A decision as big as moving to another country involves a good bit of groundwork to make sure things run smoothly. So before moving to Thailand whether during a gap year, for a sabbatical or retirement, or simply because you want to start a new life abroad, here are five things we’re glad we did in preparation for our move (and think you should do, too).
We understand that certain situations may prompt a sudden move to Thailand. After all, life is unpredictable. However, even in unique situations, we don’t recommend suddenly jumping ship and moving to Thailand without adequate preparation. We suggest taking the time to get all your finances and belongings in order, getting support from your friends and family, doing your research on Thailand’s towns to see which one is best for you, and if possible, visit Thailand before you commit to moving here.
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01 Pay Off Debt
We rid ourselves of debt from credit cards, a college loan, and two car payments before moving to Thailand. Why? Because we didn’t want those payments hanging over our heads before starting our new life abroad. We (correctly) assumed that our income would be much less in Thailand, which would make it very difficult to continue paying off our outstanding debt.
To pay off our debt, we cut back on eating out and completely stopped buying new clothes, entertainment items, or objects for our apartment. We took it easy on the holidays prior to our move and focused our efforts on spending more time at home and doing things that were free or cost very little. We sold one of our cars two months before moving (at a loss, but it saved us money in the long run) and carpooled to work.
Even if our plans to move to Thailand fell through, we would have completely rid ourselves of our American debt. It was a great feeling to make our last payments on our student loan, cars, and pay off our wedding, which was the majority of our credit card debt.
02 Sell (Almost) Everything
With the exception of the items we took to Thailand and a few extra things we left in storage, we got rid of everything we owned. It was both liberating and anxiety-inducing, but letting go of our material belongings was a good life experience.
We put in storage a small box of important paperwork (medical documents, taxes, 401k, and banking and credit card information), one box each of cold weather clothing (in the event we visited our family in the winter months) and (don’t judge!) a box of some really expensive kitchenware.
Everything else was sold including our cars, furniture, clothing and accessories, home décor, electronics, cooking appliances, and sports equipment. We only had two checked bags and a carry-on each that we came over with, which saved us hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in shipping expenses. Selling our belongings and starting afresh also helped fund our first year and a half living in Thailand.
03 Research Like Mad
We left no stone unturned during our research before moving to Thailand. Even before settling specifically on Thailand, we had done months of searching for information on other countries including Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Vietnam.
Once we agreed on Thailand, we spent more time narrowing down a city in which to live. We spent long afternoons digging through online forums, watching YouTube videos, and reading what we could from other travelers or expats. It was challenging finding information back in 2012 when there was much less than there is now. That’s part of what inspired us to create this blog!
We focused on the cost of living, safety, expat communities, and infrastructure. For us, Chiang Mai fit the bill and had nearly everything we were looking for.
04 Visit Thailand First
Before quitting our job, selling all our stuff, and booking a one-way ticket to Thailand, we actually visited Thailand first. This may be impossible for some people due to schedule conflicts or lack of funds. But for us, (well, for Angela) it was necessary that we visit Thailand before saying goodbye to our old lives and starting something new abroad.
And so we honeymooned in Thailand and spent two weeks exploring Bangkok, Krabi, and Chiang Mai. And while most people may not be newlyweds as we were and have the excuse to leave town on a long honeymoon, it’s still possible to take the trip in between jobs, ask to take leave without pay, or rigorously save up time off, even if it’s just for a week.
And you know what? Visiting Thailand for those two weeks was by far the best decision we could have made. Seeing and getting a feel for each town helped us decide if Thailand was really right for us.
While we felt that the areas of Bangkok (Sukhumvit) and Krabi (Ao Nang) we explored were fun but a bit touristy, we immediately felt at home in Chiang Mai. It was an amazing moment when we realized that it would be totally possible to move to Thailand’s biggest northern city.
Believe it or not, we even took a whole day visiting a realtor’s office to see what housing would be like and took a tour of a big chain supermarket called Tesco. We were that serious!
05 Gain the Support of Our Families and Friends
Before moving to Thailand, it was a priority to get our family and friends on board with our big decision. While arguably it was our life to live and we should could do whatever we wanted with it, it was important for us to have the support of our loved ones before we made such a leap.
We started early and went easy on everyone and made no ultimatums. We shared articles we had found and pulled up videos about Thailand to share around the dinner table. We anticipated questions and ensured that we were prepared for almost anything.
Our biggest skeptic was Angela’s dad, who couldn’t believe we were throwing away our government jobs, our education, and our nice apartment and cars. He warmed up a bit after we had been there for a year and he saw that things we going well. It all changed when he made a last-minute trip to Thailand and spent nearly two weeks having an experience of a lifetime. He’s been on board with us ever since and still has plans on coming back one day.
