Ask yourself these questions
1. Where am I headed?
? Are you set on teaching English in one of Thailand’s more expensive cities, like Bangkok or Chiang Mai? Or will you be calling the countryside of rural Thailand home?
Keep in mind that within Thailand, the daily cost of living will vary considerably. You can likely stock up on pad thai for cheap in less populous areas, whereas major cities will likely mean you incur a tourist tax.
How do you find this information in advance? LMGTFY. Research typical expenses once you’re in-country, such as rent, transportation, and cheap meals. Keep a running tab of what you find out to more accurately project your monthly expenses. The internet will be your BFF in evaluating your typical expenses once you’re in-country. Pay attention to numbers relative to average rent (even though this is included in your program benefits), the cost of transportation (compare public transit vs. private shared rides, like Grab), and the cost of a cheap meal out. Consult the Big Mac Index for a slightly funny take on how to suss out your anticipated cost of living.
2. Do I have savings?
Figuring out how much to save before teaching in Thailand isn’t rocket science. Ideally, you’ve already been saving up in preparation for your move to Thailand—and now you’re planning for how to cover your upfront costs (new backpack, TEFL certificate, visa application, flights) on top of your expected first-month expenses.
Once you’ve calculated your estimated expenses for a month of living in Thailand, multiply that amount by at least 1.5—this will give you a practical nest egg for the beginning of your teaching gig abroad. If you want to play it ultra-safe, plan to have the equivalent of at least three months of your expenses already handy in your savings account.
Pro tip: Save a little extra in advance so you have a cushion for when you return home. You don’t want to be worrying about your budget when you’re having reunion drinks and celebrations, and revisiting all of your old haunts for the first time in ages!
3. What will my income be?
You’ll be earning around €780 monthly from your teaching job. Keep in mind that your daily expenses will be quite low since you’ll be living with a host family and having your meals provided. This money can be saved up for adventures, weekend trips, splurging on extra churros, or a visit to the local museum.
If you want to make more money while teaching in Thailand, you can supplement your teaching income by working as a private tutor. It’s very manageable to tack a few extra classes each week, and you can earn up to €20 per hour easily with this teaching arrangement.
Be sure to factor in your intended earnings as you lay out your budget for teaching abroad in Thailand!
4. Do I have expensive taste?
If you know that local street food and corner pad thai aren’t going to cut it for dinner daily, then make sure you pad your savings account with extra dough. Part of living and teaching in Thailand is LIVING IT UP, and no one will fault you for spending a little extra on a meaningful experience or a delicious, western meal.
If you have expensive taste, you’re going to need to save more in advance of your trip to Thailand. While it can be as cheap as chips, there are also activities, restaurants, and experiences that can ding your budget quickly. That’s the beauty of Thailand: from luxury to local, you can find numerous lifestyle choices to fit any budget.
Heads up: If you’re able to adopt a truly local lifestyle—i.e. eating in local restaurants or markets, taking the bus rather than an Uber, hand-washing your laundry, etc.—your budget will likely thank you
What to budget for
Before you go
Your teaching in Thailand budget should include line items dedicated to costs you’ll incur prior to that cross-continental flight. This can include but isn’t limited to, items such as travel insurance, passport processing and visa costs, kitting up for the experience (you might need a new backpack, for instance), etc.
Major transportation
One of your largest up-front expenses for teaching abroad will be your flight! Unless you’re hopping to Thailand from another country in Asia, you can expect to pay hundreds (if not €1000+) to even get to Thailand.Daily transportation
Will you live within walking distance from your school or students, or will you need to hop on the bus or subway every day to get to your classroom? Many cities in Thailand come with a ready-made subway system itching for you to ride it. Trains, buses, and peer-to-peer car rentals are also easy to come by. Look into monthly public transportation passes to lower these costs!Accommodations
Luckily for you, teaching English in Thailand with Premier TEFL means accommodations are included—and not rubbish ones, either (they’re valued at 3,000 THB monthly!). Do you know what this means?! A bigger “fun” budget!!!
If you opt out of the provided accommodations, you can expect to pay 3-6,000 THB monthly for a normal apartment.
Food, glorious food
If you’re anything like me, half of the reason to travel the world is to experience it alongside your taste buds. Since you’ll need a lot of grub to fuel your work in the Thai classroom, plan ahead for daily expenditures related to food.
We’re already drooling thinking of all of the tasty, tasty dishes on offer. Papaya salad. Khao soi. Massman curry. Phat kaphrao. MANGO. STICKY. RICE. The list goes on—and we're not even counting the delicious seafood! There will also be plenty of chances to take your tastebuds out for a gastro-adventure. Be sure to budget for this!
Activities
You’re not just going to Netflix and teach, right? RIGHT?
Do you simply *have* to see the sunrise over the Gulf of Thailand? Bask in Himalayan foothill culture while sipping on a freshly cut coconut. Figure out how to find bargains at the market.
Make a list of popular things to do in Thailand up front that are “must-dos” for you. You should absolutely plan for your adventures and if you have a clear sense of your non-negotiables, your activity budget will be all the more helpful.
Be sure to add extra to this budget, too. You’ll want to do spontaneous group trips to Angkor Wat with your new teaching pals or splurge on that elephant conservation visit. There’s lots of fun to be had that you didn’t plan for, and you’ll love knowing you can be a “Yes man” while teaching abroad.
Unplanned-for’s
You’ll want to make sure that your Thailand teach abroad budget isn’t planned for down to the very last cent. Make sure that you also cushion your budget with additional funds to cover any unplanned expenses, too.Teaching abroad budget example
Let’s say you’re planning to teach abroad in Thailand with PremierTEFL* for four months. Awesome! Here’s a quick example of what your teaching abroad budget may look like:- Before you go: €1200 to cover new hiking boots, passport renewal, travel insurance, and program cost
- Round trip flights from London to Bangkok: €450
- In-country transit: €30 monthly; ~€120 for four months
- Accommodations: €0! It’s included :D
- Food: ~€60 per week; ~€1000 for four months
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Must-have activities: €1200 (~€300 monthly)
- Ideally, you’ll write out and make a rough budget for these attractions so your total budget for activities more accurately reflects your goals
- Unplanned for’s: €400 (~€100 monthly)
