Could you afford to live in the UK compared to Thailand?

[Chris.B]

16 hours ago, wombat said:

Why would you want to live in UK?

Fish and chip shops!  ????

[The Hammer2021]

15 hours ago, LOG54 said:

Good morning

Prices in Brighton seem extremely high..!!

I have been told last week by a farang immigration volunteer that the situation in Pattaya is "not good".. Apparently a lot of long term expats left or will be leaving soon.

Would be interesting to get exact figures.

Have a nice day

 

What is a farang immigration  volunteer? Where did  you meet him? Where is he  from? What does  farang even mean?

The situation  in Pattaya is ' not good'...NO. Its blooody brilliant compared to Europe,  UK, and USA.

As more people can travel  again once they  check out Pattaya they immediately  make a plan to come back for another  holiday OR IF POSSIBLE How to  return  here permanently. People who own property  can rent out plus a pension or  plus a bit of teaching or whatever.  Its just so grim,  negative  and dreadful  back home but I don't have the  Covid-19 as an excuse not to  travel.

[spidermike007]

I visit the US often for work, and am here now. I do not think there is anything that would or could compel me to live here. After a few weeks I cannot wait to get back to Thailand. For a dozen different reasons. To each his own. 

[koratkarlos]

Like spidermike I am also working in the US now.  It is so expensive.  Everything.  And the country is quite polarized.  I look at my return ticket purchase daily.  Can't wait to get back.  The food, people, culture, peacefullness, scenery, etc. are preferable to me than the mall stricken stressed good ole U S of A.

[Partenavia]

Once the floods of tourists from China resume, it will be back to where we were before Covid. Prices will rise accordingly. Make the comparison then. Lifestyle counts for a great deal, and I'm far more comfortable in the UK now, returning for holiday's only.

[Seppius]

Sorry if already posted, Electric going up here in Thailand 18%

 

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved an 18% rise in the price of electricity for the September-December quarter, to a record-high 4.72 baht per kilowatt hour (unit).

 

[KIngsofisaan]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I visit the US often for work, and am here now. I do not think there is anything that would or could compel me to live here. After a few weeks I cannot wait to get back to Thailand. For a dozen different reasons. To each his own. 

Come on Mike, you said if you had a million you would live in the US

[spidermike007]

40 minutes ago, KIngsofisaan said:

Come on Mike, you said if you had a million you would live in the US

Your memory is deceiving you. I said it takes millions to live well there and I said I would live there for 3 years, if I was offered a $3 million a year gig. 

[The Hammer2021]

Yes I could but I would not have so much fun and as I would be living  in my London flat I would  lose the income whilst I'm there

[KIngsofisaan]

29 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Your memory is deceiving you. I said it takes millions to live well there and I said I would live there for 3 years, if I was offered a $3 million a year gig. 

You have to ask yourself how many people are living well making less than $3 mil?

 

Or is that an exaggeration?

[twix38]

I only miss the Thai Ladies. NOTHING ELSE AT ALL.

I returned to Thailand for 28 days in July only to sort out stuff in storage and motor bike and send funds to UK - via bkk bank and converted allowable amount into GBP and took home with me.

I met the usual difficulties and attitude at times which I also don't miss at all and likewise immigration.

 

I'm not a basher and enjoyed my time in Thailand. For me life is way better in UK for socialising, health and in my case financial too. Not a moment's regret or doubt.

wash those veg....covered in pesticides. Use that sunblock. careful on those roads. the list is just too long and literally I had only the ONE plus and these days I'm not interested in supporting a new squeeze so I have zero interest in living in Thailand where at most an occassional holiday will suffice.

[twix38]

another example....

 

I joined Simply Gym on their off peak membership. No joining fee and cost was £9.99 a month. can go weekends and midweek daytime.

In Thailand I asked on my visit and off peak not an option. Typical  monthly cost I found was 1,000 baht or higher. So thats over double what I can pay to suit me in UK. 

I think normal membership is £16/£17 month, so still cheaper than typical Thai price and equipment better than those i viewed in Thailand too.

[RichardColeman]

9 hours ago, sapson said:

Where was this place did you have your own room and bathroom or was that a dorm room?

Blackpool, 50 yards from the beach. Own room with toilet/shower, double bed, tv, kettle , etc The owner also changed 1 room to a small kitchen with microwave, fridge, coffee maker etc. Room cleaned and bed clothes changed  once a week. Price was £90 a week double room, £75 for smaller room.

 

I'm not a fan of Blackpool, but I needed somewhere cheap so I could still fund the wife and kid during Covid, and the B and B was a life saver.

 

Thing is you can get good rate when long term,  you book short term and the price is through the roof, you are correct.

