Cost of living comparison between UK & Thailand

[NoshowJones]

38 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Very interesting post, I'm just surprised that there were not more comments about it.

Why has no one compared the UK TV licence to here? Or have I missed it?

[FritsSikkink]

3 hours ago, possum1931 said:

A link please. This is the first comparison I have seen. I also think an individuals person experience would be the most accurate.

Cost of Living (numbeo.com)

[trevoromgh]

37 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Cost of Living (numbeo.com)

Thanks for this.  An interesting site but I expect this will be as accurate as the method the UK Government to calculate the rate of inflation and we all know how realistic that is.  Think I'll stick with my own real-life figures for now.

[LivinLOS]

16 hours ago, MajorTom said:

Thailand likes to tax quality. Not necessarily to protect any local products. They just make everything good=expensive.

I dragged one of those Le-creuset cooking pots with me from Norway. Cost me 8-9000B at the time. Later saw the same one in a mall in BKK: 30K!! ????

I always do some shopping when im in Europe. Even simple stuff like socks and shirts. Its better quality AND cheaper.

Yeah I was actually looking to buy some and quickly realized it will need to be another one of those 70 kg flights of luggage again.. But this is entirely my point.. 

If your posting from the perspective of a sub 80k a month lifestyle.. I dont doubt that a simple life somewhere in the boonies is likely a good set of trade offs compared to a 2k GBP a month lifestyle in the UK (tho I would question if your savings are that meagre, where would you rather have a side hustle and earn ?? Making proper money is the west is easy) but then move up just a little 120k thb plus and suddenly that balance is in doubt.. Move up again 200 - 300k a month (which come on is 75k gbp a year is hardly minted) and now its looking far harder to achieve each small upgrade in lifestyle. Thailand wins when you stay minimalist and low end, it loses when you want luxury. 

Comparing retirement Thailand to other retirement destinations for Euros say algarve, costas, madeira, adriatic etc.. If your looking at a 25k a year outlay maybe thailand wins if your looking at a 75k a year outlay you get FAR more luxury for your money there. 

Good 'things' cost WAY more in Thailand, people who say how cheap it is are basically boasting they dont buy high end stuff. 

 

[khunPer]

On 8/31/2021 at 10:24 AM, trevoromgh said:

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? 

Many of the expenses have to do with life-style, but your table  fits quite well with the Expatistan's Cost of Living-index (Bangkok is noit in the list since the Covid-outbreak, but sued to be around index 100), where Thailand is about half costs of living in Northern Europe, I say the same - i.e. half costs, or money lasts double as long - in average between living in my Danish home country and Thailand.

 

If you for example drink beer, the price of each beer might be higher in Thailand than in your home country - I compare to Northern Europe and Britain (I know you Brits are above being a plain member of the continent...????) - and if you eat Western food it's also same cost, or even little more expensive, than at home, so living mainly Western life-style makes the living-cost savings less than 50 percent.

 

Property taxes is a major difference, when coming from the World's absolute number one in taxation - i.e. the Scandinavian countries, especially Denmark and Sweden - you can live a whole year Thai style life-style for your property tax savings, mandatory maintenance (water, sewer and garbage), and heating costs, in my case it equaled more than 400k baht per year some 15 years ago; I dare not to think about what it would be now; I rather just enjoy my life here for all that expenses I already have saved, and I'm still saving...????

[trevoromgh]

30 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

Good 'things' cost WAY more in Thailand, people who say how cheap it is are basically boasting they dont buy high end stuff. 

 

I don't think it's boastful to say you are careful with money especially when you are retired.  For those who can afford it then go ahead and blow it on 'high end' stuff if you want but don't sneer at those who choose not to.

[473geo]

23 minutes ago, trevoromgh said:

I don't think it's boastful to say you are careful with money especially when you are retired.  For those who can afford it then go ahead and blow it on 'high end' stuff if you want but don't sneer at those who choose not to.

I think one of the great things about Thailand is most will not judge you on whatever you left in the parking lot, excepting those who would want it to be so ???? 

[gamini]

A rather silly post you think all people are the same like you. You are not even average expat. You spend more in Thailand for food than you would in UK probably the only person that does so. One of the reasons most people I like living  here is because of the marvellous cheap Thai food. Probably one third or less than  what it costs in the UK even if you like the odd Western food, it's a lot less than in the UK. 

[LongTimeLurker]

Interesting comparison Trevor, thanks for posting.

 

Ignore those that want to calculate opportunity costs or forex rates to the far end of a fart, and those that want to boast about their expensive toys. I could diss your post as you don't include school fees for example, but you probably don't have any so why bother.

 

My guess is you're an Average Joe living a normal retired life and are a lot better off than most retirees in UK. So as another Average Joe your costings resonate with me as a basic costing comparison.

[LivinLOS]

18 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

I don't think it's boastful to say you are careful with money especially when you are retired.  For those who can afford it then go ahead and blow it on 'high end' stuff if you want but don't sneer at those who choose not to.

Its not sneering.. Its pointing out that this 'Thailand is cheap' mantra is only true when the yardstick you are using is the lowest rung of expenditure. Then it can provide a liveable quality of life at very minimal outlay. 

But for a half decent middle class lifestyle, it isnt comparatively cheaper.. For anything into the wealthy / luxury lifestyle it WAY isnt.. Pretending it is, simply isnt factual.

