Is Pattaya really cheaper than Phuket ?

[wbmjc]

the real question is

 

is phuket the worst place to visit in Thailand and the place that only foreigners who know nothing visit ?

 

the reply is also yes !

 

 

[BritManToo]

Just now, wbmjc said:

the real question is

is phuket the worst place to visit in Thailand and the place that only foreigners who know nothing visit ?

the reply is also yes !

It entirely depends on what you want,

If you want to bang hookers and eat cheap food and drink cheap beer .......... Pattaya.

If you want to sit on a tropical beach and swim in the sea .......... Phuket.

[mikeymike100]

15 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

if you do go...dont wear a gold necklace----protip!

I think that's only for Indians? LOL

[Tropposurfer]

8 hours ago, Red Forever said:

Everwhere is cheaper than rip off island Phuket.

A nasty, miserable place inhabited by self entitled, above the law crooks.

heck ... you heard I was living there ... how'd that get out so fast ????????

[Fat is a type of crazy]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Phuket is a Province, not a town like Pattaya. It has many different areas to live or holiday in and prices vary. Dedicated tourist towns on popular beaches are expensive in the same way all major tourist destinations world wide are. Taxi transport in the Province is a major ripoff, however you are asking about bike hire which is not astronomically priced. Most expats live outside the tourist areas and pay similar prices to other major areas in Thailand.

 

Pattaya, a town, is cheap and taudrey, spawned as an R and R destination for troops from the Vietnam war. It doesn't have the natural beauty of the Island of Phuket and it's surrounding major tourist attractions.

If cheaper is your main consideration, Pattaya, the town, is the place for you, but do consider that all the nasty comments above emanate from the type of people who live there. 

I thought I’d retire in Phuket or say Hua HIN for sure rather than Pattaya. During lockdown though I saw a lot of YouTube showing what you can get in Pattaya in terms of accommodation, with gym and big pool, and facilities eg restaurants, supermarkets, shopping and entertainment etc, all in a fairly close area. Beaches looked pleasant to look at and there are islands nearby good for swimming.  Used to live in St Kilda  in Australia for years and rarely swum at the beach but liked a ride or a walk on the foreshore so not a big deal if water not pristine.
I feel like Phuket doesnt have the same thing all in one place though I could be wrong. Maybe Patong but that might be criticised like Pattaya. Rawai looks promising but small. Transport though is so much more expensive. Could stay in Phuket town and get a car to go to beaches etc but how can you park at a nice beach eg Kata and Karon. Still might lean towards Phuket but I think the image of Pattaya Jomtiem Wongamatt etc as just simply sleaze is not all that fair. 

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

well said. Still in the south, you could find much of what you seem to look for in Krabi/Lanta, at more reasonable rates than the main Phuket places.

I had in recent years switched away from Phuket to Krabi,so this was a return based on the fact that Krabi would be dead and Phuket would at least  have some life and be more.ike the old days . Didn’t like Krabi much ,been a couple of times.

[Hummin]

In my opinion two different places and not comparable. 

 

I would choose Pattaya because of 90 min to Suvarnabhumi airport, closer to Bangkok, and more for the money.

 

Pattaya traffic horrible, same for Phuket, but right outside you reach two highways going north and south.

 

However scenery riding motorbike is boring all the way up to Korat, with very little contrasts and interesting roads or scenery, comparing to south and North Thailand which is a paradise in compare.

 

Beaches in  Phuket or in the region is very good, and Pattaya have one Island with decent beaches but poor water quality.

 

I prefer live outside tourist areas, and go holiday when tired of daily life. Life taste better with contrasts

[Fat is a type of crazy]

9 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Phuket is a Province, not a town like Pattaya. It has many different areas to live or holiday in and prices vary. Dedicated tourist towns on popular beaches are expensive in the same way all major tourist destinations world wide are. Taxi transport in the Province is a major ripoff, however you are asking about bike hire which is not astronomically priced. Most expats live outside the tourist areas and pay similar prices to other major areas in Thailand.

 

Pattaya, a town, is cheap and taudrey, spawned as an R and R destination for troops from the Vietnam war. It doesn't have the natural beauty of the Island of Phuket and it's surrounding major tourist attractions.

If cheaper is your main consideration, Pattaya, the town, is the place for you, but do consider that all the nasty comments above emanate from the type of people who live there. 

Thought your perspective might be interesting as if I recall a fellow Australian CSS or PSS superannuation person. 

[chalawaan]

Absolutely!

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Thailand&country2=Thailand&city1=Phuket&city2=Pattaya&tracking=getDispatchComparison

[chalawaan]

17 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

if you do go...dont wear a gold necklace----protip!

Do give a pearl necklace, pervtip!

[Deli]

Much, much cheaper and by far more convenient to live. If I could, I would move to Patts tmw. Phuket prices are a killer in comparison. Not even considering the very unique vibe Pattaya has.

[Sparktrader]

Imo

 

Krabi is cheaper than Phuket

Phuket is cheaper than Hua Hin

 

Phuket town is cheap and has good food. 

 

Phuket is fine if you have 80,000 baht a month. If 50,000 baht a month krabi be better or Pattaya.

[Hummin]

11 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Imo

 

Krabi is cheaper than Phuket

Phuket is cheaper than Hua Hin

 

Phuket town is cheap and has good food. 

 

Phuket is fine if you have 80,000 baht a month. If 50,000 baht a month krabi be better or Pattaya.

