Throughout my march to financial independence (and still to this day, really) I’ve always focused on the “big wins” in my buget.
What I mean by that is, one has to spend a major chunk of their time and resources on figuring out how to spend less on the big budgetary categories.
Specifically, I’ve long aimed to reduce my costs as much as possible across the “Big Three”: housing, transportation, and food. These three budgetary categories combine to make up the majority of the average consumer unit’s spending.
While cutting cable or limiting lattes sounds nice, that kind of stuff won’t make the kind of impact that, say, living without a car will. If you’ve already got the “Big Three” totally under control, cutting cable is awesome. But one has to make sure their priorities are correct first.
In my desire to maximize value, happiness, freedom, and quality of life, I recently reloated to Chiang Mai, Thailand. This move allows me to capitalize on the geographical independence that’s available with financial independence.
And while achieving financial independence has been wonderful in so many respects, I saw an opportunity to build on what I’ve already accomplished by augmenting financial independence through the relocation to a place where my purchasing power is increased significantly.
I’ve become very proficient at budgeting and living frugally. In fact, frugality is something I enjoy very much, as it allows me to spend a lot less time worrying about money and stuff and a lot more time living my life.
But as proficient as I am, there are certain limitations to what I can do in America. I lived without a car for years in a small city in Southwest Florida. I split the rent with my significant other on a very modest apartment. And I would forgo restaurants in favor of eating at home.
All fine and dandy, but my passive income of ~$1,200 per month still wouldn’t go as far as I’d like it to.
However, the “Big Three” are substantially cheaper here in the Land of Smiles. This additional flexibility and freedom not only makes me happier, but my opportunities are greatly expanded.
And to give you readers a glimpse of what that looks like in real-time, I’m going to show you some pictures of the one-bedroom apartment I’m renting in Chiang Mai.
This apartment costs me ~$420 per month (at the current exchange rate). It includes cable, Wi-Fi, and water. It’s completely furnished. It comes with a gym and pool. There’s fingerprint access and a digital door lock. It’s fairly new. And it’s located in one of the most walkable parts of the city, although Chiang Mai as a whole is an eminently walkable city anyway.
But I have dozens of coffee shops and restaurants, multiple gyms, numerous grocery stores, coworking spaces, a cinema, malls, and public transportation all within a few hundred meters of my doorstep.
So let’s take a tour…
This is the building as you walk up to it.
Not anyone can just walk in as they please. There’s a fingerprint scanner before you can even get into the building.
You then enter the elevator (or you can take the stairs).
The door to the apartment has a six-digit code that must be entered before the door will open.
The kitchen, on the left, as you walk in.
A small table sits in front of the kitchen. This table is absolutely perfect for working on the laptop.
The bathroom is much fancier than anything I’m used to. It’s small. But one doesn’t need a giant bathroom.
The living room is just the right size for me, as I rarely watch TV anyway. I have access to over 100 channels, but most of them are in Thai. Like I said, I rarely watch television. So this isn’t a big draw for me. Just beyond the living room is the balcony, where the washer can be found.
And then there’s the bedroom, which features a giant floor-to-ceiling window with great views of the city and surrounding nature. It also has a TV attached to the wall.
There’s also a pool…
And a small gym.
Overall, I’m incredibly happy with this place. It has clean lines. Very minimalistic in its design, yet the size (at right about 400 square feet) feels so spacious due to the appropriately-sized bathroom and kitchen.
I was always bothered by how small apartments in America are designed. Many seem to have these kitchens that take up a quarter of the space. And the bathrooms are often too big. It’s crazy. I don’t spend hours in the bathroom. And I hate cooking. But I do spend a lot of time in the living area. And a bed with a view is quite nice. So this place is big where it needs to be, small where it should be. Indeed, it feels very much like what a 700-square-foot apartment would feel in the US. It’s just right for me.
I feel confident in saying that an apartment like this would be three times more expensive in a comparable city in the States. But spending less on housing allows me to spend more on the rest of my life. It allows me to go grab something to eat without worrying about whether the budget has room for it. I can meet people, go to events, and explore the city with reckless abandon. It’s really incredible.
So that’s it. That’s my $420/month apartment here in Chiang Mai.
