Chiang Mai – A Low-Cost Retirement Spot in Asia

Via: U.S. News & World Report

The Thai city of Chiang Mai has long lured expats from the West. As many as 40,000 foreigners currently call Chiang Mai home, at least part of the year. The primary draw is the cost of living and medical care. Both are a global bargain. In addition, Chiang Mai boasts a more temperate climate than much of the rest of this country, as well as modern infrastructure and an abundance of Western amenities.

Thailand has had its share of political unrest in recent years, but Chiang Mai has been largely unaffected. Politics aside, Thailand is the land of smiles. The gentle, unfailingly polite locals endear visitors and welcome foreign retirees.

Located about 435 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is nestled in a fertile river valley surrounded by mountains. It’s an area rich in history with a culture distinctly different from that in central and southern Thailand. With a population of about 250,000, the city dates back more than 700 years and was originally walled.

The Old City was an integral market and manufacturing center on the busy trade routes between Yunnan province in southern China and the port cities of Burma, where goods traveled to and from the trade centers of India and beyond. Many crafts and raw materials were made and traded here and then distributed throughout the region. Beautiful sculptures, pottery, woodcarvings, silver jewelry, and fabrics continue to be manufactured here. However, tourism has since replaced commercial trade as the major source of revenue.

The heart of Chiang Mai lies within its old city walls, where dozens of ancient and modern Buddhist temples coexist alongside public and international schools and residential and commercial neighborhoods. Street markets and festivals occur almost nightly, and there’s a great array of restaurants catering to all tastes. For these reasons, many expats choose to live in the center of the city, within the ancient walls, where they also enjoy affordable rentals and close proximity to all services.

Chiang Mai has grown beyond the ancient walls, and now extends for several miles in every direction. Large shopping complexes are located along a superhighway and a multi-lane, controlled-access ring road that circles the outskirts of the city. Mega-malls and big multinational grocery and department stores line the superhighway access roads, creating many shopping options for retirees.

Upscale neighborhoods include the area north of the Mae Ping River, which is popular among affluent foreigners. Another well-regarded area among expats is the neighborhood around Thanon Nimmanhemin and Thanon Huay Kaew, where you can find housing in all price ranges. Located a short taxi ride or a 20-minute walk west of the Old City, this area has dozens of popular restaurants and nightclubs, modern shopping malls, and excellent medical facilities.

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The cost of living in Chiang Mai is reasonable, largely because the cost of housing can be a bargain. A retired couple could live here comfortably on a budget of as little as $1,000 to $1,200 per month. You could rent a furnished studio apartment in a nice area for as little as $300 per month. A bigger, better appointed place might rent for $500 per month.

Another important attraction to Thailand and especially Chiang Mai is the standard and cost of medical care. Thailand has become an important medical tourism destination. Medical tourists sometimes find it much less expensive to fly to Thailand and receive treatment than to have the same procedures performed in their home countries, even allowing for the cost of international travel. You can see an English-speaking doctor for as little as $20. More serious care also can cost a fraction of what it would in the U.S. A heart bypass, for example, that might cost more than $100,000 in the U.S., costs only $10,000 in Thailand. A total hip replacement in Thailand costs around $11,000, while the same procedure in the U.S. can cost seven times as much.

Retiree Paul Richard considered many options in Thailand, including Samui, Phuket, and Hua Hin. He chose Chiang Mai over those other places because of its climate and “the people seemed a lot friendlier and more helpful” than in other areas he visited. Richard also likes that Chiang Mai is home to such an established community of fellow foreign retirees. “Chiang Mai has every type of leisure activity you could want from golf, tennis, and bowling to plenty of good Western restaurants and the Chiang Mai Expats Club,” he says.

The Chiang Mai Expats Club, with 650 members, is one of the best ways to become acquainted with this city and to tap into the experience of retirees already living in the area. You could also meet new people at a Lions Club, a Scandinavian Club, an Alliance Française, a Writers Group, a Flying Club, a Radio Amateur Society, and a Rotary Club.

