Cost of Living Information - Udon Thani

oaklieys 89." I didn't see any charitable donations. Do you give to those people in the night market or outside 7/11 near the train station?

oalkieys were a new pair of shades, and i don't give charity donations to anyone i don't know or trust, which includes everyone wouldn't list it anyway, as not a normal expense someone would expect to incur. there are a couple things i don't list, as not a necessity or expect someone else to need to spend. pretty much just necessities, a couple extras for a laugh and a smile, which to me are necessities.

I drink in your regular updates on cost of living payments la, and am hoping to have £1000 a month, 53000baht roughly, on retirement. Praying that'll be okay as do not have huge lump sum available. My rent could be more i think than 4000baht you show, although my mate retired near Udon pays similar sum to that. I would have a 10000baht monthly to tgf for her family, (keep mother/father/brother/sister off my back hopefully!) so based on your other costs, should keep within monthly budget.

I will need lump sum initially for car or truck, and repairs to mother/father house. Well, i say repairs, more total renovation needed! But need to retire to warmth of Thailand soon because on top of existing health problems, now developing painful osteoarthritis too in joints. So thanks for your cost of living info, it gives me confidence that my retirement to Udon, won't be a total disaster!

PhilR

You have a barely sustainable income of 53K Baht per month, not allowing for contingencies.

Why are you giving 20% away?

In answer to your question parrot, i have no hospital insurance plan. Sadly, it would be too expensive now because of heart surgery relatively recently. However within the lump sum, there is about say £30,000 (1.6 million baht) for hospital or other emergencies. As for giving away 20% to family davecryan, i thought this was sort of 'normal' practise. I mean if money got real tight, i could stop that payment couldn't i, and in a way, i think to directly put money to a family who have struggled with a distinct lack of it ever, is only fair really.

I have a real problem with regard to retirement to Thailand. On one hand i have a family here to take care of in England before i leave. This cuts my money i take to Thailand, and income there also. The longer i leave retirement, the more i personally will have, but on the other hand, the longer i leave it, the older i get, and, possibly with worse health too. So as i go slowly go mad worrying what to do, la's cost of living index is like a straw to a drowning man, desperately wanting to looking forward to peaceful retirement in lovely Thailand!

I would not call 53k a month barely sustainable. I will live on a similar amount or less. On holiday in udon i get by on 30k a month - ok tgf will need some more and their are some other expenses which will be different/not included if staying long term. But some costs could go down. if you smoke, drink heavily, eat out all the time then you could spend more than 50k. But you could spend less - Thai immigration only ask for 40k a month if married and i think a few manage on that. As i would have pay about 25,000 baht a month in UK for housing post divorce i expect to actually be better off in Thailand. You just have to budget and adjust your lifestyle. LA hardly suffers.....
I would be worried about the health care though. But, if the option is 10 years in Eastbourne hoping for a sunny day and if you can afford fish and chips, or 5 years in Thailand, no contest.

Phil, i fully understand your problem, similar to mine except health not so critical. Are you intending annual trips back to UK? That way you could preserve your NHS rights. Also is 53k after tax?

LA hardly suffers.....

this is true, get out and about, like now, and dine out whenever w/few beers occasionally, though not often, seem to be a bit more when i do, damn peer pressure.

i get 50k per month, from USA SS/gov't retirement/disability. i can start my company pension next year, not much, since taking it at 40%/10yrs early. then when official non disability retirement in 12 yrs, the SS should rise a bit. other money generated, i leave in the states, making that cushion for oops better, or Ree will remain retired after i'm gone. i actually have a hard time spending 50 a month, but i force myself what isn't spent per month, i spend now, on holiday about 3 months a year. no point in saving, as inflation is 10-20 times any interest anyone wants to give, so i save money by spending it now house/rental include, car paid for, if build another house in 2 yrs, that will be paid for, so no mortage or payments, also not a fan of health insurance, and way ahead on that financial curve, and fairly healthy.

good you have a cushion, though your health situation and 20 % to family is bit concerning. but since health issues, good to retire asap. good luck, any help, and we're here.

