This page was last
updated on
Wednesday 03 September 2008 at 02:17 (Thai time).
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Here in Hua
Hin, it's now |
One of the big advantages of living in Hua Hin is the low cost of living. However, just how low depends largely on what kind of lifestyle you are planning to have. It is, of course, very difficult to generalise about what various people consider necessary or luxury, so the best we can offer is a rough guide, based on certain averages. Please remember that these are approximate estimates for reference purposes only, and so your own cost of living here may be somewhat different.
Classified by lifestyle
A new arrival's initial outlay (furniture, car, etc.) differs greatly from case to case. The figures shown below are based on a married couple without children.
|
(All figures in Baht) |
Modest | Comfortable | Affluent |
| Home rent | 6,000 | 20,000 | 50,000 |
| Electricity | 500 | 2,500 | 4,000 |
| Telephone | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Water | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Mobile telephone | N/A | 300 | 500 |
| Internet access | N/A | 600 | 800 |
| Cable/UBC Satellite TV | N/A | 390 | 750 |
| Food expenses | 5,000 | 10,000 | 15,000 |
| Entertainment (outside) | 500 | 1,500 | 2,000 |
| Transport (taxi fares, etc.) | 200 | 200 | N/A |
| Car (fuel, insurance, etc.) | N/A | 500 | 2,000 |
| Maid | N/A | N/A | 3,000 |
| Laundry | N/A | N/A | 1,000 |
| Gardener | N/A | N/A | 500 |
| Estimated cost of living per month | 12,500 | 36,390 | 79,950 |
Having said that, let us say that a modest lifestyle would involve using a bike or the bus rather than a car or taxi, living in a townhouse or apartment in a quiet area (we do not recommend living downtown), living without a home Internet connection, using fans rather than air conditioning, mostly eating at home and spending little or nothing on alcohol.
With a monthly budget of around 40,000 baht, life obviously improves quite a bit. One can choose a more spacious home, can dine out more often, and can do more with your leisure time. Such a lifestyle would be much closer to a 'middle class' lifestyle in the West.
Such a lifestyle would allow for using a motorbike rather than public transport, a 2- bedroom townhouse OR a 1- bedroom condominium, an ADSL (256kbps) connection at home, occasional use of an air conditioner, cable television (UBC), an occasional meal out, and an occasional drink at an outside bar, pub, etc.
When one's monthly budget is 80,000 baht or more, then a luxurious life becomes increasingly possible. Such a figure allows one to employ a maid for cleaning, etc., use of an outside laundry service, plenty of opportunity for hobbies, sports and volunteer activity, etc. The sort of life one could enjoy at this level would be impossible on anything less than four or five times such a figure in the West -- maybe more!
This category includes your own car, a 3 - 4 bedroom house, an ADSL (512kbps) home internet connection, frequent use of air conditioning , regularly eating out (occasionally at foreign restaurants), a visiting maid (three times a week), more frequent laundry service, a regular gardener (monthly), and satellite TV (UBC).
Rental
costs -- the lion's share of monthly expensesLooking at the above figures, you can easily see that home rental costs represent a very large percentage of any foreigner's cost of living. Of course, rent also takes up a major share of Thai family budgets as well, but with property, there is often a big difference between Thai costs and foreign costs. After all, many foreigners, even the most frugal, would be unable to even consider living in what some locals might call home! However, this price gap can be greatly reduced by using local knowledge and expertise.
This is where it might be wise to examine the difference between renting and buying. For example, compare buying a 100 m2 townhouse in a nice area for 2 million baht with renting the same house for 20,000 baht. Renting can be expensive, especially for longer term stays. Also, compared with Bangkok, for example, there are far fewer foreigners renting property here, and less demand inevitably leads to a smaller market, meaning less choice. However, 30-year leases can be arranged for some quality homes, for those disinclined to make such a relatively large investment.
Possibly you have read that a foreigner can't buy a house or land here. Well, strictly speaking, that is true. However, an increasing number of foreigners DO own land and property (not just condos), as it is possible -- albeit, slightly complicated. This is another area where local expertise is invaluable.
For more information about the real estate market here and the procedures involved, etc. please refer to our property information page.
Other
prices -- Daily necessities, etc. For a more detailed guide to local prices for food and daily necessities, take a look at the table below. Please bear in mind that prices can and do fluctuate (due to season, availability, etc.). As can be seen, some items are much cheaper here, whereas a few items cost a bit more.
Vegetables, locally grown fruit, chicken, water, local restaurants, etc.
Motorcycles, petrol/gasoline and electricity, Internet connections, brand items and home electricals, milk and western food, etc.
Motor cars, tissues (strange but true), imported alcohol and cheese, etc.
|
Items |
General Hua Hin
price (Thai baht) |
| Jasmine rice (5 kg) | 70 |
| Bread | 21 |
| Egg (3) | 10 |
| Milk (1L) | 35 |
| Cola (1.25L pet bottle) | 20 |
| Local vegetables (kg) | 10 - 20 |
| Chicken (kg) | 50 |
| Bananas | 20 |
| Fried Rice (Street vendor) | 20 |
| Fried Rice (Restaurant) | 40 |
| Fried Rice (A/C restaurant) | 60 |
| Gy yahn (popular local dish) | 130 |
| Sugar (1 kg) | 15 |
| Drinking water (500ML) | 5 |
| Chang Beer (
Local #1) (1 dozen large bottles) |
390 |
| Chang Beer (350cc can) | 20 |
| Toilet paper (12 rolls) | 65 |
| Tissues (3 boxes) | 90 |
| ADSL (256/128 kbps) connection (per month) | 590 |
| ADSL (512/256 kbps) connection (per month) | 790 |
| UBC satellite TV (basic package, per month) | 750 |
| Cable television (per month) | 350 |
| Mobile phone SIM card (Valid for 1 month) | 300 |
| Motorbike (100 - 125cc) | 40,000 - |
| Honda CR - V | 1,231,000 |
| Toyota Corolla Altis | 685,000 |
Please Note: Prices can vary widely depending on where you buy, etc.
What's a Baht worth in your own currency?
Visit our customised 'Cheat Sheet'.English Cambiavaluta fra divise Convertidor de Divisas Convertisseur de monnaies Valutors-Konverteraren Wechselkurse für Währungen
Thanks again for visiting.
Please come back soon!Notice
Whilst this company seeks to provide up-to-date information on this site, it can in no way be held responsible for any changes that may occur. We recommend you verify relevant information closer to the time of your arrival in Hua Hin. In addition, much of the information may be of a subjective nature and so personal judgement may vary, which is beyond our control. All articles and graphics on this site may be subject to Copyright, and may not be used for more than "private utilization" without permission.
Copyright ©2005-2007 (Bryan Morihiro Co. Ltd.) All Rights Reserved.
Town Office
18/4 Amnuaysin Road,
(inside Tanawit Condotel)
Hua Hin, Prachuap Khirikhan
77110, Thailand
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