Cost of Living in Thailand: Save money? You're having a laugh!

[marcusarelus]

25 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Yes it is expensive to live here.....especially if you wish to eat 'foreign' food like cheese, decent bread, butter....drink a nice glass of wine. It is the taxes on 'luxury' items which make it very expensive.....much more expensive than in the UK or US.

What is cheap? Well stuff with lots of labour in it, like houses (but the land isn't cheap at all) or like repairs and servicing of cars....but of course cars are ridiculously expensive. I cannot figure out why a Honda Accord costing $35,000 in the US is much better equipped than its $60000 equivalent made here in Thailand.

The only answer is a simple life with a 20 year old motorcycle and Thai food bought at the market.

Cost of living index compares more than 400 individual prices across 160 products and services. They include food, drink, clothing, household supplies and personal care items, home rents, transport, utility bills, private schools, domestic help and recreational costs.

[MikeN]

7 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Calm down!

 

The BOT reference is for NPL's.

 

I live in rural Chiang Mai Province, I've done so for sixteen years, the wifes family live in rural Sukhothai Province and I do mean rural, it's a very poor village.....I do live in the real world, I see it daily.

 

Here once again is the detailed living costs (and incomes) by location in Thailand, these are figures to which individuals such as you and I have contributed to over time, plug in your own location and see what you get:https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Thailand&country2=Thailand&city1=Bangkok&city2=Khon+Kaen&tracking=getDispatchComparison

 

And if you don't believe those numbers 

 

 

Well sorry, but I have trouble believing those numbers ! Look at the sample size for Khon Karen ..... 20 !

 Why would a pair of Nike shoes be 20% less in Khon Karen ? Why would a new car be 500,000 baht cheaper in KK. than the same one In BKK ?

 Those “statistics” have a price for 330ml Coke bottle at 20 baht in BKK, when the standard price is 17 baht for a 500ml bottle.

 Those figures are just too inaccurate to be taken seriously.

[simoh1490]

25 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

 

CPI increases by 100 points over 40 years, and...?

[BritManToo]

17 minutes ago, MikeN said:

Those “statistics” have a price for 330ml Coke bottle at 20 baht in BKK, when the standard price is 17 baht for a 500ml bottle.

19bht for a 1l bottle in 7-11 at the moment.

[BritManToo]

29 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Cost of living index compares more than 400 individual prices across 160 products and services.

I doubt most rural Thais ever used 400 items or services.

Mostly their only purchase is rice whiskey made in the local village still.

They eat what they grow, gather or can catch in the paddy fields and surrounding jungle.

[BigC]

Minimum wage pushes inflation up

 

plus all these workers rights are putting people off employing Thais 

 

before I could get staff to work 10 hour shift and get paid per hour 

 

then under the rules that yinluck introduced they ended up suing me 

 

they got paid for the work they did

 

sort of puts me off 

[BigC]

Also with minimum wage, why work your arse off on a building site when you can get the same for pumping gasoline all day 

[cmsally]

There is an interesting term in economics called monopsony. There are some interesting articles on how it affects the labour market , especially with the growth of large scale employers. All quite relevant for Thailand in the last 20-30 years.

[The Theory]

3 hours ago, Ctkong said:

Maybe he is upgrading his lifestyle the best he can . After all, after buying the condo, you got to have a lifestyle to match the lodging... think clothes, restaurants, holidays,....which could add up to quite a tidy sum . He got to project a successful career image to his contacts. Everybody knows that in Thailand, people judge your status in life by the car you drive regardless if it is hire purchase. They just assume that if you can afford such a car, then you belong to a certain social group. 

You are absolutely right.

People who want to be seen at Starbucks.

I have seen singles with nice luxury cars who rented a room in a house (sharing a house with 2 or 3 more roommates) call themselves “professionals” ???????? in California, but trick of a nice car works only for 1st or 2nd meeting. Then no one buy it. 

I have seen black guys driving new luxury sport cars live in nasty rooms and using cars as tool. 

[Mac98]

22 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, it is the most populated area.  And by far the most debt is there.

Many office workers in BKK do not make more then 15k. 

Especially the females I have met mostly have big big debt trying to make an appearance of being hiso.

But truly the US is not much different. Just a higher income, but their debt is much higher so who is the winner...

In Thailand if you are poor, you can live poor. In America the poor are zoned out onto the streets (unless they are single mothers - no males allowed).

[digger70]

I see a big problem down here, Thais on a  low income say 15k up to 35 k living in dilapidated houses ,,,It's a must have a I phone for everyone motorbike new car / ute big screen tv/ game consoles/designer clothes / Gold chains. Most big stuff on Hp. they spent more on payments than what they earn , when in trouble they sell and refinance and from there on they go down hill and end up with nothing. It's so simple,stick to a budget  and don't give a shit what the next door people do/have.

