[LivinLOS]

Well if you havent been here its really hard to try and pigion hole you.. Also when you come will really have an effect too as high season and low season are two totally different beasts from a long termers point of view..

Patong is a great little town, I actually feel really at home here now and even though Bangla and the main bar zones is kinda nuts its also easy to avoid or just jump in when you feel like.. Theres food carts and stalls everywhere.. Theres markets for cheap clothes, theres cheap food produce markets that are clean.. However its easy to fall into the bar life black hole and thats expensive, as a non drinker or low drinker you can probably avoid that a bit.. Patong is a party town though and P4P is the driving force.. Available women are everywhere but its expected to be showing some generosity no matter what age etc you are.. That changes if hooking up LT but the 'good girl' % is not much..

Kata and Karon will not have 24 hour action.. Even patong slows down and shuts up most places at dawn (except some really late night drinking dens).. I also have funny sleep patterns (I think the heat also makes you less day / night divided.. I often cat nap or siesta and then am up at odd hours dawn or whatever.. I would imagine you would probably rent a bike when you come here (3000 - 4000 per month for an ok one) and have your own transport..

Until you experience the place and find your own preferred place and lifestyle its really impossible to predict.. But dont think Patong is so cheap, its a tourist enclave, with tourist prices.. A subway sandwich is 5 USD, a starbucks coffee is a couple of bucks, etc etc etc.. Prices tend to be what the market will bear. Yes you can get by once you know what your doing.. it wouldnt be impossible to live for under 40k per month but it also wouldnt be very exciting either, and you need to allow for some learning curve to get there and get yourself a little bit set up.