🏝️“How Much Does It Really Cost to Live in Thailand? A Practical Guide for Families, Nomads, and Retirees”

Selim Shlomi Benbasat
Jul 8
3 min read

Updated: Jul 15

Your Practical Guide to a Dreamy Life Shift

🕒 4 min read

Let’s get real for a moment...

Family, digital nomad and retiree enjoying life in Thailand

After I shared our story about how a honeymoon turned into a whole new life in Thailand, I received a flood of messages — from friends, strangers, curious souls. And one question keeps coming back again and again:

“But how much does it really cost to live there?”

I get it. It’s the question that quietly sits behind every dream.

The fear that if you really check the numbers, the dream might fade.

So let me walk you through it — not from a tourist brochure or a fantasy reel, but from our real-life journey as a couple who shifted their life from Israel and Turkey to Thailand, and from what I see daily in the lives of families, digital nomads, and retirees we assist at SHIFFTT.

🏡 Let’s Start With Rent

Depending on where and how you want to live, here’s what you can expect monthly:

Comparing housing styles in Thailand and abroad: From right-to-left: Bangkok | Hua Hin | Paris

Property Type	Bangkok	Hua Hin / Samui	Tel Aviv / Istanbul	London / Milano / Paris	New York / Los Angeles
1-Bedroom Condo	THB 15,000–30,000	THB 10,000–25,000	THB 65,000–90,000	THB 80,000–110,000	THB 95,000–130,000
3-Bedroom House / Pool Villa	THB 35,000–70,000	THB 30,000–90,000	THB 110,000–220,000	THB 130,000–270,000	THB 150,000–300,000

Exchange rate as of 08 July 2025: 1 EUR/USD = 38.21 THB

As a visual version of the rent comparison table

🥑 Groceries, Eating Out & Lifestyle

Groceries (couple/family): ฿10,000–20,000/month
Dinner for 2 at a beach restaurant: ฿500–1,200
Local street food? Try ฿40–80 a dish – and it’s delicious.

Affordable grocery shopping and eating out in Thailand

Weekly massage: ฿250–600
Gym, Muay Thai, or Yoga Class: ฿1,500–3,000/month

🏥 Healthcare

I was blown away.

Hospitals like Bumrungrad or Samitivej offer top-tier services.

Think 5-star hotel meets Swiss clinic.

Basic checkup: ฿800–1,500

Comprehensive health plan (private): ฿20,000–60,000/year
Emergency care: Quick, affordable, and modern

Back home, insurance paperwork gave me migraines. Here? You walk in, get treated, and walk out smiling

🎒 What About Kids?

Family life and international schools in Thailand

If you’re moving as a family (like many of our clients do), here’s what you’ll find:

International Schools: ฿90,000–600,000/year (less than half of top-tier Western schools)
After-school programs, nature trips, beach weekends — these aren’t luxuries anymore, they’re your new normal.

Certainly! Here is the revised section starting from 💸 Total Estimated Monthly Budget, with your preferred signature and CTA formatting:

💸 Total Estimated Monthly Budget (Couple / Family)

Monthly living cost comparison in Thailand

Lifestyle Type	Couple	Family of 4
Comfortable	THB 45,000–70,000	THB 75,000–110,000
High-end	THB 100,000+	THB 130,000–200,000+

Yes, you can absolutely live your dream for less than your rent alone in cities like New York, London, Tel Aviv, or Paris — and in return, you get ocean breezes, tropical fruit, and a community that feels like home.