The Real Cost of Living in Thailand After 10 Years: A Long-Term Expat's Honest Reflection

I remember my first pad thai in Thailand. Not because it was life-changing—though it was delicious—but because I obsessively calculated the exchange rate while eating it. Forty baht. That's... one dollar and twenty cents. For an entire meal. I could live here forever on nothing, I thought.

That was 2015. I was wrong about the "nothing" part, but I was right about the forever part.

Ten years later, I'm sitting on my usual plastic stool at the same cart where I ate that first pad thai, except now I don't calculate exchange rates anymore. I know exactly what things cost, not from conversion apps, but from the slow accumulation of lived experience—from making the same mistakes everyone makes, from watching Thailand change, from watching myself change, and from learning that the real cost of living somewhere isn't measured purely in dollars and cents.

This isn't going to be another budget breakdown filled with tidy spreadsheets and promises that you can "live like a king on $600 a month." You can't. Not in 2025. Not unless your definition of royalty involves a lot of fan rooms and instant noodles. Instead, this is what it actually costs to build a sustainable, comfortable, genuinely enjoyable life in Thailand—the kind where you're not constantly doing mental math at every 7-Eleven.

The First Year: When Everything Seemed Impossible to Calculate

When I first arrived, I stayed in a guesthouse in Bangkok's Sukhumvit area for 350 baht a night. That's about ten dollars. The room was the size of a closet, the shower sprayed in every direction except down, and the air conditioner sounded like a helicopter landing. But it was ten dollars, and I felt like I'd discovered some secret loophole in the cost of existing.

I ate street food for every meal, rode the BTS instead of taxis, and congratulated myself on spending maybe 600 baht a day—less than twenty dollars for accommodation, food, and transport in one of Asia's largest cities. I did the math: at this rate, my savings would last not six months but two years. Maybe three if I was careful.

The problem was that I wasn't living. I was surviving cheaply in a foreign country, which is different. I wasn't making friends because I was too anxious about money to go out for drinks. I wasn't exploring because every activity had a price tag I'd convert and agonize over. I wasn't learning Thai because I was moving to a new neighborhood every week chasing cheaper rent. I was so focused on the cost of living that I forgot about the living part.

It took me about three months to realize that my spreadsheet-optimized lifestyle was making me miserable. That's when I stopped asking "what's the cheapest way to do this?" and started asking "what's the sustainable way to do this?" The answer changed everything.

What It Actually Costs: The Honest Numbers

Here's what I spend now, after a decade of calibration: between $1,300 and $1,700 per month, depending on where in Thailand I'm based and what kind of month it is. Some months creep toward $2,000 if I'm in Bangkok or taking trips. Some dip below $1,200 if I'm in a quiet period on the islands. But that $1,300-$1,700 range is my sweet spot—the place where I'm comfortable, engaged with life, not worrying constantly about money, but also not being wasteful.

Let me break down what that actually looks like, not as a sterile budget table, but as a real month in my life.

Where I Sleep: The Evolution from Cheap to Comfortable

My current home is a wooden bungalow on Koh Chang, about fifty meters from the beach. I can hear the waves at night. There's a small porch where I drink coffee every morning and watch the long-tail boats head out. The bathroom is outdoors but covered, which means I occasionally share my shower with a gecko. It costs $550 a month.

This is not what I would have chosen in year one. Year-one me would have found the $200 fan room down the road and suffered through sweaty nights to save the difference. But ten years teaches you that where you sleep affects everything else—your mood, your productivity if you work remotely, your willingness to actually spend time in your home rather than just crash there.

I've lived everywhere: Bangkok condos with gym access and infinity pools ($700/month), Chiang Mai studio apartments in the old city ($350/month), beach bungalows with nothing but a bed and a fan ($250/month), and even a few weeks in a temple where accommodation was free but I was expected to meditate at 4 AM, which turned out to be worth way more than I was willing to pay.

The pattern I've noticed: Bangkok is expensive but convenient. Islands are moderate but paradise. Chiang Mai is cheap and lovely but landlocked. And anywhere touristy (Phuket, Koh Samui, Phi Phi) will cost 30-50% more than you expect.

