APRIL / MAY 2025
OVERVIEW
We have just spent 1 month living in Langkawi Country Lodge, Cenang Beach, Langkawi, Malaysia.
<<< our next stop is Jomtien Beach, Pattaya, Thailand >>>
EXCHANGE RATE
The currency in Thailand is the Baht (the ‘THB’ or ‘b’). At the time of writing, the exchange rates for the major currencies were:
| US$1 | EU€1 | GB£1 | |
| Published Wholesale Rate | 34.36 | 37.96 | 43.90 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Wise Debit Card) | 34.12 | 37.69 | 43.59 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Typical Credit Card) | 33.33 | 36.82 | 42.58 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Good ATM) | 33.41 | 36.91 | 42.68 |
Over time, these exchange rates will change. Please check the current rates.
For simplicity, think of a THB500 note as being US$15 / EU€14 / GB£12.
ATMs
ATM Fees in Thailand are ‘high’ compared to other countries. The Thailand Life provide an excellent write-up on this.
In summary, take out as much as you can in as few transactions as you can from the right bank: I take out THB30,000 from Krungsri ATMs. But, for many, this may be too much cash.
WISE DEBIT CARD
I keep my costs down by using a Wise Debit Card.
WHEN TO GO
Pattaya (Bangkok) has a tropical wet and dry / savanna climate with a pronounced dry season in the low-sun months and no cold season The wet season is in the high-sun months.
We are here mid April through mid May … this is the start of ‘wet season’.
The best time to come is November through March.
BANGKOK
I flew from Langkawi, Malaysia to Bangkok. I decided to stay 5 nights in Bangkok before moving on to Jomtien Beach.
ACCOMMODATION
I stayed 5 nights in the Baron Zotel which is conveniently located near a yellow line metro station with easy access to Suvarnabhumi Airport:
I booked through Agoda and got a Superior room at a highly discounted rate down from US$54 to US$14.50 per night. At this price it is great value for money.
The Baron is about 500m from the metro station, a large shopping mall, a night market, and Bang Kapi ferry pier. It is an easy walk.
When you leave your room, your room key disconnects the electric. This is an annoyance especially with the wifi. You connect to the wifi with an MSN login and password using a web browser. This ‘times out’ regularly and you have to keep logging back in.
GETTING AROUND
To get to the Baron from Suvarnabhumi you catch the Airport Express to Hua Mak (THB25) then a yellow line to Bang Kapi (THB27).
Bang Kapi metro station connects you to the Bangkok-wide mass transportation system. Alas, Bangkok no longer do a ‘one-day’ nor ‘multi-day’ pass. The one-way metro to Siam Square was THB107. This is relatively expensive.
Alternatively, you can jump on the ferry at the Bang Kapi boat pier. This is a very pleasant way of getting around Bangkok.
A ticket to Siam Square is THB22. The Siam Square area is great for shopping.
BANGKOK TO JOMTIEN BEACH
There are regular busses to Jomtien Beach from several locations in Bangkok including the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) and the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai).
FROM SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT
I found it easiest to jump on the metro to Suvarnabhumi International Airport and to catch a bus from there.
You can get online to someone like 12Go or just turn up at the airport and book the next bus. I chose to do the latter.
Go to the appropriate counter at Terminal 8 which is on Level 1 underneath International Arrivals.
A seat costs 143b. This price excludes check-in luggage. You pay an extra 20b for luggage up to 20kg. You pay an extra 50b for luggage 20kg-30kg. Busses leave hourly. I waited only 20 minutes.
It takes about 2 hours to get to Jomtien Beach. The bus stops in 2 locations in Pattaya City to drop people off along the way.
On arrival in Jomtien Beach, I booked a Grab for 91b to take me the 2.4kms to my condo.
LOCAL TRANSPORT
GRAB
Grab operate here. They offer real-time tracking, different transport types, lower fares (compared to regular taxis), and 24/7 availability.
BAHT BUS / SONGTHAEW
A Baht Bus (so-called because they used to cost 1 baht) is a pickup-style truck with a canopy roof and 2 bench seats in the back for passengers.
Pattaya Unlimited do an excellent write-up about Baht Busses in Pattaya.
In summary, they are colour-coded, and have set routes. You flag one down to jump on and ‘press a buzzer button’ to get off. Don’t ask the price … just pay the driver either 10b or 20b per person depending on the distance travelled.
SCOOTER RENTAL
Scooter Rentals are everywhere offering very similar rental rates. For something like a 125cc Honda Click, rent is as low as 200b / day, 1,050b / week, or 2,500b / month.