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/On-Retirement/2012/05/21/a-low-cost-retirement-spot-in-asia

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photo link:

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Thailand/North/Chiang_Mai/Chiang_Mai/photo1154732.htm

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I jus’ got my retirement visa (geezer veezer) renewed; so I’m now beginning year seven

“Every day in every way; it’s getting better, and better, and better’

photo by md77 – via: TrekEarth

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Thailand/North/Chiang_Mai/Chiang_Mai/photo1298095.htm

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Thaivisa.com expat survey – 84% say happy in Thailand (4,434 responses)

Via: Thaivisa.com

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more precisely:

70% - happy

14% – blissful

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/468108-expat-survey-shows-84-happy-in-thailand-thaksin-not-popular/

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I didn’t take part in the survey; but I can’t help but wonder if my vote would have bumped it to, 15%.

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And, the diffence for ME between ‘happy’ and ‘blissful‘; has always been, and will always be, the ‘Thai Smile’.

http://seattle99.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/the-thai-smile/

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Thailand – a message to my geezer buds

Via: MK Chiang Mai Property

45SM = +/- 484.39 SF, rent with one-year lease, furnished, balcony, TV, internet, parking

price 8,000 baht @ 30.32 = $264 USD per month

http://mk-property.blogspot.com/2008/09/cr10345sqm8000baht.html

note: I only used this as an example; because there are many realty companies in Chiang Mai, with a gazillion rentals; some more expensive, and some less expensive.

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I’m getting so damned old, I almost forget the message.

Message to my Geezer Buds:

IF you are struggling to get by on your social security/pension; you might, and I emphasize might, want to consider residing in Thailand.

Not only can you save money on rent, but you can also save on food, medical care, transportation, plus, plus, and PLUS.

IF you are over 50, you ‘might be/probably are’ eligable for a retirement visa (geezer veezer).

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IMPORTANT NOTE: I have nothing to do whatsoever with real estate, nothing whatsoever to do with visas, and I definately do not work for the Chiang Mai ‘Chamber of Commmerce’.

My friend asked me about Thailand, so after sending him the preceeding info in and e-mail, I decided to ‘blog it’. PERIOD

Chiang Mai hopes for a long-stay life preserver

Via: Bangkok Post

The long-stay market is a strong niche and it would improve tourism revenue in the province after political protests last year.

“Cultural tourism has been promoted for a long time, but competition in the field is intense. Many other provinces have attractive Songkran celebrations,” said chamber president Narong Kongprasert.

The chamber reported that local tourism declined following political protests by supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra last April and May, But the incidents took place in a limited area and did not tarnish the province.

“It’s time to refocus our strength,” said Mr Narong. “We are confident that Chiang Mai is still a tranquil place with nice weather and perfect to be a second home.”

Living expenses in Chiang Mai are lower than Bangkok, while its low crime rate is another advantage.

The province is a long-stay hub for foreigners, especially Japanese. About 3,000 Japanese are long-stayers and have a close community through the Thailand-Japan Longstay Association.

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“We expect to welcome more Japanese elderly in years to come. Once the number rises to 10,000, it means the province gets revenue up to 4 BILLION baht ($133 million USD), much the same it earns from selling longan for the entire year,” Mr Narong said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/232522/chiang-mai-hopes-for-a-long-stay-life-preserver

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my view:

The Japanese population increasing from 3,000 to 10,000 sounds a little ambitious; but hey, good luck.

I’m often asked the QUESTION …

“Why did you retire early, and why in the hell did you choose somewhere like Thailand, for God Sake?”

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First a brief background:

I followed my Dad into the Engineering / Construction business ’cause I wanted to be like him.

http://jonsfamily.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/62-son-of-a-shoemaker-becomes-a-shoemaker/

Even with it being a very stressful job in a very stressful industry, I LOVED the work.

However, as I was approaching my 57th birthday, I recalled my Dad retired at age 60, and dying, much too young, of a heart attack at age 61.

I simply wanted/NEEDED more time for ‘me’.

So I pulled a Roberto Duran “NO MAS!!”, and flew out of Amman on my birthday; and ain’t looked back, not once.

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The Decision on Where:

I knew I couldn’t risk going without medical insurance, and I knew I couldn’t afford medical insurance in the States without working, so returning wasn’t an option.

I then looked at some alternatives: Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, the Philippines, Indonesia (Bali), and Thailand.

All seem to check out very well on quality of life, cost of living, and health care.

 

But in the end the decision was EASY: I LOVE Thailand and I truly LOVE the Thai people.

http://seattle99.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/chiang-mai-buddhism/

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I can honestly say, “Every day in every way, my life is getting better, and better, and better”.