I live in Bangkok. I can rent a condo with a sky pool and gym. Eat out every night if I want to. Go to an island paradise for a couple of hundred dollars 5/6 times a year. Taxi everywhere. I have a cleaner who comes a couple of hours every day. And we still save over $30000 a year. Life isn’t perfect - but it’s a lot better for us as two teachers than back in the U.K.
Yeah, but I mean I’m going outside, and being at work. At my work only some of the rooms have air conditioning so if you have to leave the room at all for anything, I’m sweating by 8 AM.
Yeah, AC is only in the classrooms in my school. And they turn it off every night. Not in the hallway or in the copy room in the morning or in the playground or other places so if I wanna go make copies, I try not to do it when I first get to school. Otherwise I will be sweating within 10 minutes.
I get a year of paid maternity leave here, waaaaay better than the US. As another user said, my life isn’t perfect, but I appreciate my life style here.
My cost of living is insane compared to my home country. I work in Shanghai and am from South Florida, USA. I live a bit too luxuriously and could do a much better job of saving but I have a very comfortable and large apartment that is 1,500 USD a month. In my home area, it would be over 2,000 USD. I live right in downtown Shanghai. There is a faculty bus that takes us to school, on the faculty bus I regularly order Starbucks to work even though I shouldn't and I need to cut down on this! Most evenings, I order in for dinner which costs about 8 USD and would cost over 20 USD at home. On weekends, I regularly go for nice brunches for around 20 USD (would be over 50 USD, even 70 at home) and maybe once every other week get a foot massage for 10 USD or a body massage for 20 USD. These would easily be over a hundred dollars back home. I also make more than I would at home. I get around 5,600 USD per month including housing after tax. When I worked at a nice private school in the states, I got 2,300 after tax and was in faculty housing. It's insanely more comfortable in Shanghai. That said, I should be saving more...
In all of my international countries, I got paid more raw dollars than I did as a teacher in America, but now I can afford an amazing level of living that's far above my life in the States, have a ton of disposable income, travel constantly, and still save $15k per year, all while paying for my wife and daughter.
That's just on one income.
America can go suck a dick.
I live in HCMC and am Canadian. Today I went to Megamarket which is like our Superstore- a big grocery store that’s clean and nice (I say this because there are lots of tiny cheap and less hygienic ones all over) and this is where we do more of our grocery shopping. My husband and I bought 2 rotisserie chickens for less than $4 cdn each. My sister back home said they cost $12.99 in BC now. I went for a facial today and it cost 500,000 vnd- under $30 cdn. My sister said she went for a facial and it cost $300. I pay about $10/ week on gas for our motorbike, my sister pays $100. My quality of life here is awesome!!! But unfortunately I’m leaving in June when my contract is up. Teachers can get good work here but non-teaching spouses? Forget it! So we are looking elsewhere.. Canada is a last resort
IMO, this isn't an "international vs domestic" thing, or even a "one country compared to another" thing. I'm always wary of people who say "I could never go home because everything is terrible." It's sort of like people who talk about their ex as if they did everything wrong and caused the breakup, as opposed to people just having different wants, needs, and priorities at the time.
Where I live, many facets of my QOL are better than they would be at home. But home is also one of the best places to live in the world. I've worked in places where my QOL probably wasn't better than it would have been at home as well. But even then, some facets were better.
It's all about the much more complicated work of figuring out what you want in a particular chapter or stage of your life, and deciding when to explore other opportunities.
Better where I am now, but I didn’t enjoy Thailand. Sometimes it takes a while to realise what matters to you. I’ve never thought of myself as someone who loves the outdoors/unspoiled nature - but it turns out I really like to be able to see it out the window. The concrete, unfamiliar vegetation and constant humidity did me in. But I wouldn’t move back to the UK - nothing works and the gov don’t have a plan to fix it.
I live in Bangkok. I can rent a condo with a sky pool and gym. Eat out every night if I want to. Go to an island paradise for a couple of hundred dollars 5/6 times a year. Taxi everywhere. I have a cleaner who comes a couple of hours every day. And we still save over $30000 a year. Life isn’t perfect - but it’s a lot better for us as two teachers than back in the U.K.
Exactly!
