Accommodation in Thailand is generally affordable, with rent on average 60% cheaper than in the UK. ⁴ However, landlords might often charge a higher price for English-speaking tenants, assuming they won't be able to negotiate a lower cost. This means that accommodation in Thailand can often be expensive for expats.
Money can often buy you a lot more in Thailand than in the Western world. A budget of 100 pounds could provide you with meals, accommodation and activities for a few days or more in Thailand if you budget wisely.
Backpackers can experience the joys of Thailand for as little as $30 a day while luxury can be scored for just $100 a day. Most travellers will fit somewhere in-between those two numbers, depending on the destinations visited and quality of accommodation required.
If you're great at budgeting and love to sample street food, £100 per week may be enough – but if you want to really indulge and try as many extra experiences as possible, allow twice this amount so that you don't need to keep counting your cash at the end of each day.
It's enough to live 4-5 years, maybe. Then you'd be back to having nothing and heading back to your own country. But all of that is assuming you have a visa. You have no really good visa options at your age and price range.
THAILAND: COST OF LIVING 2024 (TOO EXPENSIVE NOW?)
How much English cash can I take to Thailand?
You can bring up to 500,000 Thai baht into Thailand. In foreign currency, you can bring the equivalent of up to 20,000 USD (approx. £15,700) into the country. If you exceed these limits, you'll need to make a declaration to customs officials or you'll be breaking the law.
Tipping in Thailand is not expected. Instead, a service charge will normally be added to your bill. The service charge will usually be declared on the menu if you're in a cafe or restaurant, for example, and is paid directly to the company rather than to an individual member of staff.
For a full-day private tour, tipping your guide 300–500 baht per day is common if they've provided exceptional service. For group tours, 100 baht per person is sufficient. Tipping 100–300 baht per day is a fair amount for private drivers who take you around for extended periods. For shorter trips, 20–50 baht is enough.
Body mass index (BMI)=25–29.9 kg/m2 for overweight; BMI≥30 kg/m2 for obesity. In total, 19.0% were overweight (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2), while 4.0%, 0.8%, and 0.1% met the criteria for class I (BMI 30.0–34.9 kg/m2), class II (BMI 35.0–39.9 kg/m2), and class III obesity (BMI≥40.0 kg/m2), respectively.
I hold British passport. Do I need a visa? Nationals of the United Kingdom and over 93 other countries are eligible to travel to Thailand, for tourism purpose, with the exemption of visa and are permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 60 days. Therefore, you do not need a visa.
Is it better to exchange money in the UK or Thailand?
Whether you should buy baht in the UK before travelling to Thailand is a personal preference. A lot of people feel better prepared to have local currency in hand when they arrive in a new country. It's very simple to order currency online in the UK and have it delivered to your home or a local bureau de change.
You must declare cash of £10,000 or more to UK customs if you're carrying it between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and a country outside the UK. If you're travelling as a family or group with more than £10,000 in total (even if individuals are carrying less than that) you still need to make a declaration.
Courses or boosters usually advised: none. Other vaccines to consider: Diphtheria; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Rabies; Tetanus; Typhoid. Selectively advised vaccines - only for those individuals at highest risk: Japanese Encephalitis.
It's worth going to Thailand for a week if one of two things are true. One, if you've been to Thailand before and are simply returning to dig deeper; or two, if you'r reasonably certain that you will be able to come back again. Otherwise, such a short trip may not be fulfilling enough to justify it.
So, how much money do you need to retire in Thailand? While it depends on lifestyle, many live well on $1,500 - $2,500 a month. Those seeking more comfort might budget around $2,000 monthly.
Land ownership in Thailand is governed by the Land Code Act and under Thai land laws only Thai nationals are allowed to own land or have a confirmed right of possession of land. Foreigners may not own land unless there is a treaty or exemption allowing the foreigner to own land in Thailand (section 86).
In Thailand, a health insurance plan costs about USD $1,532 – $3,071 with exclusive inpatient coverage; a plan with inpatient and outpatient coverage costs about USD $2,618 – $6,216; a plan with inpatient, outpatient, maternity care, and extended benefits costs about USD $4,408 – $7,462.
US Dollars may be possible to use in certain circumstances, such as in some tourist areas, larger hotels, airports. But using US Dollars in Thailand is not so recommended, as you might not get the best exchange rate.
So, for instance, an average lunch or dinner of rice or noodles in a local-style cafe may set you back 50 baht, while a cheese sandwich costs you 150 and a pizza 300 plus. Even if you order a local dish in a tourist restaurant or hotel, you can still pay 3 to 4 times what the same dish costs in the cafe over the road.