Preparation Before Moving to Thailand Will Set You Up For Success
There is no one-size-fits-all way to prepare yourself before moving to Thailand. And it’s not something that you can put a dollar amount to. But for all the people who are thinking about moving to Thailand, we hope that this sets you in the right direction.
Is there anything else you think is a necessity to do before moving abroad? If you’ve already made the big move, what was your experience?
Hello guys! Have you used the Nancy Chandler’s Map of Chiang Mai at all? There new one is being released soon with a guide ebook. Would you recommend it?
LOVE Nancy Chandler’s Map of Chiang Mai. We haven’t heard about the release of a new version with a guide eBook, but based on the level of detail of her prior maps, we’d say it’d be a good investment. If you get it, let us know what you think!
Chris, and Angela, I’ve done all of the above. A few things that we are discussing at retirecheap, that might be helpful: Set up your banking. I.e. make sure you notify your bank / credit card companies that you will be in Thailand. If you have a US pension or other regular income, set it up so that you have a US Bank account, and also that you can do money transfers to Thailand via ACH Transfers. For Americans, the US has an income reporting requirement for amounts over 10K in foreign banks. So, for those of us retired after… Read more »
All great tips!
Hey we just got to Thailand about a month ago. Been in Chiang Mai about 3 weeks. Found your blog. Using the suggestions and loving the comments. Thanks for being here. We are less confused.
Thank you for saying thanks :) We appreciate it!
When you moved to Thailand how did you go about finding somewhere to rent? Had you already found a place before you left?
Lots of Googling! We preferred to see places in person, so we didn’t agree to a permanent place to live until after we moved here.
Aloha from Honolulu…Just discovered your blog today. I have been to Thailand 6 times over the last 10 years & have explored many parts of the country, with the idea that i may sometime want to spend more time in Thailand & divide my life in between Honolulu * perhaps Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Maybe on a 6 month rotation . My housing costs in Honolulu are pretty well contained, as my apartment is paid off & I live here on about $1,000.00 per month. No car, ride a bike, & cook at home.
No house or car payment totally slashes expenses – that’s awesome you live on $1000 in Honolulu. If you’ve managed to keep your expenses low in Hawaii you’ll be comfortable in Thailand living on that or less. Looks like you can make the flight in about 17 hours. Much better than our recent 32 hours from the East Coast!
HI – just started reading your blog..found it very informative. I am thinking of moving early of next year. As a retired Airline Manager – I am not concerned about the move – more about how expensive it really is and will I be able to work in order to make my savings last longer. And being a diabetic I am concerned about getting medication there! Is there a site that you can direct me to that would give me some better information on medical care?
Thailand offers excellent medical care that is competitive in both price and quality with Western standards. You will, without a doubt, be able to find your medication or a proper substitute here. One of the leading hospitals is Bumrungrad International Hospital. They have an entire center dedicated to treatments associated with diabetes. Don’t worry, you’ll be covered!
I can relate to this topic very much. We did the same 3 years ago when we moved from Slovakia to Canada. Although we love Canada, we want more freedom in our lives so now we are planning to do it again and travel the world. We can’t wait! Just 8 more months.I’m glad there are people like you doing the same, and inspire others.
A great article, both of you; and what you’ve talked about here doesn’t apply just to moving to Thailand, it’s good advice for moving anywhere.
Agreed!
Hey. Well. We have sold up everything. ..We’ve been married for 24 years and have two children. .I have received a teaching position at Chiang Rai International School. ..and in 13 days time we will be leaving Johannesburg, South Africa , and will be moving to Chiang Rai. We’ve sold all of our furniture, our cars home etc and are 100% debt free for the first time ever. Thailand here we come!!!
Debt free that’s HUGE! Congratulations on lining up a teaching position in Chiang Rai and clearing out 20+ years of belongings to get ready for you big move. We’d love to know more once you’ve settled in. All the best :)
Your post is timely, as we are now in the process of selling 20 years’ worth of accumulated stuff. Getting rid of things feels really good for me. It’s freeing. Eventually my wife, 6 year old daughter and I are planning on selling our home and leaving on a year long round-the-world slow trip with only one carry on backpack each. I’m in the process of scanning all of our photos, saving them to the cloud, and tossing the photo albums into the rubbish. We’re planning on leaving two nice antique wooden trunks filled with personal things at my mom’s,… Read more »
Scanning your pictures and uploading those files to the Cloud is a great idea – it seems like many people aren’t sure what to do with heavy photo albums.
We wish you all the best on your ’round the world adventure and it is especially wonderful that your daughter is going to experience this. We’ll be around when you make it to Thailand!