[GammaGlobulin]

22 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My total energy bill in Thailand is under 15 quid a month (electricity plus propane for cooking).

What are you using to keep cool in the Hot Season?

 

A Punkah-Wallah?

 

 

One AC eats up more than BT.1500 per month, per person, in most cases, minimum, and I would say that Bt.5000 per month would not be unusual, for energy expenditure for a single person...for sure.

 

Unless, you got your own Punkah Man....that is.

 

Let's be practical.

 

 

 

 

[zzaa09]

23 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

What are you using to keep cool in the Hot Season?

 

A Punkah-Wallah?

 

 

One AC eats up more than BT.1500 per month, per person, in most cases, minimum, and I would say that Bt.5000 per month would not be unusual, for energy expenditure for a single person...for sure.

 

Unless, you got your own Punkah Man....that is.

 

Let's be practical.

 

 

 

 

Practical is acclimating and adjusting.

[Purdey]

I presume that if in England, a pensioner would receive the cost of living allowance that is not available for British pensioners in Thailand. 

[Orinoco]

5 hours ago, twix38 said:

I only miss the Thai Ladies. NOTHING ELSE AT ALL.

+1. 

Always was and always will be.

But few will admit it.

 

 

[mikebell]

23 hours ago, NightSky said:

“Of course, if you are retired you probably do not pay tax.”
 

pension income is taxed just like any other income. 

Even on frozen pensions!  Just back from UK (NEVER fly Finnair). I took copious photos of the prices/quality of the food array. Thailand doesn't compare except in housing and dining out; I had to take out a 2nd mortgage for Gin & tonics.  Finnair  was about 1700 baht + foreign currency bank charges.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

What are you using to keep cool in the Hot Season?

 

A Punkah-Wallah?

 

 

One AC eats up more than BT.1500 per month, per person, in most cases, minimum, and I would say that Bt.5000 per month would not be unusual, for energy expenditure for a single person...for sure.

 

Unless, you got your own Punkah Man....that is.

 

Let's be practical.

 

 

 

 

     My partner and I have lived in all sorts of housing in Pattaya--from studios to 1 bedroom condos to 2 and 3 bedroom condos, as well as a pool villa of 3 bedrooms.  We always run the AC at night and during the day when we are home and it gets too hot.  We don't, however, run it 24 hours a day or when we are not at home.  We also use a clothes washer and a clothes dryer and usually do a load of laundry each day.  We've never had an electric bill of 5000 baht, even when we've had family stay and had more AC units going.  I think our biggest electric bill was around 3000 baht.  Most bills are around 1500 to 2000.  I should mention we don't keep it super-cold.  We have the settings at 26 at night and 24 or 25 during the day.

    Our first house had solar panels which helped with the bill.  We have just moved into another similar-size house with a pool, but no solar.  We'll be curious to see what the electric bill is each month running the pool equipment and everything else.

[GammaGlobulin]

3 minutes ago, newnative said:

     My partner and I have lived in all sorts of housing in Pattaya--from studios to 1 bedroom condos to 2 and 3 bedroom condos, as well as a pool villa of 3 bedrooms.  We always run the AC at night and during the day when we are home and it gets too hot.  We don't, however, run it 24 hours a day or when we are not at home.  We also use a clothes washer and a clothes dryer and usually do a load of laundry each day.  We've never had an electric bill of 5000 baht, even when we've had family stay and had more AC units going.  I think our biggest electric bill was around 3000 baht.  Most bills are around 1500 to 2000.  I should mention we don't keep it super-cold.  We have the settings at 26 at night and 24 or 25 during the day.

    Our first house had solar panels which helped with the bill.  We have just moved into another similar-size house with a pool, but no solar.  We'll be curious to see what the electric bill is each month running the pool equipment and everything else.

There is really no need to debate the electric power costs.

 

The electric company posts the costs for everyone to see.

 

If you are running a high-efficiency AC, of about 18,000 BTU, then you will probably pay about Bt.4.0 per hour, depending upon insulation and the amount of sunlight which hits your room.  An AC with an EER (SEER) of 23 or 24 will use about 1 Kw per hour when running at maximum output.

 

I have paid as much as Bt.8000 per month, for electricity, when I was charged Bt.7 per hour by a guesthouse, and the AC was 20 years old with an EER of about 8.0, and the old AC was putting out about 30,000 BTU. This was the old one which was attached to the ceiling.

 

Still, even with a lousy Guesthouse AC, with an EER of about 11, if you run it 24/7, then you are definitely going to be paying Bt.5000 per month.

 

You can do the math for yourself, if you know how.

 

1200 watts of juice running 24/7 = 28,8 kWh per day, times 7 = 201 kWh per week. Per month, you get 800 kWh.

