Cost of living comparison between UK & Thailand

[trevoromgh]

Having spent several years living in each country for six months at a time I've captured my annual expenditure in each and drawn the following comparison table together :-

It seems quite staggering the difference in cost of living between the countries and I'd be interested to know if this matches other peoples experience? 

The higher food & drink price might be down to the fact we eat out more in Thailand and expat food is much more expensive in the supermarkets.

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

Wouldn't it be better to compare like with like - a 3-bedroom house in each country? And what about rent?

[trevoromgh]

25 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Wouldn't it be better to compare like with like - a 3-bedroom house in each country? And what about rent?

Probably, but I no longer own a house in the UK nor do I rent either properties mentioned as I have purchased them outright.

[yeahbutif]

What are the service charges for? As it seems you take that off and near similar. Cost per year I  found it cost more to live thailand now the UK..I don't have any thing fancy like a new car. Rent house house Thailand  8'000 bhat cost me £18,000 year.   Without Extra s like flights. or medical Don't drink or smoke. if i was on a just on a UK pension £640 a month i  would be better off at home . as free medical as well. so how do people manage on a pension ? 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by yeahbutif

[trevoromgh]

9 minutes ago, yeahbutif said:

What are the service charges for? As it seems you take that off and near similar. Cost per year I  found it cost more to live thailand now the UK..I don't have any thing fancy like a new car. Rent house house Thailand  8'000 bhat cost me £18,000 year.   Without Extra s like flights. Don't drink or smoke. 

The house is in a gated community of about 100 houses in Chiang Mai and the service charges are split according to plot size to cover :-  24hr security guards, gardeners, street lighting, clubhouse, pool maintenance, etc.   The key difference is in the level of taxation in the UK for just living there not forgetting VAT is 20% not 7% as in Thailand.

[Pravda]

Million dollar cancer treatment UK - free Thailand - million dollars 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

3 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Million dollar cancer treatment UK - free Thailand - million dollars 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a  million dollars, but a couple  hundred thousand quite possibly

 

It is indeed health care costs that tip the balance for a lot of people. Unfortunately many fail to take this into account and plan accordingly.

 

Should add to that table the cost of health insurance and out of pocket health care costs. . Will vary with age but by age 75+ can be around 300 pounds a month for hospitalizaion-only insurance and better figure a couple hundred for out patient care etc. . Which still comes out to a favorable total.

 

The biig problem is for people who do not think to get health insurance or are too old to obtain it. For them, sooner or later, the UK is the better option.

[FritsSikkink]

7 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

Probably, but I no longer own a house in the UK nor do I rent either properties mentioned as I have purchased them outright.

4 out of 10 items are about a car, no health insurance or other items. Houses not compatible so maybe a nice comparison for you but i doubt for anyone else.

[GrandPapillon]

Living in Europe has been a lot cheaper in the last 10 years, mostly because high growth in Thailand has meant high growing pricing, perfectly normal. They are catching up, we are stagnating.

 

Living in Shanghai is more expensive than Paris these days, that was not true 12 years ago

[GrandPapillon]

and the quality of food here in Europe is also much better, even Thai food now taste better outside Thailand

 

a lot of Thai who moved to Europe, wouldn't want to go back long term back in Thailand

[trevoromgh]

21 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

4 out of 10 items are about a car, no health insurance or other items. Houses not compatible so maybe a nice comparison for you but i doubt for anyone else.

What other items do you think I need to include?  Happy to try and do so.

 

[Pravda]

8 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Not a  million dollars, but a couple  hundred thousand quite possibly

Often the cancer returns.

 

I wonder how insurance companies deal with this. Will they pay the second time or is this now a "pre-existing condition".

[Sheryl]

20 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Often the cancer returns.

 

I wonder how insurance companies deal with this. Will they pay the second time or is this now a "pre-existing condition".

Pre existing means prior to getting the insurance policy.

 

Illnesses you develop once insured are not pre-existing.

 

There are TV members who have add multiple insurance claims for cancer paid in full by expat insurabce

[ThaIrish Sean]

I think you have road tax quoted twice

[FritsSikkink]

9 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

What other items do you think I need to include?  Happy to try and do so.

 

This topic has been done many times, so i don't see the need to put some effort into it. There are loads of report about this from professional companies too.

