Crazy Amounts New Yorkers spend to live

[Walker88]

NYC has always been a bit of an outlier in terms of pricing. If one is in a high-paying line of work, one adjusts, or put another way, adopts the habits of one's peers. It's still easy to save. Back when I lived there, and when we still had to dress for work, I'd hit the Brioni shop and pick up multiple suits at a time. Find a shop that sells Stefano Ricci shirts and load up there, too. Ties were Hermes or Brioni. It was the 'uniform'.

 

Still have most of them and they both still fit and look new. Quality does last. Of course there isn't much occasion to wear the stuff in Bangkok, except for a few of the the shirts, so most all of it remains in another home. Many found their way into Goodwill, too. Somebody got a bargain.

 

In the end I was happy to leave NYC for an Asian capital, and later that entire industry. It's really easy to drift into a-hole-dom when one earns at that rate. When I realized I had become an a-hole, I quit. Been paying penance ever since, as well as 200 baht for as good of a haircut as I ever got in some phoofy NYC salon.

[LaosLover]

40 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Ties were Hermes or Brioni. It was the 'uniform'.

 

I'm closing up shop in the states. Just gave away 5 Hermes ties.

 

Moving here is beyond getting the haircut for cheaper. Whole categories of money-burning and the ego problems that go with them just evaporate.

 

[kingstonkid]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I go back to the US often. I am astonished at how high the prices are, on so many things. Anything labor related is stupid expensive. A simple lunch for two is $30 to $70 at a casual spot. Inflation is out of control there. 

 

I don't care if I am doing a disservice by speaking truth. 

Like I said, there is a reason that people are moving out of certain locations and moving to others.  We might complain about the baht but it still beats any other western country.

[Lacessit]

12 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

 

 

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a decent looking gal, with alot of attitude, and a whole list of rules. 

 

 

 

In Melbourne, $10,000 for a top-line model for the night. As you say, much less in Thailand.

 

What is crazy to me are people who insist on low-fat milk in their coffee, under the belief it helps them lose weight. Skinny milk is actually enriched in lactose, which causes weight gain.

[GammaGlobulin]

21 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I've moved to many places in the US in my life including some well known desirable areas but New York City was the one place that I started to move to that I quickly aborted. If you can make it there you can make it anywhere is the myth.. Well the sacrifices needed to make it there just weren't worth it to me

 

Billy Joel

Long Island Railroad

So great

No money can buy

 

[GammaGlobulin]

The PROBLEM with NYC is that is has been turned into DISNEY.

 

NYC used to be far different.

 

You are too young to know.

 

======

 

Now, they are thinking about spending BILLIONS to keep NYC from falling into the sea due to global warming.

 

BUT, it is no longer worth saving.

 

Once it was.

But not now.

 

You just do not know what it's like, or was like, to be...in that NY State of Mind.

 

Sorry forget it.

 

Let it be consumed by the rising tides.

 

 

[bignok]

16 hours ago, LaosLover said:

My OP intent was to highlight all of the stupid stuff back home that we don't have to do: going out for expensive drinking nights, getting emeshed in family $$$ obligations, worrying about your fashion sense, etc.

 

Thailand is not only cheaper, it's simpler. And simpler feeds into the cheapness. A lot of Nyers in that article are dropping a $1000-2,000 on therapy every month. Not many therapy-goers on the site.

It is just numbers. After food and shelter things don't make you happy.

[Celsius]

Let us not judge. In thailand we spend 42 quid on quiche lorraine

[Walker88]

6 hours ago, LaosLover said:

I'm closing up shop in the states. Just gave away 5 Hermes ties.

 

Moving here is beyond getting the haircut for cheaper. Whole categories of money-burning and the ego problems that go with them just evaporate.

 

It isn't ego, it's ability to spend. I have 300 ties still. Absurd, but it is what it is. I don't need but more than one or two here, and those only rarely.

 

You spend what you can spend. I saved on average 97% of take home, but I still was a conspicuous consumer. The world isn't fair. I was compensated for value I didn't really add. NYC and other major cities like London and Tokyo were full of people like me.

[LaosLover]

2 hours ago, Walker88 said:

The world isn't fair. I was compensated for value I didn't really add. NYC and other major cities like London and Tokyo were full of people like me.

Yeah, I was one of them too. Now laying low in Thailand.

 

May be (after more situps) I'l pretend I was in The Special Forces.

[mania]

23 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is not just New York. Nearly any major city in the US now is out of control. Inflation is rampant. Not sure how most are surviving. 

Well it is all relative.

 

Expensive yes to a newbie showing up now & wanting to own what folks like us (although not NY but a State with a  considered high COL) took decades to own

 

But....once there all paid off (we were debt free by 52 years old) no mortgage etc etc cost of living is quite low in our case. Yes we are not the type to spend on eating out as we eat healthy at home. Our recreation is staying fit so that also does not cost us except for initial equipment.