The funny thing about is that you could actually spend less. There are apartments all over the city that are cheaper. But I’m frugal, not cheap. Some of the cheaper apartments are cheaper for numerous reasons. I’m not scraping the bottom of the barrel here. This place offers me good value, the perfect location (it’s within walking distance to an amazing coworking space), and a great design/feel that I sincerely appreciate. My housing is now maximized for value and efficiency, so I just couldn’t be happier.
What do you think? Do you focus most of your energy and attention on the “Big Three”? Do you have your housing maximized for value and efficiency?
Thanks for reading.
Hi Jason,
great place to be! It looks amazing and it’s really cheap! Not that like in Germany or US.
Rgds,
Patrick
Patrick,
Indeed. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by!
Cheers.
Hello Jason,
nice apartment even with a washing machine. Everything you need as a single person. The kitchen is big enough. You don’t need a big kirchen in Thailand. Life takes place in the streets with all those cookshops where you can eat for small money.
What kind of visa do you have?
Cheers
ZaVodou
ZaVodou,
Definitely. I hate cooking, so this is perfect for me. Big kitchens in small apartments always bothered me. The way they design small apartments over here is so much better, in my opinion.
I’m on a tourist visa, but I’ll switch to an ED visa within the next couple months.
Best regards!
What kind of ED visa will it be? Learning Thai language? I think it will last one year. How often can you make an ED visa?
Cheers
ZaVodou
ZaVodou,
This post isn’t on visas. I may write a post on that at some point in the future, but I really hate getting lost in the weeds. Writing about bureaucracy and stuff like that (including taxes) isn’t very interesting for me, so I just don’t. But there’s a ton of information already out there regarding these things. It’s not hard to stay here if you want to (especially if you have a few bucks).
Cheers!
Looks really nice! Thailand has really come on a great deal recently. I was there over 20 years ago, and it was great but nowhere near as chic 😉
ben,
I’ve noticed a difference since I was here just 18 months ago. A lot of development, but still offers so much for so little.
Thanks for dropping by.
Best wishes.
Good to see you got out of the US. I also left US back in 2012 at 32 and have been in SE Asia ever since. I move around, so far I’ve lived in Thailand, Laos, and currently live in the Philippines.
Let’s see for the big three: I currently rent a two bedroom cabin on the beach for 10,000p a month, about $200 USD a month. I bought a cheap car (old Honda Civic) for a few thousand dollars and do most of the work myself probably have about 5k USD running that over about 1.5 years.(total cost: purchase price, fuel, maintenance, registration, insurance) I go to the local farmer’s market and buy all fresh meat and produce spend about $60 USD week on food.
Overall My dividend income is now up to about $2200 a month. I try to live on $1000 a month and reinvest the rest.
Biggest hurdle is the culture shock Asia seems to do everything opposite to Western style. Girls are much nicer. My primary reason, no problem finding a date or long term relationship, they also aren’t very demanding.
Lobo,
Nice. Sounds like you have got things locked down! 🙂
You can also rent here very cheaply. $200 would be no problem. Even a house. But I’m okay paying up for a great unit in a fantastic location. The value is there for me.
Totally agree re: relationships. As I noted, that’s a big reason for coming. I’ve met more people here in a few days than I did in the last year in the States. So that says something.
Best regards!
Really nice place for lower price! These types of units cost over $1200 in Canada. I think you’ve made a right decision to relocate there.
Keep us posted with all the interest stuffs there…
FJ,
It would be at least that much in a quality, walkable city in the US. I actually think Chiang Mai is a close cousin to Portland, Oregon. And an apartment like this (including everything) would be well over $1,200/month there.
Cheers!
Yo Jason!
Your new home is lovely, really nice that it also has a small gym. I´m reading about your adventures with great joy.
Best regards
A free petrusko in Sweden
petrusko,
Thanks so much. It’s a pleasure to share the new adventures. Amazing opportunities all over the world. 🙂
Best wishes!
The new place looks great, Jason! And what an amazing price! I’m paying $1,300 per month in Toronto for a similar type of condo that is only slightly larger, and it doesn’t even have a pool! The nature views look great. I’m sure the new environment will inspire you to write.
