What Do You Think Is Good Value here?

[scubascuba3]

10 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Maybe not so much property when you consider other parts of the world; Spain and Portugal for example.

In Pattaya you can buy condos for less than 1m baht \ £23k, can you pay that in a popular part of Spain or Portugal?

[Sparktrader]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Hotels are an amazing value here. They have skyrocketed in price in the US, due to Covid related gouging. Not here. When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. 1200-2000 baht. In the US? $150 for a crappy hotel. $200 to $500, and up for a nice room in a hotel. 

 

Restaurants can be a great value here. Also, Foodpanda. Had some friends over recently. We all selected from the menu. 7 dishes for 460 baht and 10 baht to deliver. Of course, I am in a smaller town. In big cities the prices are alot higher. Tried the same thing when I was recently in the US, on a similar app. 2 dishes were $44, plus the fees were $19. No thanks. Passed. 

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 200-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

And I get attitude for leaving a $15 or $20 tip. Here, I get nothing but gratitude for a 20-40 baht tip. 

 

Rent. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $2500-3800 a month. That is 138,000 baht!

 

Anything labor related here is reasonable.

I had my motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

 

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $800 and up.

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $800 and up.

 

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

 

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300-2000.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 1500 to 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a pretty gal, with alot of attitude.

 

A quote from a friend recently:

 

My neighbor told me she got a quote for a wood fence around her house.

 

It was around $8,800 ($2800 for the materials, labor (2 days), $6,000. 2 days at 8 hours a day = 16 hours of labor)

 

For $6,000 labor/16 hours that works out to be around $375 an hour labor.

 

Another neighbor got some quotes to get the outside of his house painted.

 

Average quote was around $5,000. He bought all the paint and supplies for $1500. Labor $3,500 and the house would have been finished in 1 day.

 

$3,500 divided by 8 hours of labor = $437 an hour to paint a one story ranch house.

 

He painted it himself.

 

It seems like all of the trades collude to keep the prices sky high. Tradesmen make more than most professionals here.

 

There is so much new construction going on in this area it is sick. People moving to Florida from everywhere.

 

I had a leaky faucet on the outside of the house. Called about 6 plumbers. None available for days. Average estimate was $375.

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.

I paid 500 baht large room phuket, great firm king bed

 

 

[Sparktrader]

25 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Massage with s happy ending! 

Then for me at least it is like the wild west you can get away with so many illegal stuff it isn't funny????

Sex is illegal?

[Sparktrader]

30 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Women, property and hair cuts

Haircut 280 baht in farang mai, i didnt try

Saw sign

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

I guess that makes me a friend of yours!

I loved your quotes. Have repeated then over and over to drive the inflation point home to many, who cannot believe how out of control both inflation, and Covid related price gouging is in the US. Thanks for the use of them!!! Appreciate it. 

[spidermike007]

5 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

I paid 500 baht large room phuket, great firm king bed

 

 

Truly amazing value to be found here on hotels. Though I want the Thai people to get back on their feet, I think many of us will not lament, if tourism never recovers here, to any great degree. 

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Haircut 280 baht in farang mai, i didnt try

Saw sign

Pattaya 100+ baht

[Photoguy21]

47 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

In Pattaya you can buy condos for less than 1m baht \ £23k, can you pay that in a popular part of Spain or Portugal?

Maybe just a short distance from the tourist area but why would anyone want to live in a tourist area?

[scubascuba3]

23 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Maybe just a short distance from the tourist area but why would anyone want to live in a tourist area?

why would anyone live in a dead part of isaan where the only thing to do is drink

[terryofcrete]

ST in Pattaya !! 

[swm59nj]

It depends on your lifestyle and how you want to live your life.  I live in Bangkok.  The only thing I find cheaper is my condo rent.  Everything else is just as expensive if I was still in America.  But I don’t eat street food or live in a small room. 
 