A local expat told me that you can easily get one for 2,000b / month if you ask around … or as low as 1,500b per month if rented for longer periods.
I did not know about these better prices and rented a 110cc Honda Scoopy at my local store for 3,000b for 1 month.
They took a copy of my passport, I signed an agreement, and I gave them 2,000b security deposit.
RECOMMENDATION: Always take photos (or a video) of the Scooter before you take it away. Then, if there is any dispute when you return it, you will have proof that it wasn’t you.
It cost 100b to fill it up with petrol. That full tank lasted about 150kms.
INTERNET / WIFI
Suvarnabhumi International Airport has SIMcard kiosks everywhere … for good reason, they charge you very high prices. This is well documented on the internet. Prices start at 699b for 7 days and 1 month starts at about 999b. I knew that I was not going to buy my SIM at the airport.
They have free wifi in the airport that lasts 1 hour. At the airport, you can use this to sort out how to get to your hotel. You may want to download Google Maps to your phone in advance to help you.
There was an AIS Store in the shopping mall near the Baron Zotel. There, I bought a 50b ‘5G The One SIM’ and a 1 month package for 300b.
This package gave me:
- 20gb of 5G; plus
- 60gb at 15mbs; plus
- Unlimited gbs at 1mbs thereafter; plus
- Unlimited free calls upto 15mins per call (all networks); plus
- Unlimited AIS SUPER WIFI (which allows you to connect to AIS public networks in places like malls); and
- Some other 1st month ‘freebies’.
You need your passport to register the SIM in the store. They will do this for you for free.
I had already downloaded the AIS App to my smartphone. I was up and running immediately.
You can use the AIS App to top up and it accepts foreign credit cards.
ABOUT JOMTIEN BEACH TOWN
Jomtien Beach is a town on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand about 165 km south-east of Bangkok. It is about 3 km south of Pattaya and it is home to high-rise condominiums, beach side hotels, beaches, and restaurants.
Jomtien has experienced a construction boom in the past several years, with many new condominiums and housing developments being built. Jomtien has become very popular with Bangkok residents seeking a second home, as well as with foreign retirees.
Jomtiensaineung Road runs along the beachfront for about 6-7kms. Baht busses frequently run up and down this road.
You will find 3 ‘Night Markets’ on this road: Jomtien Night Market, Yai Mak Night Market, and The Big Night Market. These night markets are cheap and many people choose to eat there in the evenings.
Second Road (running about 400 meters inland parallel to Jomtiensaineung Road) features many new developments.
A large number of Russian and Scandinavian nationals visit or live in the area. You will hear a lot of Russian being spoken.
ABOUT THE BEACH
Jomtien Beach starts at the Jomtien Heads and stretches south for about 7kms to finish at Na Jomtien Beach.
For me, it as a ‘average’ beach especially when you compare it with somewhere like where I have just come from (Cenang Beach, Langkawi, Malaysia):
WHERE TO STAY
A key part of your decision-making process is how much you intend to use the beach versus your hotel / condo swimming pool.
Another key consideration is whether or not you want to live on the umpteenth floor of a large building complex.
WITHOUT YOUR OWN TRANSPORT
If you do not have your own transport and you want to spend a lot of time on the beach, I suggest that you look west of the Second Road and consider the following:
Avoid the PURPLE shaded area. This area is very nice and quiet and has some very nice accommodation BUT it has fewer facilities (shops, bars, and restaurants) and the nearest beach is Jomtien Heads.
The GREEN shaded area is the busiest and most popular area with a decent beach. It is also the most expensive.
The YELLOW shaded area is quieter with just as good a beach. Accommodation prices are cheaper, you have similar facilities, and you are closer to the Night Markets.
Consider the ORANGE shaded area if you want to get away from the ‘hussle and bussle’. The beach is the same as the other two but almost deserted.
WITH YOUR OWN TRANSPORT
If you rent a scooter you can stay anywhere … including east of the Second Road.
For me, this makes sense because you can pay less for a nicer place and have total freedom of movement … you can get to beach as often as you like whenever you like.
MY ACCOMMODATION
I used AGODA to book 1 month (30 nights) in a 34sqm 1 bedroom condo at Amazon Residence. The ‘rack rate’ was USD38 per night.
The Amazon Residence is about 20 years old and is very typical of the modern apartment / condo complexes that have been built in the area.
I paid an ‘off season’ discounted rate of about 500b / USD15 per night … USD448 for the month. Electric and water were additional … this surprises many people but this is normal in Thailand for rentals of more than just a few days.
