Monday, March 25, 2019

Budget - Genie

This post will be consistently updated to reflect the costs of traveling abroad with MediaKids Thailand. As I couldn't find anything budget-wise, I want to make it as easy as possible for people in the future. This list will only be for one person. However, if only one of us got the charge, I am adding it to the list as a possibility (for example: I am a responsible adult who has multiple copies of my college transcripts. Only Amanda had to order them.)


  • Criminal Background Check: $49.90 (both state and county - it took about three hours for my results to fully come back, but the site says 1-4 business days.)
  • Black, Knee-Length Skirts (Goodwill/Savers): $50 for 5 total (I want one for every teaching day of the week as laundry isn't in-unit for most apartments.)
  • Black, Closed-Toe Dress Shoes (Savers): $15
  • Conversion Base-Rate for USD to Baht: $40 (I refuse to go abroad without at least some emergency coin in my pocket in the correct local currency. Go to your bank and ask how much it costs to get foreign currency converted. If you shop around, you might get a better deal.)
  • Copy of College Transcript: $23
  • Flight (one-way and one person): $675
  • Flight (choosing our own seats): $60
    • Note: our checked luggage was free. We were very careful to stay below weight limits. Definitely look into this as it could add more than 150$ to your flight.
  • Bus from Airport to Hotel in Bangkok: 400 baht
  • New SIM card: 250 baht 
  • 30-day phone plan (4mb): 200 baht
  • Food during orientation: ~500 baht (that is going to depend a lot on where you eat. Honestly I never spent more than 40 baht on a meal - but I also confidently eat street food.) Allocate more than you think you’ll need. Alcohol and coffee are the easiest way for your money to magically disappear.
  • Visa Photos: 350 baht
  • Bank Account/Card: 850 baht (500 baht refundable after account is opened.) (There is also a 15 baht/month charge for sms messages from the bank. It isn’t optional.) (There is also a 15-20 baht charge each time you use your bank card.)
  • Lift from Hotel to Train Station: 250 baht 
  • Train ticket to Nong Khai: 900 baht 
  • Tuk Tuk from train station to apartment: 150 baht
  • Apartment deposit: 2000 baht
  • Apartment first month rent: 3500 baht (3000 will come in our paycheck in June, but we needed the funds immediately to pay the landlord.)

*TBC*

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