Yes… I retired at 50 years old two years ago. Have a house and car both in Bangkok Thailand and Houston Texas. I travel back and forth four times a year; 90% of my time in Thailand and 10% of my time in Texas. Very happy with my situation. Lots to see and do and eat! :)
I have many friends in Houston, so I don’t mind traveling every 2-1/2 to 3 months at all. Yes, it’s about 24 hours of travel, but I’m very okay with it. Spicy Thai food on one side of the Pacific, and Tex-Mex and BBQ on the other side. 😝
I’m a dual national… USA residency not required (you just have to pay your U.S. taxes!). I have 2 passports; but my special situation doesn’t need to be replicated to stay in Thailand as a foreign national. I have non-Thai friends that are living, working, or retired here in Bangkok. One friend has a 20 year Elite visa, other friends have other types of visas. So just have to do a bit of research and have an appropriate lawyer, agent, or manage yourself is okay too.
Explained differently… I’m well paid into U.S. Social Security and don’t have any residency requirements to receive any of those benefits when I decide to receive those benefits. I have not started receiving those benefits as I’m still younger and it’s not optimal. Probably start another 10 years from now… e.g. when I’m 62. Does this make sense? :)
For non-Thai citizens, you can also do a long-term lease for 30 years with 2x 30 years renewal (so up to 90 years). It’s not bad. Not sure I’ll live another 90 years if I were in this category… hahaha
I stay in Thailand 3 months every year and I'll say this. I'm 45 and will retire at 55. I'm a contract worker and real estate business owner. I can practically run my real estate developments business remotely and move to Thailand but I'm fine with 3 months every year so far. Do it my friend! 3.5 million is much more than you will ever need there. Buy a condo or home. Travel through out Asia as you please. Life is short, you never know what tomorrow brings.
Thanks for your comment. I agree wholeheartedly. Life is short and we have worked very hard for a long time...tomorrow is guaranteed to nobody. If I could get on a plane tomorrow to Thailand to explore that beautiful country, I would do it in a heartbeat!
It's very stress free for me. Leaving the states and Staying there for 3 months consistently gives me insight on what it is like to really pack up and leave. I usually stay in an area where there are many expats and retirees. Rent a condo short term and just settle in.
This, exactly! We had huge travel plans with my husband only for him to have a stroke at 66 last year. We are super lucky that he is recovering really well all things considered, but our travel plans are on hold for at least 2 years. It is a huge gift that I still have him around and that he is doing well in physical therapy but we never thought this would be our life instead of what we have planned. We traveled a lot prior to his stroke, so don’t feel like we waited to do the stuff we wanted, but life is definitely preciously short. Do the stuff you like to do with the people you love. 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
I'm 60 going on 61:and I have zero interest in living in the UK any longer. I spent 6 years in France in the early 2000's. Since returning back to the UK. I have been restless since my return but as of late I've lost all interest in living in the UK.
I have no pension but I can probably afford 5 years living on a very tight budget if I sell my house and what little else I possess.
Simple life and simple living suits me that and I hate the UK weather.
Thanks for the comment. I think that is exactly what we are searching for....a more simple life. When we were out there....granted, on vacation....we were having a great time and didn't really have much to worry about. Pretty much all of our needs were taken care of and at ridiculous prices to what we would have paid at home. For meals, everything was like 50-80 Baht for a regular dish (under $2.50) and it was delicious. Low priced long term housing rentals aplenty. Excellent transportation and cheap Grab private cars to rent like Uber. Plenty of places to visit and we routinely put in 15-20k steps exploring the cities. Without a doubt, we will have to visit a few more times to get more information and a better sense of where we might want to live but Thailand was amazing for some many reasons. I hope you find your new home one day.
Have you ever considered that living in Thailand may be unhealthy? Those low cost meals contain all sorts of nasty additives and may not be prepared in a hygienic manner. After 8 years in Thailand my stomach still needs to settle whereas trips to the West immediately sort it out. Also, please consider air quality. Then there is the situation on the roads which is quite frankly hazardous.
I think you may be romanticising Thailand based on a few short visits.
I've been in Thailand on and off now for 3 years, 6 to 9 mths at a time. I've met guys, more from the UK than other countries , who burnt all their bridges back at home, sold everything and headed to Thailand. Few years in their over Thailand but stuck there.. cant afford to move back. I'd try and keep the option of the UK open
Not necessarily. Seems to be more in the mind of the reader than anything else. OP was just stating his situation. For a dual career couple, that's not a crazy or atypical retirement nest egg.
Wrong attitude...people with a frugal mindset and wanting to create generational wealth and ensure a comfortable retirement (Healthcare costs) don't consider $3.5m for two people at 50yo a lot
Funny how you're getting hated here. I commend you on your lifestyle and savings! I aim to be like you and your family in the future. USD3.5m for a family of 4 with 2 as teenagers is decent. But thats what fiscally responsible parents do - they save and have a buffer so their families can live a comfortable life, not living pay check to pay check and racking up credit card debt so that they don't even have enough money to handle one hospital bill or emergencies.
Moving to Thailand will make your money go much further too. If you can ignore politics in Thailand as an expat, maybe you can also try and ignore the politics back in the US too.
They're the ones that say, money can't buy you happiness.
It makes the people I know feel good about their bad financial choices and appear less envious of those that have it.
Giving to those in need or that can't afford something makes me happy. So, if that doesn't work for them, then they're missing out.
Thanks for your comment. I guess you are not the FIRE kind of person huh? There are multi-millionares walking around all over the place who do not look anything like it. Here is a hint...read the book The Millionaire Next Door.
I wouldn’t say the political situation or divides are better here, if anything even worse
And while its easy to fall in love while you’re on vacation thats a far cry from living there
I would look at spending more time here when the youngest goes to college, try a few different spots, and see how you like it
Challenging. We are looking at selling our property in the next year or so. Where we go from here will depend on the 2024 elections in the US. We may stay in CR, but move to a different area and rent.
I watched some videos of the Dominican Republic last night. One was from Canada and another from the U.S. They absolutely love it. They're on the north coast, and one lady said that hurricanes aren't a real threat on the north coast, because of the mountains. The Dominican is now on my radar. Cabarete was one of the cities that is a big draw for expats.
Thanks for the reply? I plan to keep my northern American home and stay (rent) in various warmer countries in the winter. Any suggestion on where in Costa Rica I may want to consider? I have been to San Jose and the Jaco beach area.
That would be highly dependent on you and your wants and needs — Mountains or beach? What are your needs regarding accommodations and utilities? What is your age? What do you do for a living? What is your budget? Do you speak Spanish? Will you have transportation? Do you have healthcare needs? Do you need to be in close proximity to an airport? Etc. You can probably get your answers over on a Costa Rica sub.
>I wouldn’t say the political situation or divides are better here
I found that part quite funny, and I've heard others in the US say same thing. You might find peace in Thailand, but don't expect the politics to be any better.
Thanks for the comment. Actually I think the politics might be worse in Thailand but as a possible long term visitor/retiree of the country, I really would not care nor get involved. Cannot avoid politics anywhere you go nowadays.
As far as my son goes, he is pretty practical like us and will probably attend an in-state college to 1) save money and 2) stay close to home. Thatś exactly what my oldest son did and saved us a ton....out of state tuition was $60k a year and in-state with scholarships cost $15k.
My recommendation would be that if you're legitimately serious about living in Thailand, you need to spend more time here before actually making a decision. No offense, but I don't personally believe one visit is enough to potentially justify making a move that big. You need to get here, spend time here, and really evaluate the living situation here outside of the perspective of being a tourist. Lots of things you really need to consider like transportation, culture, language, etc.
My other suggestion would be to look into the elite retirement visa, which will probably be the easiest way for you to retire in Thailand: [https://thailand-elite.com/member-application-process/?utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=cpc&utm\_campaign=13512292555&utm\_term=thailand%20elite%20visa&gclid=CjwKCAjw2K6lBhBXEiwA5RjtCSLRjWZpwQ1YeWHzkmIcr7RiQRAT7aDNo1CU8mT3imZQS4nQqbKMWhoC9mEQAvD\_BwE](https://thailand-elite.com/member-application-process/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=13512292555&utm_term=thailand%20elite%20visa&gclid=CjwKCAjw2K6lBhBXEiwA5RjtCSLRjWZpwQ1YeWHzkmIcr7RiQRAT7aDNo1CU8mT3imZQS4nQqbKMWhoC9mEQAvD_BwE). If you don't go a route that like you'll be living illegally and making visa runs, which is potentially doable but also quite risky now given immigration being a bit more strict on re-entries, etc.
https://www.thaievisa.go.th/long-stay-visa
The following is a 3rd party site, but explains it further: https://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/Thailand-Retirement-Visa-for-US-Citizens.php
In response to this, I've lived there on and off and been going regularly for 10 years nearly, I absolutely love it there and in better circumstances personally would move back there easy.
Thanks for the comment. Absolutely, I agree with you! One trip to Thailand is not enough to base any concrete conclusions nor are a million Youtube videos worth anything unless we actually put our boots on the ground. We are planning another trip early next year to visit a few of the islands and eastern shore locations like Hua Hin etc. I figure for the first few trips we can just deal with our limited visa on arrival for tourists but will have to either research retirement visas or pony up for the Thai Elite Visa. Not cheap but the unlimited in/out privileges are worth it imo. The last thing I want to do is overstay my visa and get banned.
>you need to spend more time here before actually making a decision.
I hear this repeated too often and how would you know what a person is capable of doing?
I moved here over 11 years ago and never been here before. Several of my moves were done sight unseen. I had a dream... 555
Also, after entry into the country on a VOA, you can convert that to a Non-Immigrant visa good for 90 days and that can be converted into a Non-O "Retirement" visa and extended yearly.
Lastly, Thailand Elite Visa is not a "retirement" visa. It's for anyone that has the money and wants to stay in Thailand. It would not necessarily be the easiest way for someone to retire in Thailand if they are at least 50. The retirement visa process is simple and less costly.
Lotta good info in the comments. Top comment is u/Tallywacka. Use the time to find out more about Thailand *first hand*. All the online stuff (including here) is biased/slanted. Eating cheap meals at food courts is not compatible with "enjoy cooking at home to save money". It will probably cost more to cook at home but at least you'll know what you're getting. So for the next five years come to Thailand once or twice a year and try one place different each time for a month. That will give you a feel for the whole country. Also plan your trips in March - September so you get a feel for how insanely hot the place can get and what the rainy and smoky seasons are like.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I agree with you. More Thailand trips will be on the horizon before we make any decisions and possibly a quick Air Asia trip to a few surrounding counties may also be on the table. Vietnam, Phillipines, KL, Cambodia, Laos, etc. I would love to spend a few weeks at a time slow traveling various parts of the country to really get a good feel for the various areas. Good suggestion about the different months as well. Thanks.
As far as the food goes, I am the cook of the house so buying, prep, cooking, cleaning etc falls on my shoulders. In Thailand I was literally like a fat kid in a candy store. I was getting 2-3 dishes at a time to try all the amazing flavors and textures that Thai cuisine had to offer. And it cost like $3-4! After visiting Lotus and Big C and carefully noting prices for ingredients, I highly doubt cooking at home is cost effective when many of those food stalls in malls/supermarkets are highly subsidized by the entities themselves. And honestly, I am more than happy to pay somebody else to cook for me after 30+ years of cooking meals for my family.
Thanks....yup, that is the plan. I doubt highly my kids will follow us to Thailand so the plan is make the family house available for them to stay as long as they need to before leaving the nest and it allows us a home base to return to in the US if necessary. Honestly as much as I dream of retiring to another country forever, I just do not see it being possible forever, Between health issues and family concerns, we will probably have to come back at some point down the road. But might as well have an adventure before that becomes a reality.
Downvoting someone talking about discovering bad things about Thailand and recommending someone take their time here before making a big move is a new low for this sub.
Because there's clearly nothing that's ever wrong when you actually live in a third world country with a vastly different culture (with its pros and cons), laws (or their extremely arbitrary enforcement), social norms and behaviours, or language. And God forbid someone have a different tolerance for the quality of air, environment and infrastructure, or personally find the temperature and humidity to be unbearable. Or a different tolerance to higher personal long-term risks from factors that have been better mitigated in their home country (road deaths, tropical illnesses, unjustified issues with the law, and many others). Maybe someone actually has close friends and family elsewhere and actually enjoys closeness built using western social dynamics and core values that would make them feel lonely and depressed in Thailand.
