Living on a Teacher Salary in Thailand: What You Can Actually Afford
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Want to teach in Thailand and wondering how far your salary can actually go? This is for you. I’ve lived in Bangkok on both ends of the salary scale and had an amazing life both times. I’ve been here for 9 years and experienced living on a teacher salary in Bangkok.
The first time I was in my 20s and now in my 30s so that difference came into things too! Early on, I stayed in hostels and took night buses. Now, I stay in mid-range or boutique hotels and treat myself to wine. Just little upgrades, but they matter. You’ll see what $2000/month gets you, and what changed when I earned double.
I’m sharing my real salaries and the lifestyle, activities, rent, travel that I could afford on that salary to help you decide if teaching in Thailand is right for you (or if you need to request a higher salary from your school in Thailand!). By the end, you should have a clearer idea of what different teacher salaries can afford — and whether your job offer matches the life you want here.
If you’re reading this because you’re trying to figure out whether your salary offer is “enough” for Thailand, don’t guess. I built a Thailand Cost of Living Calculator that lets you plug in your rent style, travel habits, and lifestyle upgrades — and it spits out a realistic monthly budget in 15 minutes.
What Different Teacher Salaries Can Afford in Thailand
| Monthly Salary | Likely Lifestyle |
|---|---|
| 30,000–45,000 baht | Budget lifestyle, local food, simple apartment, domestic travel if careful |
| 50,000–70,000 baht | Comfortable solo lifestyle, private condo, regular local travel, saving potential |
| 80,000–120,000 baht | More comfort, better housing, more international travel, savings potential |
| 150,000+ baht | High comfort, strong savings, regular long-haul flights, higher-end lifestyle |
My Real Teaching Salaries in Thailand (Bangkok)
When I first moved here, my initial salary was 64,000 baht a month (~ £1,510 GBP / $1,970 USD) and my rent was 14,500 baht a month (~ £342 GBP / $446 USD) for a one-bedroom condo with a rooftop swimming pool on the BTS skytrain line. I had great holidays, travelled all around Thailand and Southeast Asia, stayed in hostels or budget accommodation. I scuba dived often and flew home every Christmas to the UK which was usually covered by my annual bonus from work.
Nowadays, as an international school teacher my salary is significantly higher (over double what I used to get paid). I even get paid with a split salary, some in Thai baht into my Thai bank account and some in pounds into my UK account.
My rent is 28,000 baht (~ £661 GBP / $863 USD) for a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo with pool and gym, on the BTS skytrain line. I receive a housing allowance of 31,000 baht a month (~ £732 GBP / $957 USD) but keep what I don’t spend. I love that I can now afford a 2 bedroom apartment so when people come and visit they don’t have to stay in a hotel like when I had my first teaching job here! While condos have increased in price (some friends condos doubled in rent in 2025!) you can still find housing that is under 20,000 baht a month, even in the centre of Bangkok.
With our Cost of Living calculator you can input your own numbers using my expat spending.
Teacher Salary Ranges in Thailand (Entry-Level to High-End)
You can earn anything from 30,000 baht (~ £708 GBP / $923 USD) to over 200,000 baht a month (~ £4,725 GBP / $6,154 USD) depending on your qualifications, experience and the type of school you work at.
Some schools may allow negotiation of salary whereas others will not. Both schools I’ve worked at had a teacher salary scale depending on qualifications and years of experience, so it was fixed and not negotiable. Others may be more flexible, so it doesn’t hurt to ask.
In the lower end of salary ranges for teachers in Thailand you are likely to be a new teacher, unqualified or here on a ‘gap year’ experience for fun. You may have some experience but not proper qualifications. If that suits you and you plan to do a year or two teaching in Thailand as a career break, or post University experience then you will have a wonderful time! You can go backpacking in the holidays, eat local street food and drink Thai beers and still live in a nice apartment (potentially with a pool!).
If you want to move up brackets then get qualified as a teacher in your home country. Lots of international schools accept US, UK, Aus qualifications and you can still do these certificates even if you aren’t from that country! This way you should be able to access roles from 100,000 baht a month or more.
