In rural Isaan, the answer, even with rent, is definitely yes.
However, there are some caveats.
The first being you would need a car and buying a used car outright is the logical answer.
You would need the money put away for your VISA each year.
There are places for rent for $100 or less in rural Isaan.
The house shown rents for US $65 per month.
Meals will cost 40 thb each and if you eat 3 times a day, that is 120 thb or US $4. Monthly food cost could be US $120 a month.
Utilities would be next where water may cost you 75 thb per month or US $3.
Electric, if you use a lot of air conditioning would cost 1,500 thb or US $50 a month.
Mobile phone costs 300 thb or US $10 a month. That includes internet access and hotspot.
A tank of gas for your car could run 2,000 thb or US $65 dollars.
If you have a motorbike, instead of a car, gas would cost you 200 thb per month or US $6.40
The total would be US $348 per month with a car and $275 per month with a motorbike.
From US $1,000 a month and would still leave you with US $650 a month left over.
So why don’t more foreigners live in Isaan on the cheap?
The big answer is there is absolutely nothing to do. No entertainment, no malls, no movie theaters, not even any dine-in air conditioned restaurants.
Another issue is NO one will speak English.
However, all is not lost because if you have a car, you can always drive to a city like Udon Thani, Khon Kaen or Chaiyaphum and find all those things you are missing.
There are also tons of temples, waterfalls and national parks to visit
Isaan makes a very cheap homebase where is doesn’t cost much to live.
The only place in Thailand where you can live so cheap and still save money each month from $1,000