approx 20,000 baht. my insurance figure is for auto mostly, 18,000 a year, max 10 mill coverage if someone commits suicide on car. put in budget as 1700 monthly.

Thanks! The insurance for the little motorbike, how much does that cost? And how much is the tax for the pick up? Calculating on a basis for the long run it makes a big difference spending 1000 BHT more or less a month. I am doing the calculations with "Excel" and I am trying to make it as accurate as it can be. I am not a fortune-teller so I can not know the inflation rate of the next 25 years and also I can not know the exchange rate of the Euro but I took the average rates of the past 10 to 15 years and will hopefully have a realistic forecast.

To have a precise overview of what I am going to spend I am keeping and analysing my spendings here in Germany for quite some time now. When I started doing that after some time it became really interesting where the money actually goes. Well, with these records that I have I at least know how much of what we need to live a life that can be called enjoyable.

Kart

Theres also the question of medical insurance.Would anybody know how much for the basic cover for a family 2 adults 2 children.Have to take into account for broken limbs.We all know how the pavements can be in udon and kerbs.

I got the prices for the health insurance from here.

http://www.bupathailand.com/personal.asp#

Don't forget the setup costs,furniture,appliances,pots and dishes etc etc.etc.

That money has been spent already, luckily enough! No worries any more.

casicook wrote:I got the prices for the health insurance from here.

http://www.bupathailand.com/personal.asp#

Excellent casicook Thanks for that.

All i have to worry about now is a nursery/school for my boy.He's nearly two and i want him to go to an English school that also teaches thai. Can anybody suggest how much I should expect to pay for a good school in Udon Thani, over a 12 month period?.

Mod Note - some text edited

Considering the cost of living in Thailand (as compared to the US at least, probably UK, Germany, etc), I don't think there's much argument that it's cheaper here than there. The 2 big question marks, that seem to cause problems for lots of folks, are the exchange rate and health insurance. While we'd all like to think it's unlikely that the USD/Baht exchange rate would ever go back to 25/1, that's what it was a little more than 12 years ago. Given the incredible uncertainty of the economic crisis, I'd say it'd be a safer bet to consider it returning to that level (okay, it's unlikely.....but), than it returning to 50 (okay, it's more likely.......but). If you had that plan in mind and the rate was to your benefit, all the better for living here.
If you don't have health insurance (that'd be a showstopper in my book), I'd say 25k USD would be a good cushion to cover something catastrophic. If you don't have that kind of money and you don't have health insurance, you could be looking to spend time in the open wards of Udon General. If you've never been there and doubt the living conditions, it'd be worth your time to make a visit.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone, but if you're just considering month-to-month expenses, you're missing out on the bigger picture. JMHO

parrot wrote:Considering the cost of living in Thailand (as compared to the US at least, probably UK, Germany, etc), I don't think there's much argument that it's cheaper here than there. The 2 big question marks, that seem to cause problems for lots of folks, are the exchange rate and health insurance. While we'd all like to think it's unlikely that the USD/Baht exchange rate would ever go back to 25/1, that's what it was a little more than 12 years ago. Given the incredible uncertainty of the economic crisis, I'd say it'd be a safer bet to consider it returning to that level (okay, it's unlikely.....but), than it returning to 50 (okay, it's more likely.......but). If you had that plan in mind and the rate was to your benefit, all the better for living here.
If you don't have health insurance (that'd be a showstopper in my book), I'd say 25k USD would be a good cushion to cover something catastrophic. If you don't have that kind of money and you don't have health insurance, you could be looking to spend time in the open wards of Udon General. If you've never been there and doubt the living conditions, it'd be worth your time to make a visit.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone, but if you're just considering month-to-month expenses, you're missing out on the bigger picture. JMHO

Entirely agree with that. I might add my wife has insisted I tuck away 1/2 mill baht for my funeral.
On the basis that as a prominent farang member of the community I should be dispatched in appropriate style.

1/2 mill baht for my funeral

if Ree spends more than 5000 baht, i'll haunt her forever. if i'm unattached at my death, i told my brother not to claim the body, don't waste a cent/baht. let them pay for the cremation or potter's field. weddings are only second to funerals on the biggest waste of finances.

how much would i expect to pay over a 12 month period?.

ok, on topic, monthly cost for school. a gauge, St. Mary's, sorry, all girls school past a certain grade, but it cost approx 14,000 per year, fist 6 years (3 pre, 1-2-3), lunch provided. 4th grade was 9000 baht for year, 2 semester payments of 4300, 4700, lunch NOT provided.

don boscos, is double that amount, approximately. if you miss the pre registration period, then registration fee/tea money is charge, and does NOT guarantee acceptance. i've heard from 50 k - 80 k baht, from a very dependable source. so if wanting to go there, pay attention to registration dates. if having child already attending, then preference is given, but must still make the registration date, or will also pay fee for next kid.

as far as 'english school teaching thai'............. .........stop, you're killing me. don't expect any school to teach good english. no matter what they or anyone says, it's not going to happen, unless you are extremely lucky stop, i'm killin me

the only two schools i'm familiar with.

Coming from Germany we are used to have a health insurance that covers the costs of a medical treatment. I would not like to exist without having one for at least the worst cases.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone, but if you're just considering month-to-month expenses, you're missing out on the bigger picture

I have broken down all the expenses to a month to month paying basis so that I know what I have to stock up every month to pay it once a time in a year.

If you don't have health insurance (that'd be a showstopper in my book), I'd say 25k USD would be a good cushion to cover something catastrophic.

Even being covered with insurances for almost every case of emergency I would not like to live on the last Baht at the end of every month. Something I never did and something that could make me feel uncomfortable. But it might be a good idea to let the wife think that exactly this is our way of life.

I don't think there's much argument that it's cheaper here than there

Something that can not be evaluated in monetary figures is the better awareness of life I have staying in Thailand. This is inestimable but in Thailand for me it is for free.

Kart

macduff wrote:All i have to worry about now is a nursery/school for my boy.He's nearly two and i want him to go to an English school that also teaches thai. Can anybody suggest how much I should expect to pay for a good school in Udon Thani, over a 12 month period?.

Mod Note - some text edited

If you want your child taught in English,you had better be prepared with a home schooling setup before you move here!Or plan to expand your budget considerably by having a private tutor and plenty of people to practice the English!Except for a few very expensive International schools in Bangkok,schools do not teach in English!And if you expect your child to get a decent education from Thai schools,FORGET IT!!!It will never happen.The curriculum is a joke,most teachers are a joke and the teaching is rote memorization without any motivation to acheive or learn!

I am with LA on expense of weddings and funerals,but each his own!

My son goes to Bosco. 1st grade cost was 20,500 for the year (1st term 12000bt, 2nd term 8500bt), not including English classes on weekends (1.5 hr Sat/Sun) approx 4000bt. My daughter will start pre-school (primary) and enrollment was 11,600 for the first term, the second term should be less.

Something that can not be evaluated in monetary figures is the better awareness of life I have staying in Thailand. This is inestimable but in Thailand for me it is for free.

Kart

Can you tell me what you mean by better awareness of life? This sounds like it could be interesting.

D. Nabbit