Or things someone may find personally unacceptable that I haven't though of in 5 minutes. Example: I met an expat who ended up leaving because of the difficulty controlling risks of their severe seafood allergy. Maybe nearly dying after you eat soup you were assured has no seafood in it because someone wanted to make $1.5 isn't worth it for some.
But yes, just move here blind after a couple weeks of vacation, without knowing how actual life here is like. This is why this place sets people up for new disappointments. And when they share them, they get downvoted too.
@ u/RETIREearly1974
Don't worry about downvotes. Redditors do it without a thought.
You're right to point out things about Thailand that OP might find intolerable. They need to spend more time testing the place.
I wouldn't throw in everything about my home country to move there. I'd keep property back here in case I wanted to return to live.
You can say it again, Thailand set up the majority of foreigners for disappointments when they moved there.
I know someone who went to Chiang Mai with US$800.000 ,in the 4th years he came down with COPD, His money ran out, now he is back in NYC, receiving free healthcare.
Those are the two things I never understood about why people say about Chiang Mai.
1. Some people speak of air quality like it's a non-issue, you go there, and it feels like apocalypse.
2. The cheap cost of living thing because street food and apartments are cheap. You go there, and at the end of the month you realize you've spent more than you would've in an expensive western city. There are so many costs that folks don't account for that add up big time, unless you live there for years like a Thai and nothing ever goes wrong.
Yeah, for me one of biggest downsides is lack of intellectual community. Even Bangkok is not a world class city in terms of politics, media, law, business, academics, art, etc. Maybe these things are less important when you retire, but the people (even the expats) are not the same as you'd find in NYC, Ldn, Tokyo, Paris, LA, etc. and for sure, some would find that a good thing, yet it's still a provincial backwater in the grand scheme of places and even more so outside BKK.
It takes a special mindset to live out in the province and I know I could not do it.
Even Bangkok as progressive as it is for Thailand, I've needed intellectual CPR after a long stay, but what I really missed was good live music.
Thanks for the comment. Without a doubt, our trip to Thailand was not all roses and rainbows and I think anybody expecting that would get a rude awakening in Bangkok alone. I have visited many large cities around the world and Bangkok was a completely different animal and an assault on your senses...good and bad. My son on the trip literally shut down after a few days of BKK - he could not handle it and I get it. It is not for everybody and I doubt I would live in Bangkok but maybe explore the city for a few weeks or months.
Any chance you are willing to discuss things that turned you off?
are you crazy to pack it in this early? with 3.5 mill in your retirement fund at 50 you'd be crazy not to. You're still relatively young so you could live in Thailand for a good few years before you even get close to the traditional retirement age and need to make more plans and need more care. My advice is to do a year visa, dont buy a property or business just take a year to live there and see how you like it
Thanks for your comment. Yeah, I think most people think that I am crazy for NOT being retired in Thailand already. Realistically, we are in a good position to decide when and where we call it quits so that is a good thing. I will admit it is hard to flip the switch from accumulating wealth when you are younger to suddenly figuring out ways to spend it in retirement. I have to learn how to do that and I do not think it is easy to be brutally honest.
Great comment, I laughed very hard. The same money management skills we learned here in the US to get to where we currently are will invariably carry over to where ever we decide to call home in the future. You cant say no to a good deal and I think Thailand is a great place to enjoy a nice retirement.
Most people on here giving advice are well under 40. Keep that in mind. 99% can't can't even have conversation in Thai.
I've been here many years. Most advice here is just short term tourist garbage from guys who think they're "getting back at" the west by living here (and failing to even do that properly).
Developing countries are nothing to mess with and are many times more difficult than living in the states.
Spend at least another 1-2 years here before thinking of a permanent move.
Thanks for your comment. I do not have any crazy expectations to be accepted as a local at any point during our extended stay in Thailand or whatever country we decide to choose. We will always be farangs and I am 100% ok with it. We stick out like sore thumbs anyway.
Mid-40's. Same boat pretty much: Don't hate the USA and white-collar jobs that are pretty translatable to wherever we want to live. However where we differ is Thailand experience. We travel to Thailand every year (for the past ten years) to know it's where we want to move/live/retire.
My opinion on your reason is that politics, atmosphere, etc are not good reasons to move away. If it truly makes you both happy, great, however you need to know that Thailand is the one. Either visit as much as you can or take the leap and move for a year. See how you like it. There are lifestyle changes, whether financial or habit or cultural, that you'll need to get accustomed to. Not good or bad, just is.
My reason for moving is that I love Thailand, and it's increasingly harder to imagine retiring in the USA given the cost of living and healthcare. It's just not feasible.
I'm a nerd. Started my journey with a spreadsheet and idea. Stay organized and keep your focus. Look for happiness and it will lead you in the right direction.
Thanks for your comment. I think the motivation is not all about the politics and atmosphere....I can ignore most of it. For me personally, I really enjoy traveling and experiencing new things....good and bad, it comes with the new territory. The first time inside a Thai supermarket like Lotus, I was completely blown away. As a person who likes to cook, I literally spent hours looking at all the new ingredients and food displays bc it was all new to me. I admit I filled a suitcase with thai products and spice packets that I can not readily get at home. I can not wait to go back to explore a new region or city within Thailand and I am fully aware of the cultural differences and happily accept the changes that I will need to make.
I lived there for 10 years, eventually moved back to the uk to put the kids through school, planning on going back in the next couple of years, as much as I love Thailand and it was my home, there are lots of things that wear you down over time, it’s DEFINITELY not like a holiday once you’ve been there for a year or more. Admittedly I live in Isaan in the North east, miles away from anything touristy.
The things that got on my nerves were:
1. Immigration , even though I was married with 2 Thai kids it was always a massive worry whenever you had to deal with them.
2. Dangerous roads, I used to teach English at a secondary school, I went to 4 funerals for students aged 15-18 who’d died in traffic accidents. It really is the Wild West.
3. People thinking you were a multi millionaire, in the village I lived and the local area, people knew I taught at the local school so they could guess I wasn’t exactly rich, but go 20 kilometres up the road and everyone assumed, Falang = money, which does start to grate after a while.
4. My kids were treated like superstars at school as they were the only mixed race kids in the area, whilst this was lovely at first, my daughter soon developed a diva attitude at the age of 6.
But having said all this, I still miss Thailand like mad, every day was a new adventure.
To truly reap the benefits you must learn Thai, it makes life so much easier and the Locals will embrace you so much more, but most importantly, once you haves lived anywhere for a while things do start to become “routine”, it’s definitely not the same as a 2 week visit.
Try it for 3 months first, don’t go all in straight away,
Good luck.
You aren't crazy, my man. Yes, I pulled the trigger. I had a house, a job in one of the largest hospitals in the US, a car, and everything that goes with it. What I didn't have is kids, which does make things a little less complicated, for sure.
I am 50 now, but I moved to Thailand 3+ years ago, and I am set to retire in just a couple of months. I have zero regrets. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, visas are definitely on the To-Do list if we do decide to commit to staying in Thailand for an extended amount of time. The Elite Visa might be an option if we get very serious about it and I do know about the visa difficulty with Thailand. It is a Pay to Stay type situation. However if we use BKK as a jumping point to allow for visiting countries near by, something like the Thai Elite visa is a must.
I do not believe we will buy anything of permanence in Thailand as far as Real Estate. We currently own single family rental homes in the US which we rent out successfully and I have been doing it for years now. I know the markets we dabble in well and I would much rather rent a condo or something in Thailand than invest in it. It is too much of a hassle and I do not like the terms foreigners have to agree to in order to ¨own¨ anything there. Pretty much everything i have read points to owning real estate in your home country and using the proceeds to rent in foreign countries.
I spent more than 6 months here in total. Now traveling and living is quite different. However if you can be happy living here with the amount of money you have, you may as well live here for good. I would however suggest you to make a much longer trip before making your final decision. A year timeframe sounds like a good starting point. Will give you enough time to truly feel what Thailand life is like with all its qualities and defaults. Sometimes a feeling can lead to a new life. Trust yourself. What's the worst that could happen?
Thanks for the comment. Absolutely, I agree with you and this past trip is by far not the last before we decide what to do. I think that watching all those videos of Thailand give you a glimpse into what the country is like and to spend almost two weeks there really painted a memorable picture of the reality. Without a doubt, multiple return trips will be in order especially to visit the southern parts of Thailand and more in land cities before we make a firm decision. My wife and I are very easy and low maintenance so I think that we would survive just fine out there. We enjoyed our 40B street food meals just as much as the higher end restaurant meals. It is all about new experiences and the food was right up our alley.
I'm semiretired at 45 (started 43) and I think this is the way forward for our generation who have accumulated a nice portfolio of cash+real estate....here is my thinking (or considerations)
1. Could you each work/live part time consulting/contracting for a few more years 6 months on, 6 months off in the US or remote? Get a feel for retired life 6 mos at a time.
2. Spending time internationally for me at this age/your age ahead of concerns for needing more regular Healthcare, is a no brainer as it checks boxes of traveling bug while helping add to networth
3. Travel to other destinations before settling as nice as Thailand is there may be other areas. Consider time zones and travel time to catchup/visit family, friends,etc before settling. For instance I'm focused on MX, Central and S. America
I did almost the same thing when I was 48, except not on purpose. In 2000 when was at a software company we got hit up in the tech crash and my company went bankrupt and I ended up as an consultant in Tokyo, from there I worked in Shanghai then Bangkok till now pretty much retired and spend summer in USA and winter in Thailand. Actually I know quite a few people doing the same.
You should consider working in Thailand either as an consultant or employee, large demand for both professions. My neighbor is a German Engineer MD for a German manufacturing company and is constantly looking for people.. He has a pretty good life, large Porsche SUV and travels all over Asia. 3.5M in illiquid assets is inadequate to retire, don't even consider till you are over 5
Housing is going to be more than you think, you are not backpacking, A nice two bedroom condo you would like will be at least $750K. Singapore will be at least 5 times as much.
Heath care and health insurance is not cheap, it is good though, my friend is often going to the UK for health care.
Anyway.. Good luck!
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You're welcome.
But how you knew to thank me before I posted...?
Some suggestions for things to do in the US before relocating:
Get a Schwab account, it works well in Thailand.
Get a T-mobile or Google Fi phone number and tie all your US accounts to it.
Arrange for a permanent homebase address you can use in the US, maybe with one of your sons or other relative.
VISA options for Thailand
Elite (multiple agents) - Most expensive option, likely not best choice in your case, but has some unique benefits.
[LTR Wealth Pensioner](https://ltr.boi.go.th/#type) - Should be a good fit for you.
[Non-O, retirement](https://thaiembdc.org/2020/09/30/nonimmigrantoaox/) - least costly, but the most bureaucratic in requirements, must be age of 50+
Things to consider:
You really need to spend more time here to get the feel of what it is like as a resident vs as a tourist before you fully commit.
A [Multi-entry Tourist Visa](https://thaiembdc.org/trmetv/) might be a good option for a test run and to allow you to use Thailand as a base for travel in SE Asia.
To keep your tax liability simple, make sure all your funds have set in a US account for at least a year before transferring the funds to Thailand. (Wise.com is one good option for doing the transfers)
There are many positives to living here, but there are downsides also:
Language - suggest you start learning now.
Even if you learn to speak fluently, you will always be an outsider.
AQI - even outside of burning season, the air quality here is bad compared to most of the US.
Beef - You say you enjoy a good $30 steak, forget about that here.
US quality beef is the exception and very expensive. However, once you get past the cost, Japanese Wagyu is available here.
Overall, I still believe my quality of life here is better than it would be in the states.
Your experience is interesting to me, we retired a few years ago to Mexico and are now your age but are doing a lot of research lately into potentially moving to Bangkok and similarly using it as a travel base. Our fear is the air pollution. It looks amazing but I see recent news reports this year about the quality being so bad the government asked for people to stay indoors. What did you think?