Hi Angela and Chris! We miss you since moving to Hua Hin! We always love reading your posts. I have a couple suggestions for those following you. I think the hardest part for most people is getting rid of your belongings. Humans need routine and community and familiar things around them no matter where they are to feel like they are “home”. When I was cleaning out I had another moment of anxiety and wrote this for our blog. One week to go! I am standing in my kitchen turning in circles trying to figure out what I am supposed… Read more »
Aw thanks, Linda :) Getting rid of your stuff is emotionally hard and time consuming, we agree. I (Angela) had a meltdown at one point when we sold a nice set of leaning shelves and our guest bed set. Who knew!? It’s just a bed and some shelves! But you’re absolutely right – be gentle with yourself, breath, and if you need to do it another day after you’e composed yourself, then do so. Thanks for your words of encouragement and we’re glad to hear you two are doing well in Hua Hin :)
I have been following your blog for a a year or more now. When we talk about taking a family trip with our eight year old daughter, we always say Thailand! Thanks for the inspiration!
Do you recommend, for a family of three, who have never traveled together internationally anywhere before, to do a guided trip to Thailand the first time, or to go it alone (of course with research as to where!).
Thanks for your input!
Lacey
There are pros and cons to both, but we personally lean towards doing independent family travel and then whatever city or cities you stay in, pick a one or two daily guided tours. Packaged week-long tours are nice in that transportation and hotels are taken care of for you, but we think they can be a bit tiresome at times because there is little down time and they are more expensive. Traveling on your own schedule means doing more research on where to stay each night and how to get from city to city, but then you can go at… Read more »
Thank you so much!
Three things worry me about a full time move.
1, Rain
2, Humidity
3, BUGS
Im spoiled living in San Diego,but need a cheaper life
Aw, it’s not so bad! Unless you are in the southern areas of Thailand, the rainy season really consists of (on average) a one to two hour mid day shower and not an all day downpour about five months of the year. A quick Google search revealed that the humidity of San Diego and Bangkok are very close (low to mid 70%s), but it never hurts to invest in some GoldBond power – works wonders here! And bugs, well, they are everywhere, even in San Diego. Your best defense is to stay in a place that is Western style and… Read more »
what company did tou use pls, i am looking at salisbury group ltd asia, do you know this company
We did all our own research and moved ourselves!
Sounds like a hard decision but I really appreciate your courage…all the best for your new life
It’s a very… intricate decision for sure. Thanks for the good wishes!
Before I left on a year long trip last year I whittled down my belongings to just 8 storage bins. I wasn’t sure where I would end up at the end of that year, but I’d already decided that if I returned to California I’d be fine without much stuff. I kept photo albums, some family heirlooms, and a few precious books from childhood. A year later, I am living in Chiang Mai and couldn’t be happier that I didn’t put off purging my belongings.
It’s a big weight off your shoulders getting rid of material things, most of which just hold you down or realized you just don’t need. Glad to hear you have no regrets!
Great article! My wife and I are traveling the world at the moment, and are planning to be back home in Flagstaff, AZ by 6/1 to liquidate our stuff, sell our house and move to Chiang Mai. I really look forward to your articles, and even shared your blog with my wife. She’s from Hat Yai, Thailand and we’ve both spent several months traveling all over Thailand. Chiang Mai is always our favorite when we visit. The amount of work it’s going to take to liquidate 2,200sqft of stuff that’s accumulated over 15 years is daunting, but I’m encouraged by… Read more »
Thank you for supporting our blog and for your kinds words! Sounds like you have the travel bug and it’s taken over :) The four months until your big move will fly by, so be sure to cherish your time with your friends and family back in Flagstaff. Angela has visited there several times and has family in Phoenix and Lake Havasu. You definitely have a one-up on us coming over with a Thai wife. We’re happy to hear you share our blog with her. We love her home country!
Hi guys. I just realized how hard it is to get rid of eveything. Recently we gave away our collection of books and DVDs for free and we still have our house, furniture, clothes, shoes (!), kitchen stuff , dog furniture, electronics, plants, and cars. while those items can be replaced I still don’t know what to do with our thousands of photos, 10 calendars with our dogs’ pictures, wedding albums, diplomas etc.
It is possible to do so with lots of time and planning, but it won’t be easy for me.
It’s crazy how much you can accumulate over time, from junk to precious memorabilia. If we remember correctly, we spent three to four evenings a week dedicating to selling our belongings for about six months. Estates sales help to move items fast, but you may not make as much as individual listings. It’s hard but stick with it while you can! Find a close friend or family member to hold onto your special photos and important documents… it’s not worth losing those.