THE COST OF LIVING

The Lost Boy has written about the cost of living in Phuket. He works in the media and recently moved down to the island from Bangkok. His post is here: http://whatismatt.com/phuket-cost-of-living/
I thought I would share my own cost of living with you. For those in the UK you need to be aware that the exchange rate is currently 68 baht to one UK pound.
I stay in a studio condo about five miles from central Bangkok. The complex is nice and includes a swimming pool, fitness rooms and a spa. As well as a few long-term residents like me, there are a good number of tourists (mainly Japanese it seems) who stay for just a few days.
I pay 9,000 baht per month for my furnished room. Electricity and water is extra and usually comes to an additional 3,500 baht per month. I don't think I am extravagant with my use of electricity, although I cannot survive with my air-con at night.
I also subscribe to UBC which is satellite television. I only really watch BBC, some of the other news channels and the sports channels, so the cost of 2,000 baht per month might seem a bit of a waste. My mobile phone bill normally comes to around 800 baht per month, but I also use an international calling card for calling friends and family in the UK that adds another 500 baht per month on top.
I spend around 140 baht per weekday on the taxi to work, and around the same getting home which involves the subway and a taxi. The office is about 12 miles or so from my condo and there's no direct public transport which means taxis are the only option. That works out at about 6,000 baht per month.
Already we're over 20,000 baht per month without food, but compared to the UK and elsewhere Thailand is still a cheap place to live and holiday. I could survive on less but an Executive Director has certain standards to uphold.