Planning to Teach English in Bangkok: Is My Financial Setup Adequate?

30k is doable but tight if u want bts-adjacent with pool/gym, thats like 15-18k for a decent 1br around thong lor, ekkamai, or phrom phong. the money move is to pull from ur 30k liquid for the gap rather than touch the 140k, since ur dividends roughly cover a month or two of rent anyway. just budget for the visa/work permit runaround too, that stuff adds up.

on salary, 50k is reachable but not from just putting in years. u need to stack credentials, think celta plus a few yrs at an international school or a bilingual program, thats where the real jumps happen. plain language school gigs plateau around 35-40k and stay there.

the gay dating scene in bangkok is honestly great and cheap compared to the US, silom soi 2 and 4 area, so that wont wreck ur budget lol

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The 30k salary is almost a red herring given your portfolio. What I'd actually think about is sequencing, because the thing that bites people is the first 6 to 9 months when you're burning setup cash and the teaching income hasn't stabilized.

One detail nobody's flagged: school holiday cycles. Thai schools run May to March roughly, with a big break in April and a shorter one in October. If you start mid-term you might get a contract that only pays during teaching months, not the whole year. Some language schools pay 12 months, some don't. Ask that upfront because it changes your monthly math by 20% either way.

On location, since you're not commuting to a 9am office, don't overpay to be at Asok or Phrom Phong. The Sukhumvit line past On Nut toward Bearing, or the MRT up around Lat Phrao, gets you pool/gym/1br for 10-13k and you're still 20 min from everything. Ari is also worth a look if you want a more local feel and it's on the BTS.

For the massage thing, monthly packages at local spots around your neighborhood usually run 2500-3500 baht for 10 hours. Way cheaper than per-visit.

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Your liquid savings are basically your bridge money, but I'd think about the tax side before you get here. As a US citizen you'll still file US taxes, and the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion only kicks in after you pass the physical presence or bona fide residence test, so your first partial year can get messy. On 30k THB a month you're under the Thai tax threshold anyway, but the investment income is a different story. Worth talking to an accountant who knows both systems before you commit.

On the salary question, 50k is doable but the ceiling depends less on

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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