Regarding your questions, I’m splitting rent, so I only pay $650 right now. Although I could probably sacrifice more and do better. But my condo is very close to work. I got rid of my car at the end of 2014 and never looked back. I’m saving a lot on insurance and repairs and gas now. I think I could stand to cut back more on food, as I tend to overspend on lunches at work. Thanks for the cost cutting reminders.
But otherwise, enjoy your new apartment. The place looks amazing. Looking forward to more updates of your dividend expat journey. 🙂
Graham,
Yeah, I’d be paying a lot more for this place back in the States. Especially after you factor in the fact that it’s furnished and includes Wi-Fi, cable, water, etc. It’s nuts.
I’m not spending tremendously less on rent than I was on the apartment I had before, but it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. I was splitting rent on a dated apartment that didn’t include all of the other stuff. If I were splitting rent here and factoring that stuff out, rent is closer to $150/month or something. So it’s something like 3x cheaper if you’re looking at it correctly. All in all, I would say my purchasing power is probably 3x higher here on an apples-to-apples basis.
Hope to continue sharing updates and thoughts along the way. All the ups and downs. 🙂
Cheers!
Jason,
What a fantasic apartment for $420! I like the security! Yeah, Florida is not a good place for a young person like you. I hope you will find happiness and younger friends there.
We love Thai food and maybe we will visit Thailand one day.
Adam
PS, Retire By 40, RB40 (Joe Udo) has family there so I am sure he will help you if you have any questions.
Adam,
Indeed. Florida was a great place for the climb up. I have amazing memories. Very fortunate to have amazing memories, opportunities, and relationships. But it’s not really the best place for who I’ve become. It’s not a good fit for the life I want to live.
The food is everywhere. And delicious. And cheap. You can’t go wrong.
Joe sent me a tweet. I hope I’m able to meet up for coffee the next time he’s over here. And I’m always up to meet anyone who swings through the area. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by.
Best wishes!
Totally cool, thanks for the pictures, Jason! If we ever do that (and we might), I’m totally looking you up. 🙂
Do you have any idea what the average electric bill will be per month yet? Do they tend to average out those payments over the year, or do you pay month-to-month based on exactly how much you use?
Steve,
Definitely, man. Do send a note if you ever find yourself over here. 🙂
They charge based on monthly usage. I’ll be posting a full expense report for October in early November, so I think that’ll have my electric bill in there (depending on when I get my bill). But it won’t be much. Thailand isn’t expensive for electricity, this is a small place, and I find myself out of the apartment (eating, writing, exploring, etc.) quite a bit anyway.
Thanks for dropping by!
Best regards.
Thanks for the visuals. It’s not bad at all if I were to say so myself, and I can be pretty particular in terms of living arrangements. Good for you! I’m excited to read more about the happenings around Chiang Mai. I am curious, how is the language barrier?
HP,
It’s not too shabby. 🙂
The English barrier is, in my view, one of the biggest trade-offs to living here. No situation is perfect. But if English were a huge priority for me, I would have stayed in the States and dealt with even more trade-offs. The barrier varies. It’s random. One person will be surprisingly fluent. The next will speak barely any English at all. A smile goes a long way, though. I’m getting around just fine, all in all.
Cheers!
Jason, are you going to look into getting some Thai lessons? Or are you not planning to stay long enough for it to be justified?
Steven,
No lessons. And I’m not terribly good at learning foreign languages. Been there, done that. Just not something that plays to my strengths. But to each their own. If someone else moves here and can learn the language, I think that’s a great way to go.
That said, I’m picking up some phrases here and there. And a partner who speaks the language, who can serve as a liaison of sorts, is extremely helpful.
Cheers!
Love the apartment! I was in chiang mai a few years ago working with a Canadian based program called barefoot doctors. What an amazing place. I’m thrilled to see where you’ve ended up…your book was one of the first financial books I ever read when trying to figure out what to do with a salary after years of borrowing money for school/residency. I didn’t know a dividend from a mutual fund, etc…your ebook was incredibly helpful. Keep up the great work!
Sightsee MD,
Thanks so much. Appreciate the support!! 🙂
It’s been a wild ride. But life wouldn’t be any fun if it weren’t. I love the vibe here. Totally opposite of the rat race mentality in the States. The value proposition on top of that makes it such a unique winner.