 

Truthfully shopping at say Target for things we often say it is cheaper than Thailand. For instance a whole fresh pineapple is $2 or 69 baht. Things like fresh ground coffee $7/242 baht for 300 grams...we pay more in Thailand for less coffee at a roaster. We know as we lived full time in Thailand for nearly a decade & still go to our home there 2-3 months a year,

 

Then when you add in the freebies we get here like Medicare or even if you buy insurance which often you cannot in Thailand after xx age.

 

Shopping at Target again...They offer a thing called cartwheel. You just scan your things you purchase then you get discounts or cash back. A current offer is you spend $120 three times in a month I believe it was...Then you get a $30 cash card back

 

Many things actually again I am not just thinking about it I live in both places. Yes if I had to rent it would be more than Thailand.

 

But sorry those who didn't plan & are now retired are not the majority. Most folks like us are not rich at all & live on a small pension in two countries very comfortably. Lastly the State we live in is considered as very high cost of living...again for those that didn't plan.

 

Young folks do just as well while working & still buy homes etc & build equity if their smart. Later finding life as we do quite affordable

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by mania

[mania]

23 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

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.

Truth is in Thailand visit a ER for a REAL emergency & you will need to show payment before they touch you. I just had a pal go to Lanna Hospital in Chiang Mai having a stroke. They made him wait till proof of payment came thru. He came in speaking but is left side of body was already stroke paralysis & he could not speak by the time they operated to remove an embolism from brain thru main groin artery

Luckily he did regain speech & movement afterwards but....

3.5 days in Lanna hospital total cost 650,000 baht

 

Contrast that with any ER in the USA where they would work on you first & worry about insurance & bill later.

If you did not have $$ you would still be covered by Medicaid. If you do have money but cannot pay all a plan is easily achieved,.

 

So yes compare with Thailand is not cut & dried. Yes tests are cheap in Thailand real emergencies are not & good luck to anyone who thinks flying home is always an option or Go Fund Me another ????

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, Walker88 said:

It isn't ego, it's ability to spend. I have 300 ties still. Absurd, but it is what it is. I don't need but more than one or two here, and those only rarely.

 

You spend what you can spend. I saved on average 97% of take home, but I still was a conspicuous consumer. The world isn't fair. I was compensated for value I didn't really add. NYC and other major cities like London and Tokyo were full of people like me.

I threw out all my ties about fifteen years ago. Just a fashion item derived from Croatian mercenaries, and uncomfortable to boot.

IMO I added a lot of value with my work in private industry, considerably more than I was paid.

 

[NextG]

7 hours ago, Walker88 said:

It isn't ego, it's ability to spend. I have 300 ties still. Absurd, but it is what it is. I don't need but more than one or two here, and those only rarely.

 

You spend what you can spend. I saved on average 97% of take home, but I still was a conspicuous consumer. The world isn't fair. I was compensated for value I didn't really add. NYC and other major cities like London and Tokyo were full of people like me.

Why would there not be crime in such a place? Poor people permanently at a disadvantage and struggling to manage. 
I REALLY disliked the tipping culture.  Just another hidden tax. Without it, the place would grind to a halt. Really unpleasant. Ridiculous pricing alongside poor remuneration. Poor quality food unless you pay ridiculous prices. 
 

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, mania said:

Well it is all relative.

 

Expensive yes to a newbie showing up now & wanting to own what folks like us (although not NY but a State with a  considered high COL) took decades to own

 

But....once there all paid off (we were debt free by 52 years old) no mortgage etc etc cost of living is quite low in our case. Yes we are not the type to spend on eating out as we eat healthy at home. Our recreation is staying fit so that also does not cost us except for initial equipment.

 

Truthfully shopping at say Target for things we often say it is cheaper than Thailand. For instance a whole fresh pineapple is $2 or 69 baht. Things like fresh ground coffee $7/242 baht for 300 grams...we pay more in Thailand for less coffee at a roaster. We know as we lived full time in Thailand for nearly a decade & still go to our home there 2-3 months a year,

 

Then when you add in the freebies we get here like Medicare or even if you buy insurance which often you cannot in Thailand after xx age.

 

Shopping at Target again...They offer a thing called cartwheel. You just scan your things you purchase then you get discounts or cash back. A current offer is you spend $120 three times in a month I believe it was...Then you get a $30 cash card back

 

Many things actually again I am not just thinking about it I live in both places. Yes if I had to rent it would be more than Thailand.

 

But sorry those who didn't plan & are now retired are not the majority. Most folks like us are not rich at all & live on a small pension in two countries very comfortably. Lastly the State we live in is considered as very high cost of living...again for those that didn't plan.

 

Young folks do just as well while working & still buy homes etc & build equity if their smart. Later finding life as we do quite affordable

 

 

 

You are right. If you don't own a home in the US, you are up the creek. If you own a home that is paid for, it is easier to live anywhere, including a country that over charges for simple stuff like having a toilet fixed for $200, or a wine cooler repair for $500.

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You are right. If you don't own a home in the US, you are up the creek. If you own a home that is paid for, it is easier to live anywhere, including a country that over charges for simple stuff like having a toilet fixed for $200, or a wine cooler repair for $500.