[Sparktrader]

Cheap houses in Nsw or qld country towns 300km from anywhere good, no women or 85kgs

 

Give me a thai house and 42kg woman over that plus cheap interesting food

[VinnieK]

Rents and (local) food

[Sparktrader]

6 hours ago, Celsius said:

 

Are you seriously comparing a house that you don't own in the middle of nowhere to a house in a 1st world country?

 

Here is a price of a house in the middle of nowhere in a 1st world country. Canadian dollars. Plenty to choose from too.

 

 

Yes middle of nowhere

Die from boredom

No food

No women apart from 105kg Sharon at the gas pump

Watch 2 flies on wall

Edited September 15, 2022 by Sparktrader

[Colabamumbai]

You get what you pay for, maybe less. 

[earlinclaifornia]

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

True. Especially when it comes to flirting. I am sometimes in a restaurant here, and I flirt mercilessly with a lovely 24 year old waitress. I do it with a very light heart, and alot of humor. I get chuckles, laughs and big smiles. No problem. It makes you feel human!

In the US, nothing but sir this, and sir that. And scorn. Rarely ever a smile. 

In the Bay Area US that same gal looks right thru you. Here, they appreciate the attention and makes life feel good.

[sandyf]

8 hours ago, 2009 said:

Anyway, what do YOU think it GOOD VALUE over here?

Steel. Last week I went to Global and bought 1 length of 2x1 and 1 length of 1x1 coated mild steel hollow section. About 500 baht but the price is a bit academic, just not something you can do in the UK.

DIY in general is very good value.

[spidermike007]

2 minutes ago, earlinclaifornia said:

In the Bay Area US that same gal looks right thru you. Here, they appreciate the attention and makes life feel good.

Yes. Another way of putting it, is that they are comfortable manifesting the incredible dignity within femininity. Unlike most of their Western counterparts, who seem to be pathologically afraid of their own femininity. 

 

I think Me too has already come here. And Thai women have rejected it. They have said why would I want reject my greatest asset, my femininity?

 

When Matt Damon recently came out and stated that there was a big difference between a little pat on the butt, and forceful rape, he was nearly crucified by some women in Hollywood, (especially the shrill, elderly, and way, way, way past the sell by date) Minnie Driver. That alone demonstrated to the most reasonable mind, how far out of control this "war on men" has gone. It is beyond ridiculous. It is petty, silly, surly, and just plain old dumb. Not to say there are not men who deserve it. But, a pat on the butt, or a man putting his hand on a woman's thigh, when they are engaged in a friendly conversation is NOT the same as rape and does not constitute sexual harassment. And yes, I would feel the same way if it happened to my daughter. Give me a break. 

[2009]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. Another way of putting it, is that they are comfortable manifesting the incredible dignity within femininity. Unlike most of their Western counterparts, who seem to be pathologically afraid of their own femininity. 

 

I think Me too has already come here. And Thai women have rejected it. They have said why would I want reject my greatest asset, my femininity?

 

When Matt Damon recently came out and stated that there was a big difference between a little pat on the butt, and forceful rape, he was nearly crucified by some women in Hollywood, (especially the shrill, elderly, and way, way, way past the sell by date) Minnie Driver. That alone demonstrated to the most reasonable mind, how far out of control this "war on men" has gone. It is beyond ridiculous. It is petty, silly, surly, and just plain old dumb. Not to say there are not men who deserve it. But, a pat on the butt, or a man putting his hand on a woman's thigh, when they are engaged in a friendly conversation is NOT the same as rape and does not constitute sexual harassment. And yes, I would feel the same way if it happened to my daughter. Give me a break. 

Yeah, and here they seem to have zero concerns about being judged because of their choice of partner.

 

In the West, they are super picky just cos of social judgement 

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

True. Especially when it comes to flirting. I am sometimes in a restaurant here, and I flirt mercilessly with a lovely 24 year old waitress. I do it with a very light heart, and alot of humor. I get chuckles, laughs and big smiles. No problem. It makes you feel human!

In the US, nothing but sir this, and sir that. And scorn. Rarely ever a smile. 

Reminds me of a case not long ago in the UK where a woman who was suing a colleague for sexual harassment included in her list of accusations that he smiled at her without permission.