Best wishes!
Congratulations on this new chapter of your life, Jason!
That is quite a modern apartment with lots of nice extras thrown in, for not so very much money. But you have worked hard towards your goal and now get to experience life in different places because your income is no longer location dependent.
How many of your former co-workers at the car dealership are any better off than they were back when you worked there? Or are pretty much exactly where they were financially? I would guess they are in the same damn place. The majority spend everything they get. The minority hustle, save, and invest to become better off.
Looking forward to exploring Chiang Mai through you.
Justin
Justin,
Definitely, man. I’m so, so fortunate. I’m so happy that the me of late 2009 moved to Florida and started machinations toward all of this. It required a lot of hard work and vision to get here. But it was all worth it. 🙂
Yeah, I’m sure that most of my old co-workers are pretty much where they were. Like I recently wrote about, few people are built for this. That’s not necessarily good or bad, as long as one is happy with their choices. But I couldn’t imagine still grinding it out in the rat race. I’d be absolutely miserable.
Thanks for the support. It’ll be fun to share updates as I go along!
Best regards.
I love the apartment – looks spacious and not enough space for extras that you do not need – seems like a very peaceful life. I am so excited that you are sharing – you are doing a great service to people who have not thought of this option. I have family so this is not a option for us but appreciate so much seeing a different lifestyle. This is the best travel show – I look forward to where your life leads you – seems you are in the right place at the right time. Even though you don’t care for tv – it will probably help with language – you will pick it up fast – just the best to you.
Pat,
You’re 100% correct. It’s just the right size. No extra space to furnish with a bunch of junk for show. I think two people could live here very comfortably, especially considering that one doesn’t spend quite as much time at home here. I’m a homebody by nature, but there’s so much to do and see outside the house. Plus, there’s cheap and delicious food literally everywhere you go. So there’s this gravitational pull outside.
This lifestyle is certainly not for everyone. No lifestyle is. But I’m happy to share the ups and downs of everything I’ve been doing. There are drawbacks to everything, but I’ve always aimed to stay true to myself and choose options that are more advantageous than disadvantageous.
Thanks for dropping by!
Cheers.
Beautiful!!! I am super happy for you. The place looks amazing! Will you to be traveling around to other countries/cities once you settle in?
FV,
Thanks! It’s really nice. So much natural light due to the huge windows. I wake up every day smiling and ready to get my day going.
I’m not really big into traveling (I hate airports, planes, bureaucracy, etc.), but international travel (at least across this region) is a lot cheaper and easier when your jump point is SE Asia. I’d have to meet someone who wants to go traveling, though, as I’d hate to do it alone. So we’ll see. It’s definitely an option. There are some cities in Eastern Europe that I’d like to see, as they’re kind of “back up” cities just in case SE Asia doesn’t work for whatever reason(s). My first goal in that regard, though, would be to see more of Thailand, especially the local NW region and some of the southern islands (like Ko Phi Phi). Those islands look amazing.
Best regards!
Jason ~ So inspiring hearing your progress. I would be interested in such a move once my kids are off to college. What a great apartment you found. I like the keypad safety access. Would enjoy hearing of all other comparisons you could share in the future on how their health care coverage works over there and any other expenses you can share compared to the U.S. It is so exciting to see where you are at. So helpful to hear that the language isn’t a huge barrier for you. Will you be taking classes to get more fluent? Very happy for you and thank you so much for sharing all that you do!
Gerry,
The fingerprint access is super interesting and nice, but I’m not sure it’s totally necessary. Thailand’s violent crime rate is much lower than what you find in the US. I’ve walked around very late at night here, and I’ve walked around very late at night in various US cities. I personally feel a lot safer here. Of course, I won’t turn down the safety features!
Very happy to share the updates. I plan to release a full budget for October in early November, showing every dime I spent. So that’ll be interesting, although it won’t really be an apples-to-apples comparison to my life as it was in the States. I’m living a far more robust and cosmopolitan life – and I’m doing it without splitting rent. Still, it’ll be fun to see how it pans out. I plan to sporadically release budgets and/or cost comparisons as I go. I can say right off the top of my head that my purchasing power here (compared to the US) has roughly tripled.