[marcusarelus]

40 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I doubt most rural Thais ever used 400 items or services.

Mostly their only purchase is rice whiskey made in the local village still.

They eat what they grow, gather or can catch in the paddy fields and surrounding jungle.

Do rural Thais pay for housing, utilities, transportation and health care?  Or is this free?  Because if they do then the cost of living index is accurate.  What?  Do you think you are the first person to question rural as opposed to urban?  You don't think this is one of the first questions addressed in 1913 when they started tracking the consumer price index?

[cookieqw]

22 hours ago, Peasandmash said:

"most families are only $500 from bankruptcy".... 63% ???

it's called financial irresponsibility.   these families have flat screen tv's and xboxs, everyone in the family has their own "mobile plan" and expensive phone, not to mention multiple cable tv hook-ups, and big car, they don't need that their making payments on.

just think about what the economy looks like when everyone was broke.

get real.

sounds like the UK - lots of people on low income but have plenty to spend on Sky, mobiles, games etc etc, and i believe this is factored in to any benefits 

[marcusarelus]

7 minutes ago, The Theory said:

You are absolutely right.

People who want to be seen at Starbucks.

I have seen singles with nice luxury cars who rented a room in a house (sharing a house with 2 or 3 more roommates) call themselves “professionals” ???????? in California, but trick of a nice car works only for 1st or 2nd meeting. Then no one buy it. 

I have seen black guys driving new luxury sport cars live in nasty rooms and using cars as tool. 

Not much of a bigot here eh?

[Skeptic7]

The country is a Big Joke. Great economy...strong currency...blah blah blah. Sure!...when labor costs are so freaking low. Yet prices continue to rise for everything. Thailand has a strong economy and currency off the broken backs of the labor force and near slave labor wages. 

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Do rural Thais pay for housing, utilities, transportation and health care?  Or is this free?  Because if they do then the cost of living index is accurate. 

They all live on family farms that have been owned for generations, the kids just build a new shack on family land using what they can get mostly for free. Health care is all free. Transportation is a 20-year-old scooter used by all the family. (I have a couple of old ladies that borrow my scooter to go to the market). 80% of the Thai population is rural.

I think if the government did a survey, 98% of the population would approve of the Junta.

Which is how valid most Thai surveys are.

 

Mind you, if our surveys were any more truthful, Hillary would be president, and Brexit would have been no.

Most surveys, in most countries, have an agenda.

Although I did like the Durex survey, the one that found Thai ladies are the most unfaithful women in the world.

Edited November 3, 2018 by BritManToo

[rickudon]

Yes, cost of living has gone up, And yes, more who make enough to buy some luxuries. But many are worse off than 10 years ago, e.g. my Thai family -

 

Mother-in-law and F-in-law were getting pension of 600 baht 10 years ago, now 700 baht, They both grow/catch a little food but have less now than 10 years ago. M-in-L no bike of any sort, F-i-L relies on borrowing Motorbike or pickup truck, TV - old 20" CRT's (which you can still buy!). Fans, no air conditioning.

 

Brother-in-law and wife - raise and sell chickens and ducks in the market. Cannot do more than they can pluck in one day - mechanising is beyond their means. have one (borrowed) motorbike, No air, no fridge, no tv, no hot water and no real cooking facilities. They have a severely disabled son (needs 100% care) for which they get 600 baht a month - just about pays for his nappies. Home was saved from money lenders as family land.

Plus ...

2 teenage children - at college, financially supported by maternal grandparents who fortunately have reasonable income. One has a motorbike and they have mobile phones.

 

My wife runs a village shop which gives her an income of about 3-400 baht a day. She saves some, rest goes on any bills that i do not pay (i pay most). We also have an old 22" crt TV. Wife has a motorbike, i have a car, There is a mortgage and car loan to pay, so no new savings for me. Every now and the, dip into existing savings to maintain/repair improve house/car/ etc.

 

If not for my existing savings, family would be one month away from the money lender  if anything happens.

[marcusarelus]

Just now, BritManToo said:

They all live on family farms that have been owned for generations, the kids just build a new shack on family land using what they can get mostly for free. Health care is all free. Transportation is a 20-year-old scooter used by all the family. (I have a couple of old ladies that borrow my scooter to go to the market). 80% of the Thai population is rural.

I think if the government did a survey, 98% of the population would approve of the Junta.

Which is how valid most Thai surveys are.

