Plus health insurance like Cigna for $100-200 unless you want to pay $10,000-20,000 in vinmec if you crash on a motorbike or get other serious sickness.
Plus border runs like $200-300 three times a year or often for cheaper depend on your paasport.
Problem that I doubt its how average SWE on HN imagine "comfortable" living.
Then if you have a partner who is not remote worker and kids there will be other surpeises for you.
Why would you go to vinmec if you can use google translate / chatgpt to gwt better and cheaper service.
Border runs default are 4 times a year but only need to cost 140$ each or cheaper if you're willing to organize / drive yourself.
Comfortable is subjective and humans can change. Yay.
Well if you wanna move the posts and all... But even then with ai etc a degree becomes less relevant rather than your /their problem solving ability
Easy to live on sub 700$ a month if you're happy with air conditioned studio, mostly asian food, scooter and not going to high end bars.
Get the 1 bedroom apartment, quite often takeaway/delivered western food sub 1500$ a month.
Go eat out western food everyday, live in a 3 bedroom in the nicest district go to fancy bars etc and yeah maybe you can reach your 5k a month...
People have no clue / are not willing to experience adjustment for 3 weeks... But easily possible to live here for budgets mentioned above...