is it more expensive or cheaper than Phuket ?

depends on the area you stay. how are you planning to get there?

a flight to samui is more expensive than flying to a neighbouring country, and a taxi from phuket airport to your room is more expensive then a bus from there to bangkok

50 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

depends on the area you stay. how are you planning to get there?

a flight to samui is more expensive than flying to a neighbouring country, and a taxi from phuket airport to your room is more expensive then a bus from there to bangkok

No i mean $ $ $ to live there monthly, Food, transportation . . .

Are you a big drinker? Are you a big eater? Do you want to live in the lap of luxury? Do you eat a lot of Western food? Do you want the air conditioner on all the time?

 

All very valid questions for which there is no answer!

39 minutes ago, coollife99 said:

No i mean $ $ $ to live there monthly, Food, transportation . . .

28 168 Baht

16 minutes ago, beachproperty said:

Are you a big drinker? Are you a big eater? Do you want to live in the lap of luxury? Do you eat a lot of Western food? Do you want the air conditioner on all the time?

 

All very valid questions for which there is no answer!

No, Yes , middle style, not so only at night )

2 minutes ago, coollife99 said:

No, Yes , middle style, not so only at night )

$40,000 baht ...and that's barely making it! No girls

9 minutes ago, sanemax said:

28 168 Baht

 

 

Per week.

 

 

 

 

 

realistically 60000 baht/month

IMHO it is more expensive than Phuket mostly due to:

 

- it is an island, everything has to be shipped here and is therefore a bit more pricey

- smaller place thank Phuket with less competition (Delis, speciality stores etc.)

- Airline has a monopoly and therefore flights are extremely expensive

- Visa are more complicated due to expensive airfare and/or having to take the ferry

 

while it is difficult to compare accommodation it feel it is slightly more expensive here as well.

 

On the plus side it is less overrun than Phuket and despite having its problems with traffic and rubbish it still is a more beautiful and relaxed place than Phuket. It has it's advantages that the flights are expensive so there is a lot less riff raff here!

1 hour ago, huberthammer said:

IMHO it is more expensive than Phuket mostly due to:

 

- it is an island, everything has to be shipped here and is therefore a bit more pricey

- smaller place thank Phuket with less competition (Delis, speciality stores etc.)

- Airline has a monopoly and therefore flights are extremely expensive

- Visa are more complicated due to expensive airfare and/or having to take the ferry

 

while it is difficult to compare accommodation it feel it is slightly more expensive here as well.

 

On the plus side it is less overrun than Phuket and despite having its problems with traffic and rubbish it still is a more beautiful and relaxed place than Phuket. It has it's advantages that the flights are expensive so there is a lot less riff raff here!

1. Prices are the same in Tesco, Makro and bigC, gasoline one the other hand is 2 baht more than on the mainland. 

2. Yes. 

3. You can get a resident card and fly cheaper,I paid 2000 baht for CNX flight last time. 

4. Extension of stay costs 1900 baht like everywhere else. 

 

Riff raff... There are no charter flights to Samui, exempt one from China. 

15 hours ago, coollife99 said:

No i mean $ $ $ to live there monthly, Food, transportation . . .

Foreign restaurant and taxi, more expensive. 

Local restaurant same price. 

Songthaw Samui vs tuk-tuk phuket, cheaper. 

Gasoline 2 baht more than on the mainland. 

Atmosphere, priceless. 

When Putin spat the dummy and annexed Crimea, the Rouble nosedived which obviously affected our brothers and sisters on Samui. Whilst a large number returned home, a possibly larger number moved to Phuket because it was cheaper.

 

As for how much to live. An often asked question for Thailand (and in fact the world) which is heavily dependent on needs, wants and wishes but it is also dependent on how you go about conducting yourself in the business of life. Free fibre 'net access for the locals so I don't pay for laundry, free water (not drinking water), PEA electricity (3-400 Baht a month), I love to cook so don't eat out much and gasoline is generally paid for by others because people borrow my saleng in order to move house, goods or fridges.

