Cost of Living Information - Udon Thani

OPPS...

The mail did not turn out as I wrote it, but I guess you " can read between the line´s ".

I just want to thank all of the people that took their time to post.I see where that is difficult for people to let loose, thinking it's personal.It sure has helped sway my wife.She's told me "I want to go where the money goes the farthest"It'll be harder for her when she has to face the family in Bangkok directly and tell them straight out we're going North,but the information from here helped,alot,but we'll be alright as she can blame it all on me.I wouldn't be able to do it if she didn't understand the difference in the cost of living up there vs. Bangkok and I got most of that from here.I wish we could keep this thread running as there are so many well repected older members living in the area for many years that could chime in but whether that happens or not I enjoy reading all of your posts and assume the light banter is just fun between friends.I hope to be up there soon.I took the liberty to get on the Korat forum to look at the cost of living there and it seems quite abit more than Udon/Nong Khai area http://koratfarang.com/board/index.php/topic,147.0.html
It really is about giving up the old life isn't it?

we'll be alright as she can blame it all on me

we are good for something, tell Ree all the time, just tell them i'm an ass and don't want to be involved, works great. like i can understand them calling me names when i'm there. luckily don't have that problem, her family is spread out themselves, but she not a big socializer.

tell the family if they want you nearby, spring for a nice 50k a month condo, and you'll hang around. personally, you couldn't give me free rent to live in bkk, unless 200k condo on the river. udon city is a bit much at times.

good rule, stay a days drive away from in laws, makes for sane life, no interference

WBU ALUM wrote:

macduff wrote:I would love to move to Thailand with my thai wife and baby and live a peacfull village life,but i don't want to severe ties in the UK,yet i need to finance my stay in Thailand which means selling my assets in UK.Can any ex pat members point me in the right direction through your own experiance's and give me a straight answer into why i should or should'nt make the move.I'm 45 years old married and have an 18 month old son.

I would think that much would depend on your financial condition and ability to weather the markets and exchange rates in this volatile time.

"You are too young to make a move, may be in the next 10 years when you are able to retire at 55. There is no job for you in Udon Thani. Normally people who move and live here they are retired from some thing unless you are very rich and don't need to work.

Every time I come to Udon, I try to judge how much money it will cost us to stay full time.

The amount the wife is going through is coming down from 20,000 per day on our first visit together 3 years ago to around 8,000 per day on our last visit. Back next month hopefully can get a better idea of the amount of money we require to stay there. In no rush at the moment unless I was to loss my job, Staying in Udon for a couple of years could be on the cards until things pickup.

The wife is going to stay a couple of months next year with our son from what others have posted 15,000 per month should be enough. We have house so there is no rent. Motor bike is in good condition and if the young fella cuts back on the amount of milk he drinks 15,000 should be OK with a stocked pantry. If pass experiences are to go by the amount she tells me she needs I multiply by 3. Long way off will see how it goes.

I'm still concidering moving or trialing udon in the near future.I'm in the process of selling the Uk property with an option to rent back for 12 months.I'll be going to udon in june hopefully for a month and i'm going to set myself a budget of around the 15000 mark to see how we cope.

The amount the wife is going through is coming down from 20,000 per day on our first visit together 3 years ago to around 8,000 per day on our last visit. Back next month hopefully can get a better idea of the amount of money we require to stay there. In no rush at the moment unless I was to loss my job, Staying in Udon for a couple of years could be on the cards until things pickup.

Tha seem an awful lot i must say food and ex's for me is about 20'000 a month, including wife and two kids 7 dogs and 150 fish, maybe I should cut down on the fish food

well let me give my budget 12k truck payment rent 0 electric about 3k internet 1500 true V 1500 remove that amount from 40 K my wife does good and Aug. 2010 truck will be paid off oh I forgot the water
about 100 b a month 22k left for food fuel and entertainment so if I was you I would have the lady give a full report on were the money went I smell a rat in the wood pile if the poster is forthcoming

5,000 baht rent a month.6,300 car payment,1,500 baht M/c,2,500 baht for mortgage HER house.700 baht electric,Odd stuff like school fee, tax/insurance for car/MC,Gas,fuel, drinks and food and entertainment,....yeah same here Ron(But 3,000 baht electric?)
Times are hard!thats at 44 K

"The amount the wife is going through is coming down from 20,000 per day on our first visit together 3 years ago to around 8,000 per day on our last visit'
Can you confirm that Casper...,20,000baht A DAY? and 8,000 baht A DAY!
POM keet wah khow jai pit! ....(I think me mis-understand )!

Morti I used the 3k because I have two AC running and 1 is 25000 BTU the other 1 is 12500 BTU
plus electric pump to pump my water this month was close to 2k so I am assuming next month will be close to 3 since my big ac unit was only installed in the middle of the month. and I paid more for electric back in the USA so 3K is cheap for me

Mortiboy we do not live in Udon we only spend around 3 months a year in Thailand. The plan is to move to the village when two of the children have finished school, the third child will finish his schooling in Thailand.

I am cutting back the amount of time we spend in Thailand because of the cost I guess may people are doing the same thing. The 20,000 per day was 3 years ago it was a quick visit about 10 Days in Udon, it included a vehicle and a driver. I made the stupid mistake of not having a budget I had a fight with some noddles and my stomach lost so I was not in the best of health for village live.

We do have a budget every time we come to Thailand the wife is aware of this and she sticks to it, cuts it a bit close but makes it. We were thinking about buying a car we pay around 1000 per day to hire one but I cannot see myself staying more than 2 months next year. I would say the car would end up like the motor bike used when we are not there missing mirrors and in need of a service.

Next trip is next month the budget of 8000 per day is the same a hope to get a bit more detail where this money goes. (The wife can spend the remaining money on gold hope this keeps the spend down to give me a better idea)
1000 Car/Fuel
1200 Food/Misc Shopping
900 Beer Average day
???? Cleaner/Laundry/Cook/Babysitter
???? Babysitter/Cook
???? Handy man as required
200 Kids Average

We are still setting up the house so some money will go towards the house. The garden will be finished this time, hope I don't need a gardener.

Casper, are you MC by any chance ?

8000 a day !!!???

Just have to ask...

No matter how you put it IT IS STILL VERY WASTEFUL, even by rich farang standards, as ststed wife will spend to her budget, by our standards I make it about 4000 a day, where does the other 4000 go?????...A DAY