Retiring in Phuket: Visas, Monthly Budget, Healthcare and Planning

Visa routes for people aged 50 and over

• Retirement extension: from a Non-Immigrant O visa or an equivalent, retirees at least 50 years old extend their stay one year at a time. The money test is commonly given as 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, or income of 65,000 baht a month, or a mix that adds up to 800,000 baht. Siam Legal gives the extension fee as 1,900 baht.
• Non-Immigrant O-A: a one-year retirement visa applied for abroad, with extra documents such as a medical certificate and police clearance, and a health insurance requirement.
• Non-Immigrant O-X: a long-stay visa, up to ten years, for citizens of a limited list of countries, with a larger deposit. Guides give 3,000,000 baht, or 1,800,000 baht plus 1,200,000 baht a year of income.
• Other options, such as the Long-Term Resident visa or paid programmes, exist for people who qualify.

Published figures vary. Some sources give different insurance minimums and a different O-X validity, so treat the numbers here as a guide and check with the issuing authority. Our visa hub has the full guides.

Health insurance requirements

O-A applicants must carry Thai or approved insurance, with guides citing at least 400,000 baht inpatient and 40,000 baht outpatient cover, and O-X holders a higher level. One guide says the insurance is not required for the extension in the same way, so ask the office what applies to your route. Whatever the rule, a retiree should carry real cover, because private hospital bills can be large and insurers become more expensive and restrictive with age. Check exclusions for existing conditions. The health and insurance guide explains the options.

A realistic monthly budget

A guide checked in October 2026 puts a couple's total at about 70,800 baht a month on a modest budget and about 123,800 baht on a comfortable one, including 15,000 to 22,000 baht for food and 13,300 to 23,300 baht for health insurance for two people aged 60. Another source estimates a single retiree at about 954 US dollars a month and a couple at about 1,372 dollars, which is lower, so your own rent and lifestyle matter most. Our cost of living page and the long-term rentals pages give housing numbers.

Remember that the visa money is a test, not a living budget. The deposit has to stay available, and your monthly costs come on top.

Where to live

Choose an area near a good hospital and with flat, walkable surroundings if mobility may be an issue. Hill roads, stairs and scooter-dependent locations get harder with age. Compare the area guides, and rent for several months before buying, as the condo buying guide advises.

Banking, tax and legal planning

• Open a Thai bank account only once your visa allows it, as the banking guide explains.
• Understand how pensions and foreign income are taxed, as the tax guide explains, and take professional advice.
• Make a will that covers your Thai assets, as the wills guide explains.
• Keep your 90-day address reports and TM30 up to date.
• Plan how you would get care, and where you would live, if your health declines or your partner dies.

Before you commit

Spend a rainy season and a hot season here first, visit hospitals, talk to retirees who have been here for years, and keep a way back. A trial stay on a tourist or other visa costs far less than a move that does not work out. The leaving checklist is useful if you change your mind.