Five days in Bangkok with someone who grew up where you did, knows exactly what you're leaving, and has lived here long enough to know what you're actually walking into.
Before arrival, you fill out a short questionnaire — budget, health situation, priorities, what's keeping you up at night about this move. The five days are built around those answers. Every scout covers similar ground. No two are exactly alike.
By the end: a real apartment viewed in a neighborhood that actually fits, a supermarket walked, medications found on a pharmacy shelf with prices, the transit system understood, streets walked that could actually be home. The trip ends with a written plan — visa pathway, realistic monthly budget, housing approach, timeline.
Same tailored approach — questionnaire before arrival, itinerary built around your situation. Less ground covered, lighter written summary. Right for people who want a real look without committing to a full week.
You'll see all that too. But that's not what this trip is for.
The scouting trip is built around the things that actually determine whether a move works: what your money buys in practice, what the healthcare system is really like, what a neighborhood feels like at 7am on a Tuesday.
It ends with a written plan — something to take home and act on.
There's good information out there. What it can't do is answer whether you specifically will be okay here — your budget, your health, your personality, the way you like to live.
That's what five days on the ground does. Not tourism — five days of the things that actually determine whether this works: what your money buys, what the healthcare is really like, what a neighborhood feels like at 7am on a Tuesday.
Some people do this trip and come home certain they're moving. Some come home knowing they need another year to sort their finances. The one outcome worth preventing is someone spending $20,000 on a move they weren't ready for.
Conservative estimates. Your real costs may be lower. These numbers assume a comfortable life, not a cheap one.
The number that tends to surprise people isn't the rent — it's health insurance. For someone 55 or older, a solid expat plan runs ฿7,500 to ฿14,000 a month — closer to $200–$400 USD. A GP visit costs around $25. Private hospitals in Bangkok are genuinely good.
Dental care isn't covered by Medicare at home. A cleaning at a reputable private clinic runs about $35.
Thailand is affordable. It is not free. The retirement visa income threshold exists for a reason, and anyone who arrives without sufficient funds runs into serious problems. That conversation happens on the call, before anyone books a flight.
| Monthly Expense (Single Person) | THB | USD (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR, decent area) | ฿18,000–35,000 | |
| Utilities (incl. heavy AC) | ฿3,000–5,000 | |
| Internet + Phone | ฿1,200–1,800 | |
| Groceries | ฿9,000–16,000 | |
| Eating out (2x/week) | ฿4,000–8,500 | |
| Health insurance (55+) | ฿7,500–14,000 | |
| Transportation | ฿2,500–5,000 | |
| Entertainment | ฿4,500–8,500 | |
| Miscellaneous | ฿3,000–5,500 | |
| Monthly Total | ฿52,700–99,300 |
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Figures in Thai Baht. USD conversions updated automatically. Baht costs are more stable than dollar equivalents — exchange rates shift.
I was born in Thailand and grew up in the United States, where I lived for 32 years. Family reasons brought me back to Bangkok.
When I returned at 36, I had to figure Bangkok out the same way you will. I've been figuring it out for more than a decade now.
I spent four years producing content inside Bangkok hospitals, including time in operating theaters. My own story includes brain surgery at a Thai private hospital and helping friends through medical emergencies.
As a Thai citizen, I am able to operate this business legally. I welcome the opportunity to help you with your adjustment to life in Thailand.
The scouting trip answers whether Thailand is the right move. Full relocation support is for when it is. Visa coordination, housing, healthcare setup, banking — the logistics of actually getting there, handled through vetted contacts.
Full relocation support starts at $3,000. The scouting trip fee comes off the total. Specifics are discussed on the call.
Get StartedYou've got questions the internet hasn't answered. Whether your budget actually works. Whether you'll be okay here at your age, with your health, with the way you like to live. Whether this is a good idea or a bad one.
That's what this call is. You ask whatever you want. I'll tell you what I know. If Thailand doesn't make sense for you, I'll say so.
Most people want to know if their budget actually works, what healthcare looks like at their age, and whether this is the right time. Bring whatever's on your mind.
Fill Out the QuestionnaireThis helps determine whether a free call makes sense and, if so, makes that call more useful for both of us.
After submitting, you'll hear back within 24 hours — either with a call booking link or a brief follow-up question.
Your responses have been received. You'll hear back within 24 hours.
Bangkok is where most people start, and for good reason. It has the infrastructure, the international hospitals, the transit network, and the range of neighborhoods to suit almost any budget or lifestyle.
The scouting trip is based in Bangkok. It covers enough ground to give a realistic picture of what daily life here actually looks like — costs, neighborhoods, healthcare, getting around. For most people considering a move to Thailand, Bangkok answers the question.
If another city is on your mind, bring it up on the call.
Ask whatever you want. Bring a budget, a timeline, and the questions that haven't been answered by the research already done. If Thailand makes sense, the next steps are clear. If it doesn't, that's worth knowing too.