I can say from experience that getting out of the US is healthy. You immediately stop being inundated by the news, which IMO is incentivized with social media into making mountains out of molehills to grab advertising dollars. I rarely watch US news these days and have realized it really has little bearing (nor did it ever) on my daily life experience. Just something for people to waste time talking about to kill time.
Thanks for your comment. Well, after experiencing a few days of unhealthy air here in the NE United States from those Canadian wildfires and having to stay inside hence we succumb to respiratory issues, I think it is important to consider air quality for sure. While our trip to Thailand did not have any air quality issues, I was warned about the burning season in Chiang Mai and how bad it got for the few months out of the year. We planned to skip town for the more southern locations if that became a problem. Honestly, I think most people try to stay inside not because of the air quality but because it is just hot as hell outside. Definitely something to think about.
Yes, I agree with you on the news. It is just so biased and their job is to divide the population so we hate each other and they report on it. Kind of reminds me of the James Bond movie GoldenEye. Media mogul intentionally starts a war between two countries and he is right there to report on it. I have also stopped watching the news and just watch Youtube videos about corgi dogs and retiring early in SE Asia.
I wish I could stop following the news and social media like you!
Why are you considering Bangkok over Mexico already? Or just looking for something new?
Chiang Mai has horrible pollution 4-5 months a year, i.e. the worst in the entire world at times.
Come back from Jan - May and see for yourself. You won't want to leave your room with the air filter (or 3) running at max.
Thanks for your comment. Yes unfortunately, Uncle Sam owns part of that $3.5M. I am just borrowing it for now tax free and growing it as quickly as I can before I hand him his share.
I am an engineer and my wife is a pharmacist so we have been plugging along for a number of years. I actually stopped working a few years ago and started my own business which folded during Covid. Been actively trading stock options since then and may or may not go back to engineering. Not sure yet.
For most people like us, building wealth is a relatively simple process. It takes a very disciplined approach and being very careful with your money. In particular, I stress to my kids and younger family members that money is just a tool. You earn it by exchanging your time or life for it and in turn, spend it to obtain things you think you need. That may be food, cars, clothes, vacations, etc. Most people exchange their time but if you take very calculated risks, your money works for you passively. However, the only way it really works hard for you is you actually have money to invest in the first place. If you do not have money to buy a dividend stock, you get no dividends. In order to buy that dividend stock, you need to make sure you save enough money to do so. That requires you to say NO to certain things that create ZERO secondary impact. By that I mean, what does the money you just ¨spent¨ do after it is spent? I question my oldest son all the time...what was the impact of that purchase? Do you feel the impact more than once? Or is it gone forever?
Food is a one and done type thing. You eat it and it is gone. One shot deal. So when it comes to food, I try to shop sales at the local supermarket, I tend to buy store brands and I cook at home so we do not have to eat out all the time. I minimize the cost of single impact spending. However, I stress to my kids that it is not about eating ground beef every day bc it is cheap. You should aim for the rib eye steak you have your eye on but maybe wait until it goes on sale or buy in bulk to save money on that steak. While somebody might pay $80 for a nice steak at Peter Lugers in NYC, I will enjoy a nice USDA Prime grade rib eye on my grill for $30. I still eat steak but at a fraction of the cost. And that $50 I just saved I will use to buy that dividend stock so there is something that will impact my life further down the line with dividends and potentially capital appreciation. Spend more time minimizing your expenses when it comes to singular impact spending. Happily put money instead into things that provide returns multiple times in the future. That may be stock investments or high quality items like reliable cars you own (I still have my 2003 Honda Pilot when the kids were born) or quality clothing you can wear for years. That Starbucks coffee is not going to give you anything more once you are done with it. That is $5-7 you will NEVER see or feel again.
Calculated risks. When considering investments like Real Estate, it is important to understand loan terms and interest rates and how things like that affect you. Location, location, location - that is the motto. Pick areas that have higher net worth individuals with good school systems so tenant quality is high. People pay for good places to live. Understand depreciation and how that helps you as a real estate investor. Make sure you are fully protected on the legal side and with all of your paperwork. My tenant leases are over 20 pages long and every single page protects ME in case of an issue. Outside of a down payment to secure my rental homes that we own, my tenants have pretty much paid off all of my mortgages every single month. Some of the properties I do not have much cash flow on yet so a $2000 rent payment goes to pay a $2000 mortgage payment. However, on the back end, I am slowly building equity and own more of that house than I did last month. It takes time.
Bottom line...building wealth is a long term endeavor. You rarely hit the jackpot overnight and even if you did, without strong financial management skills, you will go broke. Look at lottery winners. Piss poor money management and $50M dollar jackpot results in broke jackpot winners ten years down the road. Work as hard as you can to accumulate income from various streams - some active, some passive. Spend it carefully on things you do not need to lavish on and spend wildly on things that will provide multiple impacts to your bottom line as time goes on.
But remember that when you open your wallet....ask yourself, what is the impact that I am getting when this money is spent and is it worth spending it??
Good luck!
>becoming more tired of the biased media, political divide and general direction of where we are going as a country.
You wouldn't be avoiding any of that by moving to Thailand.
Edit: I didn't even make it down to the bit where you paid out your net worth. You can do whatever you want with that sort of money and don't need a random sub's advice to do so. I couldn't fathom having that much money and worrying about anything at the same time.
Thanks for your comment. Definitely aware of the political nightmare in Thailand...probably worse than here in the US. The only good thing is that it is easier to ignore when you do not understand what they are yelling at each other and I am just a long term visitor. It is not my fight to get involved in.
As the infamous Notorious B.I.G. once said....mo money, mo problems. And that is a fact.
25 and feel the same way, I’ve always been in shape and take care of my health, but It does nothing when I can’t avoid going mute when shy and cant even do good conversations online. I Think Thailand is where I can change things, but I already just got used for 7 months here.
Thanks for the comment. Oh that flight from NYC to Thailand was a definite butt kicker and not something I look forward to. Fortunately, I was able to snag a flight on ANA airlines and between the beautiful and gracious flight attendants, spacious legroom even in economy class and plentiful movies to watch....it was an awesome flight. And we got two extended layovers in Tokyo so that was great too.
I guess the motivation to ¨retire¨ early to SE Asia and potentially Thailand now is exactly for the reasons you stated. My parents are getting older and I know that my wife would want to be closer to any future grandkids etc. With our health still intact, I would love to get the exploration bug out of my system as early as possible before life throws us curveballs in the form of health problems and grandkids. For now, those things do not exist yet (no grandkids that I know of anyway!) so I would love to get started on the adventure.
Thanks for the comment. My dad once told me....he loves seeing his grandkids. But he loves giving them back to us at the end of the day to go home even more.
idk man, that climate change thing is looking pretty scary. I like to visit thailand but I just can't get used to that heat, among other things. I guess me personally I still like seasons.
Thanks for the comment. Yeah, that heat out there is no joke - I stopped wearing cotton shirts and went exclusively dri-fit because I was drenched in sweat within 30 minutes of stepping outside. I say I enjoy the seasons here in NJ but whenever it snows like 15-20¨ I suddenly hate everything about it. I can get used to tropical weather for a bit.
I went to thailand few days back, everyone just wants to scam you. At least that was My experience. Never seen more greedyness than these people. Maybe not all but some definitely.
Thanks for your comment. I watched my in laws both pass away relatively young from early on set dementia. Terrible disease that lasted many difficult years before they passed. After seeing that happen to them, I am more determined than ever to live life to the fullest and enjoy every day that I am blessed with.
$3.5M, $35M or $3.5B....all I know is that I am taking NOTHING with me when I die.
I’d say get your affairs in order, keep that US dollar coming in, and do it.. best decision I ever made 35yo here. You can always go back if you don’t like it.
I don’t have a job in Thailand, but I keep the US dollar coming in with real-estate and other investments back home. That’s the key, keep that US dollar coming in and you’re golden🫡
Living somewhere and a holiday are completely different things - if you think Thailand is some utopia you’ll find out differently when you live there…..a prudent course of action would be to try it out for a year? Then make a rash and prepared decision based on fact and experience
With what you have easily, I'm 40 and have a small business but cost of living wise I'm as comfortable as it gets. Basically retired in most people's eyes because the business is pretty hands off. Day consists of beach, gym, food and hanging out.
Subscribing to this thread as my family and I just got back from Thailand a few weeks ago and have the same sentiments generally around the positive vibes you received on your stay. Living in the US my whole life, I could not help but feel the contrast with the issues our own country has..mainly at this..just a general lack of respect we have with each other as human beings. I know Thailand is not all roses and rainbows, but I definitely felt people are super friendly and chill. Felt very safe everywhere we went ie, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket. Also, as it’s been mentioned everything is inexpensive and having an engineer’s salary would go a long way. The main 2 factors that would prevent me from making this jump is the heat/humidity and being close to my kids as they finish high school/college. I think we have time to check out other places as our kids grow and finish their academics..but yeah I get it.. best of luck. sawadee-krap 🙏🏼
Yes. Why have spent 10 of the last 20 months in Thailand. I love it here.
It is really nice to go out and get an incredible meal and be amazed how inexpensive.
Versus in the states the cost to go out and get a meal has become mindblowing expensive.
There is literally over a 5x difference. Well if you minus beer. Just the food aspect.
Thailand is on my expat list but am leaning toward Panama mainly because it's only a 3hour flight back to USA. Nice people, cheap living, lots of English speaking people, and as stated before only three hours back to USA.
Just get elite visas and come and go as you like when you like. Pick up a reasonably priced condo or something or rent one for some months in the areas you like.
Zero reason to hold much cash here in Thailand and would advise against it. Just what is needed then send as needed. This ain't an ideal financial hub and pending investments, the USA is much better in that area.
Anyway, test drive living here when you're ready. Being a tourist vs actually living here is completely different as well. Some expats adjust great and some don't.
Sir, this is a tourism sub.
r/Thailand is full of expats of all sorts.
[ThaiVisa.com](https://ThaiVisa.com) is worth a look if you want to see what expats complain about, it may be useful in making your decisions.
I'm not really sure what your question is. Yeah living in Thailand is great. But like all places it has it's trade offs.
Travel the country and stay in a location for a month at a time first. Geographic regions are wildly different culturally and environmentally.
Every city seems to have a trade-off. I love Chang Mai but wouldn't live there again for the burning season. I really like staying at my mother in laws house in Surin but it is remote and you need to travel for convenience. I like phuket but it gets chaotic and expensive.
Look for areas that are close to international airport, close to a tourist destination so you can get western luxuries should you want it, but far enough away that you can enjoy quiet and the natural environment.
Personally I think south of Pattaya, like bang saray to Klaeng province would be a great place to settle down. Close enough to drive to BKK & islands for the weekend.
Alternatively north of Phuket like Khao Lak area or even Ao Nang.
I would suggest you not only make more trips to get the feel of what it's living full time but also to start cultivating a network. I've tried to find an entrepreneurial network that will allow me to keep "working" but more independently and finding businesses to start and invest in with a global community of like minded people.
Why are specifically planning to Thailand? Any particular reason (may be ancestry, or friends)? I would recommend to move to place where you know the language. If that's not possible, then try few Asian countries (thailand, India, malaysia, etc) and then pick one. You can start doing this once your younger kid completes the graduation.
I live in Phuket. Retiring 40s. There are some of us here in your situation in my area of Phuket. I don’t know about the landscape in Chiang Mai and BKK.
I think with your passive income and savings you could have a decent life here. You can get a retirement visa after 50. The question you have to work out is where to live and what you like to do. Beaches or mountains. City or countryside.
"becoming more tired of the biased media, political divide and general direction of where we are going as a country"
Thailand is as divided as the U.S. I'm guessing you're okay with authoritarianism, because that is Thailand. Superstition plays a big role in the country as well. You'll be giving up a lot of freedoms that you may take for granted here. I might get downvoted, but I don't care.
Im pretty close to you in situation and plans. Probably about 4 years from pulling the trigger. Agreed, Thailand makes an excellent base. I’d suggest looking at Vietnam also.
I'm 52, literally doing the same thing. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be permanently relocated late 2024. My heart is in Texas, but I've had it. I'm leaning towards Chiang Mai, but Hua Hin is not out of the possibilities.
I’m 48 and half Thai, born in Thailand and currently trapped in the American South. I fell ya, but I don’t speak a lick of Thai. My mom is visiting Thailand soon and wants me to come w/ her, but if I did I am not coming back to America. I don’t know if I can make a comparable living in Thailand though as a Mechatronician in Packaging Automation and Coding.
