I moved my family to Thailand for a better quality of life.I want to retire by 50, and Thailand offers a cheaper cost of living to make that happen.Here's a tour of our beautiful apartment in the heart of Bangkok that I could only dream of having in the U.S.
It took me too many years of my life to realize I don't want to work until a typical retirement age. My ex-father-in-law was a catalyst for this realization.
I met Steve when I was 17 (I'm now 44), and he was one of the hardest-working men I knew. There were times when he held two or even three jobs to support his family, and he worked hard at everything he did.
What's sad is that he worked until the day he found out he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer; he died three weeks later at 61.
His death was part of the reason I decided I didn't want to work into my 60s, and conversations with my children helped me see that my identity is more than my work.
Although I own a business, I'm working toward the goal of retiring by the age of 50, and moving to Thailand is the only way I could make that dream a reality.
We moved to Thailand for a better quality of life.
My family moved to Thailand with me.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
Retiring early in the US would be difficult due to the high cost of living and healthcare, even with insurance. My wife and I decided that moving out of the US permanently would be our best option to achieve our financial independence goals.
After researching, we decided to move to Thailand, a country with a relatively easy visa process, affordable healthcare, cheaper everyday living expenses, and a thriving economy.
My wife, our daughter, our niece, and I secured five-year Destination Thailand Visas (DTV) within a few weeks after deciding to move.
I found a beautiful apartment in the best location for a reasonable price.
My wife and I out on our balcony.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
It was easy to set up our life in Thailand, and I didn't have to go through the bureaucracy I've experienced my entire life in the US.
I landed in Bangkok and toured the apartments the next day. By the end of day two, we had signed a two-year lease for our dream apartment.
The rent is $1,200 a month, but our monthly living expenses for everything are less than $3,000 a month, which is about one-tenth of what we paid in the US.
Our apartment is close to Bangkok's public transportation.
The train is close by.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
The apartment is within walking distance to Terminal 21, a large mall, numerous coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities.
Bangkok is quite the city that never sleeps, and you can find many places that are open 24/7.
The apartment is just under 3,000 square feet with a comfortable living room and a balcony overlooking the pool.
The balcony off the living room overlooks the pool.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
The building and apartment are pet-friendly, so we brought our two cats with us. The building installed netting on the balconies so that the cats can spend time outside.
The apartment was furnished, but we also bought some of our things to make it more comfortable.
The living room.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
For example, I bought an 86-inch TV for the living room.
There is a nice-sized kitchen with a balcony — which houses our washer and dryer.
The kitchen.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
The kitchen is fully equipped with an oven, a gas stove, and plenty of counter space. Conveniently, a washer and dryer are on a small, netted balcony right outside the kitchen.
There is a formal dining room area, where we keep our filtered water.
The dining room.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
We have a large dining room table, built-ins with storage space, and another balcony offers a dining area that's also netted.
Since the weather is good all year round, we're storing our larger suitcase on the balcony.
I turned the fourth bedroom and bathroom into my office.
My home office.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
I own a business and wanted a space to work outside our bedroom. The fourth room would typically be a maid's quarters or a small bedroom, but I converted it to my office.
I installed a mobile AC unit, bought a desk, and purchased a comfortable reading chair for breaks. The office is located on the same floor but is detached from the apartment, making it a quiet space.
Our primary bedroom is large with an ensuite and a balcony.
The primary bedroom.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
When we moved to Thailand, we thought we'd be moving to a smaller space than what we're used to in the US. But the apartment we got exceeded our expectations in terms of size.
The master bedroom came with a king-size bed, a large TV on top of built-ins, lots of closet space, a large bathroom, and an area for my wife to have a mini office.
We are quite comfortable.
Our daughter and niece have more space than they had in the US.
Our daughter's room.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
Our daughter and niece live with us, and occupy the second and third bedrooms, which are also spacious. Each room has a bathroom, a queen-size bed, and a good-sized TV.
Our daughter's room also features a separate vanity area.
We're very happy with our new family home, especially since it's saving us money.
We're happy with our new home.
Courtesy of Kimanzi Constable
I'm not sure if we'll stay in this apartment for all five years of our visa, but we're very happy with it right now.
The apartment has more space than anticipated, it's close to everything we need, and the building staff has been incredible.
We made the right move for our family, and we've accelerated our journey toward financial independence by increasing the amount we're saving.