The language barrier is totally intermittent. But I haven’t found it to be a huge impediment. I recently went out to dinner with a Thai, and we conversed just fine. They might not know a lot of slang, though, which is totally okay. I hope to pick up Thai phrases as I go. I’m learning a couple. And I’ve learned the wai.
Cheers!
That’s absolutely fantastic and at such a fantastic price. I have friends who live in Sydney apartments who are paying ~900/week. Yes a week, not a month. For those keeping score that’s about $3900 a month! I would much rather live in your area for sure!
BHL,
That’s crazy. You see stuff like that in San Francisco and NYC in the States. Of course, you get the higher income, but I read stories all the time about these highly-paid engineers in Silicon Valley struggling just to pay rent. To each their own, I say. But I’m very pleased with my choice of jumping off the hamster wheel and living my life. 🙂
Cheers!
Jason,
Your apartment as well as those amenities looks very good. And the monthly rent of $420 is a deal. I have a few friends who live in Thailand and don’t mind living there for a few years. But my only concern is the language – Thai. It will be difficult to live there without understanding the Thai language and is almost impossible for me to pick it up.
I kind of feel I need to move out of Mexico and really don’t feel any significant difference between the US and Mexico. The culture is quite different, but the life style is somehow similar to the US unless we live in the historical part of the town/city. It is a bit disappointment for me.
So I am considering moving to Philippines where English is almost the second language but need to persuade my wife before my study completes by December next year.
ER19,
The language barrier is definitely a drawback. Everything and everywhere has drawbacks. It’s just an individual choice as to which drawbacks you’re okay with, factoring in whether or not a place/idea is more advantageous than disadvantageous. But as I noted in prior comments, I haven’t found it to be all that big of a deal. I’m getting by just fine. And I had dinner with a Thai the other day. We conversed just fine. I hope to pick up a little Thai over time, which will make things easier.
The Philippines is interesting. I spent a lot of time researching it. English is more prevalent there (compared to Thailand), but it’s not going to be like living in the States. Moreover, if English were a major priority for me, I’d just stay in America. If you’re looking to get away from America/the West, I have no idea why you’d want to be in the Philippines. They’ve been heavily influenced by America. It’s fast food, guns, and cars in most of their cities. The province allows some reprieve, but the infrastructure (and health care, food, etc.) might leave a lot to be desired. The Philippines is a distant back-up idea for me. The thing I do like about the Philippines is that the visa situation is more favorable there (for an American). Duterte is apparently no fan of America, though, so I’m not sure if that’ll change in the near future.
But let me know what you think about it if/when you go. It’d be interesting to hear your thoughts! 🙂
Cheers.
Hi Jason, You made it! nice apartment and for $420/month its a steal. It looks cool! Im glad for you. I wish you the best and keep us posted on your new life there. I hope everything turn out good for you. Take care; Omar
Omar,
Thanks for the support!
I’m having a great time over here. Think I’ll stay a while. 🙂
Hope all is well for you, too.
Best regards!
The apartment is awesome. $420/month is a steal.
I remember the picture in one of your posts on this blog, where you are sitting on the couch with your legs straight out and feet crossed. Your hands were behind your head. The post had something to do about rent. Do more of that there, especially poolside.
We are all envious of you and jealous at the same time.
This post has actual made me decide to take any job I can get that I am capable doing to be able to invest more. I will keep looking for a job I would be content with while working the super crappy jobs. Investing makes it tolerable.
IP,
More renting, indeed. More for less, actually. It’s great. Someone else asked about buying a place here. I have no idea why you’d want to complicate your life like that. It’s so cheap and easy to rent. Some people are just hardwired (brainwashed?) into buying property. To each their own. I’m loving it, though. 🙂
Definitely don’t share to stoke envy. I only hope to inspire/motivate. And it sounds like I did that for you. That makes me happy.
I sucked it up and did what I thought I could make the most money at. Hated pretty much every day of my life at the dealership. But I knew it would get me to financial independence faster. And the hatred motivated me to keep pushing:
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-im-glad-i-had-a-job-i-hated-2015-8
Cheers!
It’s a really nice appartament. Have a pleasant stay in Chiang Mai. I’m waiting for the new blogposts about your life in Thailand.
