Living there and holidaying there are very different. Many people think it's great and make a mistake they regret. If you can afford to maintain your residence here and go back and forward a couple of times a year it can be very good. I'm a veteran of about 35 trips over the last 25 years and was married to a Thai woman who owned a restaurant here. My advice is try living there for 6 months first. The oppressive heat and then the wet season can be very testing .

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Thanks for your valued input @adamhend3211 So am I correct in asuming that you are still living in Australia and have every intention in staying in Australia for the rest of your years? Have you ever lived anywhere other that Australia?

@adamhend3211

Ай бұрын

@@BrendenSharp Yes, I'm still living in Australia and I intend on living in Australia for most of the year when I retire. No, I have never lived anywhere else, but I have spent plenty of time in Thailand over the years and I know that the very hot months February to mid May until the wet season starts would test my resolve. Also the monsoon season from August to the end of October would be hard to take as well. From mid November until early February is the best climate over there. I could also see myself spending the Winter here, in Thailand from about mid May until mid August.

@freeagent8225

29 күн бұрын

Great advice, I holiday in Thailand and live in Melbourne, too hot for me😅.

@zenmachine50

28 күн бұрын

Plus the tax implications for self funded retirees are massive if you lose you lose your resident status. Just for starters, you risk losing the $18,000 tax free threshold, the 50% discount on capital gains, all your franking credits, you can't run an SMSF... everything up to $120,000 is taxed at 32.5c in the $1. for me tax wise moving full time to another country, doesn't make sense at all, so do your research

@BrendenSharp

28 күн бұрын

@@zenmachine50 Thanks for your valuable input. It’s clear you’ve considered the different aspects from a financial point of view and, based on your circumstances, it just doesn’t make financial sense. Thanks again, as I appreciate the information you provided here. 👍

Just retire simple 😁👍🤘💰everyone is and are moving out of Melbourne to Queensland Melbourne taxed and taxed thanks to the last premier 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

There is a big difference between living a tourist life in Pattaya and living a work/expat/senior life I have worked in bangkok +15 years and I have to say that what some "pattaya men" spend in a day on food beer and "fun" is what I spend in a week here in Bangkok on food clothes transport and more innocent funs like cinema and parks cafes etc. Pattaya can be extremely cheap IF you avoid the central part and live a bit away, Na kluea Pratamnak lower jomtien etc and NEVER get stuck in the pool girls bar scene. and of course you SHOULD learn at least basic Thai and NOT live100% like a westerner with food etc

@BrendenSharp

26 күн бұрын

Thanks for your wise words of wisdom. I stayed in a studio condo for 29 days in Jomtien that cost me $700 AUD. I didn't waste money on the bar scene and didn't spend very much on food etc so the whole trip was very affordable compared to what you can pay for a month's holiday.

Hi brendan from sydney myself . And heading over to pattaya to retire on the non O visa.. very cheap over there ..

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Hi @petapana1140 when are you planning on heading over for good?

@petepana1140

Ай бұрын

@@BrendenSharp september..

Pattaya/Jontiem can be dirt cheap....specially if you are not socializing and partying with bar girls. Im more on the 6 months in Thailand and work 6 months in the states, my profession allows me to do this. Also property taxes in the US equate a full year of a nice rental in Thailand. My house has been paid off but property taxes are silly.

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

So are you planning on continuing to do the 6 months in each or will you look to retire in Thailand one day?

@PabloGonzalez-oq8xf

Ай бұрын

@@BrendenSharp Im not sure If I would want to be in Thailand living full-time. I actually look forward to getting back to the US after 3-4 months. There is no plan to "retire" for younger folks so I plan to be working until the day I die.

hi, the figures speak for themselves. Thailand wins hands down. Im from melbourne , i love australia and it will always be my number 1 where my heart is, however cost of living dictates lifestyle. if your retiring the main concern will be visa and medical issues, but if your healthy it isnt an issue. If you have the money i would leave and travel your getting better value

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Yes I agree 100%. I never considered living or retiring anywhere other than Melbourne as I've loved it all my life. But I'm starting to seriously consider it now.

It's not just everyday cost of living (food, accomodation, fun) if you live here You'll need a visa and to meet the requirements for it You'll need a very expensive health insurance, You'll need money deposit in a thai bank (or a proof that Your monthly income is at least 65000 THB, Thai authorities may demand more in the future), and every year You'll have to take care of renewing the visa, make some annoying trips to immigration office every three months. You'll probably have to go home once or twice a year to take care of Your affairs there. What You're showing here is just a smaller part of what the cost of living here actually is. And You'll NEVER become a Thai citizen. And if you want to live a rock bottom lifestyle, You'll probably find it cheaper to stay in Your home Country.

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Thanks @alf8718 So are you an Aussie that's permanently living in Thailand, and if you are then how long have you been over there for?

