39-year-old pays $460 in rent for a luxury condo in Chiang Mai, Thailand–take a look inside

CNBC

19 hours ago

When Shao Chun Chen was laid off from his dream job at Google in early 2024, he was forced to take a break and rethink how he wanted his life to look like. Suddenly, he was no longer obligated to stay in his home country of Singapore, where he had built his entire career.
"When the layoff happened, I was [reflecting], you know, feeling sorry for myself," the 39-year-old told CNBC Make It. "Then I asked myself: 'Hey, let's flip it around. How can this be a positive thing?"
"I wanted to try something different, and I've always enjoyed Thailand," said Chen. He was familiar with the country as his wife was native to Thailand and they had visited it previously.
He was drawn to the diverse environments that it offered, from bustling cities to serene beaches and mountains. In addition, he liked how the Asian country had visas and policies that were transparent and friendly to foreigners.
Ultimately, Chen said that his layoff allowed him to get out of his comfort zone and experiment with building out his dream life, and as part of this lifestyle re-design, he and his wife moved to Chiang Mai in November 2024.
Today, the two reside in a 600-square-foot one-bedroom luxury condo which costs 15,000 Thai baht (about USD $460) a month. The condo came fully furnished, and he pays about $20 a month for utilities, and about $15 a month on WiFi.
Chen said he is currently paying for his unit on a month-by-month basis, so his rent would be cheaper if he commits to a longer lease. Previously, his 500-square-foot condo in Singapore cost about $2,500 a month — more than five times the amount he is paying currently in Thailand.
His current condo offers amenities such as a gym, a small pilates studio, a co-working space, multiple swimming pools and a water slide.
Since getting laid off from his corporate job, Chen works for himself by creating educational content on YouTube and from his coaching business, through which he says he can charge $500 an hour, depending on the client.
He has also made money by teaching as an adjunct lecturer at the National University of Singapore, which required him to supercommute between Singapore and Thailand once a week. However, he is now taking a break from this gig, he said.
Additionally, Chen has built a seven-figure portfolio over the course of about a decade, according to documents viewed by CNBC Make It, which has afforded him financial independence.
Chen noted that life in Thailand is much slower and "zero stress", unlike how mentally taxing it was in Singapore, he said. This has allowed him to cut down on expenses.
"When I was in Singapore ... [my job] paid very well, but the lifestyle was very hectic. I was working like 12 to 14 hours a day," he said. Due to the high level of stress he experienced, Chen would cope by spending money on things like therapy, spa visits and drinking on weekends.
"The funny thing is that now that I'm here, these things are way more affordable, but I don't even desire [them]," he said. "My head space is completely different."
Today, on top of using the gym in his condo, Chen said he occasionally pays for massages, which cost about $15 an hour.
"I find that I actually save more money, even though I don't work as much," said Chen.
Though he is very happy living in Thailand, he would consider moving back to Singapore if the right opportunity opened up, he said. For now, he is living presently and enjoying the life that Thailand has to offer.
"The previous version of myself ... I valued everything on efficiency and ROI," said Chen. "But then here, people don't think that way. They may not have as much as a safety net ... but they seem to enjoy their day to day, and they actually have time to sit down and enjoy their coffee and have time to read a book."
"These are some of the simple pleasures that I now am able to afford, which doesn't actually cost a lot," he said.