HI,
Thanks so much. I’ll do my best to share the ups and downs as I go. 🙂
Best regards.
Jason- found your blog a few weeks ago, going to follow your adventure. I think it is pretty cool the journey you are on. I agree $420 a week a steal, no car. That really cuts down on expenses. I will look forward to your future posts. Question what percentage of people there speak some English?
David,
Thanks. It’s definitely fun. The value is incredible here when you factor in the quality of life. Looks like I’m gonna stay. 🙂
I don’t think I can put a percentage on it. I honestly don’t find it to be a problem. It’s not like you need to have lengthy, winding, philosophical conversations with every stranger you meet. As long as you can go about your daily life, you should be good. I haven’t had any issues.
Cheers!
Congrats Jason! I’ve always enjoyed your writing, the pics really add interest. And now you have a fascinating newish angle to write about. I once worked for a company with a branch in Thailand. Never made it there myself, but I heard many good things. In the old days it was mainly older (social security) gents relocating there. Now the advent of working online (not to mention passive income!) has made more opportunities for younger folks. You’ll be interacting with plenty of folks that live similar to the way you do.
Curious, what did minimalist you take with you from the states? Certainly a laptop, anything else?
I have read your replies regarding the language, It seems like you’re not planning to make more than a casual effort to learn Thai. Any thoughts on “hitting the books” to learn more?
Fred,
Thanks so much!
Yeah, this move definitely spices up my writing (as well as my life, food, etc.). 🙂
I didn’t take much. My laptop. My phone. Some basic toiletries. And clothes. That’s it. Everything I brought fit inside of two small carry-on bags. I actually tweeted that:
https://twitter.com/JasonFieber/status/913498300552228871
As for the language, it’s really tough to learn. It’s not like Spanish (which can also be a bit challenging). Very tonal. Obviously written in script. I hope/plan to pick up phrases here and there, but learning languages has never been an interest/skill of mine. I like to concentrate on opportunities within my circle of competence, as well as those that play to my strengths.
Thanks for dropping by!
Best wishes.
Maybe I should give serious consideration to such a move. Your apartment would easily be $2000+ a month where I am. Your new place looks absolutely amazing!
Congratulations! Make sure you tell us all about life over there. The good and the bad.
Sincerely,
ARB–Angry Retail Banker
ARB,
The value proposition over here is wonderful. Add in all of the other benefits… I’m sold. 🙂
The food scene here is also pretty nuts. I might have to redouble my efforts at the gym!
Will do my best to document the ups and downs as I go, but I foresee more of the former than the latter.
Best regards!
Congrats on the new digs, it seems like expats living out there are saving a ton. I would like to see what the difference in groceries is compared to the US. Also the difference in apparel and footwear? Good luck and looking forward to seeing those dividends grow in a new city.
RichUncle EL,
Yeah, it’s really amazing. I would say one’s purchasing power is probably three times higher here. I’m quite pleased with my choice. 🙂
Cheers!
That would be 3000 USD per month in San Francisco !!!
Pallaire,
Right. It’s just stupid over there. To each their own, though. 🙂
Cheers!
Sitting in my $2,800 apartment in SF right now reading your post and thinking of walking in to the boss first thing Monday morning and tell him I’m moving to Chiang Mai and work part time remotely. (And still be able to save much more than here……)
JS,
Ha! Best of luck, either way. 🙂
I met up with 20+ entrepreneurs the other day, and I believe some started their journey here via remote work like that. Then they migrated into doing all kinds of cool stuff on their own. Life is short…
Cheers!
Hi Jason,
Congratulation on your re-location to CM, Excellent pictures and great report, I am looking forward to more material about the challenges and the advantages for Location Arbitrage. In My Opinion this generation are blessed with the several technological advancement [Transport, Telecommunication and etc …] which enable us to have more options to optimize our lives and maximize life benefits and reduce work efforts and time.
I am planning to do the same in the future so any details you share with the readers will be kindly appreciated.
atm,
Absolutely. Anyone living in a developed country in this day and age is incredibly fortunate in so many ways. I’ve written about this numerous times over the years. To not take advantage of some of the incredible resources we have at our disposal seems like a crime to me.
I’m sharing a lot of pictures and updates via social media. Having the time of my life over here. I worked hard to get to this spot, so I’m now just enjoying it and living out my dreams. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by!