Water was charged at a fixed rate of 150b for the month. Electric was charged at a (very reasonable rate of) 4.95b / kwh … I have seen some condos quote as high as 11b / kwh (they are just screwing you for more money) !!!
This was a ground floor, poolside condo.
The wifi was excellent. I loved the pool access. The gym was excellent with all equipment working including the aircon.
I believe that I made a good choice versus other GRANDPAcking options. I was very happy with my poolside-swimming-gym lifestyle with the freedom of a scooter to mix things up … the beach was only 1.5 km away.
I did not have an Amazon Residence parking permit for my scooter, so I had to park it outside at the entrance.
My only complaint about the condo was that the fridge wasn’t cold enough even when set on maximum … my beers were never ‘ice cold’ 🙂
EAT & DRINK
The nearer the beach, the higher the price.
EAT
WARUNGS
There are cheap warungs (local eateries) everywhere … just jump on your rental scooter and go discovering!
Typical prices are:
A chicken / pork / beef noodle soup was 50b.
Beef & Basil Curry with Rice 60b.
Tom Yum Gai (chicken) Soup with Rice 80b.
DRINK
Drink prices in Thailand are an ‘average’ price compared to other GRANDPAcking countries.
STORES
There are 7/11s on almost every corner. A large, chilled 620ml bottle of Chang beer costs 59b. A 3 pack costs 168b.
In a supermarket (such as Makro or Big C) you can get the same for about 55b or you can buy a box of 12 for 625b (50b per bottle).
Chang and Archer are the cheapest beers in Thailand. You pay a little more for a Leo and more again for a Singha (a 12 box of 620ml Singha in a supermarket is 688b).
BARS
A typical local bar away from the beach charges 85b-100b for a large 620ml bottle of local beer such as a Chang or Singha. It is a bit more for a Heineken. In Happy Hour, you can get the same for as little as 69b.
Almost every bar seems to have a pool table. Almost every bar also has its ‘working girls’. You will find many of these ‘working girls’ whipping holiday makers on the pool table … some of them are VERY good players.
After 6 months in India, I found it to be a very pleasant change to have a ‘pub life’ again.
GETTING AWAY
I reversed my trip back to Bangkok (Grab to Jomtien Bus Terminal, Bus to Suvarnabhumi Airport, and metro back to the Baron Zotel).
After 2 more nights in Bangkok, I fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
GENERAL COSTS
Here are some example costs for items purchased in a supermarket:
- 1.5L water = 15b;
- 250g Thai Filter Coffee = 140b;
- 1Kg budget Cereal Muesli = 172b;
- 1Kg budget Corn Flakes = 185b;
- 2L budget Milk = 100b;
- 2L budget Yoghurt = 130b;
- 1Kg budget Fruits = 59b to 99b;
- 1Kg budget Bacon = 415b;
- 10 Eggs = 58b;
- 500g budget Whole Wheat Sliced Bread = 49b;
- 500g budget Margarine / Spread = 195b;
- 1L budget Sunflower Cooking Oil = 72b;
- Box of 12 x 620ml bottles of Chang Beer = 625b;
- Box of 12 x 620ml bottles of Singha Beer = 688b;
- 1kg wash powder = 40b.
GRANDPAcking COSTS
Read About – GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures.
Costs are broken down into Cost Of Existence (COE) and Cost Of Living (COL):
- COE: Is the basic costs of just being there;
- COL: Is the additional costs that make being there fun.
MY GRANDPAcking COSTS
These were my actual costs:
To view the above spreadsheet in more detail, {right click} on it and choose an option.
AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE / (BLUE) TOP SECTION
I lost an average of only 2.77% taking cash out of ATMs mainly because I took out 30,000b in a single transaction. I lost an average of 3.00% on my Visa Credit Card which I used to pay for my accommodation. Alas, I was unable to use my 0.70% Wise Debit Card for any of the major expenses.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE) / (ORANGE) MIDDLE SECTION
ACCOMMODATION
5+2 = 7 nights in the Baron Zotel, Bangkok at an average price of about 490b / US$15 per night.
I month in a 1 bedroom condo in Jomtien Beach at an average price of about 490b / US$15 per night = 14,880b / US$446. Water was 150b. Electric for the month was 1,500b.
I did my own housekeeping and made full use of the washing machine whilst I was there.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
I ate out almost all of the time but I did buy in some groceries for convenience.
I eat Breakfast and Dinner. I do not eat lunch. I eat to live, I do not live to eat … my food costs are always significantly lower than other people.