These days I split my time. I spend most of the year on the islands—Koh Chang, Koh Lanta, occasionally Koh Phangan when I want more energy. A month or two in Bangkok when I need city amenities or have visa things to handle. Maybe a month in Chiang Mai during hot season when the islands are too humid. The flexibility is possible because I learned to negotiate monthly rates everywhere I go, which typically saves 40-60% compared to daily pricing.

Here's the trick they don't tell you: never book long-term accommodation online. Show up, walk around, look at rooms in person, and negotiate face-to-face. The best deals aren't on Booking.com—they're with the owner who'd rather have guaranteed income for a month than gamble on nightly tourists.

What I Eat: The 70/30 Rule That Changed Everything

I spend about $350 a month on food. That number makes budget travelers gasp—"You can eat for a dollar a meal in Thailand!"—and makes Western expats nod knowingly.

Yes, you can eat pad thai for 40 baht. You can eat fried rice for 50 baht. You can eat a full meal at a local restaurant for 80 baht. If you ate exclusively Thai food at local prices, you could easily spend $5-7 per day on food, maybe $200 a month.

But here's what actually happens: You eat Thai food most of the time because it's delicious and convenient, and then one day you wake up desperately craving a burrito, or a pizza, or a proper sandwich with cheese that costs more than your rent back in Isaan. So you go to that expat cafe, and the burrito costs 280 baht—eight dollars—which is more than an entire day of Thai meals.

I call it the 70/30 rule: 70% of the time I eat Thai food at Thai prices, and 30% of the time I eat Western food or go to nicer restaurants because I'm human and variety matters. That works out to maybe 10-12 baht per day, which is $350-400 per month.

My typical day: Breakfast is coffee (60 baht) at a local cafe and maybe some khao tom (rice soup, 40 baht) or fresh fruit from the market (30 baht). Lunch is whatever I'm near—usually pad krapow or som tam from a street cart (60-80 baht). Dinner is where I vary: sometimes a nice seafood place by the beach (300-400 baht), sometimes just noodles (60 baht), sometimes I'll cook at my bungalow if it has a kitchen (maybe 100 baht in ingredients).

Then there are the extras. Beer (60-90 baht for local, 120-150 for imported). Coffee (60-100 baht depending on where). Snacks from 7-Eleven (20-50 baht). That slice of cake at the cafe where I work sometimes (120 baht). It adds up faster than you'd think.

The beautiful thing about Thailand is that you can always choose the cheaper option if you need to. Had an expensive week? Eat street food for the next week and balance it out. That flexibility is why the budget actually works long-term.

How I Get Around: The Motorbike Revelation

In year one, I was terrified of motorbikes. I'd heard the horror stories, seen the foreigners with bandaged legs, noticed the "Phuket tattoo" (road rash) on every third tourist. So I took taxis, and tuk-tuks, and songthaews, and walked long distances in the heat because walking is free.

I was spending more on transportation than I would have on a motorbike rental, and I was limiting myself to wherever public transit could reach, which in most of Thailand means: not very far.

In month four, a friend convinced me to take a motorbike taxi—where you ride on the back while someone else drives. It was terrifying and exhilarating and cost 30 baht to go somewhere that would have been 150 in a taxi. A week later, I rented a scooter for the first time. Automatic, 125cc, cost me 2,500 baht for the month (about $75).

That decision changed my entire Thailand experience. Suddenly I could explore. I could chase down the beach that locals mentioned. I could go to the market that was "too far to walk" and too local for taxis to frequent. I could be spontaneous.

Now I rent a motorbike everywhere I go: 3,000-5,000 baht per month ($90-150) depending on the place and bike. Fuel costs maybe 800-1,200 baht per month ($25-35) depending on how much I ride. Call it $120 total for complete freedom of movement. Best money I spend.

Yes, you need to be careful. Yes, you need to wear a helmet (100 baht fine if you don't, plus potential death, which is more expensive). Yes, you need insurance (which most people skip and shouldn't). But if you're living in Thailand long-term, especially outside Bangkok, a motorbike isn't a luxury—it's how you actually access the place you're trying to live in.