Cheers.
So us long term fans are going to get a glimpse of that old dividend mantra-style break down of detailed expenses for at least a few months if I’m reading correctly??
Ronald,
I’m going to break down October’s expenses in early November. However, it’s not like I’ve been trying to go out of my way to be frugal over here. I’m just going about my life, making choices based on joy (not money). It just so happens that my lifestyle costs little. But I don’t have any plans to regularly post my budgets again, as I’ve evolved past going over tedious stuff like “I spent $X on coffee this month…”.
Cheers!
I think the finger print scanner would be a great fit for me as last time I was staying in Chiang Mai I lost my swipe card and had to sleep on the foyer floor overnight lol
Andrew,
This is perfect for you! 🙂
Cheers.
Great looking place Jason. Maybe in a future post, can you go into the details on how you found the place and the logistics around payment. I’ve read that it’s best to avoid websites and just go to the buildings in person. Sounds like deposit and rent is done in cash and that they are typically month to month or maybe 3 month commitment but not a full year. is this true? thanks in advance.
taemoo,
Sure. I could go over that. I won’t list the name of my place specifically for as long as I live here (for privacy reasons), but I’d be happy to go over that.
But you’re right. It’s best just to go to places in person. It’s very different here versus the States. You can walk in, pay a very small deposit, and move right in. There’s often no commitment at all. You’re living there on a month-to-month basis. I can leave my place at any time. Speaking of which, that has a lot of value for someone like me who values flexibility. Although that doesn’t show up in dollar terms when I compare this apartment to what you might be able to get in the States (which would cost almost 4x as much), I think it’s worth money to be able to walk away at any time.
There are really no logistics regarding payment at all. You just pay your month of rent around the 1st. Everything is wrapped into that. That’s another aspect that really adds value for me. No separate bills. It’s a hell of a lot easier than paying Comcast, the separate utilities, etc.
Hope that helps.
Best regards!
Hi Jason,
Looks like a very nice apartment , and everything included in one bill is awesome! I know a lot of the
places there have you pay your electricity separately .
What part of the city are you in? I used to live there out near Chiang Mai Rajabhat University and Thanin Market..I really liked Chiang Mai and would love to get back there someday.
Lou
Lou,
It’s arguably too nice of an apartment. I’m splurging a bit. But it’s all relative. I mean, this is still only around 400 or so square feet. Nothing “splurging” about that in the States. But I love it. I really love the place. There are cheaper apartments nearby, but I would probably only move if I decided to really start clamping down on the expenses again.
I’m in the Nimman area. I enjoy it. Everything is walkable. It’s nice because I don’t have a car or motorbike here.
If you ever find yourself back in town, let me know!
Best regards.
Hi Jason,
You have so many posts with with Q + A’s, so sometimes I don’t want to be the one asking a redundant question. Did you ever discuss how you chose Chiang Mai over any other city there? Was it planned or a mix of searching in combination with opportunity and some luck? Like an internet search with parameters that were important to you and then you found that particular city matched up with your needs? That city is far away from the coasts. For me would be nice to be a little nearer the beautiful beach areas there. So hard to choose a particular area there with so many choices.
Paul,
Yeah, that’s a good question.
I did put a fairly lengthy post together last year on why I chose to move to Thailand indefinitely. I guess that’s more general to Thailand, but the reasoning would largely apply to almost any large city in the country. Chiang Mai has a concentration of online entrepreneurs, which is one element that kind of separates it in a unique way. I wouldn’t say that it lives up to the hype in that department (most “entrepreneurs” who come here are more along the lines of “wantrepreneurs”), but I’ve still met a lot of really interesting people. Way more than I ever did in the US, which is pretty amazing when you consider the time frames involved (one year versus 35 years).
I never wrote something like “Chiang Mai versus Location X”. But I’ve discussed, over the course of the last year or so, many aspects of the city that initially drew me here, as well as how those expectations have lined up against reality. And I continue to have that ongoing conversation as we go. That’s more organic and natural, but I did lay out a number of parameters that I considered in the book that I released in the summer. I only lay them out to give other people a rough idea of how to construct their own template if/when they decide to move abroad.
Cheers!