@JesseHMR

29 күн бұрын

Visa are easy, and healthcare with a good insurance like Allianz is 4k a year. You can get a decent flat in places like Hua Hin (good expat community for 10k/12k THB/ month that includes a weekly clean with Gym, pool etc. You can live a very decent life with 2k aud/month will you be eating at Michelin star restaurants? No but you will definitely be able to have a few beers in local pub, eat out in local places, get massages and I highly recommend starting Muay Thai, will keep you fit. For me retiring in Australia makes 0 sense, you survive and barely (especially if you don't own, you are screwed) when in Thailand you can thrive. Is it for everyone? No the weather and culture is different, you will need time to learn ( You don't shop in major supermarkets as they are $$$, you get your food where the locals get their food). Some things are expensive like wine, all imported and the local stuff is gross, but beer is your friend. Thais are lovely people, but as everywhere some people will take advantage of you. You have to keep your head on your shoulders. People are acting like all tradies and mechanics and chicks in Oz are 100% legit, and people won't scam you here. I lived in Thailand for years but had to head back for work but will definitely be heading there again as soon as I can, why waste money. It's just a matter of time before a beer in Australia is like $15 and a pub meal is $30

@alf8718

29 күн бұрын

@@JesseHMR Well at the moment it looks cheaper but the trends are obvious. Thailand is not as cheap now as it was 10 years ago (or 20 years ago for that matter) Another issue - You'll always be a foreigner with no rights (beyond basic human rights), You may have a traffic accident involving a local person - a local may be drunk, may have violated all the traffic rules while You have driven correctly - the police will ALWAYS find You a guilty party in the accident! And the local eyewithesess will NEVER take Your side. And any dispute You may have with a local Thai, You'll always lose. It's much MUCH better to visit Thailand on a tourist visa (os stay in Thailand for 30 days, then go to Malaysia for up to 90 days, come back to Thailand for next 30 days) then go back home and take a rest, flights are still much cheaper that arranging a long stay visa (there are illegal options, paying some "agency" to arrange a visa for You but don't get caught, You really want to risk and live in a stressful situation like this). You'll never be a property owner. And if You live in Thailand learning the Thai language is very useful to put it mildly, not many "farangs" bother and then they complain when somebody take advantage of them, scam them, even when hiring an apartment a foreigner can easily be scammed. It's happening, more and more cases every year. And prepare to live with small everyday's scams, ovepaying for everything. To be honest, the only thing much cheaper in Thailand at the moment than in any developed (Western) Country is entertainment. When You're 75+ there are more important things like safety and peaceful life than cheap beer and cheap company of Young ladies - not so cheap when You want a more permanent relationship.

@JesseHMR

29 күн бұрын

​@@alf8718 Its substancially cheaper and as you say the trend is obvious: Australia is getting very expensive, very fast. Yes Thailand as everywhere in the world things have become more expensive of the years, hard to find those Pad thais on the street for 40-50 THB they are now 70-80b from a street vendor. but beats paying $30 for a burger and chips right? You can have 15 Pad Thais for the price. You are mixing up Thailand and China, I find the Thais very honest and had an issue with a rental car in BKK, where I wasn't at fault and had 0 issues dealings with the police and I've never heard anyone having these kind of issues with years of Thailand under my belt. It's just untrue. Disagree, VISA are very straight forward if it wasn't the case wouldn't be so many people retiring there. Again, factually incorrect, you can't own land but you can buy a flat/condo and even a house you just can't own the land but you can get long term (very long) leasholds on land and even build a house on it. If you're desperate for land there are loopholes that can be used via LTD Thai comanpanies but involves having a fair bit of $. You have to be very naive and inexperienced to get scammed in Thailand, if you do then yes I recommend staying home because Thailand is one of the easiest countries to travel in but Agree as everywhere, learning the language will help you get the local prices but you can easily navigate the country without it and without getting scammed and let's not act like Aussies don't scam. That's untrue, and factually very incorrect literally EVERYTHING is cheaper, from dental care, to hairdressers, fuel, to entertainment, to gyms, to rentals etc Why would you live in Australia and barely scrape by in country when you can live in a country where you could get massages 3-4 times a week, eat out, even treat yourself to great meals from time to time for 20-25k a year. Saying that Thailand isn't VERY cheaper than Oz is an absolute garbage of a lie. If you don't own in Oz with 50-55k year you will barely survive.

@BrendenSharp

29 күн бұрын

@@JesseHMR Thanks for your input and words of wisdom. A Pub Parma is already $30 at many pubs and I even paid $35 at the Yarra Glen pub a couple of moths ago. I remember not too long ago the average Parma was around $23. Everything is rocking up so much.

What you need is Cash Control and Common sense👍

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Thanks @jeffm7294 I'm confident that I both as I have no intention to be sucked into all the Pattaya Night life activities. I'm sure that many guys have said that in the past and succumbed to all the temptations.

@willjames915

28 күн бұрын

How much for a massage ?

@BrendenSharp

28 күн бұрын

@@willjames915 I was paying 300 Thai Baht ($12.30 AUD) for a one hour full body oil massage. In Melbourne now you're looking at $100 and up

not really accurate coz the people there earn less than us. What they spend is relative to what they earn, same as here. But yeah, if you've a nest egg using AUD and wanna retire there, that's a different story.

