Healthcare is your single biggest unmodeled expense. At retirement age 54, the USA vs Thailand gap opens at ~$25,100/year and widens every year. Over the 15-year pre-Medicare window (ages 54β68), cumulative savings from retiring to Thailand total roughly $543,000. With compounding at 10%, the real wealth impact is closer to ~$750Kβ$900K. Am and Jaden's Thai citizenship is a massive structural advantage.
Part A (free), Part B (~$185/mo), Part D, Medigap (~$200β350/mo). Total: ~$5,000β7,000/yr β a dramatic drop from the $54β63K/yr pre-Medicare. This largely neutralizes Thailand's cost advantage post-65.
Jeremy's expat plan at 65 (2043) runs ~$8,420/yr, rising to $11,000β14,000/yr by age 68. Am & Jaden's Thai plans: ~$2,700β3,100/yr combined. Medicare late enrollment penalties apply if not enrolled within 8 months of losing employer coverage.
There is exactly one international school in Udon Thani: UDIS, an IB World School (PYP β MYP β IB Diploma), fully accredited by the Council of International Schools. Jaden enrolls in 2032 at age 6 (Year 1) and graduates in 2044 at age 18 (Year 13). All figures use UDIS's published 2025/2026 fees + 4%/yr inflation at 35 THB/USD. 13-year total including one-time fees: ~$228,600 Β· Average ~$17,600/yr.
Tuition β IB/UK National Curriculum. ΰΈΏ345K (Yr1-3) β ΰΈΏ412K (IB Diploma).
Catering β school meals, ΰΈΏ29,592/yr (Year 1+).
Materials β ΰΈΏ15,317/yr (Yr1-6) β ΰΈΏ31,827/yr (IB Diploma).
Bus Zone 1 β roundtrip transport, ΰΈΏ51,891/yr. Optional but included in model.
IB Diploma exam fees (2043β2044): IB exam registration adds ~$800β1,200 per session, not in the school's standard fees. Budget an extra ~$1,500β2,000 for those two years.
Starting with $3.77M, the Year 1 withdrawal rate including school is only 2.08% β well below the 4% safe withdrawal threshold.
USA retirement without school starts at $90,887/yr β 16% more than Thailand with school fully included. The conclusion holds: Thailand with UDIS is cheaper than USA without it.