In Bangkok, I skip the bike and rely on the BTS and MRT. A day of transit might cost 100-150 baht, so maybe $80-100 per month if I'm actively exploring. Grab (like Uber) for late nights or when I'm lazy, maybe 80-120 baht per trip.

The Fun Stuff: Why You're Actually Here

This is the category that separates surviving from living, and it's where I've seen the biggest evolution in my own spending over ten years.

Year one: I budgeted $50 per month for activities and entertainment. That meant one diving trip per month if I was lucky, no regular massages, no boat tours, nursing a single beer at beach bars because the second one wasn't in the budget. I was in paradise and I was bored.

Now: I budget $200-300 per month for activities, and I spend it all. Here's where it goes:

Diving: I got my dive certification in year two, which cost about $400 but has paid for itself a hundred times over in the pure joy of being underwater. Now I dive 2-3 times per month when I'm on the islands. A fun dive costs about 1,200-1,500 baht, so that's 3,600-4,500 baht monthly ($110-135).

Massages: I get a Thai massage once a week, sometimes twice. It's not a luxury here—it's cheaper than therapy and keeps my body functional after years of bad posture hunching over laptops in cafes. 250-300 baht per massage, so about 1,000-1,200 baht monthly ($30-35).

Island hopping and tours: Maybe once or twice a month I'll join a boat tour to nearby islands, or rent a kayak, or go on a sunset cruise. These range from 800 baht for a simple long-tail boat trip to 2,500 baht for a full-day tour. Average maybe 2,000-3,000 baht monthly ($60-90).

Nightlife: I'm past the party-every-night stage, but I still enjoy going out. Beach bars with fire shows, reggae nights, occasional club nights in Bangkok. Beer is 80-120 baht, cocktails are 150-250 baht. A night out might cost 500-1,500 baht depending on restraint levels. Maybe 3,000-5,000 baht monthly ($90-150).

Random adventures: This is the "yes, let's do that" budget. The cooking class that sounded fun (1,500 baht). The Muay Thai trial lesson (500 baht). The ferry to that other island everyone was talking about (400 baht). Maybe 2,000 baht monthly ($60).

When I total it up, my "fun budget" is actually one of my bigger expenses, often exceeding my food budget. But it's also why I'm still here after ten years instead of burning out and going home after eighteen months like so many people do.

The Costs That Surprised Me

There are expenses you don't think about when you're planning your Thailand adventure from your bedroom in Manchester or Milwaukee. These are the ones that caught me off guard.

The Visa Dance

Thailand has changed its visa policies approximately eight thousand times since I arrived, so whatever I tell you might be outdated by next week. But the pattern remains: if you want to stay long-term, you're going to spend money on visa solutions.

Tourist visas are free (or cheap, depending on the current policy) for 60 days. Extensions cost 1,900 baht. Visa runs—leaving the country and coming back to reset your tourist visa—cost whatever a flight to Kuala Lumpur or Phnom Penh costs, plus accommodation, plus the annoyance of disrupting your life. Maybe $200-300 per run.

Education visas (legitimate ones, not the sketchy ones) run about 30,000-50,000 baht per year ($900-1,500) and require actually attending classes. Elite visas—basically pay-to-stay programs—cost from 600,000 baht (around $18,000) for five years up to millions for twenty years.

I've done the tourist visa rotation, done the education visa route, and now I have a work permit through some freelance writing I do for Thai companies. My advice: factor in at least $200-500 per year for visa-related costs, more if you're not working legally or don't have a long-term visa solution.

Health Insurance (Please Don't Skip This)

In year three, I got dengue fever. I felt like I was dying, which is dramatic but also medically accurate—dengue can kill you. I went to a private hospital in Bangkok. They admitted me, ran tests, kept me for three days, pumped me full of IV fluids, and I walked out alive.

The bill: 48,000 baht. About $1,400.

I didn't have insurance.

