Asked by a retiree planning a move

“How much a month do I really need to retire comfortably in Pattaya?”

My answerShane Ruddle, 20+ years in Pattaya

A single person in a one-bed condo, eating out every meal, spends roughly ฿50,000 to ฿55,000 a month. Cook some meals and it drops a lot.

That's about ฿18,000 for rent, around ฿30,000 eating out every meal, and a few thousand to get around.

What catches people out is going out, visas and admin, and health insurance, which I'd never skip.

For the retirement visa you'll also need to show ฿800,000 in a Thai bank, or ฿65,000 a month in income, or a mix of the two.

Up to date as of November 2026. Rules in Thailand change often, so check the current position before you act.

Next stepWork out your monthly budget

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