@BrendenSharp

28 күн бұрын

Thanks for your input @kkohs4410 Yes I agree that if you're a local then it's relative to what they earn, but if you come from a western country like Australia then it's much, much cheaper to live over there compared to living here in Melbourne.

Melbourne > Australia at 66.5% is 33.5% cheaper than NYC > USA at 100%

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Hey @dexterspeights thanks for your comment. I was in New York in 2008 for the US open tennis and loved it.

Don't think U know anything about the country because U went to a tourist area saw an airport and went shopping. That doesn't represent living anywhere.

@BrendenSharp

28 күн бұрын

You're right I haven't lived there. I'm just giving my opinion based on all the research I've done. Have you lived there?

@stephenguy3901

27 күн бұрын

He never said he knows everything about the country , he's giving his experience on cost of living where he visited. You come across as a know-it-all yourself !

Apparently Spain is cheaper, better there than Thailand i think.

@BrendenSharp

26 күн бұрын

I'm not too sure that Spain is cheaper. I've spent different amounts of time in Spain from 1982 when it was really cheap.

@eddard9442

25 күн бұрын

@@BrendenSharpSpain is cheaper than Australia in recent years, i keep hearing it.

Australia is a rip off I am moving to south east Asia In a few months

The narrative for the middle class to exit Australia is ever increasing. The pure logic is to leave for a cheaper cost of living. But at the same time your integrity is being replaced by a new migrants who will accept any new conditions. The fabric of the Western democratic countries is eroding. Thailand is definitely the go to place if you can afford it. My partner and I will go to Philippines when the shit hits the fan. And it will, Australia's housing bubble is going to wreck alot of people. Short term Australia is going to be tough but long term it might be better to stay here. Kinda depends on the US elections. But good luck to you. Your only doing what the incentives tell you to do. But just remember what your giving up.

@BrendenSharp

29 күн бұрын

Melbourne has seen significant changes in crime patterns over the last decade, with a noticeable increase in stabbings, break-ins, and car thefts. The perception that the city is becoming less safe is widespread, and many residents feel that the judicial system is way too lenient, allowing offenders to reoffend shortly after being granted bail. You hear stories on the nightly news that some people have been arrested and bailed many, many times and the patern just continues.

@pumba6099

28 күн бұрын

@@BrendenSharp Yep all by design. Divide and conquer. While the surveillance state system is implemented. Basically people will beg for a China style system and beg for CBDCs. It's called problem, cause solution implementation. But it's just easier to leave and people will. Thank Satoshi for Bitcoin

You are too positive about it, What type of food do you get for 100THB in Thai restaurant? Thai supermarkets are more expensive than Aldi, Colesworth. Beef, lamb, cold cuts, milk, cheese, honey, wine, all spreads are more expensive and lower quality. Bread is sweet garbage even dark ones are just colored. Cars, electronics and brands are more pricey. Anything import is rip off. Accommodation, bills, transports, massages are cheaper by 50-70%..thats where savings come from. You are foreigner so locals will try to scam you, be prepared. Being foreigner in Thailand in 2024 is not the same as being one in 2005. 61 yo man is seen as walking atm and mark meaning you will meet ladies with sik buffalo and broken motorbike. Heat and air quality is unbearable, beaches in Pattaya and Jomtien are rubbish unless you like swimming in warm sewer. Your Williamstown beach is much better during summer ofc Everything is loaded with sugar, from breads, drinks, any street or restaurant dish is loaded with sugar, salt, soy, msg tomask bad quality ingredients. Trust me im expert on TH...lived there 1 year on top of 20+ holidays

@BrendenSharp

Ай бұрын

Thanks @gurusalami7261 So where did you live for 1 year and did that experience permanently put you off ever living there again? I know that many people say that the Southern part of Thailand has much better/cleaner beaches etc. I'm well aware of being seen as a walking ATM by the ladies as I've read heaps of stories about guys being taken to the cleaners by women. Also you you've had 20+ holidays so I'm keen to hear where you've been and if you've been to any other countries that you think are worth checking out?

@gurusalami7261

Ай бұрын

@@BrendenSharp I was in Patong for 1 year in 2012 when AUD was same as USD, 30-32 Baht so i lived on abt 1500 bucks month. It wasnt much even back then, after rent is paid there was 1100 bucks left, 35/day for everything else. Thailand has been played for too long, become too popular and many tourists ruined it and its not cheap like many YTubers like to talk for clicks. I was there last year too, month in Pattaya and Month in Phuket thinking i might retire or semi retire there but i couldnt like place even though i wanted to, its all fake and shallow, money money, ripoff, overcharge....gets tiring after a while. Been everywhere in SEA and most STH America/Central....SA is way more dangerous and generally prices are about the same or more pricey. For people like you i think PH might be better option. Wherever you go try to stay away from tourist traps and main cities. Best is to spend a month at least in one place and see how you like it then try to live on budget as if you live there.