To be on a budget - part III

Once you have made it to Thailand you need an acommodation. It is no surpise that the tourist quarters of cities are the most expensive ones. So try to avoid these when you are looking for a hotel. You don´t have to get far, far away from the city center either. If you avoid for example in Bangkok the hotels right at the Kao San Road (the backpacker quarter) you can already save a few bucks.
Even when it says in the Lonely Planet that it is really cheap around the Kao San, my experience is the opposite. For the same price we stayed at a, instead of shitty, small hostel in this area, an awesome, nearly luxury hotel a 10 minute taxi ride away.

You will stay long term and want to rent a flat? Before I came here I found a few websites in English which offer flats for rent – unfortunately just a few flats were as cheap as the one I have now. Especially if you don´t speak Thai, I recommend getting the help from a local if you want to rent a flat (you don´t know anyone? No problem – just do couchsurfing: You´ll meet new people and finding a flat is quite easy here, so it is not much work.).

Most of the housekeepers don´t speak English and I didn´t even recognize most of the apartments that have flats to rent out, because they are just advertised in Thai. But Joel from Team Quest knows all the places around here so he just took me from one to another and it didn´t even take more than 20 minutes until I had my first own flat. It´s not as complicated as in Germany.

Just getting there, having a look at the flat - bed, cupboard, chair; everything is already in there – asking for the price and signing a contract I can´t read.

Where I live, you pay your rent in cash every month and I had to deposit 2000 Baht. If I want to leave I just have to tell the owner one month before.

So what does it cost to rent a flat in Chiang Mai? (Be aware! The north is cheap! Bangkok is more expensive and the Islands are waaayyy more expensive!). I live on 15m² with a small balcony and my own bathroom. Included in the monthly rent is a queen size bed (brand new matress), a fan, a chair, a wardrobe, a small cupboard and – really important if you are a male fighter -- a make-up table. Because you want to look handsome when you step in the ring.

Basic Rent: 2200 Baht
Fridge: 250 Baht
Wi-Fi: 250 Baht
additional costs: ~ 450 Baht

All in all: ~ 3150 Baht/month

Too small for you? You can get houses a 10 minutes bike ride away from the city from 7000 Baht a month.

Here are some pictures of my flat: It´s really nice, clean and extremely close to the gym.

See you in Chiang Mai soon!