3. The price is right
Coming from a Western country you can’t deny the exchange rate. While bottled water priced at USD 10 cents is mind-blowing–be careful. When things that are considered quite luxurious back in the US are within your budget, it is easy to spend a lot and not even realize. A few spa treatments, taxi rides and bottles of alcohol later and your bank account is nearly empty. Still it is possible for a middle-income person back in the US to live like Jay-Z here in Bangkok (maybe just for a weekend… but still.)