LA hardly suffers.....

yes, I hope to suffer in a similar way in future! So far, on track for 2011.

YES, a wee bit of bliss here, with the occasional relationship trial and tribulation, making things interesting and educational

9 years in and hopefully 20 more, as i want to be a blight on the ever suffering USA economy. if it wasn't for this year, a nice stock day, i think i would of gotten back all the taxes i paid over the last 25 years. have to work on getting this years back, though that may take a while.

hurry up and get here, door is still open, hoping they would close it after i got here, damn too many farangs already

I am known for my incredible luck. Therefore 31st december 2010 they will change the immigration rules or the pound finally sinks without trace. I have spent the last 30 years identifying business i want to do, always failing to have sufficient capital and watching them take off while i save. 'missed the bus' as we say in UK. Has happened at least 4 times. Also happening in Udon - i identified my niche in 2008 - now at least 2 others doing that and with more capital. Never mind - i could always open a bar after all we know that is a 'sure' thing! oh, just to keep on the question, I think you need a much higher budget if you run a business - to tide you over the setup costs and the 10 years to make a profit.

PhilR
I apologise if my question re:- 20% appeared blunt...but, no, it is not common practice to give an allowance to In-laws. I dont, I have been married for 3 years and apart from the "dowry", have given them nothing.None of my friends do either. I have lent sums of money, from 3k to 20k and have been fully repaid. Maybe because my rule is " the next loan is when the current loan is paid". Also once you pay this allowance (although given in good heart ) you will find it impossible to cancel it. Indeed they will consider 10K the basis for further negotiation upwards.

Rick mentioned NHS support...they have tightened things up back in the UK..."out off the UK for more than 3 months", means no more free medication and only emergency treatment when you return...my Doc was pretty good, he would issue 3month scripts for a 1 year period and a friend of mine would post my medication to me. He did that for 5 years but had to stop because of Auditors. I now buy mine on-line.

You will find that buying a decent car/ pickup can eat up anything towards 25% of your lump sum.

I am not trying to discourage you, as a fellow Brit ( Manchester, actually ) I am just passing on some hard earned knowledge and experience.

We are all different...what suits one ,does not suit everyone, but I think your current finances are not the best foundation for a comfortable retirement.

However best of luck with your plans.

entry level new car or truck, 500-600 k, and also haven't supported any in law or family members. have over paid them for work, bought rice machines for them, so they could make money instead of spend, money worked off, and basically paid for house, inexpensive, but again, worked off. and he did build my first house for free, i only paid for labor and materials, he didn't take any money, though the ex's 'commission' made up for that, so no complaints here.

Rick, i am planning for 2011 too, hopefully January, but almost certainly in that year. I don't drink heavily (on warfarin so incentive not to drink heavily as it would kill me!) and don't smoke. I don't intend to regularly come back to UK, maybe 18 months to 2 years or so, so will say goodbye to NHS.

And davecryan i didn't take any offence at your 20% to tgf family not needed as a given. I will consider dropping that amount, maybe to 5000baht (10%), which would give me more to play with while still giving family some. Your ominous comment 'but i think your current finances are not the best foundation for a comfortable retirement' more worrying! However rick mentions Eastbourne for a UK retirement, and strangely has been brought up here as a possible option. The the only way i'd end up there and not Thailand, is by going via Beachy Head cliffs straight down to the beach! So, ready or not, 2011 i'm coming across for good, if it fails and i come to grief, well, i'd have given it a go at least!

This is an excellent and enlightning topic and I am reading all your posts with great interests.

I plan to move to Udon in about 2 months with the wife, so very interested in the costs of living. I think mine will be the lower end of the scale as I won't be running a car or partying.

Planning on renting a business premises to open a beauty salon (that the wife will work in/run) - nothing fancy like in the Robinson centre. The premises would also be my accommodation.

I'm 34 so no pension or regular UK income once in Udon but will return for short stints to the UK for work to bulk up the kitty.

As I'm going to be made redundant and have compensation to start up in Udon - I thought now is the time and I'm fed up with the UK.