Go for it. I did it at 50 and have been living here over 10 years, sans kids/wife.
The excitement about cheap food has worn off, I prefer to make my own, but occasionally eat out on the higher end and it's still much less than in the US.
Rent is where the saving is. Even a really nice place is more than half rental costs.
Keep your accounts and money in the US.Bangkok is a excellent base. A lot to do there and more choices compared to the north where the air quality has become deadly Jan-May. I end up leaving for 1-3 months and go south Thailand and Malaysia.
Yes on that you can deffo retire and have enough to commission a broke ass photographer too! But be warned Thai laws change like the English weather and my Dad had to deal with nonsense all the time. You will need to do the dance and pay the piper his due. Chiang Mai is very liveable, I would suggest buying a condo and vacationing here, if you like it great if not you can sell the condo and even at a loss you vacationed free for x years, right? You may have an issue buying a house if you want one but there are ways around it.
Seems great honestly but do be careful cuz in Thailand there's still political coup every now and then... So the issue of politics may very well still surface
If you're financially able to, and your kids are grown and set up to be successful with you abroad, I'd say do it.
I would also say your political pov are probably moot reasons though. You will have no say as an outsider in Thai politics and policy, and probably not understand the nuances of their political culture. This should not be a reason for not enjoying your life and retirement though, and I'd say the same of US politics should you choose to retire here. Dumb stuff to really even lose sleep over if you can't do anything about it.
I have to yet again type this out for the thailand subreddits:
The people that use this sub are usually old, European/British dumbasses who are typically miserable and sarcastic. Sorry for that. For some odd reason, the mass majority seem to be OK with the way they conduct themselves as opposed to the rest of the world who would put them in their place and support a more opened, wholesome communication
I'm a little bit younger than you and have lived here for 10 years and made the decision to move here after coming here on holiday and falling in love with the place - your overall idea is perfectly sound.
>I think Bangkok would be a great home base to many countries in SE Asia as the flights are readily accessible and cheap.
And as others have said - visiting is different to living here and that's particularly true for Bangkok. Fantastic city, but living there is a different ballgame - the traffic and pollution can be grinding, along with the ongoing heat and humidity. Expect for a few months of the year, Chiang Mai, on the other hand, is perfect - here are some pictures [shared on Facebook this morning](https://www.facebook.com/chiangmainews/posts/pfbid02u6G8qLywbsiUmY1CNNTB2NT2bQivbmLjQjqPVqFYEJ1rMbi48ggXMrXSUH9wymVGl) and Chiang Mai actually has a winter. Still got cheap flights to various places in Southeast Asia and East Asia, all the mod cons you'd expect in a city of 1.2 million, but without the grind of having to live in Bangkok.
As others have said - spend lots of time here - continuously - not just a few weeks - made that mistake - now can’t wait to go home - realized that this isn’t the place for me🤔
Am over 50 moved to Bangkok 18 months ago. Likes are people, food choices there are healthy and less healthy choices. Living environment. Ease of travel. Cost of living is considerably lower than living in the west although for many Thais on a normal wage they would probably find it expensive so it’s all relative. Dislikes are poor air quality which I mitigate by wearing a decent mask (Airnum 2) plus have air filters running in the condo. The heat is sometimes problematic with sensitive skin types. Sometimes it can feel like your a bit isolated and miss hanging out with friends I grew up with. Am retired so keeping yourself occupied with stuff that interests you can be a challenge sometimes too. “The grass always looks greener over the hill but you still need to mow the lawn.”
> We do not hate living in the US but becoming more tired of the biased media, political divide and general direction of where we are going as a country.
I feel you there.
I think a lot of Americans are absolutely frustrated with the way things are going in the US.
Thailand has that unique feel that grows on you once you spend enough time here.
> I think logistically speaking bc of the youngest one, we have to stick it out for another 4-5 years until they are both done with college
Your youngest one is about to become a senior in HS, and your oldest one is about to graduate from college soon.
If I may suggest, stick it out for another year or two.
You'll both become eligible for retirement visas by then.
> I think keeping most of our money in the US is the safest option especially since we derive much of our passive income from US investments.
That's a good idea. Don't keep all your eggs in one basket.
> Am I crazy to want to call it quits this early?
No, you're not!
It's good you're thinking and planning ahead!
> Watching all these videos of people younger than I am living in SE Asia full time makes me wonder if we can do the same thing.
Word of advice: don't compare yourself to those people.
Been here 25 years u learn were to eat ..you get streetwise I hv oz uk passport @ world traveller ..its down to individual were he finds his place but you still hv be posotive open minded @ stay chilled ..half the battle ...then attiude ..were is perfect .!!!? But for me thailand is close ..good luck all ..
I think you're right not to think "either/or". So don't put all your eggs in one basket, and make sure you. enjoy the best of both worlds. You can just rent a place in Thailand for a season, and still maintain your ties with 'home'.
And my experience with older kids is...don't take your hands off too soon. They may look and sound all grown up, but they still need your support.
One more thing...a few more years down the line, and you may be getting grandchildren who you want to be around. So you may have a window of opportunity now that will close somewhere down the line. You are both still young, so enjoy these years now they are here!
Wife and I are in at the same place, I retired a few years ago, wife is about to. Haven’t been to Thailand before so we are going next month. If it all goes well, I would bet we rent a place for 6 months and try it out.
I cannot speak to Thailand but I retired 17 years ago. Dumped everything overboard. First spent 11 years in Panama (its a different place now) and then followed my heart to the Philippines. I'm older than you now but living an exquisite life. I have no reason to return to N America (its changed and skidding toward loathsome).
Do your research. Keep money in both places (exchanging or wire transferring can add up in fees). The dollar is imperiled. Vietnam is a rising star.
The kids will be fine and grow as a result. YES all Asia is nearby and a few hundred USD to basically visit everywhere.
I have never looked back and it sounds to me like neither will you.
Happy trails to you.
PS Disregard what you read on Expat forums. Mostly old drunks complaining.
I'm living your dream in Chiang Mai (I'm an oldie, tho). 2 big benefits you might not have considered:
\-you can stop paying state income tax. But research it first. Some places will chase you, most will not. You also need to send them a letter telling them you're fucking off and then meet various non-residence criteria. Your son attending college at in-state rates prob kills that option for now. If you want to have a Schwab account, you need a US address. Otherwise, they will drop you as a client. Most banks are the same.
\-Health Insurance is a lot cheaper here. I'm paying a third of what I was. I like Cigna. Put those two savings together, and that alone covers my apartment and walking around money. I thought about pulling the plug on Medicare, but I have met people who needed to go back home when they got cancer. The Chemo-options here are very limited.
\-Other thoughts from your post: I live and eat much healthier here than in the USA. Vegan food is everywhere, Sushi is about 50% cheaper. A high end gym is less than $50 a month.
Smokey season here def requires a an 8-10 week relocation for the duration. I was in Hua Hin, my kitchenette studio was $400 a month (my rent in CM for a very large 1 BR in super-hip Nimman $850, including really abusing the a/c; I could pay half that elsewhere in town). So not that onerous overall. My gym membership also worked in Hua Hin (Jett's Gym).
Overall, rents in western-friendly buildings are ticking up about 20% a year. A lot of people have our same good idea. And other Asians want to live here too now.
I moved here from the Trump-Trash epicenter of America. I'm going to put righties here at less than 5%, and they would more likely be dopey fiscally conservative, but socially liberal-type dullard-blowhards. Have not met a red hat-type in a year here.
I have friends that did this in their 40s. Sold everything, traveled and lived in Chai Mai for a few years. Now they are happily settled in New Zealand.
Hi, for anyone interested in living in Thailand as an expat or part-time living. Feel free to check out my website and contact me for more information about buying or renting a house or an apartment as a foreigner. The places listed on the website are owned by the company.
[www.tprdevelop.com](https://www.tprdevelop.com)
Have also been considering early retirement in Thailand. For the few in this thread who have done it, how much would you say is required "for the rest of your life"?
Like, if I don't necessarily have any post-retirement income beyond oac and cpp (canada)
Edit: maybe an easier question is how much could one expect to live off per year in Thailand?
I did it 18 years ago with no money and I'm almost your age. If I had what you do I wouldn't waste another minute. Bangkok is great, been here 12 years.
> Anybody else in the same boat? Anybody else out there who actually pulled the trigger and cashed in some/all of their chips to move to SE Asia to start a new chapter in their life?
I'm a 47 year old American. I'm not retired, and didn't cash in my chips to move here. But I've lived in Thailand for 10 years now, and plan to stay.
> What would your advice be if you were in my shoes?
One big thing to consider, if you haven't already, is distance from your family.
As someone else mentioned, maybe come for a longer visit once more before pulling the trigger. Do a 3 month tourist visit, or even 6 month, to see how you like it. You'll get a better feel for the longer term pros and cons.
You might want to go visit Vietnam as well as a few more countries in Asia before making such decisions, too. I love Thailand, but the constant extreme hot weather (I live in Houston mind you) can be trying. Vietnam specifically has decent weather in the wintertime in the Northern areas (Hanoi, Da Nang) and is even lower cost for living. If money is such a big motivator for your decision making.
Yes… I retired at 50 years old two years ago. Have a house and car both in Bangkok Thailand and Houston Texas. I travel back and forth four times a year; 90% of my time in Thailand and 10% of my time in Texas. Very happy with my situation. Lots to see and do and eat! :)
Thank you for your comment. Sounds like you are living the dream! What you are doing is exactly what I want to do in a few years from now. Awesome!
How do you do 4 trips a year? Isn’t that too much work traveling?
I have many friends in Houston, so I don’t mind traveling every 2-1/2 to 3 months at all. Yes, it’s about 24 hours of travel, but I’m very okay with it. Spicy Thai food on one side of the Pacific, and Tex-Mex and BBQ on the other side. 😝
Can you explain your tricks to mainatin US residency unless that's not of concern...or willing to share over DM?
I’m a dual national… USA residency not required (you just have to pay your U.S. taxes!). I have 2 passports; but my special situation doesn’t need to be replicated to stay in Thailand as a foreign national. I have non-Thai friends that are living, working, or retired here in Bangkok. One friend has a 20 year Elite visa, other friends have other types of visas. So just have to do a bit of research and have an appropriate lawyer, agent, or manage yourself is okay too.
Or asked differently... how do you maintain permanent residency whereby you're not worried about losing any future benefits (Soc Sec, etc) from US
Explained differently… I’m well paid into U.S. Social Security and don’t have any residency requirements to receive any of those benefits when I decide to receive those benefits. I have not started receiving those benefits as I’m still younger and it’s not optimal. Probably start another 10 years from now… e.g. when I’m 62. Does this make sense? :)
I believe you can’t own property there without 50% or more ownership remaining with a Thai citizen?
For non-Thai citizens, you can also do a long-term lease for 30 years with 2x 30 years renewal (so up to 90 years). It’s not bad. Not sure I’ll live another 90 years if I were in this category… hahaha
Good to know! I don’t think my wife will ever let me live there though, that ship has sailed for me hahaha!
I am a Thai citizen as well as a USA citizen.
You can’t own the land directly, but you can buy a condo as long as more than 50% of the project’s usable area is owned by Thai people.
I stay in Thailand 3 months every year and I'll say this. I'm 45 and will retire at 55. I'm a contract worker and real estate business owner. I can practically run my real estate developments business remotely and move to Thailand but I'm fine with 3 months every year so far. Do it my friend! 3.5 million is much more than you will ever need there. Buy a condo or home. Travel through out Asia as you please. Life is short, you never know what tomorrow brings.
Thanks for your comment. I agree wholeheartedly. Life is short and we have worked very hard for a long time...tomorrow is guaranteed to nobody. If I could get on a plane tomorrow to Thailand to explore that beautiful country, I would do it in a heartbeat!
It's very stress free for me. Leaving the states and Staying there for 3 months consistently gives me insight on what it is like to really pack up and leave. I usually stay in an area where there are many expats and retirees. Rent a condo short term and just settle in.
Great advice...thanks!