The survey started in 1913 when the great majority of people lived on family farms and transportation was a 10 year old horse.  The survey is accurate.  https://www.bot.or.th/Thai/MonetaryPolicy/ArticleAndResearch/SymposiumDocument/2543Paper4.pdf

 

Your barroom education is trumped by the facts.  Most surveys are done by weighted statistical samples and averages rather than querying each and every person as that went out 50 years ago because of population growth. 

 

The survey can tell you the level of accuracy down to a couple of decimal places.  Being anti fact I think went out in the dark ages. 

[marcusarelus]

8 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

The country is a Big Joke. Great economy...strong currency...blah blah blah. Sure!...when labor costs are so freaking low. Yet prices continue to rise for everything. Thailand has a strong economy and currency off the broken backs of the labor force and near slave labor wages. 

Are you clapping for yourself because no one else will?  Wages in Thailand compared to what?  Or do you want to compare your wages to a British Royal? 

 

 

 

 

[marcusarelus]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

They all live on family farms that have been owned for generations, the kids just build a new shack on family land using what they can get mostly for free. Health care is all free. Transportation is a 20-year-old scooter used by all the family. (I have a couple of old ladies that borrow my scooter to go to the market). 80% of the Thai population is rural.

I think if the government did a survey, 98% of the population would approve of the Junta.

Which is how valid most Thai surveys are.

 

Mind you, if our surveys were any more truthful, Hillary would be president, and Brexit would have been no.

Most surveys, in most countries, have an agenda.

Although I did like the Durex survey, the one that found Thai ladies are the most unfaithful women in the world.

Most surveys do not have an agenda.  You just don't have an education.  Surveys are accurate depending on how much money you want to spend to conduct the survey.  The more money the more accuracy.   

[simoh1490]

21 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Most surveys do not have an agenda.  You just don't have an education.  Surveys are accurate depending on how much money you want to spend to conduct the survey.  The more money the more accuracy.   

Nonsense, it's not about money it's about methodology and consistency, BM is mostly correct in what he writes above.

[Bournville]

Here in Chiang Mai most if the ladies I meet pay around 10.000 B per month to the bank car payment! However thier incomes are not much more.. mostly 15k or less. Crazzzzzzy!

[Rimmer]

A derogatory troll post has been removed

[simoh1490]

12 minutes ago, Bournville said:

Here in Chiang Mai most if the ladies I meet pay around 10.000 B per month to the bank car payment! However thier incomes are not much more.. mostly 15k or less. Crazzzzzzy!

Which is why you are meeting them, getit?

[Skeptic7]

5 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Are you clapping for yourself because no one else will?  Wages in Thailand compared to what?  Or do you want to compare your wages to a British Royal? 

 

 

 

 

Compared to the cost of living, of course...the very title and topic of this thread. Thais, as well as most other countries listed above, are paid shit for wages. I'm not opining whether it's right or wrong...just stating an obvious truth. HOWEVER...Thailand loves to overpay in lip service and BS nowadays. 

 

Been here a long time and wages have not kept up with cost of living...especially in the cities. Crap wages 25 years ago and crap wages still today. The government and big businesses rake it in...off the backs of their grossly underpaid labor force. Many/most would squirm to admit it, or flat out deny it, but those crap wages are exactly why most, if not all, of us are or were here in the first place. Uncomfortable as it is...again just calling it as it is. 

 

 

 

[PatOngo]

So many depressing stories, makes me feel kinda………..well off!

[marcusarelus]

11 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Compared to the cost of living, of course...the very title and topic of this thread. Thais, as well as most other countries listed above, are paid shit for wages. I'm not opining whether it's right or wrong...just stating an obvious truth. HOWEVER...Thailand loves to overpay in lip service and BS nowadays. 

 

Been here a long time and wages have not kept up with cost of living...especially in the cities. Crap wages 25 years ago and crap wages still today. The government and big businesses rake it in...off the backs of their grossly underpaid labor force. Many/most would squirm to admit it, or flat out deny it, but those crap wages are exactly why most, if not all, of us are or were here in the first place. Uncomfortable as it is...again just calling it as it is. 

 

 

 

You make crap wages compared to a British Royal.  You work and they just sit around and drink.  I wouldn't put up with it if I were you.  You must have some Thai in your genes.   Do you get my point?  They don't get <deleted> wages they get paid what they are worth and that's what the market will support. 

Edited November 3, 2018 by marcusarelus

[marcusarelus]

50 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Nonsense, it's not about money it's about methodology and consistency, BM is mostly correct in what he writes above.

The larger the sample the more it costs and the more accurate. 

[prakhonchai nick]

Forget saving any. Whats left in my part of Thailand goes on lao khao and the monks!

[Bournville]

Which is why you are meeting them, getit?

Exactly! However... rarely a second time!