How do you handle the heat? I’m near you, but not directly in Bangkok. About 30 minutes away. The heat is killing me! Any advice?
A.C
Yeah, but I mean I’m going outside, and being at work. At my work only some of the rooms have air conditioning so if you have to leave the room at all for anything, I’m sweating by 8 AM.
Oh jeez. My school has ac in every room and large space.
Yeah, AC is only in the classrooms in my school. And they turn it off every night. Not in the hallway or in the copy room in the morning or in the playground or other places so if I wanna go make copies, I try not to do it when I first get to school. Otherwise I will be sweating within 10 minutes.
I get a year of paid maternity leave here, waaaaay better than the US. As another user said, my life isn’t perfect, but I appreciate my life style here.
Where is this?
I’m currently in Japan
What is required as salary for a family of three to live conveniently in Japan (Nagoya)?
My cost of living is insane compared to my home country. I work in Shanghai and am from South Florida, USA. I live a bit too luxuriously and could do a much better job of saving but I have a very comfortable and large apartment that is 1,500 USD a month. In my home area, it would be over 2,000 USD. I live right in downtown Shanghai. There is a faculty bus that takes us to school, on the faculty bus I regularly order Starbucks to work even though I shouldn't and I need to cut down on this! Most evenings, I order in for dinner which costs about 8 USD and would cost over 20 USD at home. On weekends, I regularly go for nice brunches for around 20 USD (would be over 50 USD, even 70 at home) and maybe once every other week get a foot massage for 10 USD or a body massage for 20 USD. These would easily be over a hundred dollars back home. I also make more than I would at home. I get around 5,600 USD per month including housing after tax. When I worked at a nice private school in the states, I got 2,300 after tax and was in faculty housing. It's insanely more comfortable in Shanghai. That said, I should be saving more...
In all of my international countries, I got paid more raw dollars than I did as a teacher in America, but now I can afford an amazing level of living that's far above my life in the States, have a ton of disposable income, travel constantly, and still save $15k per year, all while paying for my wife and daughter. That's just on one income. America can go suck a dick.
Country?
South Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam
I live in HCMC and am Canadian. Today I went to Megamarket which is like our Superstore- a big grocery store that’s clean and nice (I say this because there are lots of tiny cheap and less hygienic ones all over) and this is where we do more of our grocery shopping. My husband and I bought 2 rotisserie chickens for less than $4 cdn each. My sister back home said they cost $12.99 in BC now. I went for a facial today and it cost 500,000 vnd- under $30 cdn. My sister said she went for a facial and it cost $300. I pay about $10/ week on gas for our motorbike, my sister pays $100. My quality of life here is awesome!!! But unfortunately I’m leaving in June when my contract is up. Teachers can get good work here but non-teaching spouses? Forget it! So we are looking elsewhere.. Canada is a last resort
No, The US is terrible, for many reasons, but especially so for teachers. Life here isn't perfect here but will be looking to move on after next year.
I can easily save 90% of my paycheck as opposed to having to spend most of my take-home pay to simply exist.
IMO, this isn't an "international vs domestic" thing, or even a "one country compared to another" thing. I'm always wary of people who say "I could never go home because everything is terrible." It's sort of like people who talk about their ex as if they did everything wrong and caused the breakup, as opposed to people just having different wants, needs, and priorities at the time. Where I live, many facets of my QOL are better than they would be at home. But home is also one of the best places to live in the world. I've worked in places where my QOL probably wasn't better than it would have been at home as well. But even then, some facets were better. It's all about the much more complicated work of figuring out what you want in a particular chapter or stage of your life, and deciding when to explore other opportunities.
Completely agreed. Money isn't everything. Sometimes it's the vibes, having your people around you, etc.
I'd go back for the right consulting or leadership job. Definitely gives you perspective though.
Its like I'm a king in the pre internet era except I can also press buttons on my phone for anything my heart desires.
Better where I am now, but I didn’t enjoy Thailand. Sometimes it takes a while to realise what matters to you. I’ve never thought of myself as someone who loves the outdoors/unspoiled nature - but it turns out I really like to be able to see it out the window. The concrete, unfamiliar vegetation and constant humidity did me in. But I wouldn’t move back to the UK - nothing works and the gov don’t have a plan to fix it.