Edited September 1, 2021 by FritsSikkink

[Denim]

11 hours ago, yeahbutif said:

Rent house house Thailand  8'000 bhat cost me £18,000 year. 

8000 baht a month ?   8000 x 12 = 96,000 baht = 2133 pounds ?

[HeijoshinCool]

.

 

You neglected the item with the broadest difference in cost*.....

 

Female companionship.

 

 

*Unless she owns a water buffalo.

 

 

.

[trevoromgh]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

This topic has been done many times, so i don't see the need to put some effort into it. There are loads of report about this from professional companies too.

I've put the effort in for my own interest, if others wish to contribute their thoughts they are more than welcome.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

We have had lots of cost of living comparisons between Thailand and plenty of other places posted on here over the years, but none documented like in the OP. It's really interesting. Thanks for sharing. 

[david555]

wrong comparing the western food in Thailand as you did not compare Thai  food /restaurants in  U.K. or Europe .... i think you would be surprised how much a Isan papaya salad would cost in a western restaurant ????

 

You compare Thailand living costs just as like you would live in U.K....., example electric in your list must be for 3 A.C. i guess ???? (4/5 baht a kilowatt in Thailand .....how much in U.K...? ????

 

Generally i find that  in Thailand you make your western money by x 2.4 / 2.2 times more worth

 

"When go Rome  do as the Romans "  do not compare with your origin 

[hotandsticky]

On 9/1/2021 at 9:09 AM, FritsSikkink said:

This topic has been done many times, so i don't see the need to put some effort into it. There are loads of report about this from professional companies too.

Yet you still felt the need to post ???

 

 

Leave the OP to it, he hasn't been around as long as you.

[hotandsticky]

On 9/1/2021 at 9:23 AM, HeijoshinCool said:

.

 

You neglected the item with the broadest difference in cost*.....

 

Female companionship.

 

 

*Unless she owns a water buffalo.

 

 

.

 

 

True......knock off half the house value as well.

[hotandsticky]

On 9/1/2021 at 10:18 AM, trevoromgh said:

I've put the effort in for my own interest, if others wish to contribute their thoughts they are more than welcome.

37 Baht a litre for fuel ?

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

[BusyB]

3 hours ago, david555 said:

wrong comparing the western food in Thailand as you did not compare Thai  food /restaurants in  U.K. or Europe .... i think you would be surprised how much a Isan papaya salad would cost in a western restaurant ????

 

You compare Thailand living costs just as like you would live in U.K....., example electric in your list must be for 3 A.C. i guess ???? (4/5 baht a kilowatt in Thailand .....how much in U.K...? ????

 

Generally i find that  in Thailand you make your western money by x 2.4 / 2.2 times more worth

 

"When go Rome  do as the Romans "  do not compare with your origin 

I paid €11.30 for somtam this week - and it didn't even have any shrimps in it.

(THB 437.48!)

[david555]

14 minutes ago, BusyB said:

I paid €11.30 for somtam this week - and it didn't even have any shrimps in it.

(THB 437.48!)

Thailand or Western country ? w. i guess , hence my post ..., if you wish the same food or drinks as in own country always it will be more expensive because of import  prices wherever you may be....

Edited September 3, 2021 by david555

[Pedrogaz]

Thank you for this. It is really interesting....

I'm surprised at the car insurance cost being lower in the UK, you must have a points free licence.

I spend much more on electricity.....about 3000 pounds per annum, but I like it cool in the house night and day.

Well done.

[Griffo63]

I fear you must live a pretty frugal life as far as food and drink is concerned.  The numbers you quote are £34 a week in the UK = 1500 baht and £46 a week in Thailand  =  2100 baht a week.  My weekly food bill in Thailand is comfortably 5000 baht per plus in normal times a similar amount on eating and drinking out. 

 

Likewise your service charge in the UK looks to be miles out.  Over the years I've owned several buy to let 1 bed flats in the UK (near Gatwick airport) and the maximum service charge has always been below £1000

 

One of my biggest expenses here though, is one you haven't mention and thats medical care.  It's free in the UK as are prescriptions.  My medical insurance is over £2000 pa here and my prescription charges are about £1500. 