 

So, if you are using 800 kWh per month, and you are paying Bt.7 per kWh, then do the math: Bt.5644.00 per month.

 

That's right, my son.

Do your arithmetic.

Bt.5644.00 per month.

 

But I have paid as much as Bt.8000.00 per month for one lousy guesthouse AC that was so old I could not sleep at night.

 

Stay out of Guesthouses is my advice, My Son.

 

The landlord always takes a cut of everything, not to mention, sometimes, a pound of flesh, too.

 

 

 

 

[sapson]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Blackpool, 50 yards from the beach. Own room with toilet/shower, double bed, tv, kettle , etc The owner also changed 1 room to a small kitchen with microwave, fridge, coffee maker etc. Room cleaned and bed clothes changed  once a week. Price was £90 a week double room, £75 for smaller room.

 

I'm not a fan of Blackpool, but I needed somewhere cheap so I could still fund the wife and kid during Covid, and the B and B was a life saver.

Thanks sounds ideal, like you im looking for something cheap and easy for a few months in the Uk, researching options prices have been horrendous.

 

If theres a way you could give me some clues as to the name of the place that would be brilliant and much appreciated .

 

Thanks

[newnative]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

There is really no need to debate the electric power costs.

 

The electric company posts the costs for everyone to see.

 

If you are running a high-efficiency AC, of about 18,000 BTU, then you will probably pay about Bt.4.0 per hour, depending upon insulation and the amount of sunlight which hits your room.  An AC with an EER (SEER) of 23 or 24 will use about 1 Kw per hour when running at maximum output.

 

I have paid as much as Bt.8000 per month, for electricity, when I was charged Bt.7 per hour by a guesthouse, and the AC was 20 years old with an EER of about 8.0, and the old AC was putting out about 30,000 BTU. This was the old one which was attached to the ceiling.

 

Still, even with a lousy Guesthouse AC, with an EER of about 11, if you run it 24/7, then you are definitely going to be paying Bt.5000 per month.

 

You can do the math for yourself, if you know how.

 

1200 watts of juice running 24/7 = 28,8 kWh per day, times 7 = 201 kWh per week. Per month, you get 800 kWh.

 

So, if you are using 800 kWh per month, and you are paying Bt.7 per kWh, then do the math: Bt.5644.00 per month.

 

That's right, my son.

Do your arithmetic.

Bt.5644.00 per month.

 

But I have paid as much as Bt.8000.00 per month for one lousy guesthouse AC that was so old I could not sleep at night.

 

Stay out of Guesthouses is my advice, My Son.

 

The landlord always takes a cut of everything, not to mention, sometimes, a pound of flesh, too.

 

 

 

 

     I was not debating the electric power costs, my son.  I was simply giving my experience, with my electric bills, in a variety of different housing sizes, with a variety of different sun exposures, and with none of my bills ever reaching 5000 baht a month in the 11 years I have lived in Thailand with my partner.   No guesthouses, by the way.  That's not to say that you can't run up an electric bill of 5000 baht or more.  Of course, you can, especially if you never turn the AC off, as shown in your example.  But, I think for a lot of folks it's less than than 5000.  

[JimTripper]

13 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I visit the US often for work, and am here now. I do not think there is anything that would or could compel me to live here. After a few weeks I cannot wait to get back to Thailand. For a dozen different reasons. To each his own. 

???? + ???? = ????

[Noris]

On 8/15/2022 at 1:38 PM, BlueScouse said:

Not too many in Sakhon Nakhon, either.

Yeh, Well one would expect that in Thailand you are correct but not in the UK, you see for a Thai person's perspective living in the UK they would naturally expect to see  Englishmen not Somali or Nigerian and Pakistani. A little confusing for Thais that still have resect for their country and culture. Hard for the average westerner to comprehend that have been indoctrinated with diversity.

 

[jacko45k]

Judging by the daily dose of doom and gloom on Sky News who would want to. Highest inflation in the G7, and 87 year olds in mobility scooters being stabbed to death on residential streets!

[Excel]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Judging by the daily dose of doom and gloom on Sky News who would want to. Highest inflation in the G7, and 87 year olds in mobility scooters being stabbed to death!

And today they are discussing the possibility of a general strike due to the hopelessness of the government. 46 million being quoted as potentially entering fuel poverty this winter plus another jump in interest rates next month. Months ago I predicted the UK will become a basket case, similar to Greece. That should be sufficient for no one to choose to live in the UK.

[Nong Khai Man]

On 8/15/2022 at 1:56 PM, BritManToo said:

UK pension is 9,300 pounds, tax allowance is 12,500 pounds.

Some may consider a private pension of 3,000 pounds/year a 'whopper' ...........

But then If it was ONLY that amount Private pension, He Would NOT Pay " WODGERS " Of tax,Would He ??