Retire in Thailand

$1,006 / month typical

Range $594 to $1,651 per month for one US retiree living comfortably, or about $12,072 a year at the typical figure. Based on 1 city guide plus country-level costs (phone, internet, health coverage).

City guides on the map

Click a city to read its guide. The figure shown is the typical total monthly budget for one retiree living there; the guide has the full breakdown and ranges.

City guides

Chiang Mai Typical $1,006/month · range $594 to $1,651

Retirement visa in brief

Non-Immigrant O-A (long-stay retirement) visa: applicants must be 50 or older. They must show either 800,000 THB in a bank account, income of 65,000 THB a month, or a combination totalling 800,000 THB a year. They also need health insurance of at least 3,000,000 THB or US$100,000 per policy year, which covers COVID-19. The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington lists a US$200 non-refundable fee for a 1-year visa, and work is prohibited. Alternative: enter on a Non-O visa and extend for retirement in Thailand each year for 1,900 THB (same 800,000 THB / 65,000 THB-a-month test; health insurance is generally not required). The embassy page itself warns that its US-dollar checklist amounts ($30,000 balance or $2,500 monthly income) differ from the baht figures, so confirm with the embassy before applying.

Visa rules and fees change. Confirm everything with the official immigration agency before planning around it.