My personal experience been to both places few months ago, Hua Hin is convinient cheaper than Phuket, and Krabi was comfortable empty and cheaper. Right now a  quiet paradise

[Sparktrader]

Times have changed. I found HH expensive.

[champers]

The OP might have been better off asking which was more value for money (VFM). Generally speaking you get what you pay for.

I live in Pattaya and like it here; the sea is dirty but I can swim at my condo, where there is also a gym. Cheap public transport is a big plus too.

Pattaya is a little sleazy but I enjoy that from time to time. 

Phuket; and many other places; is only an hours flight from U-Tapao, and vice-versa.

[Baron Samedi]

5 hours ago, Hummin said:

Life taste better with contrasts

So true.

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, champers said:

The OP might have been better off asking which was more value for money (VFM). Generally speaking you get what you pay for.

I live in Pattaya and like it here; the sea is dirty but I can swim at my condo, where there is also a gym. Cheap public transport is a big plus too.

Pattaya is a little sleazy but I enjoy that from time to time. 

Phuket; and many other places; is only an hours flight from U-Tapao, and vice-versa.

The closer to beach you live, the less you use it, unless you doing any watersport is my experience.

 

I use it more when I'm visiting than when living next to it ☺️.

 

The nicest with the beaches is beach bars and restaurants

[Sparktrader]

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Thailand&city1=Udon+Thani&country2=Thailand&city2=Pattaya

 

Udon wins

[Sparktrader]

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The closer to beach you live, the less you use it, unless you doing any watersport is my experience.

 

I use it more when I'm visiting than when living next to it ☺️.

 

The nicest with the beaches is beach bars and restaurants

True i live in beach city. Never go.

 

Beaches r for holidays.

 

 

[Sparktrader]

Rent is 50% of costs. You dont want to live in a dump.

 

Im going to check out khon kaen and udon. I shagged a kk bird.

[Hummin]

6 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Thailand&city1=Udon+Thani&country2=Thailand&city2=Pattaya

 

Udon wins

Check cheese and wine ????

 

Rather Udon T than KK

[Sparktrader]

Lucky i drink beer! 

Dont eat cheese much

 

I can live off thai or isaan food n beer. Odd burger or pizza.

 

 

[Sparktrader]

5,000 room

Gives me 40,000 for living

[tgw]

14 hours ago, Kenchamp said:

And if you do rent or own a scooter you will also be "systematically raped" by the Phuket cops who set up checkpoints all over the place targeting farangs

nope.

not when you have a motorcycle license, wear a helmet and have the paperwork in order

[Stargeezr]

Pattaya is even a bit cheaper than Hua Hin, if you do not go out to the fancier restaurants too often.

  I always found Phuket to be more expensive, except for the bus system. It is still a beautiful place

with great scenery. More expensive or not.

Harvey M

[Baron Samedi]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

The closer to beach you live, the less you use it, unless you doing any watersport is my experience.

Again so very true. I've seen it all my life and not only with beaches. Same goes for forests, mountains, you name it. Dunno why but that's the way it goes with humans.

[Sparktrader]

6 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

Again so very true. I've seen it all my life and not only with beaches. Same goes for forests, mountains, you name it. Dunno why but that's the way it goes with humans.

Take it for granted

Food in the fridge not exciting

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, Sparktrader said:

Lucky i drink beer! 

Dont eat cheese much

 

I can live off thai or isaan food n beer. Odd burger or pizza.

 

 

Try Chiang Khong Chiang Rai, loved the place. 

[Onerak]

I have been going to Thailand off/on for almost two decades. Lived in Thonglor, Bangkok, for three years. Then a few years ago I moved to Jomtien. I don't have experience  living in Phuket so I can't say anything about Phuket. A few times when I went to Phuket I did not compare prices. I spent like a tourist. I liked the Jomtien area because it has a quite beach  where I can sit in the evening and drink a few beers and eat some food when I want. I can go to Pattaya for bars, if needed get ladies just as easily as in Bangkok. I have access to some good hospitals, like Bangkok hospital Pattaya and its sister outlet Jomtien Hospital.  I Have access to a few large malls for shopping when needed. Bangkok is only 1200 baht away using taxis or 110 baht away using  the bus. I have a motorcycle that I use only in the back alleys and now I could use bolt for going to any  place in Pattaya for less than 100 baht ($3 USD). Not as crowded as Bangkok. Have plenty of agents to take care of my retirement visa. Pre-covid I stayed 6-months in Thailand, 3 months in US and 3 months in Spain for almost 10-year. Now I am staying in the USA till last September. Planning 6 month stay in Thailand and 6-month stay in the USA, with a break of three months in between the two places. Going to Thailand on a tourist visa next month. Over all, now I like Pattaya compared to Bangkok. I'm not a country person. All my adult life I spent in Silicon Valley. I like small US university towns and I already have a house in a IL university town and a condo in Las Vegas. I  don't like to stay in ISSAN, though my GF has her mother's house in Rasi Salai (inside the town) with a large piece of land where i could build a house, if I wish. She has also inherited a large land in Kolar, outside the town. 

[Happy Howard]

On 6/13/2022 at 7:13 AM, Peterw42 said:

Yes, more expensive. At least 10-20% across the board. If a coke is 20 baht in pattaya 7/11, it will be 22-25 in Phuket. All those little 10-20%s add up.

I didn't notice that much until I went there with Thai wife and she started pointing out the differences. 2 years later she still talks about MK "Gold" restaurant, which is basically MK restaurant with a premium price tag.

And the food in MK Gold isn't as good as it is in normal MK restaurants in Pattaya