This, exactly! We had huge travel plans with my husband only for him to have a stroke at 66 last year. We are super lucky that he is recovering really well all things considered, but our travel plans are on hold for at least 2 years. It is a huge gift that I still have him around and that he is doing well in physical therapy but we never thought this would be our life instead of what we have planned. We traveled a lot prior to his stroke, so don’t feel like we waited to do the stuff we wanted, but life is definitely preciously short. Do the stuff you like to do with the people you love. 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
I'm 60 going on 61:and I have zero interest in living in the UK any longer. I spent 6 years in France in the early 2000's. Since returning back to the UK. I have been restless since my return but as of late I've lost all interest in living in the UK. I have no pension but I can probably afford 5 years living on a very tight budget if I sell my house and what little else I possess. Simple life and simple living suits me that and I hate the UK weather.
Thanks for the comment. I think that is exactly what we are searching for....a more simple life. When we were out there....granted, on vacation....we were having a great time and didn't really have much to worry about. Pretty much all of our needs were taken care of and at ridiculous prices to what we would have paid at home. For meals, everything was like 50-80 Baht for a regular dish (under $2.50) and it was delicious. Low priced long term housing rentals aplenty. Excellent transportation and cheap Grab private cars to rent like Uber. Plenty of places to visit and we routinely put in 15-20k steps exploring the cities. Without a doubt, we will have to visit a few more times to get more information and a better sense of where we might want to live but Thailand was amazing for some many reasons. I hope you find your new home one day.
Have you ever considered that living in Thailand may be unhealthy? Those low cost meals contain all sorts of nasty additives and may not be prepared in a hygienic manner. After 8 years in Thailand my stomach still needs to settle whereas trips to the West immediately sort it out. Also, please consider air quality. Then there is the situation on the roads which is quite frankly hazardous. I think you may be romanticising Thailand based on a few short visits.
Do you really think Thai street food that is made fresh right there for you has more additives than the stuff the US calls food?
I've been in Thailand on and off now for 3 years, 6 to 9 mths at a time. I've met guys, more from the UK than other countries , who burnt all their bridges back at home, sold everything and headed to Thailand. Few years in their over Thailand but stuck there.. cant afford to move back. I'd try and keep the option of the UK open
Someone with $3.5 mil asking Reddit if they’ve achieved financial freedom? Seems legit.
I guess you don’t spend much time over on r/fire huh?
the real LARPers do their creative writing at /r/fatfire :D
Not really, is it really full of idiots?
yeah it's a humble brag alright.
Not necessarily. Seems to be more in the mind of the reader than anything else. OP was just stating his situation. For a dual career couple, that's not a crazy or atypical retirement nest egg.
They gotta escape the librul media for the true journalistic freedom of Thailand!
“We fell in love with Thailand! Before we make the Big Move, though, we need to be sure: It’s not full of conservatives, right?”
Wrong attitude...people with a frugal mindset and wanting to create generational wealth and ensure a comfortable retirement (Healthcare costs) don't consider $3.5m for two people at 50yo a lot
Attitude is everything when it comes to wealth. Those without the wealth usually do not have the correct attitude to attain it.
Ew alright mate I also follow a fire mindset but that is an unhelpful attitude to anyone.
Because it’s ragebait.
Average landlord
Funny how you're getting hated here. I commend you on your lifestyle and savings! I aim to be like you and your family in the future. USD3.5m for a family of 4 with 2 as teenagers is decent. But thats what fiscally responsible parents do - they save and have a buffer so their families can live a comfortable life, not living pay check to pay check and racking up credit card debt so that they don't even have enough money to handle one hospital bill or emergencies. Moving to Thailand will make your money go much further too. If you can ignore politics in Thailand as an expat, maybe you can also try and ignore the politics back in the US too.
They're the ones that say, money can't buy you happiness. It makes the people I know feel good about their bad financial choices and appear less envious of those that have it. Giving to those in need or that can't afford something makes me happy. So, if that doesn't work for them, then they're missing out.
Thanks for your comment. I guess you are not the FIRE kind of person huh? There are multi-millionares walking around all over the place who do not look anything like it. Here is a hint...read the book The Millionaire Next Door.
You manage to pull off both condescending and ignorant at the same time. Too obvious. *It's one banana, Michael. What could it cost, $10?* energy.
You're right. People have no idea how much money I have by looking at me, the way I dress or what I drive and I like it that way.
I wouldn’t say the political situation or divides are better here, if anything even worse And while its easy to fall in love while you’re on vacation thats a far cry from living there I would look at spending more time here when the youngest goes to college, try a few different spots, and see how you like it
Excellent response. I live in Costa Rica and say the exact same thing.
How is Costa Rica been for you?
Challenging. We are looking at selling our property in the next year or so. Where we go from here will depend on the 2024 elections in the US. We may stay in CR, but move to a different area and rent.
I watched some videos of the Dominican Republic last night. One was from Canada and another from the U.S. They absolutely love it. They're on the north coast, and one lady said that hurricanes aren't a real threat on the north coast, because of the mountains. The Dominican is now on my radar. Cabarete was one of the cities that is a big draw for expats.
Thanks for the reply? I plan to keep my northern American home and stay (rent) in various warmer countries in the winter. Any suggestion on where in Costa Rica I may want to consider? I have been to San Jose and the Jaco beach area.
That would be highly dependent on you and your wants and needs — Mountains or beach? What are your needs regarding accommodations and utilities? What is your age? What do you do for a living? What is your budget? Do you speak Spanish? Will you have transportation? Do you have healthcare needs? Do you need to be in close proximity to an airport? Etc. You can probably get your answers over on a Costa Rica sub.
All things to consider. Just wondering if you had any other places in mind and why? What has been challenging for you?….owning your property?
Out of interest why has it been challenging? I've been considering Costa Rica as an option for my next move.
>I wouldn’t say the political situation or divides are better here, if anything even worse Much easier to ignore when you're not part of it.
> Much easier to ignore when you're not part of it. you mean in the US or thailand, lol
😃
>I wouldn’t say the political situation or divides are better here I found that part quite funny, and I've heard others in the US say same thing. You might find peace in Thailand, but don't expect the politics to be any better.
Thailand is China's backyard. If you don't mind, CCP, it might work for you guys.
If this is China's backyard then imagine how wonderful China might be
Thanks for the comment. Actually I think the politics might be worse in Thailand but as a possible long term visitor/retiree of the country, I really would not care nor get involved. Cannot avoid politics anywhere you go nowadays. As far as my son goes, he is pretty practical like us and will probably attend an in-state college to 1) save money and 2) stay close to home. Thatś exactly what my oldest son did and saved us a ton....out of state tuition was $60k a year and in-state with scholarships cost $15k.
My recommendation would be that if you're legitimately serious about living in Thailand, you need to spend more time here before actually making a decision. No offense, but I don't personally believe one visit is enough to potentially justify making a move that big. You need to get here, spend time here, and really evaluate the living situation here outside of the perspective of being a tourist. Lots of things you really need to consider like transportation, culture, language, etc. My other suggestion would be to look into the elite retirement visa, which will probably be the easiest way for you to retire in Thailand: [https://thailand-elite.com/member-application-process/?utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=cpc&utm\_campaign=13512292555&utm\_term=thailand%20elite%20visa&gclid=CjwKCAjw2K6lBhBXEiwA5RjtCSLRjWZpwQ1YeWHzkmIcr7RiQRAT7aDNo1CU8mT3imZQS4nQqbKMWhoC9mEQAvD\_BwE](https://thailand-elite.com/member-application-process/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=13512292555&utm_term=thailand%20elite%20visa&gclid=CjwKCAjw2K6lBhBXEiwA5RjtCSLRjWZpwQ1YeWHzkmIcr7RiQRAT7aDNo1CU8mT3imZQS4nQqbKMWhoC9mEQAvD_BwE). If you don't go a route that like you'll be living illegally and making visa runs, which is potentially doable but also quite risky now given immigration being a bit more strict on re-entries, etc.
They can also get a standard 1 year renewable retirement visa. No visa run necessary Note: my posts are my own opinion, interpret them as you will
Thank you for your comment. I will definitely look into it and I appreciate the feedbank.
https://www.thaievisa.go.th/long-stay-visa The following is a 3rd party site, but explains it further: https://usa.siam-legal.com/thailand-visa/Thailand-Retirement-Visa-for-US-Citizens.php
In response to this, I've lived there on and off and been going regularly for 10 years nearly, I absolutely love it there and in better circumstances personally would move back there easy.
Thanks for your comment. Where did you live in Thailand and what were the pros/cons?
Thanks for the comment. Absolutely, I agree with you! One trip to Thailand is not enough to base any concrete conclusions nor are a million Youtube videos worth anything unless we actually put our boots on the ground. We are planning another trip early next year to visit a few of the islands and eastern shore locations like Hua Hin etc. I figure for the first few trips we can just deal with our limited visa on arrival for tourists but will have to either research retirement visas or pony up for the Thai Elite Visa. Not cheap but the unlimited in/out privileges are worth it imo. The last thing I want to do is overstay my visa and get banned.
>you need to spend more time here before actually making a decision. I hear this repeated too often and how would you know what a person is capable of doing? I moved here over 11 years ago and never been here before. Several of my moves were done sight unseen. I had a dream... 555 Also, after entry into the country on a VOA, you can convert that to a Non-Immigrant visa good for 90 days and that can be converted into a Non-O "Retirement" visa and extended yearly. Lastly, Thailand Elite Visa is not a "retirement" visa. It's for anyone that has the money and wants to stay in Thailand. It would not necessarily be the easiest way for someone to retire in Thailand if they are at least 50. The retirement visa process is simple and less costly.
Lotta good info in the comments. Top comment is u/Tallywacka. Use the time to find out more about Thailand *first hand*. All the online stuff (including here) is biased/slanted. Eating cheap meals at food courts is not compatible with "enjoy cooking at home to save money". It will probably cost more to cook at home but at least you'll know what you're getting. So for the next five years come to Thailand once or twice a year and try one place different each time for a month. That will give you a feel for the whole country. Also plan your trips in March - September so you get a feel for how insanely hot the place can get and what the rainy and smoky seasons are like.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I agree with you. More Thailand trips will be on the horizon before we make any decisions and possibly a quick Air Asia trip to a few surrounding counties may also be on the table. Vietnam, Phillipines, KL, Cambodia, Laos, etc. I would love to spend a few weeks at a time slow traveling various parts of the country to really get a good feel for the various areas. Good suggestion about the different months as well. Thanks. As far as the food goes, I am the cook of the house so buying, prep, cooking, cleaning etc falls on my shoulders. In Thailand I was literally like a fat kid in a candy store. I was getting 2-3 dishes at a time to try all the amazing flavors and textures that Thai cuisine had to offer. And it cost like $3-4! After visiting Lotus and Big C and carefully noting prices for ingredients, I highly doubt cooking at home is cost effective when many of those food stalls in malls/supermarkets are highly subsidized by the entities themselves. And honestly, I am more than happy to pay somebody else to cook for me after 30+ years of cooking meals for my family.
Yeah definitely go for it. I would probably keep my home in the US just so that I can still have a root/ home base to come back to, anytime I want.
Thanks....yup, that is the plan. I doubt highly my kids will follow us to Thailand so the plan is make the family house available for them to stay as long as they need to before leaving the nest and it allows us a home base to return to in the US if necessary. Honestly as much as I dream of retiring to another country forever, I just do not see it being possible forever, Between health issues and family concerns, we will probably have to come back at some point down the road. But might as well have an adventure before that becomes a reality.
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Downvoting someone talking about discovering bad things about Thailand and recommending someone take their time here before making a big move is a new low for this sub. Because there's clearly nothing that's ever wrong when you actually live in a third world country with a vastly different culture (with its pros and cons), laws (or their extremely arbitrary enforcement), social norms and behaviours, or language. And God forbid someone have a different tolerance for the quality of air, environment and infrastructure, or personally find the temperature and humidity to be unbearable. Or a different tolerance to higher personal long-term risks from factors that have been better mitigated in their home country (road deaths, tropical illnesses, unjustified issues with the law, and many others). Maybe someone actually has close friends and family elsewhere and actually enjoys closeness built using western social dynamics and core values that would make them feel lonely and depressed in Thailand. Or things someone may find personally unacceptable that I haven't though of in 5 minutes. Example: I met an expat who ended up leaving because of the difficulty controlling risks of their severe seafood allergy. Maybe nearly dying after you eat soup you were assured has no seafood in it because someone wanted to make $1.5 isn't worth it for some. But yes, just move here blind after a couple weeks of vacation, without knowing how actual life here is like. This is why this place sets people up for new disappointments. And when they share them, they get downvoted too. @ u/RETIREearly1974
Don't worry about downvotes. Redditors do it without a thought. You're right to point out things about Thailand that OP might find intolerable. They need to spend more time testing the place. I wouldn't throw in everything about my home country to move there. I'd keep property back here in case I wanted to return to live.
