Where Expats Live in Thailand for American Retirees
Where Expats Live in Thailand for American Retirees
Where Expats Live in Thailand
Where Americans have actually settled in Thailand, who each place suits, and the practical detail that decides whether you enjoy living there.
Chiang Mai
The largest retired foreign community in Thailand, tens of thousands strong.
Cooler than the south at 300 metres with a genuine cool season, surrounded by mountains and temples, with good private hospitals, an international airport, an enormous range of clubs and volunteer groups, and living costs that let a couple live very well on 1,800 dollars. The February to April burning season, when agricultural fires push air quality to hazardous levels, is a serious and worsening drawback that many long-term residents now escape by travelling.
Typical couple’s budget: $1,800 per month
Hua Hin
European and American retirees who want a quiet beach town.
Three hours from Bangkok by road or rail, with a royal-resort heritage, a good hospital, golf, and a much calmer atmosphere than Pattaya or Phuket.
Typical couple’s budget: $2,000 per month
Bangkok
Retirees who want a world city and the very best medicine.
Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital, a superb metro and skytrain network, endless food, and direct flights everywhere. Hot, humid and intense.
Typical couple’s budget: $2,600 per month
Phuket and Koh Samui
Island-oriented retirees with higher budgets.
Beaches, international airports, good private hospitals and large foreign communities. Everything costs more on an island.
Typical couple’s budget: $2,300 per month
Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Isaan
A large and often invisible community of foreign retirees, many with Thai spouses.
By far the cheapest region in Thailand, with adequate regional hospitals, real Thai daily life and very low rents.
Typical couple’s budget: $1,300 per month
Practical detail
Climate
Tropical. Hot season from March to May with temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius, rainy season from June to October, and a cool dry season from November to February that is the reason many people choose the north. Chiang Mai and the north have a genuine cool season; the south does not. Air quality in the north from February to April is a serious health consideration.
Safety
Thailand is generally safe for foreign residents, with property crime and traffic accidents being the realistic risks rather than violent crime. Road safety is genuinely poor and Thailand has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world, overwhelmingly involving motorcycles. Scams targeting foreigners around property, vehicle rental and relationships are common.
Language
Thai is difficult for English speakers, being tonal with its own script. English is common in tourist areas, in private hospitals and among younger urban Thais, and much less so in government offices and outside the cities.
Banking
Thai banks will open accounts for holders of a long-stay visa, though practice varies sharply by branch. Many retirees find it easier once they have a residence certificate from immigration. The 800,000 baht deposit route requires a Thai account, so start early.
Driving
An International Driving Permit works initially. Thai licences are obtainable by long-stay visa holders with a residence certificate, a medical certificate and a short test, and are valid for years. Motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of injury among foreign residents.
Internet
Excellent and very cheap. Thailand has some of the fastest and least expensive fibre in the world, and mobile data is similarly cheap.
Bringing pets
Rabies vaccination, an import permit from the Department of Livestock Development, and a USDA-endorsed health certificate. Thailand is comparatively straightforward for pet import.
Shipping your belongings
Household goods can be imported, with duty relief available in some circumstances for long-stay visa holders. Most retirees ship very little.
Presence requirements
No minimum stay, but 90-day address reporting applies while you are in the country, and 180 days makes you tax resident.
Where Expats Live in Thailand: common questions
Should I buy or rent first?
Rent, for at least six to twelve months. Neighbourhoods that look identical online differ enormously in noise, water pressure, internet reliability, walkability and winter light, and none of that is visible from a listing. Almost every experienced expatriate gives this advice and almost every new arrival ignores it.
How do I choose between these places?
Work backwards from healthcare and climate, which are the two things you cannot change once you arrive. Then weigh community, cost and language. Most people over-weight cost at the start and under-weight distance from a hospital that can handle something serious.
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