[donmuang37]

8 hours ago, Celsius said:

Worst value on the entire planet.

Crazy answer!! You can buy a decent house BKK for 4M baht (US$110,000).  In NYC or London you'd be lucky to get a dog house for that money.

Get real!  ????

[Skeptic7]

Domestic air travel. Thai food. Hotels. Girls. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Skeptic7

[Photoguy21]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

why would anyone live in a dead part of isaan where the only thing to do is drink

I guess to some drinking is life.

[spidermike007]

47 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Reminds me of a case not long ago in the UK where a woman who was suing a colleague for sexual harassment included in her list of accusations that he smiled at her without permission.

Unbelievably rancid, bitter, nasty, hostile, malicious, and unfeminine bahavior. A smile is a lovely thing. For those who have eyes and a heart, to behold. 

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

why would anyone live in a dead part of isaan where the only thing to do is drink

Each to their own.

 

Personally living in a big comfortable house that has no neighbours surrounding it, with lots of greenery around from every window makes it all the worth while for me, I am relaxed, stress free, not a care in the world.

 

Town is a country 20 minute drive with no traffic, the city is an hour away and no need to go unless doing a big grocery shopping, that said, I do go away twice a year for a week or two to touristy places and can't wait to get back.

 

Drinking in moderation when out at the local twice a week is just enough that I can tolerate from certain heavy drinking expats who think that is all life is about, drinking.

 

Like I said, each to their own.

[itsari]

Best is the price of a haircut here .

I get a good job done for 60 baht .

Norway you pay at least 1500 baht .

 

[newnative]

     I find everything's good value here except booze and automobiles.   Best value is housing--no matter what you're looking for and no matter if you are renting or buying.  Partner and I just bought a 3 bedroom/4 bath single-family pool villa with 2-car garage in a gated project just outside of Pattaya for 7 million baht.  About $200,000.   Could we buy the same thing for $200,000 in a gated project just outside a beach town in the US?   Hardly.  And, there are pool villas for much less than 7MB here, too.  The variety of housing at good value is a big plus.

     Same for seaview condos--of which we have owned a number of here in Pattaya.  Could not begin to own a seaview condo in the US--way too expensive to begin with and we'd likely be killed with the high insurance premiums.  Plus much higher monthly maintenance fees, taxes, etc.--another not just good but great value here.   

     Something needs fixing?  No problem here.  Easy to find someone to do the work--at a very reasonable cost. Try that in the US.  Friends of ours bought a new house in Florida.  A number of problems need fixing but they've been waiting months for the builder to find workers to do the repair work.  We are definitely spoiled here having someone to clean the pool 3 times a week and do the yard once a week for a price we can easily afford.   Great value any time you need to have work done--anything from landscaping to having someone do wallpapering, plumbing, electrical, etc.

[bkk6060]

Met a girl on Beach Road today took her for lunch only 700 b.

The meal was very good outstanding value I thought.

[CharlieH]

My total shave head/face/ears nose etc is hard to beat for 100 baht. ????

[marcusb]

8 hours ago, Celsius said:

 

It's not us dollars.

 

The fact that's built in 1967 just proves its worth. Show me how 1967 house looks like in Thailand .

 

The solar house for 1.6 million baht with no running electric just looks ridiculous. Probably submerged in water by now.

 

 

 

And here's detached. Many many more

 

No public transport in or out of the area. You must own a vehicle- insurance for car 10x Thailand.  Property taxes in rural SK range from 1200-2400$ per year. Water/garbage will be $200 every 3 months. Electricity and natural gas, (-40c winter) will add right up. Internet $80-100 if there is nearby fibre optic otherwise your on dial up or Elon Musks internet.  Cell phone-$80-100 for 20gb for a month. 
And resale value in spiritwood, forget about it. 

 I looked everywhere in Sask looking for a deal, best deal is centre of a big city when you consider all the extra costs of living in the Canadian sticks.  
I wouldn't buy here, Im 60, but the rent is cheap and I can live a much better life here than Canada for all the reasons listed above.