My average daily cost was about 160b / US$5 per day excluding drinks.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
AIS SIM 50b. First 1 month package 300b. Follow-on 15 day package 150b.
VISA EXTENSION / NATIONAL PARK FEES
None.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
My Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT
1 month Honda Scoopy rental 3,000b. Petrol 150b.
Return trip from Bangkok to my Jomtien Condo 690b / US$21.
COST OF LIVING (COL) / (BROWN) BOTTOM SECTION
LIVING COSTS
My main cost was beer. A large beer costs more than a meal in a warung.
I bought boxes of beer from my local (Makro) supermarket to keep in my fridge at home and enjoy a couple in the evenings sitting on my patio next to the pool. I went to a bar 2 or 3 times a week to socialise and have a bit of fun on the pool table (I’m not bad on a pool table 🙂 ). I averaged 250b / US$7.50 per day.
My ‘Entertainment’ averaged 45b per day.
My ‘Optional Transport’ costs were for getting around Bangkok.
IN / OUT COSTS
None. Long haul flight costs are excluded.
OTHER COSTS
Other minor bits and pieces are mopped up in this section including the clothes shopping that I did in Bangkok.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
My COE was 920b / US$28 per day (42% of my daily budget).
My COL was 350b / US$10 per day (16% of my daily budget).
My Grand Total cost was 1,265b / US$38 per day (57% of my daily budget).
I had ‘Money to Burn’ … I still had 940b / US$28 left over each day … I could have done heaps more and still stayed within budget.
YOUR GRANDPAcking COSTS
This would be your budget:
To view the above spreadsheet in more detail, {right click} on it and choose an option.
ORANGE COLUMNS / LEFT HAND SIDE
The left of the spreadsheet (orange columns) shows the costs for a GRANDPAcking Couple living to GRANDPAcking Standard using a Standard (Home) Bank Credit / Debit Card where possible and withdrawing cash from ATMs where cash is required.
These costs are for a 1 month stay in Shoulder Season (avoiding Xmas and New Year).
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE)
ACCOMMODATION
Expect to pay 500b / US$15 per night = 15,000b / US$450 per month for accommodation.
Expect to pay an additional 1,500b per month for water and electric (more if you use your aircon a lot).
A total of about 16,500b / US$485 per month.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
Expect to pay just over 750b / US$22 per day eating in warungs three times each day.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
An AIS SIM Card with a 30 day package bought at an AIS store 350b / US$10.
VISA
None. You should each get a 60 day tourist visa on arrival.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
A typical Backpacker Level Travel Insurance policy has been pro rata’d.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT & SIGHTSEEING
30 day scooter rental 2,500b plus 250b for petrol.
SUMMARY
Your COE is about 1,500b / US$44 per day. This is 72% of your daily budget.
This means that you have about 600b / US$18 left to spend each day.
You will find that ‘Money is Getting Tight‘ and that you will need to budget COL expenses.
RIGHT HAND SIDE / PURPLE COLUMNS
The right of the spreadsheet (purple columns) shows the costs for a GRANDPAcking Couple living to GRANDPAcking Standard using a Wise Debit Card where possible and withdrawing cash from ATMs where cash is required.
Due to fact that the following major costs are likely to be paid in cash:
- Food & Beverages; and
- Scooter rental.
The Wise Debit Card makes no significant difference.
So, you will need to compromise your lifestyle a little bit …
I went to Makro Supermarket with the intention of getting in groceries so that I could save money by eating breakfast at home. I discovered that it costs just as much to eat at home as it does to eat in a Warung. There are no significant savings to be made by eating at home … you just get a different (better?) diet.
Your compromise will need to be made in your COL expenses.
COST OF EXISTENCE (COE)
ACCOMMODATION
No change.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
No change.
SIM CARD / MOBILE DATA
No change.
VISA
No change.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
No change.
NECESSARY TRANSPORT & SIGHTSEEING
No change.
SUMMARY
No change.
GRANDPAcking SUMMARY
A GRANDPAcking couple can afford a month in Jomtien Beach on a western State Pension Budget.
But, you will find that ‘Money is Getting Tight‘ and that you will need to keep an eye on your COL expenses.
CONCLUSION
Could you afford to retire here on a GRANDPAcking budget? YES.
Would you want to? MAYBE … ‘Money is Getting Tight‘. You can get the same or better in other GRANDPAcking destinations.
Unless you are specifically ‘sold’ on Jomtien Beach, I suggest that you look around first before you make a final decision. If you have a look in the footer (below) you will find many places where you will have ‘Money to Burn‘.
TTFN