I learned my lesson expensively. Now I pay about $150 per month for international health insurance that actually covers me in Thailand and everywhere else. It's not the fun sexy expense. It's not pad thai or diving trips. But it means I sleep at night knowing that a motorbike accident or a weird tropical disease won't financially destroy me.

The budget options: basic Thai health insurance runs $30-50 per month but has lots of exclusions. Good international coverage with reasonable deductibles: $100-200 per month. Skip it at your own risk—I've seen people literally begging on GoFundMe after accidents.

The Inflation Reality

Here's what nobody tells you when you read those "live in Thailand for $500 a month" blog posts from 2012: prices go up. Thailand's economy grows. Tourism increases. Development happens. What cost 40 baht in 2015 costs 60 baht in 2025.

My first pad thai in Bangkok cost 40 baht. The same cart now charges 60 baht. That's a 50% increase in ten years. My first bungalow on Koh Chang cost 6,000 baht per month. That same bungalow now rents for 10,000 baht. My motorbike rental has gone from 2,000 baht to 3,500 baht.

Some of this is inflation, some is increased demand, some is areas becoming more touristy and pricing accordingly. The point is: if you're basing your budget on old blog posts or YouTube videos from 2018, add 20-30% to everything.

The Lifestyle Creep Tax

This one's psychological but financially real. You arrive planning to eat street food forever, sleep in fan rooms, take cold showers, and live like a monk who happens to be near a beach.

Then you meet people—other expats, travelers passing through, the friends you inevitably make—and they're going to that restaurant with air conditioning, and it's someone's birthday so you go, and the food is amazing, and they have real coffee, and before you know it you're eating there twice a week.

You start thinking "well, 200 baht extra per month for AC in my room is worth it, I'll just cut back somewhere else." Except you don't cut back. You just slowly, incrementally, unconsciously upgrade your lifestyle.

I'm not saying resist this—fighting lifestyle creep is exhausting and makes you resentful. I'm saying expect it. Budget for it. Accept that in year three you'll spend more than year one, not because Thailand got more expensive (though it did) but because you got more comfortable, more settled, more willing to pay for small luxuries that make daily life better.

How Costs Change Across Thailand

One of the most liberating things about living here long-term is the ability to chase cost-of-living arbitrage. Expensive month in Bangkok? Head to Chiang Mai. Beach time getting pricey? Retreat to Isaan where everything costs half as much.

Bangkok: This is where I spend the most—$1,600-2,000 per month. Accommodation is more expensive, food is more varied (and I give in to every Japanese ramen craving), transportation adds up with all the BTS rides, and there's just more to do and spend money on. But Bangkok is also where I handle business stuff, see friends who pass through, access international restaurants and shopping I can't get elsewhere. I budget a month or two per year here.

Chiang Mai: The digital nomad capital for good reason. I can live comfortably here for $1,200-1,500 per month. Accommodation is cheap, street food is everywhere, there's a great cafe culture for working, and the mountains are beautiful. The downsides: no beach (obviously), and it's gotten so popular with remote workers that it's starting to price up. Still excellent value though.

The Islands (Koh Chang, Koh Lanta, Koh Phangan): My default home. Costs vary wildly depending on the island and season. I average $1,300-1,800 per month. The beautiful thing about island life is that expensive activities (diving, tours) are optional, so I can have a cheap month just swimming and reading, or a pricey month doing every activity available.

Tourist Islands (Phuket, Koh Samui, Phi Phi): I avoid these for long-term living. Prices are 30-50% higher than everywhere else, and they're optimized for tourists, not residents. A meal that costs 60 baht in Chiang Mai costs 120 baht in Patong. That said, they're fun to visit occasionally, and the infrastructure is good. Just don't expect budget living.

Isaan (Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, etc.): The northeast is the cheapest region. I've spent time here and genuinely loved it—real Thailand, amazing food, lovely people, almost no tourists. You can live on $800-1,000 per month comfortably. The tradeoff: you're far from beaches, far from the typical expat infrastructure, and you really need to speak some Thai. It's not beginner-friendly, but it's authentic and affordable.