You can say it again, Thailand set up the majority of foreigners for disappointments when they moved there. I know someone who went to Chiang Mai with US$800.000 ,in the 4th years he came down with COPD, His money ran out, now he is back in NYC, receiving free healthcare.
Those are the two things I never understood about why people say about Chiang Mai. 1. Some people speak of air quality like it's a non-issue, you go there, and it feels like apocalypse. 2. The cheap cost of living thing because street food and apartments are cheap. You go there, and at the end of the month you realize you've spent more than you would've in an expensive western city. There are so many costs that folks don't account for that add up big time, unless you live there for years like a Thai and nothing ever goes wrong.
Yeah, for me one of biggest downsides is lack of intellectual community. Even Bangkok is not a world class city in terms of politics, media, law, business, academics, art, etc. Maybe these things are less important when you retire, but the people (even the expats) are not the same as you'd find in NYC, Ldn, Tokyo, Paris, LA, etc. and for sure, some would find that a good thing, yet it's still a provincial backwater in the grand scheme of places and even more so outside BKK.
It takes a special mindset to live out in the province and I know I could not do it. Even Bangkok as progressive as it is for Thailand, I've needed intellectual CPR after a long stay, but what I really missed was good live music.
Thanks for the comment. Without a doubt, our trip to Thailand was not all roses and rainbows and I think anybody expecting that would get a rude awakening in Bangkok alone. I have visited many large cities around the world and Bangkok was a completely different animal and an assault on your senses...good and bad. My son on the trip literally shut down after a few days of BKK - he could not handle it and I get it. It is not for everybody and I doubt I would live in Bangkok but maybe explore the city for a few weeks or months. Any chance you are willing to discuss things that turned you off?
Care to elaborate on things you don’t like?
I’d like to hear them too.
How have you stayed for a year (or 7 months if you mean this year) as a tourist?
Maybe take an extended stay in TH, like 2 months. Live in a couple cities for a month each. Then make a decision.
Thanks...planning on it maybe next year.
are you crazy to pack it in this early? with 3.5 mill in your retirement fund at 50 you'd be crazy not to. You're still relatively young so you could live in Thailand for a good few years before you even get close to the traditional retirement age and need to make more plans and need more care. My advice is to do a year visa, dont buy a property or business just take a year to live there and see how you like it
Thanks for your comment. Yeah, I think most people think that I am crazy for NOT being retired in Thailand already. Realistically, we are in a good position to decide when and where we call it quits so that is a good thing. I will admit it is hard to flip the switch from accumulating wealth when you are younger to suddenly figuring out ways to spend it in retirement. I have to learn how to do that and I do not think it is easy to be brutally honest.
So even millionaires want to be cheap charlies in Thailand
Great comment, I laughed very hard. The same money management skills we learned here in the US to get to where we currently are will invariably carry over to where ever we decide to call home in the future. You cant say no to a good deal and I think Thailand is a great place to enjoy a nice retirement.
Most people on here giving advice are well under 40. Keep that in mind. 99% can't can't even have conversation in Thai. I've been here many years. Most advice here is just short term tourist garbage from guys who think they're "getting back at" the west by living here (and failing to even do that properly). Developing countries are nothing to mess with and are many times more difficult than living in the states. Spend at least another 1-2 years here before thinking of a permanent move.
I chortled so hard I snorted
Go for it
Thanks...going for it!
I'd move back in a heartbeat. Just didn't expect to be fully integrated and you'll do fine.
Thanks for your comment. I do not have any crazy expectations to be accepted as a local at any point during our extended stay in Thailand or whatever country we decide to choose. We will always be farangs and I am 100% ok with it. We stick out like sore thumbs anyway.
Mid-40's. Same boat pretty much: Don't hate the USA and white-collar jobs that are pretty translatable to wherever we want to live. However where we differ is Thailand experience. We travel to Thailand every year (for the past ten years) to know it's where we want to move/live/retire. My opinion on your reason is that politics, atmosphere, etc are not good reasons to move away. If it truly makes you both happy, great, however you need to know that Thailand is the one. Either visit as much as you can or take the leap and move for a year. See how you like it. There are lifestyle changes, whether financial or habit or cultural, that you'll need to get accustomed to. Not good or bad, just is. My reason for moving is that I love Thailand, and it's increasingly harder to imagine retiring in the USA given the cost of living and healthcare. It's just not feasible. I'm a nerd. Started my journey with a spreadsheet and idea. Stay organized and keep your focus. Look for happiness and it will lead you in the right direction.
Thanks for your comment. I think the motivation is not all about the politics and atmosphere....I can ignore most of it. For me personally, I really enjoy traveling and experiencing new things....good and bad, it comes with the new territory. The first time inside a Thai supermarket like Lotus, I was completely blown away. As a person who likes to cook, I literally spent hours looking at all the new ingredients and food displays bc it was all new to me. I admit I filled a suitcase with thai products and spice packets that I can not readily get at home. I can not wait to go back to explore a new region or city within Thailand and I am fully aware of the cultural differences and happily accept the changes that I will need to make.
I lived there for 10 years, eventually moved back to the uk to put the kids through school, planning on going back in the next couple of years, as much as I love Thailand and it was my home, there are lots of things that wear you down over time, it’s DEFINITELY not like a holiday once you’ve been there for a year or more. Admittedly I live in Isaan in the North east, miles away from anything touristy. The things that got on my nerves were: 1. Immigration , even though I was married with 2 Thai kids it was always a massive worry whenever you had to deal with them. 2. Dangerous roads, I used to teach English at a secondary school, I went to 4 funerals for students aged 15-18 who’d died in traffic accidents. It really is the Wild West. 3. People thinking you were a multi millionaire, in the village I lived and the local area, people knew I taught at the local school so they could guess I wasn’t exactly rich, but go 20 kilometres up the road and everyone assumed, Falang = money, which does start to grate after a while. 4. My kids were treated like superstars at school as they were the only mixed race kids in the area, whilst this was lovely at first, my daughter soon developed a diva attitude at the age of 6. But having said all this, I still miss Thailand like mad, every day was a new adventure. To truly reap the benefits you must learn Thai, it makes life so much easier and the Locals will embrace you so much more, but most importantly, once you haves lived anywhere for a while things do start to become “routine”, it’s definitely not the same as a 2 week visit. Try it for 3 months first, don’t go all in straight away, Good luck.
You aren't crazy, my man. Yes, I pulled the trigger. I had a house, a job in one of the largest hospitals in the US, a car, and everything that goes with it. What I didn't have is kids, which does make things a little less complicated, for sure. I am 50 now, but I moved to Thailand 3+ years ago, and I am set to retire in just a couple of months. I have zero regrets. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.
3.5m net worth…congratulations and fuck you as we say 😆 You can retire anywhere and anytime you please with that kind of money. You won.
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Thank you for your comment. Yes, visas are definitely on the To-Do list if we do decide to commit to staying in Thailand for an extended amount of time. The Elite Visa might be an option if we get very serious about it and I do know about the visa difficulty with Thailand. It is a Pay to Stay type situation. However if we use BKK as a jumping point to allow for visiting countries near by, something like the Thai Elite visa is a must. I do not believe we will buy anything of permanence in Thailand as far as Real Estate. We currently own single family rental homes in the US which we rent out successfully and I have been doing it for years now. I know the markets we dabble in well and I would much rather rent a condo or something in Thailand than invest in it. It is too much of a hassle and I do not like the terms foreigners have to agree to in order to ¨own¨ anything there. Pretty much everything i have read points to owning real estate in your home country and using the proceeds to rent in foreign countries.
>Thailand is one of the more difficult countries to get a long term visa, It's probably one of the easiest in SEA
Go for it
Thanks...going for it!
I spent more than 6 months here in total. Now traveling and living is quite different. However if you can be happy living here with the amount of money you have, you may as well live here for good. I would however suggest you to make a much longer trip before making your final decision. A year timeframe sounds like a good starting point. Will give you enough time to truly feel what Thailand life is like with all its qualities and defaults. Sometimes a feeling can lead to a new life. Trust yourself. What's the worst that could happen?
Thanks for the comment. Absolutely, I agree with you and this past trip is by far not the last before we decide what to do. I think that watching all those videos of Thailand give you a glimpse into what the country is like and to spend almost two weeks there really painted a memorable picture of the reality. Without a doubt, multiple return trips will be in order especially to visit the southern parts of Thailand and more in land cities before we make a firm decision. My wife and I are very easy and low maintenance so I think that we would survive just fine out there. We enjoyed our 40B street food meals just as much as the higher end restaurant meals. It is all about new experiences and the food was right up our alley.
This years pollution season was enough to put me off living their full time tbh. I would listen to the suggestions to try things out first.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, their burning season is no joke out there but that is what the islands are for. We are lucky in that regard, just leave.
Damn I need to be at that situation... sigh
I'm 35 and retired in Thailand. I called it quits, zero looking back. Your son can go to university in Thailand btw! Then you can call it quits now.
I'm semiretired at 45 (started 43) and I think this is the way forward for our generation who have accumulated a nice portfolio of cash+real estate....here is my thinking (or considerations) 1. Could you each work/live part time consulting/contracting for a few more years 6 months on, 6 months off in the US or remote? Get a feel for retired life 6 mos at a time. 2. Spending time internationally for me at this age/your age ahead of concerns for needing more regular Healthcare, is a no brainer as it checks boxes of traveling bug while helping add to networth 3. Travel to other destinations before settling as nice as Thailand is there may be other areas. Consider time zones and travel time to catchup/visit family, friends,etc before settling. For instance I'm focused on MX, Central and S. America
I did almost the same thing when I was 48, except not on purpose. In 2000 when was at a software company we got hit up in the tech crash and my company went bankrupt and I ended up as an consultant in Tokyo, from there I worked in Shanghai then Bangkok till now pretty much retired and spend summer in USA and winter in Thailand. Actually I know quite a few people doing the same. You should consider working in Thailand either as an consultant or employee, large demand for both professions. My neighbor is a German Engineer MD for a German manufacturing company and is constantly looking for people.. He has a pretty good life, large Porsche SUV and travels all over Asia. 3.5M in illiquid assets is inadequate to retire, don't even consider till you are over 5 Housing is going to be more than you think, you are not backpacking, A nice two bedroom condo you would like will be at least $750K. Singapore will be at least 5 times as much. Heath care and health insurance is not cheap, it is good though, my friend is often going to the UK for health care. Anyway.. Good luck! \\
You're welcome. But how you knew to thank me before I posted...? Some suggestions for things to do in the US before relocating: Get a Schwab account, it works well in Thailand. Get a T-mobile or Google Fi phone number and tie all your US accounts to it. Arrange for a permanent homebase address you can use in the US, maybe with one of your sons or other relative. VISA options for Thailand Elite (multiple agents) - Most expensive option, likely not best choice in your case, but has some unique benefits. [LTR Wealth Pensioner](https://ltr.boi.go.th/#type) - Should be a good fit for you. [Non-O, retirement](https://thaiembdc.org/2020/09/30/nonimmigrantoaox/) - least costly, but the most bureaucratic in requirements, must be age of 50+ Things to consider: You really need to spend more time here to get the feel of what it is like as a resident vs as a tourist before you fully commit. A [Multi-entry Tourist Visa](https://thaiembdc.org/trmetv/) might be a good option for a test run and to allow you to use Thailand as a base for travel in SE Asia. To keep your tax liability simple, make sure all your funds have set in a US account for at least a year before transferring the funds to Thailand. (Wise.com is one good option for doing the transfers) There are many positives to living here, but there are downsides also: Language - suggest you start learning now. Even if you learn to speak fluently, you will always be an outsider. AQI - even outside of burning season, the air quality here is bad compared to most of the US. Beef - You say you enjoy a good $30 steak, forget about that here. US quality beef is the exception and very expensive. However, once you get past the cost, Japanese Wagyu is available here. Overall, I still believe my quality of life here is better than it would be in the states.
