WEALTH ATLAS
Work in progress. The Wealth Atlas is in development. Only Paraguay has been checked in full; for the other places some figures may still be inaccurate. Verify before you rely on them.

Moving to Thailand: tax, residence and real costs (2026)

Thailand: LTR visa: 0% on foreign income · others: foreign income taxed when brought in · up to 35% local. The cheapest route to residence is lTR 'work from Thailand professional' (USD 80k a year income, no investment) keeps foreign income untaxed; DTV is cheaper but foreign income brought in is taxed: about USD 1,500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, with about USD 6,700 a month of income shown, in about 2 months. Living costs about USD 1,000 a month for one person in Bangkok, USD 540 in Ubon Ratchathani, and around USD 520 on a bare-minimum budget.

Key facts

Tax in one lineLTR visa: 0% on foreign income · others: foreign income taxed when brought in · up to 35% local
Foreign incomeLTR 'wealthy' visa holders: foreign income exempt; others: taxed when remitted (since 2024)
Gains · dividendsforeign remitted: taxed (non-LTR) · 10% local
Wealth · inheritance taxnone · 5-10% above THB 100 M
Cheapest residenceLTR 'work from Thailand professional' (USD 80k a year income, no investment) keeps foreign income untaxed; DTV is cheaper but foreign income brought in is taxed
Money neededAbout USD 1,500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment
Timeabout 2 months
Doable yourself?Mostly; a local fixer for one step helps
Days you must spend there180 days for tax residence
Citizenshiprare
Online business0% effective, about USD 400 a year to run: LTR: foreign income exempt; on a DTV, money remitted to Thailand is taxable
Living (one person a month)Bangkok ~USD 1,000; bare minimum ~USD 520; family of four ~USD 2,300
Good forLTR 'wealthy global citizen' and 'work-from-Thailand' visas exempt foreign income; Thailand Privilege visa for long stays
Common set-upLTR visa (foreign income exempt) or Privilege visa + keep foreign income abroad

Pros and cons

ProsCons
  • Cheap, good life
  • LTR foreign income exemption
  • Rules changed in 2024
  • Foreign ownership limits

Programmes

ProgrammeAll-in, one personMonthsNotes
Long-Term Resident visa (wealthy global citizen)USD 502k2USD 1 M assets and USD 500k invested in Thailand; foreign income exempt; 10 years.
Thailand Privilege visaUSD 17k1THB 650k for 5 years up to THB 5 M for 20; no tax benefit: foreign income brought in is taxed.

Questions

How much does residence in Thailand cost?
LTR 'work from Thailand professional' (USD 80k a year income, no investment) keeps foreign income untaxed; DTV is cheaper but foreign income brought in is taxed: about USD 1,500 in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, about 2 months.
Does Thailand tax foreign income?
LTR 'wealthy' visa holders: foreign income exempt; others: taxed when remitted (since 2024). In one line: LTR visa: 0% on foreign income · others: foreign income taxed when brought in · up to 35% local.
What does it cost to live in Thailand?
Living costs about USD 1,000 a month for one person in Bangkok, USD 540 in Ubon Ratchathani, and around USD 520 on a bare-minimum budget (based on livingcost.org, 2026).
Can I run an online business from Thailand?
Effective tax about 0% with the cheapest legal set-up, which costs about USD 400 a year: LTR: foreign income exempt; on a DTV, money remitted to Thailand is taxable.
What is the catch in Thailand?
Rules changed in 2024; Foreign ownership limits
What residence or citizenship programmes does Thailand have?
Long-Term Resident visa (wealthy global citizen): about USD 502k all-in for one person, ~2 months; Thailand Privilege visa: about USD 17k all-in for one person, ~1 months

Compare

Compare all 53 places with your own income and budget →

Sources