The Hidden Costs of Different Lifestyle Choices

Over ten years, I've watched hundreds of people try the Thailand expat life. Some last three months, some are still here. The difference often comes down to understanding the true cost of different lifestyle approaches.

The Perpetual Traveler: Always moving, never settling, hitting a new island every few weeks. This feels affordable—you're in cheap guesthouses, you're eating street food, you're not accumulating stuff. But it's actually expensive: you're paying daily rates instead of monthly, you're taking boats and buses constantly, you're not building the local relationships that lead to discounts and better deals. Budget $1,500-2,000 monthly minimum for this lifestyle, and factor in the exhaustion cost.

The Bangkok Expat: Apartment, gym membership, co-working space, regular restaurant meals, occasional flights around Southeast Asia. This is the lifestyle of people who work for international companies or run successful remote businesses. It's comfortable, professional, and expensive: $2,000-3,000 monthly minimum. You're basically living a Western lifestyle at Southeast Asian prices, which is still cheaper than London or New York but not the "live on pennies" dream.

The Island Settler (my approach): Pick an island or two, go monthly everywhere, build routines, make local friends, learn the affordable spots, balance cheap and nice. This is the sweet spot for long-term sustainable living: $1,300-1,700 monthly. You're rooted enough to get good deals but flexible enough to move with the seasons.

The Hermit: Cheapest room, cook all your own meals, minimal activities, avoid expat circles. You can live on $800-1,000 monthly doing this. I know people who make it work. But they often seem lonely, disconnected, and unclear on why they came to Thailand in the first place. Saving money is good; isolation is expensive in other ways.

The Real Lessons After a Decade

If you've read this far hoping for a magic number—"live in Thailand for exactly $X per month!"—I'm sorry to disappoint. The truth is messier and more personal than that. But here's what ten years have taught me about the real cost of living in Thailand.

Lesson One: Your budget will evolve, and that's okay

I spent $900 per month in year one, $1,200 in year three, and $1,500 now in year ten. This isn't failure—it's adaptation. I'm more comfortable now, more established, more willing to pay for quality. I also earn more than I did in year one. The goal isn't to keep costs frozen in time; it's to keep them aligned with your income and happiness.

Lesson Two: Seasonal variation is your friend

Thailand has high season (November-February) when everything costs more, and rainy season (June-October) when everything costs less. I've learned to embrace this. I splurge during high season when the weather is perfect, then dial back during rainy season when I'm mostly indoors anyway. This natural rhythm keeps my annual average in check while letting me enjoy the best of Thai life.

Lesson Three: The cheapest option is rarely the best value

The $200 bungalow with terrible wifi and no hot water might save you $300 monthly compared to the $500 option, but if it makes you miserable or prevents you from working effectively, you're not actually saving—you're just suffering cheaper. I've learned to evaluate cost versus value, not just cost versus cost.

Lesson Four: Social costs are real costs

If all your friends want to try that new restaurant or take a boat trip and you're always saying no because it's not in your budget, you'll eventually stop being invited. The social isolation that comes from extreme budgeting has a cost—just not one that shows up in your spreadsheet. Build flexibility into your budget for spontaneity and social participation.

Lesson Five: Thailand rewards negotiation, patience, and presence

The best deals aren't online—they're face-to-face. The best prices aren't advertised—they're negotiated. The best experiences aren't in guidebooks—they're discovered by being present and curious. Living here long-term gives you the time to find these things. Factor in three months of higher spending while you learn the ropes, then watch your costs settle as you get smarter.

Lesson Six: Insurance, visas, and healthcare aren't optional

I learned this the expensive way. These aren't extras to cut when budgeting tight—they're foundations of sustainable long-term living. Budget for them first, then build your lifestyle around what's left.

Lesson Seven: The money you save isn't worth the life you sacrifice

I know people still living on $800 per month after years in Thailand. They never go out, rarely participate in activities, eat the same cheap meals constantly, and generally seem to be in Thailand because it's cheap, not because they love it here. That's a sad reason to stay anywhere. If the only thing keeping you in Thailand is the low cost of a restricted lifestyle, you might be in the wrong place.