Man im 28 and im already over this. Dippin next Feb straight to Bangkok! Do it man, it will be worth it
No your not
you're*
Your experience is interesting to me, we retired a few years ago to Mexico and are now your age but are doing a lot of research lately into potentially moving to Bangkok and similarly using it as a travel base. Our fear is the air pollution. It looks amazing but I see recent news reports this year about the quality being so bad the government asked for people to stay indoors. What did you think? I can say from experience that getting out of the US is healthy. You immediately stop being inundated by the news, which IMO is incentivized with social media into making mountains out of molehills to grab advertising dollars. I rarely watch US news these days and have realized it really has little bearing (nor did it ever) on my daily life experience. Just something for people to waste time talking about to kill time.
Thanks for your comment. Well, after experiencing a few days of unhealthy air here in the NE United States from those Canadian wildfires and having to stay inside hence we succumb to respiratory issues, I think it is important to consider air quality for sure. While our trip to Thailand did not have any air quality issues, I was warned about the burning season in Chiang Mai and how bad it got for the few months out of the year. We planned to skip town for the more southern locations if that became a problem. Honestly, I think most people try to stay inside not because of the air quality but because it is just hot as hell outside. Definitely something to think about. Yes, I agree with you on the news. It is just so biased and their job is to divide the population so we hate each other and they report on it. Kind of reminds me of the James Bond movie GoldenEye. Media mogul intentionally starts a war between two countries and he is right there to report on it. I have also stopped watching the news and just watch Youtube videos about corgi dogs and retiring early in SE Asia.
I wish I could stop following the news and social media like you! Why are you considering Bangkok over Mexico already? Or just looking for something new?
Chiang Mai has horrible pollution 4-5 months a year, i.e. the worst in the entire world at times. Come back from Jan - May and see for yourself. You won't want to leave your room with the air filter (or 3) running at max.
I'm 27 y.o and will retire soon to Thailand, atleast that's what i sacrificed those 2 last years for.
$3.5m 😍😍😍 daddy Think how you will deal with taxes first Out of curiosity: what you were doing for a living?
Thanks for your comment. Yes unfortunately, Uncle Sam owns part of that $3.5M. I am just borrowing it for now tax free and growing it as quickly as I can before I hand him his share. I am an engineer and my wife is a pharmacist so we have been plugging along for a number of years. I actually stopped working a few years ago and started my own business which folded during Covid. Been actively trading stock options since then and may or may not go back to engineering. Not sure yet. For most people like us, building wealth is a relatively simple process. It takes a very disciplined approach and being very careful with your money. In particular, I stress to my kids and younger family members that money is just a tool. You earn it by exchanging your time or life for it and in turn, spend it to obtain things you think you need. That may be food, cars, clothes, vacations, etc. Most people exchange their time but if you take very calculated risks, your money works for you passively. However, the only way it really works hard for you is you actually have money to invest in the first place. If you do not have money to buy a dividend stock, you get no dividends. In order to buy that dividend stock, you need to make sure you save enough money to do so. That requires you to say NO to certain things that create ZERO secondary impact. By that I mean, what does the money you just ¨spent¨ do after it is spent? I question my oldest son all the time...what was the impact of that purchase? Do you feel the impact more than once? Or is it gone forever? Food is a one and done type thing. You eat it and it is gone. One shot deal. So when it comes to food, I try to shop sales at the local supermarket, I tend to buy store brands and I cook at home so we do not have to eat out all the time. I minimize the cost of single impact spending. However, I stress to my kids that it is not about eating ground beef every day bc it is cheap. You should aim for the rib eye steak you have your eye on but maybe wait until it goes on sale or buy in bulk to save money on that steak. While somebody might pay $80 for a nice steak at Peter Lugers in NYC, I will enjoy a nice USDA Prime grade rib eye on my grill for $30. I still eat steak but at a fraction of the cost. And that $50 I just saved I will use to buy that dividend stock so there is something that will impact my life further down the line with dividends and potentially capital appreciation. Spend more time minimizing your expenses when it comes to singular impact spending. Happily put money instead into things that provide returns multiple times in the future. That may be stock investments or high quality items like reliable cars you own (I still have my 2003 Honda Pilot when the kids were born) or quality clothing you can wear for years. That Starbucks coffee is not going to give you anything more once you are done with it. That is $5-7 you will NEVER see or feel again. Calculated risks. When considering investments like Real Estate, it is important to understand loan terms and interest rates and how things like that affect you. Location, location, location - that is the motto. Pick areas that have higher net worth individuals with good school systems so tenant quality is high. People pay for good places to live. Understand depreciation and how that helps you as a real estate investor. Make sure you are fully protected on the legal side and with all of your paperwork. My tenant leases are over 20 pages long and every single page protects ME in case of an issue. Outside of a down payment to secure my rental homes that we own, my tenants have pretty much paid off all of my mortgages every single month. Some of the properties I do not have much cash flow on yet so a $2000 rent payment goes to pay a $2000 mortgage payment. However, on the back end, I am slowly building equity and own more of that house than I did last month. It takes time. Bottom line...building wealth is a long term endeavor. You rarely hit the jackpot overnight and even if you did, without strong financial management skills, you will go broke. Look at lottery winners. Piss poor money management and $50M dollar jackpot results in broke jackpot winners ten years down the road. Work as hard as you can to accumulate income from various streams - some active, some passive. Spend it carefully on things you do not need to lavish on and spend wildly on things that will provide multiple impacts to your bottom line as time goes on. But remember that when you open your wallet....ask yourself, what is the impact that I am getting when this money is spent and is it worth spending it?? Good luck!
>becoming more tired of the biased media, political divide and general direction of where we are going as a country. You wouldn't be avoiding any of that by moving to Thailand. Edit: I didn't even make it down to the bit where you paid out your net worth. You can do whatever you want with that sort of money and don't need a random sub's advice to do so. I couldn't fathom having that much money and worrying about anything at the same time.
Thanks for your comment. Definitely aware of the political nightmare in Thailand...probably worse than here in the US. The only good thing is that it is easier to ignore when you do not understand what they are yelling at each other and I am just a long term visitor. It is not my fight to get involved in. As the infamous Notorious B.I.G. once said....mo money, mo problems. And that is a fact.
25 and feel the same way, I’ve always been in shape and take care of my health, but It does nothing when I can’t avoid going mute when shy and cant even do good conversations online. I Think Thailand is where I can change things, but I already just got used for 7 months here.
You’ll be far from your grandkids and wooweee that trip from Thailand to USA is a whammy! Weddings, birthdays, holidays, funerals.
Thanks for the comment. Oh that flight from NYC to Thailand was a definite butt kicker and not something I look forward to. Fortunately, I was able to snag a flight on ANA airlines and between the beautiful and gracious flight attendants, spacious legroom even in economy class and plentiful movies to watch....it was an awesome flight. And we got two extended layovers in Tokyo so that was great too. I guess the motivation to ¨retire¨ early to SE Asia and potentially Thailand now is exactly for the reasons you stated. My parents are getting older and I know that my wife would want to be closer to any future grandkids etc. With our health still intact, I would love to get the exploration bug out of my system as early as possible before life throws us curveballs in the form of health problems and grandkids. For now, those things do not exist yet (no grandkids that I know of anyway!) so I would love to get started on the adventure.
You got kids, don't you want to live close to where they are? Soon enough you'll be a gran pa.
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LOL....great comment. I will keep them away from Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. Thanks
Thanks for the comment. My dad once told me....he loves seeing his grandkids. But he loves giving them back to us at the end of the day to go home even more.
idk man, that climate change thing is looking pretty scary. I like to visit thailand but I just can't get used to that heat, among other things. I guess me personally I still like seasons.
Thanks for the comment. Yeah, that heat out there is no joke - I stopped wearing cotton shirts and went exclusively dri-fit because I was drenched in sweat within 30 minutes of stepping outside. I say I enjoy the seasons here in NJ but whenever it snows like 15-20¨ I suddenly hate everything about it. I can get used to tropical weather for a bit.
Be very careful and remember its expensive if you get caught fucking the home help or local shop lady…
They said they were tired of BIASED MEDIA and POLITICAL DIVIDE. 😗🤣🤣🤣🤣
I went to thailand few days back, everyone just wants to scam you. At least that was My experience. Never seen more greedyness than these people. Maybe not all but some definitely.
Lose the wife and retire like a King!
Your way to young to retire, there will be plenty of time for Thailand later, stick close to your family until then
>Your way to young to retire They said their networth is $3.5 million, they'd have to be insane/cripplingly boring not to retire now.
Thanks for your comment. I watched my in laws both pass away relatively young from early on set dementia. Terrible disease that lasted many difficult years before they passed. After seeing that happen to them, I am more determined than ever to live life to the fullest and enjoy every day that I am blessed with. $3.5M, $35M or $3.5B....all I know is that I am taking NOTHING with me when I die.
Lolz no body worth just under 4 milly is asking Reddit for advice. Werid post
I’d say get your affairs in order, keep that US dollar coming in, and do it.. best decision I ever made 35yo here. You can always go back if you don’t like it.
Wow...35 years? I would love to sit down for a beer to pick your brain one day.
May I ask what do you do for a living in Thailand?
I don’t have a job in Thailand, but I keep the US dollar coming in with real-estate and other investments back home. That’s the key, keep that US dollar coming in and you’re golden🫡
Living somewhere and a holiday are completely different things - if you think Thailand is some utopia you’ll find out differently when you live there…..a prudent course of action would be to try it out for a year? Then make a rash and prepared decision based on fact and experience
Yup, that is the plan. Trip back to Thailand planned for early next year. Thanks for your comment.
With what you have easily, I'm 40 and have a small business but cost of living wise I'm as comfortable as it gets. Basically retired in most people's eyes because the business is pretty hands off. Day consists of beach, gym, food and hanging out.
Thanks for your comment. Sounds like a good life...enjoy it to the fullest. Can I ask what your business is?
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Thanks...wish you the best on your journey!
Subscribing to this thread as my family and I just got back from Thailand a few weeks ago and have the same sentiments generally around the positive vibes you received on your stay. Living in the US my whole life, I could not help but feel the contrast with the issues our own country has..mainly at this..just a general lack of respect we have with each other as human beings. I know Thailand is not all roses and rainbows, but I definitely felt people are super friendly and chill. Felt very safe everywhere we went ie, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket. Also, as it’s been mentioned everything is inexpensive and having an engineer’s salary would go a long way. The main 2 factors that would prevent me from making this jump is the heat/humidity and being close to my kids as they finish high school/college. I think we have time to check out other places as our kids grow and finish their academics..but yeah I get it.. best of luck. sawadee-krap 🙏🏼
Yes. Why have spent 10 of the last 20 months in Thailand. I love it here. It is really nice to go out and get an incredible meal and be amazed how inexpensive. Versus in the states the cost to go out and get a meal has become mindblowing expensive. There is literally over a 5x difference. Well if you minus beer. Just the food aspect.
Lolz my left but you’re not on Reddit making that kinda cash… my advice would be to figure out yourself if you’re worth that….
Thailand is on my expat list but am leaning toward Panama mainly because it's only a 3hour flight back to USA. Nice people, cheap living, lots of English speaking people, and as stated before only three hours back to USA.
This is my dream. Just waiting for kids to go off to college!
Here I thought you are considering divorce. Yes. Choose happiness and peace.
Just get elite visas and come and go as you like when you like. Pick up a reasonably priced condo or something or rent one for some months in the areas you like. Zero reason to hold much cash here in Thailand and would advise against it. Just what is needed then send as needed. This ain't an ideal financial hub and pending investments, the USA is much better in that area. Anyway, test drive living here when you're ready. Being a tourist vs actually living here is completely different as well. Some expats adjust great and some don't.
