Life in Bangkok: Relocation Experience, Adaptation, and Housing Prices

Thailand attracts tourists and expats from all over the world, and in recent years, the country has become an even more relevant and popular destination. We spoke with Ekaterina Goncharova, a practicing investor who has been living in Bangkok for 3 years now, so she was happy to share her personal experience with us and tell us about how life is organized in Thailand and how she adapted to the local culture.

On the Pros, Cons, and Cultural Differences

— Ekaterina, you have been living in Bangkok for the last few years. Why did you choose Thailand for living? What are its pros and cons?

— We moved here over two years ago because of my husband’s work. He is a highly qualified IT architect, and he got a good offer here. My businesses are remote, I haven’t used an office for several years, and my entire team of 15 people is also scattered around the world. So for me, the move was comfortable from a work perspective.

It is not difficult to make yourself an official residence status in Thailand if you are invited by an employer. In this case, you are simply provided with a work visa. Frankly, I do not know about other types of visas simply because there is no need.

I don’t like the cold, so the local climate is a huge plus for me. We also stick to a healthy diet, and here high-quality seafood, fruits, and vegetables are very affordable.

And I want to say something about safety: Bangkok is the safest city I have ever been to. And I have been to 43 countries, so I have something to compare with. Here I can leave all my things, including my phone and money, on the table of some casual coffee shop, go out for 15 minutes, come back, and everything will be in place. In second place in terms of safety is perhaps Japan.

The healthcare here is very affordable and high-quality. Even with inexpensive insurance, you will receive top-notch medical care. When my husband went to a routine appointment with a gastroenterologist, it felt like he was in a five-star hotel.

Thailand has very beautiful national parks and reserves. I love the provinces of Kanchanaburi and Krabi. The nature in this country in general is simply magnificent. And what impressed me most was the process of salt extraction and how rice grows and is harvested here.

And the main disadvantage for me is the hottest period of the year (April and May). You have to spend 80% of your time indoors with air conditioning, and you can’t really walk (and I really like that).

— What are the most striking cultural differences you have noticed in your 3 years of living here?

— I have never felt such goodwill, smiles, and desire to help people as here. In Bangkok, there is a very high level of safety and trust between people. Also, Thais do not bother much about their appearance and ironing their clothes. No, this does not mean that they walk around dirty, they just do not have the gloss and desire to show off, to boast about some thing or the perfect “look.”

It was also surprising at first that they eat everywhere: standing, sitting, riding a bike, etc. They don’t worry about doing it only in specially designated places. They certainly won’t leave themselves hungry. And here there is a very strong contrast between the rich and the poor. For example, in Russia, I don’t see such a clear difference.

— What have you managed to understand about the mentality and temperament of the locals? What are they like?

— Thais are incredibly friendly people, they will not make a scene or sort things out if you, for example, brazenly cut into the queue. They will simply let you through silently. They are also very hardworking and responsible. In the good sense of the word, they resemble ants who diligently do their job day after day.

Very cool people! And nice. For example, my housekeeper will bring me something from her garden, or make a gift for some holiday, or come with treats. And in general, Thais are very tolerant of other cultures, foreign habits, and customs. Here it is somehow especially felt, and everyone should learn this from them.

About the Cost of Living and Renting Real Estate

— How expensive is it to live in Thailand? How much can you spend on household expenses? What are the prices for food/transport/care procedures?

— I will say this: in Bangkok, you can live on $1000 a month, or on $5000 or more. There is absolutely everything for any budget. But, for example, compared with Russia, I can say that Thai prices for taxis and personal care procedures are about 20–30% lower. As for household expenses, electricity is expensive here, but water is very cheap.

— If you work remotely, what about taxes, how is the system set up there?

— I pay taxes in Russia. If you don’t put your money in Thai accounts, then you don’t need to pay local taxes. In our case, my husband’s money is enough for the two of us to live here, and taxes are paid from his income. But in general, the immigration police are very strict in ensuring that no foreigner works illegally in Thailand — raids are constantly being carried out.

— How are things with real estate there? With the rental and purchase market? How much can you rent and buy property in Bangkok and in other cities of Thailand?

— Renting an apartment in a good area of ​​Bangkok, in a good condominium with a swimming pool with a view and its own gym, can cost around $2,000 per month. But finding an option five times cheaper is also not difficult. As for buying, there are also options for every taste and budget — the closer to the central areas, the more expensive.

— Maybe you have a personal story of finding housing in this country for yourself? Please share your experience.

— We considered and calculated whether we should buy our own home here and came to the conclusion that no. Because, most likely, this is not the final point for us and we will move on. And in general, we have no need to have our own home — we are comfortable in rented housing. And the rental process here is simple: you take the services of an agent, he sends you many options, and you choose among them. There is no shortage of housing here.

— What was difficult to get used to in this country? Was it difficult to arrange your life? In general, what should you keep in mind when going to live in Thailand?

— My husband and I are big-city people, so Bangkok is perfect for us. There is excellent service here, working day and night. There are absolutely no problems with arranging everyday life.

You can probably buy everything, but there may be difficulties with buckwheat and fermented milk products. But we have adapted to this too: for example, I make cottage cheese myself at home. But the local cuisine is too spicy and fatty for me, I don’t like it. But in Bangkok there are a lot of establishments of Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, etc. cuisines, that is, you definitely don’t have to be satisfied with only the local ones.

What I would advise to do before moving is to take care of your residence status. Here I see many digital nomads who are forced to periodically do visa runs, travel to neighboring countries, and this is quite expensive both financially and in terms of time.

I will also note that English is definitely enough for life in Bangkok because there are many expats and a mixture of different cultures. That is why the locals know English. But if you go a little further, few people understand English. But no one has cancelled sign language — Thais understand it very well.