For $1,500 a Month, Hua Hin Ticks All My Boxes

As a professional chef with a lust for travel, I have lived and worked in 10 countries. So when it came time to retire, I was already used to looking overseas.

I needed to find the place that was right for me. A country (and a community within it) that ticked every one of my boxes for my ideal lifestyle.

First up was the retirement capital of the world: Florida. Even though I'm originally British and spent most of my life in Australia (where I settled after my travels), I had spent some time living and working in Port Richey. So, I decided to try out retirement life there.

The US is great, but a retirement in Florida proved too pricey for my tastes.

While I was in that part of the world, I did a lot of research and also traveled to some of the Caribbean and Central American countries to check them out. I visited Belize, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Panama to see if they would suit my retirement lifestyle and budget.

Though many of those countries were ideal for retirees, none of them suited my lifestyle or ticked all the boxes that matched my circumstances.

In the end, I decided to head back east and I eventually found the retirement destination that was right for me in Thailand.

Over the years, I have visited Thailand frequently as a tourist, and I have always loved the country and its people, so when I was deciding where the best country in the world for me to retire, Thailand was always going to be high on my list.

Now it was a matter of finding the right community within Thailand.

When I arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport I rented a car for a month on a one-way rental and drove south to check out some of the areas that I had short-listed as potential places to call home, Hua Hin, Chumphon, Koh Samui, Krabi and Phuket.

I lived in Phuket for six months and then decided to try Koh Samui where I lived an island lifestyle for a few years. Three years ago, I moved to Hua Hin—a coastal town two and a half hours drive south of Bangkok.

I can now happily say that in Hua Hin, Thailand, I have found the community that ticks all my boxes and gives me the lifestyle I want.

Cost of Living in Thailand

After moving there three years ago, Hua Hin ticks all Greg's boxes. |©iStock/Tonygers

There were a few factors that helped me with the decision to retire here, but the main reason was purely financial.

Australia, where I was living prior to retirement, is beautiful, but it's also expensive. That was fine when I was working and earning a good income but a few months after I retired, I realized that my life in retirement was not going to afford me a good standard of living. My pension would only cover my day-to-day living expenses and there would not be much left over to enjoy life with.

Not only is the cost of living in Thailand much lower, but it has remained lower as costs back home skyrocketed even after I left.

Looking at the numbers, inflation in Australia was 5.6% in 2023, whereas the consumer price inflation index in Thailand averaged 1.2% a year in the 10 years to 2023. So, the cost of living is quite stagnant here in Thailand compared to Australia.

I live a very good life in Hua Hin on my pension. I rent a one-bedroom condo that comes fully furnished and equipped with cooking utensils, crockery, and bedding for 10,000 baht a month ($275 in US dollars). This includes internet WiFi, cable TV, a twice-monthly cleaning service and change of linen. My electric bill is around 1,200 baht a month ($32) and my water bill is 300 baht a month ($8). The condominium block has a large swimming pool, spa, and a gym as well as 24-hour security.

Going out for a meal at my favorite venue, Ban Khun Por, I can listen to live music, have a meal and a few beers for less than 300 baht ($8). My monthly grocery bill is around 5,000 baht ($135).

I drive a motorbike here as I have no need for a car and I fill up the tank once a week for 100 baht ($2.80). If I'm touring around Thailand, I rent a car which costs me 13,000 baht for a month ($355) and this saves me the upkeep of owning and maintaining a car.

In total my monthly day-to-day living costs come to around 55,000 baht ($1,500) which would not even cover my rental accommodation back in Australia.

My Best Advice for Moving Overseas

For most people, the hardest thing about retiring overseas is leaving behind their family and friends, so it's important to gain their support before you leave. You and they need to know that it's not the end but a new beginning and that they will be as welcome in your new life as they were in your old life. That they will be welcome to visit you in your new home and that you will come back and visit them in the future.

Before you make a firm decision to retire overseas, whether that's in Thailand or one of the many other countries vying for your pension dollars, keep in mind that although it's exhilarating when planning on moving to a new country to live in, it's also easy to get carried away with the excitement of it all and then make impulsive decisions. Taking a vacation in a country is a completely different experience than living there.

Go and live in the country you like for a minimum of three months or preferably longer to get a real feel for the place. If there is a wet season then try to live there for at least part of that season to see if the inclement weather suits you and your lifestyle.

During those initial exploratory months, try to find some friends—both expats and locals—as the key to retiring to a new country is making friends.

By talking with expats who have lived in the country for a long time you'll learn from the mistakes they made when they first arrived in the country. You will also learn about the best places to shop, where the best or cheapest restaurants and bars are, where to get a good haircut or where the best dentist is located.

Talking and mixing with locals you'll find that you will be more accepted into the community. You'll also learn where they shop, which is nearly always cheaper than where the expats shop.

Once you've spent some time like this in a community overseas, you'll be much better places to decide if you want to commit to living there long-term or if you'd rather try somewhere else.

Take your time. Visit anywhere that catches your attention. But make sure you choose a community that ticks all your boxes.

I did, and I couldn't be happier.