This is also why the 'quality tourists' desire falls so flat and Thailand attracts only minimal HNW retirees (and then mostly from ex Singapore, HK, type locations).. Thailand does not offer the kind of seamless joined up, consistent luxury that HNW and affluent tourists desire. Thailand is great for budget travel, lots of cheap eats, cheap excitement, some great experiences once you tolerate some rough around the edges, low safety, often mildly scammy kind of balance in the experience. Young backpackers sharing sang som buckets and having a ball in rough beach shacks on the cheap ?? One of the best in the world, but every part of that is appealing to the value sector. 

[LivinLOS]

15 hours ago, gamini said:

A rather silly post you think all people are the same like you. You are not even average expat. You spend more in Thailand for food than you would in UK probably the only person that does so. One of the reasons most people I like living  here is because of the marvellous cheap Thai food. Probably one third or less than  what it costs in the UK even if you like the odd Western food, it's a lot less than in the UK. 

When was the last time you went shopping in UK ?? A lot of people are basing this on things they remember from a decade ago. 

My UK tesco week generally runs me 60 - 80 GBP for a couple, without any big alcohol purchasing.. A weekly Makro / Big C is more like 5k here.. My last (bulk) Makro was 11k without wine alcohol etc.. Thats 250 GBP !!  I would be getting much more groceries, much higher quality and diversity, even fruit, than I do here. Thats without even starting to consider what I drop in wine connection or on a good single malt etc. 

[sirineou]

Every so often these cost of living expense comparisons pop up on this forum , and the answer is always the same. 

Things that depend on local labor, and lax regulation are less expensive in Thailand. Thinks that are imported are more expensive and of lower quality.

So comparing apple's and Oranges offers little benefit other than it's entertainment value. 

Can you live for less in Thailand? Sure if you are willing to settle for less. There is no such thing as a free lunch. 

[trevoromgh]

Seems I should have put on my flak jacket today.  ????

[LivinLOS]

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

Can you live for less in Thailand? Sure if you are willing to settle for less. 

Best line in the whole thread.. 

[473geo]

4 hours ago, sirineou said:

Can you live for less in Thailand? Sure if you are willing to settle for less. There is no such thing as a free lunch. 

There is no equivalent in the UK to the daily procession of very reasonably priced, and varied cooked food vendors we have in rural Thailand. Not to mention the local fresh produce available on a daily basis.

Not really a case of settling for less is it? part of the reason to settle in Thailand must surely be a liking for the cuisine?

[Orinoco]

16 hours ago, 473geo said:

There is no equivalent in the UK to the daily procession of very reasonably priced, and varied cooked food vendors we have in rural Thailand. Not to mention the local fresh produce available on a daily basis.

Not really a case of settling for less is it? part of the reason to settle in Thailand must surely be a liking for the cuisine?

Sure is tasty.

But is it good for you?

I think not.

[473geo]

34 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

Sure is tasty.

But is it good for you?

I think not.

Corn on the cob, fish, chicken, fruit, all brought to our home for sale all good, ice cream maybe not so good.

Thai soups, I think ok in moderation.

Rice cooked in banana leaves with flavours ok once in a while. 

 

[LongTimeLurker]

On 9/5/2021 at 10:15 AM, LivinLOS said:

My last (bulk) Makro was 11k without wine alcohol etc.. Thats 250 GBP !! 

Was it you that emptied out the caviar and Kobe beef sections?

 

Next time leave some for the rest of us.

[LivinLOS]

5 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Was it you that emptied out the caviar and Kobe beef sections?

 

Next time leave some for the rest of us.

Seriously there was nothing of any special luxury in it.. No beef no lamb no heavy cheese.. The sum luxury of it might be a 400b tiny box of cherries for the wife. 

I do hate shopping and so if I go then I tend to bulk buy.. Thats was a couple of weeks worth. 

[GinBoy2]

We go round and around on this thorny topic.

 

My own take, and I've been blasted multiple times for my cost comparison, between a non coastal US location and our home in Khon Kaen is this.

 

If you want to live like a farang, food, utilities more expensive in Thailand

Medical Insurance, as you get older in Thailand it becomes prohibitively expensive, even compared to the much maligned US system after 65

Transport; gas about the same, cost of buying a vehicle in Thailand crazy expensive

Housing is the big plus for Thailand compared to almost anywhere in the West.

 

So balance all that and pick your poison

[Henryford]

On 8/31/2021 at 10:46 PM, Pravda said:

Million dollar cancer treatment UK - free Thailand - million dollars 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old age care.  Thailand free with a younger wife. UK anything up to 1000 Pounds  a week in a care home. Live for 15 years 750,000 Pounds.

[Chomper Higgot]

On 8/31/2021 at 10:56 PM, Sheryl said:

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.

There’s another issue.

 

Those without health insurance avoiding going to the doctor/hospital for minor health conditions that progress to major health issues, perhaps life threatening.

[BritManToo]

On 8/31/2021 at 3:24 PM, trevoromgh said:

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.

Doubt I spend 200 pounds/month on food and drink.

And I'm eating almost 100% western food, cooked myself from basic ingredients.

 

As for health care, 50bht to see a doctor at the local hospital.

That's cheaper than the car parking charges at my 'free' NHS hospital in the UK.