon Kaen - Nong Khai... Possibly travel overland to Myanmar - Laos - Cambodia (for some diversion) though you will have to take into account the extra expenses for obtaining a tourist visa ...

2) Budget : clean room ( 300 baht ) - 3 meals a day ( 300 baht ) - transport ( rent a motorbike at 150 baht per day + 50 baht petrol or even cheaper ... rent a bicycle at 50 baht per day ) - tourinformation & communication with your family ( internet cafe 50 baht ) - entertainment (100 to 150 baht - buy softdrinks, water or a bottle of beer at the local 7/11 store and organize a small party)

3) Avoid travelling to mass tourism places and expensive entertainment centers : Phuket - Koh Samui - Hua Hin - Pattaya - Pai - Krabi...

4) Allocate an extra budget of a 1000 baht, each time you travel from one place to another. Allocate an emergency budget in case of unexpected circumstances (accident, theft, illness...)

5) Work? Paid or voluntarily - Forget about it! Thailand is rather the perfect destination for a holiday and far from the ideal place to spend your time working here. Should you prefer to stay longer than the maximum 90 days a tourist visa allows you, in other words, your travel is no longer to be considered as a holiday but you rather have the intention to stay and live here long-term... you will need to prepare a better plan for your future... What are you going to do here? Do you have enough budget to do so? Do you have the necessary travel documents and visa to hang around?...etc. During your holiday you could take the opportunity to ask additional advice from long-term residents; they can provide you with useful information and things you could easily forget before you leave the comfort zone of your homebase overseas.   

Success and Enjoy your Holiday in Thailand !

kschindl

you must have read some veeeery oooold story about beeing able to live with 1000 baht a day. 20 years ago that was more or less possible and also not in phuket. i do understand why all people want to go to phuket.
phuket is a tourist trap overprized and threatened by tsunami.
pattaya is much cheaper, but with 1000 baht u will not get much there either. thai food u can get in pattaya for around 80 to 100, less if u speak thai and know where.
one other option u have as a young farangh: get a thai boy or girl and stay in his/her room....
btw. tourists of your type are called frarangh kee noh in thai...

FiveStarVagabond

Pattaya is the answer, there are places near the beach where you can rent a nice room for 7000 per month, plus you can eat very cheaply here.

Have a look at this post on my travel blog, the last 2 places are terrific value.

fivestarvagabond.com/pattaya-budget-hotels/

Here are a few examples of cheap food.

fivestarvagabond.com/cheap-pattaya-restaurants/

kschindl

sorry man, but your tips are not cheap
aspargus, mushroom, etc should not be more than 100 baht now. it used to be 80, but no more.
your tips are tourist traps

natchuda2498

Yes you can, stay at Khaosan Road Banglampoo Bangkok, guesthouse 300 per night you can have Breakfast 50 - 80 Baht,  Lunch -  noodle soup or Fire rice or other Thai food 50 per dish also same in the evening you can save about 100 - 200 ..

startelver

In Pattaya you can live on 1000 baht per day no problem at all. You can rent a room for a whole month for 6000 baht ex electricity around 1500 baht .  Or you can rent a daily room for 500 .
Stick to thai food and you save money. Delicious noodle soup is only 40 baht .
Transportation only 10 baht in Pattaya beach to Jomtien or Sukhumvit rd.

Compared with Phuket I would say its about half the price here.

kschindl

startelver wrote:

...
Transportation only 10 baht in Pattaya beach to Jomtien or Sukhumvit rd.

Compared with Phuket I would say its about half the price here.


transportation is 10 baht in south pattaya.
if u go to jomtien it is 20 baht (still cheap) from south pattaya. if you give 10 baht the driver will kill u, and rightfully, it is quite far. same south pattaya to na kluea

tomdeschepper

for people telling me to go home, thanks a lot, that is exactly what i wanted to hear! You have been very helpfull. Next time don't bother, just leave te comments to people who actually want to help me.
I have been travelling for a month now and currently find myself in Chiang Mai where i share a room with two other people costing me 120 baht. I rent a scooter for 150 and have the options of eating thai for around 200 baht a day, which leaves me around 400 baht i can spend on temples/national parks/beers/presents. For transport i took the train and bus and in total it did not even cost me a thousand baht. I had stops in Petchaburi, Ayutthaya, Phitsanulok and Sukhotai so plenty of things i was able to see.
I guess people have diffrent views of holidays, I am happy with what i have now.
Cheers!

tomdeschepper

Dorm 150 baht, scooter 150 baht, food 200 baht. 500baht left to do stuff

startelver

Congratulations , you found the secret to the cheap , good life in Thailand. Most foreigners visiting here are paying way too much for food and services because they don't know or don't care.

Lancashire Lad

I have only just seen this thread. You have ended up doing exactly what I was going to suggest as I started to read it. i.e. Staying in CM & looking for other budget travellers to share a room with.

I usually visit Thailand around January - March staying between 5 weeks and 3 months. I always stay in nice (but budget priced) air conned rooms with furniture, eat twice a day having ony juice and fruit for late breakfast, dinner usually averages around bht 200. Out for a few late night beers about every other night. Sometimes fly from a - b but sometimes train or bus. Don't visit many tourist attractions as I did many years ago at 73 bht to the GBP. (now 50) I find I spend about $1500 US$ a month. = bht 1650/day. I don't eat much street food. It can certainly be done on much less.

(I priced my spend in US$ as travellers no matter which country they come from can usually relate to that).

Gravitas

The moral of this story (apart from being very creative and flexible) is that Phuket is over priced. There are more interesting Thai locations which have considerably more beauty and cultural authenticity.

Hewmundi

Tomdeshepper,

I posted a similar question last year, inquiring about moving to Chiang Mai, and received and read many other posts that are sort of doom and gloom for moving to Thailand.

Well, I spent a month in CM (Aug - Sep) last year and I found it was reasonable that I could live there pretty comfortably on my military retirement pension of around 57K Baht per month.  Now that's more than what you want to spend, but I like my beer and dining out.  I spent a month in Jomtien in 2012, and that was a bit more expensive than CM.  It all comes down to what kind of lifestyle you lead.

Bottom line is, I think there are SOME people that frequent this site (and I'm not saying the majority, so limit the hate replies, please) that just don't want  more western farang moving there, and I don't blame them.  If I wind up moving there in the future, I wouldn't want a bunch of westerners coming and ruining (in some cases) the beautiful culture that makes Thailand the LOS's.

Congrats on your success and enjoy Chiang Mai.  I loved it there, and considered moving there myself, but heard the smoke is pretty bad for about three months a year when they burn the fields.

Hewmundi

How close to View Talay condos is yours?

frankie2385

There a number of View Talay's on that main road.

Moderated by Priscilla 9 years ago
Reason : Please post your housing offer in the housing section
frankie2385

In Pattaya; you can rent a scooter for 2,000 B per month (66 B per day). Meals in the open market for 40 B. meals at the mall for 80 to 100 B Cinema on Wednesday 140 B. Condo 10,000 per month (335.00 B per day).

You just need to shop around for the good Thai prices.

Benouda

Hundred bath and you complaining compare life in Europe in Thailand still cheap Mrs PHD

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