Yes and no.

Look at what's happening to Florida condo owners these days. 

[spidermike007]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes and no.

Look at what's happening to Florida condo owners these days. 

True. HOA fees are skyrocketing like most things in the US. Buy a home. Far better. 

[KhunLA]

33 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes and no.

Look at what's happening to Florida condo owners these days. 

Condo buyers aren't exactly known for being the most savvy, when it comes to cost per m².  I suspect most are buying simply for the convenience and are actually lazier than myself.

 

If not for  hurricane season, I would have bought into FL RE 25 yrs ago, since having some of the best values, and RE tax structure.  $100k would buy a nice place w/pool & boat dock on the intercoastal back then.  Peeked at a few, and very nice.

[2009]

On 5/23/2023 at 6:30 AM, spidermike007 said:

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

Tipping isn't mandatory in Thailand; it isn't even customary.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Condo buyers aren't exactly known for being the most savvy, when it comes to cost per m².  I suspect most are buying simply for the convenience and are actually lazier than myself.

 

If not for  hurricane season, I would have bought into FL RE 25 yrs ago, since having some of the best values, and RE tax structure.  $100k would buy a nice place w/pool & boat dock on the intercoastal back then.  Peeked at a few, and very nice.

Anyone thinking of buying a condo in Florida should read John D MacDonald's book " Condominium ".

It's a work of fiction; however, some authors are prescient. Vide Tom Clancy predicting the Twin Towers, or James Lee Burke forecasting Trump back in 1990.

[n00dle]

On 5/23/2023 at 6:30 AM, spidermike007 said:

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a decent looking gal, with alot of attitude, and a whole list of rules. 

had to squeak a whore in there somewhere, didnt you?

[n00dle]

1 hour ago, 2009 said:

Tipping isn't mandatory in Thailand; it isn't even customary.

Username checks out. aint living in the past grand.

[Jingthing]

19 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Anyone thinking of buying a condo in Florida should read John D MacDonald's book " Condominium ".

It's a work of fiction; however, some authors are prescient. Vide Tom Clancy predicting the Twin Towers, or James Lee Burke forecasting Trump back in 1990.

I almost made that mistake before moving to Thailand!

[habuspasha]

Living in NYC isn't as uniformly difficult as it seems when we quote average or median rents, sales prices, restaurant meals, and expenses.  I live in a desirable section of Manhattan in a large apartment for 1/4 of the market price because the rent is regulated (a legacy of welfare socialism days).  I don't own a car because it costs too much to park it and I don't need it anyway.  I enjoy eating out at least daily for breakfast and having restaurant food delivered for dinner from unpretentious eateries with good food.  I can get half price tickets to Broadway plays and concerts.  I have medicare coverage supplemented by the State of New Jersey where I used to work.  My ill wife gets medicaid for a superb full-time care-giver.  Having been only a professor (for 50 years),

I can still afford quarterly visits to my salaried GF here in LOS while keeping my home in NY.

[2009]

38 minutes ago, habuspasha said:

Living in NYC isn't as uniformly difficult as it seems when we quote average or median rents, sales prices, restaurant meals, and expenses.  I live in a desirable section of Manhattan in a large apartment for 1/4 of the market price because the rent is regulated (a legacy of welfare socialism days).  I don't own a car because it costs too much to park it and I don't need it anyway.  I enjoy eating out at least daily for breakfast and having restaurant food delivered for dinner from unpretentious eateries with good food.  I can get half price tickets to Broadway plays and concerts.  I have medicare coverage supplemented by the State of New Jersey where I used to work.  My ill wife gets medicaid for a superb full-time care-giver.  Having been only a professor (for 50 years),

I can still afford quarterly visits to my salaried GF here in LOS while keeping my home in NY.

Keep living your best life, man. ????

 

And ignore the haters.

[2009]

1 hour ago, n00dle said:

Username checks out. aint living in the past grand.

Thais still don't tip, dude. ????

[2009]

I was in New York as a tourist, shortly after 9/11.

 

I don't recall it being particularly expensive, though maybe things have changed.

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, 2009 said:

Thais still don't tip, dude. ????

Many do ... 'many' like the amount, is relative to TH ????

[n00dle]

47 minutes ago, 2009 said:

Thais still don't tip, dude. ????

ah, dont they now?

 

 

[LaosLover]

5 hours ago, habuspasha said:

I live in a desirable section of Manhattan in a large apartment for 1/4 of the market price because the rent is regulated (a legacy of welfare socialism days).  

 

I can still afford quarterly visits to my salaried GF here in LOS while keeping my home in NY.

Your quarterly (!!!) trips to see your girlfriend are unwillingly underwritten by your landlord via rent control laws. It's not fair. I'm glad it's going your way, but it's not fair.

 

Caveat: My long ago landlord likewise reluctantly underwrote my attempt to have an acting career.

 

Do you worry about rent stabilization going away?

 

As long as we're talking about money issues back home, who here has benefited from rent control and who has felt it's sting as a property owner?