A Real Month: January 2025 on Koh Chang

Let me get specific. Here's what I actually spent last month, broken down not as categories but as a lived month:

My bungalow rent was paid on the first: 16,500 baht ($550). I negotiated this down from 20,000 by committing to three months and paying cash. It's right on the beach, has wifi that works most of the time, hot water (luxury!), and a porch where I work every morning.

Food is harder to track exactly because I'm not logging every 40-baht meal, but I estimate: Morning coffee and breakfast averaged 100 baht. Lunch from street carts or simple restaurants averaged 80 baht. Dinner varied wildly—sometimes 60 baht for noodles, sometimes 400 baht for seafood and beer at a beach restaurant. Call it 300 baht per day average, so 9,000 baht for the month ($270). Then there's the 7-Eleven habit—snacks, water, occasional sandwich when I'm lazy—maybe another 2,000 baht ($60). And a couple of nice dinners that were special: one birthday dinner at a fancy place (1,200 baht), one beachfront Italian restaurant because I was craving pasta (800 baht). Total food: about 13,000 baht ($385).

My motorbike rental is 3,500 baht monthly ($105). Fuel for January was probably 1,000 baht ($30) because I did a lot of riding around exploring.

I went diving three times: 3,900 baht ($115). Got four massages: 1,200 baht ($35). Went on a snorkeling boat tour: 1,200 baht ($35). Nights out at beach bars—maybe four or five times, averaging 800 baht each: 3,500 baht ($105).

Phone SIM with unlimited data: 400 baht ($12). Laundry service: 300 baht ($9). Random pharmacy and toiletries purchases: 800 baht ($24). A new pair of flip-flops because I broke my old ones: 300 baht ($9). Bought some fruit and vegetables at the market for snacking: 500 baht ($15).

Total: about 48,000 baht, which is roughly $1,420.

Some months are cheaper—maybe $1,200 if I'm being quiet and working a lot. Some months are more expensive—$1,800 if I take trips or have unexpected costs. But this is the reality: $1,300-1,700 is what comfortable long-term life in Thailand actually costs me.

Could I do it cheaper? Yes. Do I want to? No. This is the number where I'm happy, sustainable, and not constantly thinking about money. That's worth more than any savings.

So What Should You Budget?

After ten years and probably thousands of conversations with other expats, travelers, and long-termers, here's my honest recommendation for monthly budgets in 2025:

Survival budget: $1,000-1,200/month This is possible but not fun. Fan rooms, street food only, minimal activities, no luxuries. This is backpacker mode extended indefinitely. Some people do it happily; most burn out.

Comfortable budget: $1,300-1,700/month This is my recommendation and my reality. Private accommodation, mix of local and Western food, motorbike, regular activities, occasional nights out. You're not rich, but you're not counting baht constantly either. Life is genuinely good at this level.

Very comfortable budget: $1,800-2,500/month AC everywhere, eat wherever you want, regular trips and activities, gym membership, co-working spaces, save some money on top of expenses. This is the digital nomad sweet spot—working remotely while living well.

Luxury budget: $3,000+/month At this level you're basically living a Western lifestyle in Thailand. Nice condos, restaurants whenever you want, regular flights, shopping, premium everything. Still cheaper than most Western cities, but you're not here for the budget—you're here for the lifestyle.

The question isn't "what's the minimum I can survive on?" The question is "what budget allows me to build a life I actually enjoy?" For most people who make it long-term in Thailand, that answer is somewhere between $1,300 and $2,000 monthly.

The Unquantifiable Costs and Benefits

There are costs to living in Thailand that don't appear in any budget breakdown. The distance from family and missing weddings and funerals because flights home are expensive and time-consuming. The visa uncertainty that comes with not having permanent residency. The feeling of never quite belonging, of always being the foreigner, even after a decade. The difficulty of building deep, lasting friendships when everyone is transient.

