I would like to spend 6 months in Thailand followed by another 4-6 months split between Vietnam and some other place in Southeast Asia. I was wondering how much money I would need for this year abroad? I know there are a lot of variables which can drastically effect the amount of money needed so here are some details about me as well as what I am looking for. I will be taking some pretty serious classes online during this time so I will not be partying too much, I am fine finding a city and staying there for the full 6 months (for Thailand I have heard good things about Chiang Mai), I would like to stay in private accommodations either guesthouses or apartments (probably prefer apartment), I like to eat out quite a bit, I will be traveling alone, and I absolutely need a good internet connection wherever I am.
Hi – If you hunker down in Chiang Mai, I know of a friend in a pretty decent 1 bedroom apartment for $200 w/internet included. A studio would be $125 in the same building – street food is everywhere and very reasonable, $1-2 for a meal, though there are plenty of Western style restaurants around from fast food burger king to really decent places, none of which is cheap like Thai street food. – as noted, visa will be an issue. And as to Charles, there is one street on the outskirts of CM that has some upscale looking cafes, and he has decided that all of CM looks like America – which I have never heard from anyone else. So, you can easily stay under $500 a month – and the sky is the limit from there.. if you want further info, you can contact me… I live a few hours away from CM and visit there regularly and have many friends there too…
1. Study visa regulations for all nations; none are just walk in and stay that long.
2. Low end in Thailand, $50/day USD; medium, $100/day USD. VN likely same?
3. Chiang Mai has parts that look like Westwood, L.A. It is the place that is most unlike Thailand.
4. Apts for more than 1 mo. are easy to obtain all over Thailand.
5. Eating is all over the place but Thai food; imports cost extra, of course.
Watch out for good internet connections everywhere; you can not judge by the appearance of the digs.
VN is generally more expensive and less welcoming of foreigners if they find they can not make money off of you. Cambodia is creepy, Lao way laid back; Burma unknown; Singapore wildly expensive. If you are Western looking person, avoid Muslim areas.
References :
I live Thailand, visited VN, Camb. and Lao, etc.
Your going to have to figure $15,000 to $20,000 for a full year. You better know the rules for visa, they don’t just let you come and stay as you feel. In fact Thailand is getting harder on low end tourist and are looking at making visa rules harder thanks to people like you.
References :
me, I lived in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos when bombs were falling. They didn’t want me there either.
Hi – If you hunker down in Chiang Mai, I know of a friend in a pretty decent 1 bedroom apartment for $200 w/internet included. A studio would be $125 in the same building – street food is everywhere and very reasonable, $1-2 for a meal, though there are plenty of Western style restaurants around from fast food burger king to really decent places, none of which is cheap like Thai street food. – as noted, visa will be an issue. And as to Charles, there is one street on the outskirts of CM that has some upscale looking cafes, and he has decided that all of CM looks like America – which I have never heard from anyone else. So, you can easily stay under $500 a month – and the sky is the limit from there.. if you want further info, you can contact me… I live a few hours away from CM and visit there regularly and have many friends there too…
References :