Moving to Chiang Mai (Santitham) in October. need an advice with budget and ED Visa Check
Posted by d1rollw@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 2 comments
hi everyone! I’m an 18F English tutor planning to move to Chiang Mai this October. I’ve done my research and decided on the Santitham area because it seems more local and budget-friendly than Nimman.
so my plan consists of working remotely full-time to build up my "safety net." i already saved up 1k$ and I’ll be able to work more in June, July&August. I can have up to 60 days of no visa travel, but i’m planning to transfer to a 1-year ED Visa (Thai language) after the first month.
I’ll have around 1300$ for the first month (excluding flight) and $1,000 set aside specifically for the ED Visa.
and i have some questions:
1. Is $350-$400 realistic for a decent studio in Santitham for a monthly rental (not a 12-month contract)?
2. How is the Wi-Fi stability in older condos in Santitham? I teach online, so a stable connection is a must for my classes.
3. Any recommendations for Thai language schools in/near Santitham that handle the ED visa paperwork efficiently?
4. How the Ed-visa works in Thailand? Do i pay the school for a year contract to attend Thai language classes and all?
thanks for the advice and help!
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FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Have you experienced burning season in Chiang Mai yet? The farmers in the area burn their fields. The smoke in the air is really bad, to the extent that it's a serious health risk.
I've been planning to buy a condo in Thailand and eventually move there. Chiang Mai was my top pick for a city (I've visited several times), until I visited during burning season. I would never visit again during those months, but I still love the city. Lots of expats who live in Chiang Mai escape to the south during burning season.
Yes you can definitely find apartments for that price, probably even some without a contract. But it really depends on what your expectation is for space/size. You can even get a furnished apartment in this price range.
There are a few relatively new/nice buildings in the area that rent studio apartments for 12,000 baht/mo ($370 USD) or less. They will be fairly small, like the size of a hotel room.
You could go up to a 1 bedroom in your price range, but it will probably not be in as new/nice of a building. Some can be fairly unappealing.
Internet in Chiang Mai is actually really good, probably better than you would expect (better than most internet options in the US). Most options are fibre connections above 100mbps.
Having said that, that doesn't necessarily mean the Wifi will be good. Many landlords share a single connection among all the tenants in a building, and if they haven't invested in good hardware the coverage and speed could be poor.
Also, having your own internet connection installed for your own suite might not be allowed. I've rented an apartment in Chiang Mai on a temporary basis a few times, and some of them say that you can only have your own internet installed if you're on a yearly lease/contract.
Sorry, no idea. I use an elite visa myself.