 

Finally, my golf here costs me about £7000 pa (3 times a week) whereas a golf club membership in the UK is less than £2000 pa at a really good course. 

 

On balance if you factor in the cost of accomadation I guess there's very little in it  - although it will depend on your lifestyle.

[LivinLOS]

52 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Thank you for this. It is really interesting....

I'm surprised at the car insurance cost being lower in the UK, you must have a points free licence.

I spend much more on electricity.....about 3000 pounds per annum, but I like it cool in the house night and day.

Well done.

Insurance for my 'storage' 5 series BMW in uk is +- 300 gbp a year fully comp.. 

This is a list which may be acccurate in what it looks at but its clearly designed to prove a point.. 

Cover a nice western middle class lifestyle.. his and hers german cars (nothing crazy Merc E class, Beemer 5.. Maybe a baby range or a SLK for the wife).. Add that to the Thai bill and what has it done to the balance.. Thats not talking major higher level sports cars or classics, in the uk I would likely keep a 911 or lotus or something like that for my weekend toy.. Here ?? I could buy a UK house and park one there just for the cost of it here. 

How much does the UK home you own appreciate ?? Versus how much a Thai home depreciates ?? Everyone talks about how 'cheap it is' to get a Thai home.. My western property has made me 100s of 1000s over a lifetime, my Thai clifftop villa collapsed (due to badly built retaining walls) half of it ended ended up 25 meters below the cliff and was front page of the phuket gazette.. 

Almost every 'thing' I buy is cheaper in the west.. Especially as there is nearly always enthusiast groups and active second hand trading in high end / high quality things.. Here they want 90% of new price on some decade old heavily used item.. High end audio, home theater, espresso machines, electronics, grooming products, purfumes, all costs multiples of what they cost in the west. Add in a lack of honest long term warrantys and a failure rate thats insanely worse than the west, that all adds up. Hell even clothes, shoes, supermarket shopping is cheaper in the uk for me than here. 

Whats cheap here is unskilled labour.. I have cheap gardeners, cheap pool cleaners, cheap laundry and cheap basic food preparation which leads to cheap eating out. Low skilled or no skilled things are abundant.. 

 

If you live in a 10,000 baht a month rental house with a honda city and consume no luxury goods grumbling about the price of box wine and are talking about lifestyle upgrades, then we are not having the same conversation. Go replicate a decent standard of living, a well made desirable high quality home, multiple high end cars, etc etc and tell me its cheaper. Theres a reason I am coming back this way business class with 60 - 80 kg of things each trip and going that way with an empty suitcase !! Its not because those things are cheaper here. 

Luckily I am not here because of its price, I am here for climate, lack of revenue oversight, weak enforcement of rules, etc.. But when everything of luxury costs 3x 5x etc the western cost saying its cheap is basically saying you dont buy luxury things.

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by LivinLOS

[newnative]

     Usually the biggest monthly expense is keeping a roof over your head and, for my partner and me, living in Thailand is so much cheaper than the US.  If you rent, it's incredibly cheaper here.  I used to rent out a small, nothing special 1 bedroom condo I owned in the US for $1500 a month.  That was years ago and it would likely rent for $1800 to $2000 now.  But, even at $1500 that's around 48,000 baht a month.  Something similar can be found in Pattaya for 10,000 or 15,000 baht a month.  Even in Bangkok, rents are cheap.  Checked the condo project we own at in BKK and a 1 bedroom can be had for 15,000 baht there, too.  If you're on a pension, 15,000 baht vs. 48,000 baht is significant. 

     If you own, same story.  It will likely cost you less, initially, to buy here.  That 1 bedroom USA condo I mentioned is now around $225,000.  Or, around 7,200,000 baht.  Lots of 1 bedrooms in Pattaya for half that or less.  Once you buy, your continuing costs are less, too.  In America the monthly condo fee was much higher and I also had a town fee to pay.  Plus real estate taxes on top of that.  With monthly expenses being so much cheaper, we can afford to keep a getaway condo in Bangkok--no way could we do that in the US.  

     We find lots of other things cheaper here, as well.  Food is cheaper if you stay away from expensive imported items.  Eating out, which we like to do, is much cheaper.   Any sort of service work also costs much less here--savings on service work can really add up.