Before You Accept a Teaching Job, Run the Numbers
A salary in Thailand does not mean much on its own. A 50,000 baht salary can feel comfortable if your rent is low, your school covers insurance, and you mostly travel locally. A 90,000 baht salary can feel tighter if you live centrally, eat Western food often, fly home twice a year, and have expensive hobbies.
Before accepting a teaching job, use our calculator to check:
- your rent
- utilities
- food habits
- transport
- insurance or copay
- flights home
- travel
- savings
- hobbies
High Salaries at International Schools in Thailand (What That Lifestyle Feels Like)
Top international schools in Thailand pay similar salaries to those in your home country. That means you can live in Bangkok and earn the same salary as you would in London. That means a serious amount of disposable income when you know the cost of living in Thailand is low and that London is insanely expensive.
Many teachers (me included!) enjoy regular travel, like one weekend a month away – either domestically or in South East Asia. Last month I headed down to Krabi for island hopping and horse riding with my partner. A few months ago me and some friends went to Ho Chi Minh to see another friend who had relocated there.
On a day to day basis, high international school salaries stretch to eating restaurant takeaways or dining out at international restaurants 5 times a week and enjoying glasses of imported wine (wine is notoriously expensive in Thailand!). This was something I never did when living on a lower salary range because I decided to use it for travel and savings instead of a boujie lifestyle! I’d eat way more local and in small local Thai restaurants frequently before.
I fly long haul twice a year minimum to Europe and the UK which I couldn’t afford to do in my previous role as a language school teacher. This was my non-negotiable when I moved back to teach in Thailand the second time! I still wanted regular trips to see loved ones at home.
Budget Teacher Life vs. Comfortable Teacher Life in Thailand
Lifestyle upgrades can happen gradually. The difference in quality of life from moving up salary brackets here is noticeable but it’s not required to be happy. Even at entry level, teaching in Thailand can offer a rich, vibrant lifestyle.
If you’re earning less, you’ll still be able to explore. Domestic travel is affordable, and Southeast Asia is right on your doorstep. You may not be flying home multiple times a year, but you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see new places locally.
Even at the beginning, I had great holidays and travelled constantly. That’s something I didn’t expect but was so grateful for. Being in Thailand made that kind of freedom possible. I used to stay in hotels and guesthouses and hostels that were never more than 1000 baht a night.
This was super reasonable for a lower budget and (mostly!) the places were clean but basic. I would often share rooms with friends whereas now I feel I can spring for my own room if I travel with friends and usually spend around 3000 baht a night on a hotel.
Is the Cost of Living in Thailand Still Affordable for Teachers?
A lot of people complain that the cost of living in Thailand has increased, but it’s gone up everywhere all around the world. Thailand is still very affordable. For me the main reason I think this is because the cost of rent is low. In most countries rent will be a significant portion of your salary.
In the UK, in expensive cities like London this can be even half of your salary at times and it is not affordable to live alone. Thailand is a total game changer for this.
I had no idea before I moved to Thailand solo the first time that I could afford my own place with a rooftop pool and gym. I would say that most expats I know in Thailand, many of whom are teachers, would agree.
I know that people always quote 25% of your salary on rent as something that will make people feel they have a good amount of disposable income. I’m not sure where that statistic comes from! But I can tell you I spend way less than that.
Can You Live Well on a Teacher Salary in Thailand?
No matter your salary level, teaching in Thailand offers a lifestyle that many can only dream of. Whether you’re living minimally and travelling on a budget or upgrading your lifestyle with every step up in your teaching career, it’s absolutely possible to thrive here.
All my monthly spending is recorded in my Cost of Living Calculator so that you can work out your own spending and feel confident with your move.
Next Steps: Work Out Your Own Thailand Budget
Everyone’s version of “living well” is different, so the best thing you can do is run your own numbers based on your lifestyle.
How Much Will Your Life in Thailand Really Cost?
Work out your likely monthly budget in 15 minutes based on our real spending as US/UK expats living here for 9+ years – then tailored to your lifestyle.
✔️ Estimate your monthly costs based on your lifestyle
✔️ Adjust rent, food, travel, drinks, hobbies, bills
✔️ See totals in THB, USD, and GBP
✔️ Private, editable, and yours for life
Find out if you can actually afford to move to Thailand — before you book flights or sign a lease
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