But there are also benefits that don't appear in savings calculations. The morning swim before breakfast. The sunset from my porch. The genuine friendness of my Thai neighbors who've watched me gradually learn to speak their language badly. The freedom to structure my days around what matters to me rather than what an office demands. The reduced stress that comes from simpler living, even if that simplicity is partly enforced by living in a bungalow with barely any storage space.

I make about $3,000 monthly from freelance writing and some passive income. After expenses of $1,500, I'm saving $1,500 per month, which is more than I ever saved living in the UK where my rent alone was higher than my entire Thailand budget. This isn't just about spending less—it's about the gap between income and expenses being wide enough to feel secure, to breathe, to not panic about the future.

What I'd Tell Someone Starting Today

If you're reading this from wherever home is, wondering if you can afford to try life in Thailand, here's what I wish someone had told me in 2015:

Come with $5,000 saved, minimum. That covers your flight, first few months of higher spending while you learn, a buffer for mistakes, and enough to leave if it doesn't work out. Don't arrive broke hoping to figure it out—that's how people end up in bad situations.

Plan for $1,500-2,000 monthly once you're settled. Yes, you can spend less. But giving yourself breathing room in the budget makes everything easier and more enjoyable.

Expect to overspend for the first 3-6 months while you learn where the deals are, how to negotiate, which islands are affordable, how to balance local and Western food. This is tuition, not failure.

Don't skip insurance. Don't skip it. I cannot emphasize this enough. Budget $100-200 monthly and actually get coverage. The first time you need it, you'll be grateful. The first time you see someone who didn't have it get hurt, you'll be even more grateful.

Choose your location based on what you want your life to feel like, not just what's cheapest. The Isaan region might be 30% cheaper than the islands, but if you're miserable without a beach, that 30% saving costs you your happiness.

Give it at least six months before deciding if it's working. Month one is exciting but disorienting. Month three is often hard—the novelty has worn off, you're homesick, costs seem higher than expected. Month six is where it starts to click, where you've built routines, found your spots, made some friends.

Accept that you'll spend more than you planned. Everyone does. The goal is to spend more on things that matter—experiences, comfort, quality of life—and less on things that don't—branded products, Western groceries, constantly moving around.

The Question Nobody Asks: Is It Worth It?

People always ask about the cost—how much per month, what's the breakdown, can you really live on X amount. Nobody asks whether the whole endeavor is worth it. Whether trading your old life for this one makes sense beyond the arithmetic of rent and pad thai.

I think about this sometimes, sitting on my porch watching boats on the horizon. I'm ten years older than when I arrived. I've missed births and deaths and countless ordinary moments back home. I've missed career opportunities that required being physically present in my home country. I've missed the easy comfort of cultural familiarity, of understanding every conversation around me, of belonging without effort.

What I've gained is harder to quantify. I've learned to be comfortable with uncertainty. I've made friends from thirty countries. I've seen sunrise from a hundred beaches and temples. I've become fluent in patience, reasonably proficient in Thai, and expert in the art of finding good coffee in improbable places. I've learned that home isn't where you're from—it's where you stop feeling like you're somewhere else.

The cost of living in Thailand is $1,500 per month in rent and food and motorbike fuel. The cost is also everything you leave behind when you choose to stay. The value of living in Thailand is the money you save compared to expensive Western cities. The value is also the life you build in the margins of that saving—the freedom, the adventure, the version of yourself you become when you're brave enough to stay.

After ten years, I can tell you exactly what it costs to live in Thailand. What I can't tell you is whether it's worth it for you. That calculation is different for everyone, denominated in currencies beyond money—in what you're seeking, what you're avoiding, what you're becoming.

All I know is that ten years ago, I bought a one-way ticket on a hunch and a hope. Now I'm sitting on a porch in paradise, watching the sunset, planning my dinner (probably pad thai, still 60 baht, still delicious), and when people ask if I'm going home soon, I realize I'm already here.

The real cost of living in Thailand? Everything that came before, and every version of myself that would have existed if I'd stayed. The real value? Everything I've become because I left.

That's worth more than I can calculate, costs less than I feared, and pays dividends every single day.