Bangkok among the cheapest cities for expats to relocate to, new study claims
Bangkok has been ranked among the cheapest cities in the world for expats to relocate to, according to a new study.
The study, conducted by furnished apartment search engine site Nestpick, analysed the initial costs involved in moving to 80 of the most in demand cities from around the world.
Costs included visa fees, food, transport, rent, phone and internet for the first month of relocation.
The study found that a move to Bangkok costs €949.44 (approx 35,800 baht) in the first month, ranking the Thai capital in 62nd spot out of the 80 cities included in study.
According to Nestpick, expats relocating to Bangkok can expect to pay €68.42 (2,580 THB) on visa fees, €376.00 (14,182 THB) on rent, €15.06 (568 THB) on internet, €17.84 (672 THB) on phone, €440.27 (16596 THB) on food and €31.85 (1201 THB) on transport.
“The world has never been more accessible than it is right now to those seeking out employment opportunities, cultural exchanges or remote working hubs. In the last few years especially, we’ve seen trends that more people than ever are relocating to far-flung destinations which have rapidly digitalized. It’s now equally as possible to find 4G on a beach as it is in a built-up city,” said Ömer Kücükdere, Managing Director of Nestpick.
“The cost of living is often a huge factor for those looking to move, with the initial month almost always incurring extra costs due to potential visa applications”.
Thailand was found to have the shortest visa processing time at just 2 days, with Auckland at 381 days having the longest.
Overall, Dubai was found to be the most expensive city to relocate, with expats spending on a total of €3,632.65 in the first month. Auckland (€3,420.14) and San Francisco (€3,216.00), were ranked second and third most expensive, respectively.
The cheapest city to relocate to was Cairo where the first month would cost you on average just €560.41. This was followed by Bangalore (€633.71) and Bucharest (€644.26).
Regionally, Kuala Lumpur (€865.79) and Jakarta (€897.53) were found to be cheaper than Bangkok for foreigners to relocate.
Source: Thaivisa Forum