 

 

Every few weeks I use a restaurant in town to cook for a group of friends. The last was scouse (old style beef stew) with roast potatoes and a fresh baguette each. Total cost was around 1860 Baht but it fed 17 people off the bat with 5 take-away meals. Someone gave me a bottle of Jim Beam and never paid for a drink all night so at the very worst I broke even in a monetary sense but what I get back in other ways is worth its weight in gold.

 

 

Monthly costs go up and down but as an average from the beginning of 2017 until now is 28-29k.

 

 

On 26/02/2018 at 11:08 PM, notmyself said:

When Putin spat the dummy and annexed Crimea, the Rouble nosedived which obviously affected our brothers and sisters on Samui. Whilst a large number returned home, a possibly larger number moved to Phuket because it was cheaper.

 

As for how much to live. An often asked question for Thailand (and in fact the world) which is heavily dependent on needs, wants and wishes but it is also dependent on how you go about conducting yourself in the business of life. Free fibre 'net access for the locals so I don't pay for laundry, free water (not drinking water), PEA electricity (3-400 Baht a month), I love to cook so don't eat out much and gasoline is generally paid for by others because people borrow my saleng in order to move house, goods or fridges.

 

 

Every few weeks I use a restaurant in town to cook for a group of friends. The last was scouse (old style beef stew) with roast potatoes and a fresh baguette each. Total cost was around 1860 Baht but it fed 17 people off the bat with 5 take-away meals. Someone gave me a bottle of Jim Beam and never paid for a drink all night so at the very worst I broke even in a monetary sense but what I get back in other ways is worth its weight in gold.

 

 

Monthly costs go up and down but as an average from the beginning of 2017 until now is 28-29k.

 

 

Doing well

On ‎02‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 12:47 PM, Justfine said:

Doing well

 

Would be nice to say it's off of my own endeavours but much has come from the goodness and kindness of others insofar as to their willingness to impart knowledge. Why do x+y when you can just do x if you use a better method? By far the most useful knowledge in the long term has come from various villages I've stayed in over the years.

 

It's the weekend so I'll carry on....

 

You need two reasons for something to be worth it. It doesn't always work but it does make you think about the first reason.

 

Be neither subservient or aloof because no good will come of it. I'm not sure I fully agree with that because while it costs nothing to be nice, it also costs nothing to be a complete [word]

 

Doesn't follow but I learned how to throw a cast net. That took maybe nine months, practicing daily. I was practicing on the 'village green' of the village and would buy old nets to use because I was casting on sand which ripped the threads to shreds. Local kids would watch me and at times do a literal belly laugh.

 

Anyway, to keep on topic.... 

 

Why do people stay here and what influence does it have on costs compared to other parts of Thailand? I've always said that Samui is not the place to cut your teeth and you should go to Isan to learn everything at less than half the price, first. People stay because they are happy to be here but unless you have a ******** of money, you have to use your brain. We don't need more waste anyway because we have ample with the incinerator guys being on holiday. 

 

It's still the weekend.....

 

Being able to negotiate in the local language and arrange barter terms if applicable is a huge bonus. My conversational Thai is rubbish outside of mathematics and food, if they can even be considered conversational.

 

 

Laters....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like your outlook on life

On 2/26/2018 at 8:08 PM, notmyself said:

When <snip> from the beginning of 2017 until now is 28-29k.

Clearly it depends on the standard of house you wish to live in, and the extras.

You can eat cheaply but again, it depends on whether you are happy with Thai food or want to eat 'farang' food, quality 'farang' food ;-)

2 hours ago, TheLobster said:

Clearly it depends on the standard of house you wish to live in, and the extras.

You can eat cheaply but again, it depends on whether you are happy with Thai food or want to eat 'farang' food, quality 'farang' food ;-)

My wife makes awesome meatballs in brownsauce and potatoes, quality food.... 

Just now, PoorSucker said:

My wife makes awesome meatballs in brownsauce and potatoes, quality food.... 

