What Is The Cost Of Living In Thailand? We Asked Our Teachers

Let’s talk teaching salaries.

My wife and I both work as teachers. I teach at Assumption Suksa School, a private all-girls Catholic school located near the Grand Palace in Old Bangkok — the historical heart of the city, filled with temples, old shophouses, and river views. 

My commute from Bangwa takes about 30 minutes (depending on traffic), but it’s worth it — the students are energetic and funny, and the staff are really supportive.

My monthly salary is ฿38,000 ($1,200). On top of that, I do private tutoring and earn about ฿1,000 ($30) an hour, usually adding ฿18,000 ($550) extra a month.

The currency in Thailand is the baht. 

My wife’s a teacher too, and she’s honestly a powerhouse. She earns ฿62,000 ($1,900) after tax, and also makes ฿30,000 ($925) from tutoring. Together, we’re more than comfortable.

Wow, that’s impressive! Together, Brendan and his wife earn approximately ฿148,000, which is about $4,500 a month.

But honestly, even if I only had my own salary, I think I’d still be fine — Bangkok is surprisingly affordable if you’re smart about your money.

We find that tutoring is easiest to do in cafés, but some students need quieter spaces — in those cases, we just do it at home or suggest online. With all the after-school programs around, there’s no shortage of students needing extra English help.

Read more: How To Find Private English Students

Let’s break it down by the numbers and throw in some of the real-life stuff that makes Bangkok… well, Bangkok.

Housing

We live in a 47-square-meter condo, just the two of us. Our rent is ฿10,500 ($320) a month — and that includes a little gym, a pool, and a rooftop area that’s perfect for sunset views. When we first moved in, I honestly couldn’t believe how nice the place was for the price. Back home, this would cost a fortune!

The only “challenge” is the occasional cockroaches sneaking in. But hey, that’s not the end of the world, is it?

We live on the 32nd floor, and the view at night is absolutely beautiful — the lights stretch all across the city, and it never gets old.

We love decorating our little condo with bits and pieces from Mr. DIY, which is probably one of my favourite stores in the country. You can find anything there — from curtain rods to phone stands to snacks to tiny screwdrivers. It’s kind of like a treasure hunt, and I always walk out with way more than I intended to buy.

Food & Groceries

Food is one of Bangkok’s superpowers. We get meal prep deliveries — 42 meals a month for ฿4,200 ($130). This saves us tons of time during the workweek (and stops us from living on bubble tea and pad thai).

On weekends, when we have more time, we like to cook. We buy quality meat from a restaurant that sources it from a butcher — about ฿3,000 ($90) a month. And for everything else, we hit up Lotus, Big C or Tops and spend around ฿4,000 ($125) a month on groceries.

One tip: never grocery shop when you’re hungry — I once walked out with five packs of Ovaltine cookies and zero actual food.

We also hit the market near our home in Bangwa on some days — fresh veggies and fruits, it’s really cheap and feels way more authentic than the malls.

Transportation

We started off renting a motorbike for ฿2,500 ($75) a month, but ended up buying our own for ฿70,000 ($2,100). Best decision ever. Now we just spend around ฿100 ($3) a week on gas.

Bangkok traffic can be a nightmare, but with a motorbike, we zip around easily. If we’re not on the bike, we use:

• Trains (BTS/MRT): ฿20–60 ($0.5 – $1.8)  a trip
• Buses or Songtaews (shared rides): Dirt cheap — like, ฿10 ($0.30)  sometimes!
• Grab/Bolt (ride-hailing apps): Convenient but can get expensive, especially in traffic or rain.

Utilities & Internet

• Electricity: Around ฿3,000 ($90) a month — thanks to Bangkok heat and AC.
• Water: ฿200 ($6) a month
• WiFi: ฿500 ($15) a month
• Phone Data: We got year-long data plans for ฿1,800 ($55) — it’s a steal and super handy for Google Maps when you’re lost in town

Health Insurance & Taxes

Thankfully, my university covers basic medical insurance, and my wife’s school does too. We’ve both had to use it once or twice — nothing major — but it’s reassuring to know we’re covered without extra monthly costs.

Taxes are deducted automatically, and to be honest, it’s not something we stress about.

There are also a ton of clinics and pharmacies around, and consultations are usually affordable if you ever need anything.

Leisure & Entertainment

I’m a bit of a DIY junkie — I love making things, fixing things, and occasionally breaking things. I order from Lazada, Shopee, or Shein, spending around ฿1,000 ($30) a month, depending on how many “projects” I convince myself I need.

Weekends are for café hopping — Bangkok has some epic hidden coffee spots (some even have pet cats or raccoons). We also go to the gym, which isn’t cheap. Our memberships are ฿2,200 ($65) each a month — but it’s a great space, and honestly, after all the mango sticky rice we eat, it’s necessary.

We also love going on little road trips — beaches like Hua Hin and islands like Koh Samet are just a few hours away.

We recently discovered a café with a giant koi pond and rabbits you can feed. It’s these kinds of random surprises that make exploring Bangkok so much fun.

Bangkok is definitely on the pricier end of Thailand. Rent, food, and transport can all cost more here than in rural towns.

A teacher friend of mine lives up north in Chiang Rai, and she pays just ฿5,000 ($150) a month for a two-bedroom house! But she also has fewer tutoring opportunities, and you can’t exactly order Korean BBQ at midnight there.

So, rural = cheaper, quieter. Bangkok = more expensive, but more job opportunities, food, and… chaos (in a good way).

That said, rural towns like Chiang Mai, Pai, or even Nakhon Pathom can offer a slower pace, stunning nature, and a much lower cost of living — it just depends on what you’re after.

Read more: The Best Places To Teach In Thailand

Here are my top 5 saving tips if you’re planning to live and teach here:

1. Buy a bike instead of renting — big savings in the long run.
2. Get year-long phone plans — they’re super cheap if you pay upfront.
3. Use food delivery wisely — meal prep plans are better than take-out every day.
4. Skip tourist prices — learn a bit of Thai, go where locals go, and your wallet will thank you.
5. Set aside 10% monthly — just stash it away, even if it’s small. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up.

Living in Bangkok as a TEFL teacher is honestly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The cost of living is reasonable, the experiences are priceless, and there’s always something new to explore — whether it’s a temple, a market, or a bizarre new snack at 7-Eleven (don’t knock the green pandan buns until you try them).

If you’re open-minded, adaptable, and up for a bit of adventure, Bangkok might just surprise you — in the best way possible.

Thanks Brendan! Thailand really sounds like a special place – and cost-effective too – double bonus!