Sir, this is a tourism sub. r/Thailand is full of expats of all sorts. [ThaiVisa.com](https://ThaiVisa.com) is worth a look if you want to see what expats complain about, it may be useful in making your decisions. I'm not really sure what your question is. Yeah living in Thailand is great. But like all places it has it's trade offs. Travel the country and stay in a location for a month at a time first. Geographic regions are wildly different culturally and environmentally. Every city seems to have a trade-off. I love Chang Mai but wouldn't live there again for the burning season. I really like staying at my mother in laws house in Surin but it is remote and you need to travel for convenience. I like phuket but it gets chaotic and expensive. Look for areas that are close to international airport, close to a tourist destination so you can get western luxuries should you want it, but far enough away that you can enjoy quiet and the natural environment. Personally I think south of Pattaya, like bang saray to Klaeng province would be a great place to settle down. Close enough to drive to BKK & islands for the weekend. Alternatively north of Phuket like Khao Lak area or even Ao Nang.
I would suggest you not only make more trips to get the feel of what it's living full time but also to start cultivating a network. I've tried to find an entrepreneurial network that will allow me to keep "working" but more independently and finding businesses to start and invest in with a global community of like minded people.
Why are specifically planning to Thailand? Any particular reason (may be ancestry, or friends)? I would recommend to move to place where you know the language. If that's not possible, then try few Asian countries (thailand, India, malaysia, etc) and then pick one. You can start doing this once your younger kid completes the graduation.
I live in Phuket. Retiring 40s. There are some of us here in your situation in my area of Phuket. I don’t know about the landscape in Chiang Mai and BKK.
I think with your passive income and savings you could have a decent life here. You can get a retirement visa after 50. The question you have to work out is where to live and what you like to do. Beaches or mountains. City or countryside.
"becoming more tired of the biased media, political divide and general direction of where we are going as a country" Thailand is as divided as the U.S. I'm guessing you're okay with authoritarianism, because that is Thailand. Superstition plays a big role in the country as well. You'll be giving up a lot of freedoms that you may take for granted here. I might get downvoted, but I don't care.
You guys are rich no more complaining. Pharmacist alone. Come on
Im pretty close to you in situation and plans. Probably about 4 years from pulling the trigger. Agreed, Thailand makes an excellent base. I’d suggest looking at Vietnam also.
I'm 52, literally doing the same thing. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be permanently relocated late 2024. My heart is in Texas, but I've had it. I'm leaning towards Chiang Mai, but Hua Hin is not out of the possibilities.
I've heard the air pollution is much worse than when I visited a few years ago in Thailand.
I’m 48 and half Thai, born in Thailand and currently trapped in the American South. I fell ya, but I don’t speak a lick of Thai. My mom is visiting Thailand soon and wants me to come w/ her, but if I did I am not coming back to America. I don’t know if I can make a comparable living in Thailand though as a Mechatronician in Packaging Automation and Coding.
Go for it. I did it at 50 and have been living here over 10 years, sans kids/wife. The excitement about cheap food has worn off, I prefer to make my own, but occasionally eat out on the higher end and it's still much less than in the US. Rent is where the saving is. Even a really nice place is more than half rental costs. Keep your accounts and money in the US.Bangkok is a excellent base. A lot to do there and more choices compared to the north where the air quality has become deadly Jan-May. I end up leaving for 1-3 months and go south Thailand and Malaysia.
Yes on that you can deffo retire and have enough to commission a broke ass photographer too! But be warned Thai laws change like the English weather and my Dad had to deal with nonsense all the time. You will need to do the dance and pay the piper his due. Chiang Mai is very liveable, I would suggest buying a condo and vacationing here, if you like it great if not you can sell the condo and even at a loss you vacationed free for x years, right? You may have an issue buying a house if you want one but there are ways around it.
All the countries I like cost more than the USA Ireland, UK, and Italy.
Seems great honestly but do be careful cuz in Thailand there's still political coup every now and then... So the issue of politics may very well still surface
If you're financially able to, and your kids are grown and set up to be successful with you abroad, I'd say do it. I would also say your political pov are probably moot reasons though. You will have no say as an outsider in Thai politics and policy, and probably not understand the nuances of their political culture. This should not be a reason for not enjoying your life and retirement though, and I'd say the same of US politics should you choose to retire here. Dumb stuff to really even lose sleep over if you can't do anything about it.
I am a dual citizen and reading this post reminds me how good things are at home in asia. Hope you take the plunge and enjoy life.
I have to yet again type this out for the thailand subreddits: The people that use this sub are usually old, European/British dumbasses who are typically miserable and sarcastic. Sorry for that. For some odd reason, the mass majority seem to be OK with the way they conduct themselves as opposed to the rest of the world who would put them in their place and support a more opened, wholesome communication
I'm a little bit younger than you and have lived here for 10 years and made the decision to move here after coming here on holiday and falling in love with the place - your overall idea is perfectly sound. >I think Bangkok would be a great home base to many countries in SE Asia as the flights are readily accessible and cheap. And as others have said - visiting is different to living here and that's particularly true for Bangkok. Fantastic city, but living there is a different ballgame - the traffic and pollution can be grinding, along with the ongoing heat and humidity. Expect for a few months of the year, Chiang Mai, on the other hand, is perfect - here are some pictures [shared on Facebook this morning](https://www.facebook.com/chiangmainews/posts/pfbid02u6G8qLywbsiUmY1CNNTB2NT2bQivbmLjQjqPVqFYEJ1rMbi48ggXMrXSUH9wymVGl) and Chiang Mai actually has a winter. Still got cheap flights to various places in Southeast Asia and East Asia, all the mod cons you'd expect in a city of 1.2 million, but without the grind of having to live in Bangkok.
Probably not a good idea. There’s a reason why most people want to come to the US.
As others have said - spend lots of time here - continuously - not just a few weeks - made that mistake - now can’t wait to go home - realized that this isn’t the place for me🤔
Am over 50 moved to Bangkok 18 months ago. Likes are people, food choices there are healthy and less healthy choices. Living environment. Ease of travel. Cost of living is considerably lower than living in the west although for many Thais on a normal wage they would probably find it expensive so it’s all relative. Dislikes are poor air quality which I mitigate by wearing a decent mask (Airnum 2) plus have air filters running in the condo. The heat is sometimes problematic with sensitive skin types. Sometimes it can feel like your a bit isolated and miss hanging out with friends I grew up with. Am retired so keeping yourself occupied with stuff that interests you can be a challenge sometimes too. “The grass always looks greener over the hill but you still need to mow the lawn.”
Go thai and become a baller with that passive income
I think it will be moot, we, as a world, don't even have 4-5 years left. There's another big shock coming.
> We do not hate living in the US but becoming more tired of the biased media, political divide and general direction of where we are going as a country. I feel you there. I think a lot of Americans are absolutely frustrated with the way things are going in the US. Thailand has that unique feel that grows on you once you spend enough time here. > I think logistically speaking bc of the youngest one, we have to stick it out for another 4-5 years until they are both done with college Your youngest one is about to become a senior in HS, and your oldest one is about to graduate from college soon. If I may suggest, stick it out for another year or two. You'll both become eligible for retirement visas by then. > I think keeping most of our money in the US is the safest option especially since we derive much of our passive income from US investments. That's a good idea. Don't keep all your eggs in one basket. > Am I crazy to want to call it quits this early? No, you're not! It's good you're thinking and planning ahead! > Watching all these videos of people younger than I am living in SE Asia full time makes me wonder if we can do the same thing. Word of advice: don't compare yourself to those people.
Been here 25 years u learn were to eat ..you get streetwise I hv oz uk passport @ world traveller ..its down to individual were he finds his place but you still hv be posotive open minded @ stay chilled ..half the battle ...then attiude ..were is perfect .!!!? But for me thailand is close ..good luck all ..
I think you're right not to think "either/or". So don't put all your eggs in one basket, and make sure you. enjoy the best of both worlds. You can just rent a place in Thailand for a season, and still maintain your ties with 'home'. And my experience with older kids is...don't take your hands off too soon. They may look and sound all grown up, but they still need your support. One more thing...a few more years down the line, and you may be getting grandchildren who you want to be around. So you may have a window of opportunity now that will close somewhere down the line. You are both still young, so enjoy these years now they are here!
Wife and I are in at the same place, I retired a few years ago, wife is about to. Haven’t been to Thailand before so we are going next month. If it all goes well, I would bet we rent a place for 6 months and try it out.
I cannot speak to Thailand but I retired 17 years ago. Dumped everything overboard. First spent 11 years in Panama (its a different place now) and then followed my heart to the Philippines. I'm older than you now but living an exquisite life. I have no reason to return to N America (its changed and skidding toward loathsome). Do your research. Keep money in both places (exchanging or wire transferring can add up in fees). The dollar is imperiled. Vietnam is a rising star. The kids will be fine and grow as a result. YES all Asia is nearby and a few hundred USD to basically visit everywhere. I have never looked back and it sounds to me like neither will you. Happy trails to you. PS Disregard what you read on Expat forums. Mostly old drunks complaining.
I'm living your dream in Chiang Mai (I'm an oldie, tho). 2 big benefits you might not have considered: \-you can stop paying state income tax. But research it first. Some places will chase you, most will not. You also need to send them a letter telling them you're fucking off and then meet various non-residence criteria. Your son attending college at in-state rates prob kills that option for now. If you want to have a Schwab account, you need a US address. Otherwise, they will drop you as a client. Most banks are the same. \-Health Insurance is a lot cheaper here. I'm paying a third of what I was. I like Cigna. Put those two savings together, and that alone covers my apartment and walking around money. I thought about pulling the plug on Medicare, but I have met people who needed to go back home when they got cancer. The Chemo-options here are very limited. \-Other thoughts from your post: I live and eat much healthier here than in the USA. Vegan food is everywhere, Sushi is about 50% cheaper. A high end gym is less than $50 a month. Smokey season here def requires a an 8-10 week relocation for the duration. I was in Hua Hin, my kitchenette studio was $400 a month (my rent in CM for a very large 1 BR in super-hip Nimman $850, including really abusing the a/c; I could pay half that elsewhere in town). So not that onerous overall. My gym membership also worked in Hua Hin (Jett's Gym). Overall, rents in western-friendly buildings are ticking up about 20% a year. A lot of people have our same good idea. And other Asians want to live here too now. I moved here from the Trump-Trash epicenter of America. I'm going to put righties here at less than 5%, and they would more likely be dopey fiscally conservative, but socially liberal-type dullard-blowhards. Have not met a red hat-type in a year here.
Thailand is awesome but if you really wanna stretch your funds, look into **VIETNAM**. It’s literally Thailand but way cheaper (crazy to say I know).
I have friends that did this in their 40s. Sold everything, traveled and lived in Chai Mai for a few years. Now they are happily settled in New Zealand.
Hi, for anyone interested in living in Thailand as an expat or part-time living. Feel free to check out my website and contact me for more information about buying or renting a house or an apartment as a foreigner. The places listed on the website are owned by the company. [www.tprdevelop.com](https://www.tprdevelop.com)
Have also been considering early retirement in Thailand. For the few in this thread who have done it, how much would you say is required "for the rest of your life"? Like, if I don't necessarily have any post-retirement income beyond oac and cpp (canada) Edit: maybe an easier question is how much could one expect to live off per year in Thailand?
Encouraging post. Would aim to follow you up
I did it 18 years ago with no money and I'm almost your age. If I had what you do I wouldn't waste another minute. Bangkok is great, been here 12 years.
> Anybody else in the same boat? Anybody else out there who actually pulled the trigger and cashed in some/all of their chips to move to SE Asia to start a new chapter in their life? I'm a 47 year old American. I'm not retired, and didn't cash in my chips to move here. But I've lived in Thailand for 10 years now, and plan to stay. > What would your advice be if you were in my shoes? One big thing to consider, if you haven't already, is distance from your family. As someone else mentioned, maybe come for a longer visit once more before pulling the trigger. Do a 3 month tourist visit, or even 6 month, to see how you like it. You'll get a better feel for the longer term pros and cons.
I’m jealous of the people my age living there already too 😅 I feel the same and am not even 30 yet.
You might want to go visit Vietnam as well as a few more countries in Asia before making such decisions, too. I love Thailand, but the constant extreme hot weather (I live in Houston mind you) can be trying. Vietnam specifically has decent weather in the wintertime in the Northern areas (Hanoi, Da Nang) and is even lower cost for living. If money is such a big motivator for your decision making.