She also do spaghetti with meatballs in green curry, that's awesome. 

1 hour ago, TheLobster said:

Clearly it depends on the standard of house you wish to live in, and the extras.

You can eat cheaply but again, it depends on whether you are happy with Thai food or want to eat 'farang' food, quality 'farang' food ;-)

 

Indeed. Many aspects such as if you need aircon or have a family or require a guest bedroom or a pool. So many dam n variables.

 

I tend to eat a lot of fish because I love it rather than for economic reasons but that being said... fresh fish is really really cheap on Samui. A 2 kilo white snapper from Hua Thanon market could set you back as little as 60 Baht and you'll get 2 good dinners out of it. Grilled fish with a fresh in-season salad and a flavoured rice is totally Mediterranean. 

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, TheLobster said:

Clearly it depends on the standard of house you wish to live in, and the extras.

You can eat cheaply but again, it depends on whether you are happy with Thai food or want to eat 'farang' food, quality 'farang' food ;-)

Western style food is cheap if you cook it yourself. Of course high quality beef costs more but you wouldn't be eating that everyday. Seafood, pork and chicken is cheap and you can cook any style you want.

 

Eating out in restaurants is very expensive in western nations so people cook at home most nights. 

3 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

She also do spaghetti with meatballs in green curry, that's awesome. 

Sounds a bit wrong

280 ish for a 10kg box of potatoes in Makro.

It's the starch or carbohydrates in the meal that often points to its origin. I say origin but you know what I mean.. potatoes came from south America whilst very much being a European food item.

 

Potatoes.... corn.... beans....cassava... wheat.... rice.... millet.... yam.... barley.

 

These things are often interchangeable meaning it can change a meal entirely with regard to its perceived geographic location. Omit a couple of things and change the carbs and you could move half way around the planet.

 

One of the things I've always picked up during my travels is food and it's surprising how willing people are to show you how to make a certain dish. Thailand, perhaps more the Thai people, have been a wealth of information in this regard I must say. Samui has been exceptional because I'm known and people are willing to share secrets because they know I'm not going to steal the recipe/method and make a business out of it nor share the secret.

 

Hands up who loves Samui......

 

 

 

 

 

I avoid high carb foods. They raise your blood pressure and make you fat.

I spend an average 1 million baht to live in Thailand A year.That also includes travel.

On 2/25/2018 at 7:34 PM, sanemax said:

28 168 Baht

He asked for dollars; so $4k/mo ought to do you.

Nothing like a concise, detailed post to get the info you're after, eh?

 

On 3/5/2018 at 6:02 AM, notmyself said:

280 ish for a 10kg box of potatoes in Makro.

It's the starch or carbohydrates in the meal that often points to its origin. I say origin but you know what I mean.. potatoes came from south America whilst very much being a European food item.

 

Potatoes.... corn.... beans....cassava... wheat.... rice.... millet.... yam.... barley.

 

These things are often interchangeable meaning it can change a meal entirely with regard to its perceived geographic location. Omit a couple of things and change the carbs and you could move half way around the planet.

 

One of the things I've always picked up during my travels is food and it's surprising how willing people are to show you how to make a certain dish. Thailand, perhaps more the Thai people, have been a wealth of information in this regard I must say. Samui has been exceptional because I'm known and people are willing to share secrets because they know I'm not going to steal the recipe/method and make a business out of it nor share the secret.

 

Hands up who loves Samui......

 

 

 

 

 

Does she have a daughter?

Why do so many people come on to this forum and ask how much it costs to live in so and so a place, or in Thailand.  The simple solution is to come and live here for at least six months.  This will give you a feel for the cost of living and as to whether you will enjoy living here or not.  There are many positives to Thailand, but that is my personal opinion, but John Smith down the road may have a entirely different lifestyle and requirements and may hate the place.  Come and do your own homework my Friend.

8 hours ago, smotherb said:

Does she have a daughter?

Does he you mean