People keep posting, Thailand expensive, but I'm not seeing it!

[BritManToo]

Just went out to my local veg store for pineapple, tomatoes and some peppers. 30bht for the lot.

Doesn't feel expensive to me!

 

[bkk6060]

I agree not up much to notice if you buy from mostly Thai markets, food stands etc.

Hotels in Bangkok and other areas are way up though.  Food in these areas up also.

 

[KhunLA]

Yep ... simply chose wisely where and which vendor you buy from.  Whether local fresh market, vendors, chain store or online.

 

You can always pay more, but you don't have to.  Just weigh cost against convenience, or cost of going elsewhere.  

 

Chains ... I'm a Makro fan, and 90% of food shopping done there, especially meats.  Some items online, and baking supplies at local baking supply shop, as marginally (flour) to considerably (butter & chocolate) cheaper.

 

Fresh market usually cheaper for fruits & veggies, but a bit of a hassle, so don't go there that often.

 

Online pluses; availability and cheaper, usually.  Imported items, well, they are imported, so expect a premium price.  Although a bit of a scam for many.  Ex: USA brand, but not produce in or shipped from USA, but at silly USA+ prices.

[save the frogs]

Pineapple is a local fruit. So makes sense that it would be cheap.

 

Blueberries seem exorbitant to me.

Olives are expensive.

Cheese and red meat are expensive. Cheese actually, I'm not sure. I need to do a comparison. 

 

Thailand food prices are only cheap if you stick with only local foods. 

 

For the most part though, it's way cheaper. A breakfast place back home might be 500 baht compared to 120 baht in Thailand. 

 

[BritManToo]

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Chains ... I'm a Makro fan, and 90% of food shopping done there, especially meats.  Some items online, and baking supplies at local baking supply shop, as marginally (flour) to considerably (butter & chocolate) cheaper.

Me too ....... but you gotta watch out .............

Dairy Rich milk powder 225bht/kg in YoK but 350bht in Makro.

[KhunLA]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Me too ....... but you gotta watch out .............

Dairy Rich milk powder 225bht/kg in YoK but 350bht in Makro.

Yea, I only buy that on line, box of 12 packs, much cheaper, than Makro.

price at our local Makro ...

 

 

Last purchase ... 2,565 / ฿214 per, when on sale2,565 / ฿214 per, when on sale

 

 

Last time from this vendor, now, not on sale:

https://shopee.co.th/Dairy-rich-Instant-full-cream-milk-powder-นมผงแดรี่ริชฟูลครีม-1-ลัง-(12-pcs.-)-i.273372851.4141503329

[save the frogs]

good luck wasting half your waking hours chasing down lower prices. 

 

[BritManToo]

Pizza for breakfast, cost almost nothing ......

[NorthernRyland]

People that think Thailand is getting expensive are not really living in Thailand as such. Eating imported foods Thai people don't eat, shopping in specialty stores, living in areas where Thai people are rarely seen and the list goes on.

[NorthernRyland]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Pizza for breakfast, cost almost nothing ......

 

 

Pizza dough from the bread machine?

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

good luck wasting half your waking hours chasing down lower prices. 

Takes very little effort.  Just picked up a 360° camera, for ฿10,5k.  Could have paid 13k or 15k, only took a simpl internet search entry to get available vendors & pricing.

 

It's not rocket science ... https://www.priceza.com/

 

For local shopping, my memory works just fine, no need to track anything down, or make the rounds looking for cheaper items.  I know the prices of everything locally and from which vendor.

 

Easy in small town, and certainly wouldn't attempt in a metro area.  Just plan wisely, and shop when in an area.   Obviously fresh foods don't apply to that.

[Dmaxdan]

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Pizza for breakfast, cost almost nothing ......

Thank goodness you didn't put some of your pineapple on it!

[Neil303]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Just went out to my local veg store for pineapple, tomatoes and some peppers. 30bht for the lot.

Doesn't feel expensive to me!

 

This same amount of fruit will cost you 65 hk dollars here in  hk. Thailand is good value 

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, KhunLA said:

For local shopping, my memory works just fine

 

You remember the prices of hundreds of food items at different grocery stores?

 

Are you ... Rain Man by any chance? 

 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Pizza dough from the bread machine?

Pizza dough from the stand mixer I purchased last week (1300bht). Bread machine too old to stir the dough any more.

 

[Denim]

People who think its getting expensive here have'nt made a trip to the mother country for a few years. 

 

When you do it really puts things in perspective.

[Hummin]

A standard hotel room in Europe now ranging from 5k to 10k (baht) and even more high season or some special arrangements requires more bookings than normal.

 

Two bedroom appartment impossible to get under 30k a month

 

Vegetables and fruits is just insane.

 

7 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

People that think Thailand is getting expensive are not really living in Thailand as such. Eating imported foods Thai people don't eat, shopping in specialty stores, living in areas where Thai people are rarely seen and the list goes on.

 

Thailand is on pair with Norway if not more expensive when it comes to certain imported food and stuff, but I have lived more back in Norway the last 3 years than Thailand, and it really escalating faster year for year.

 

Also spent time in Spain, and the expats there who moved down from Northern Europe, experience their pensions being stretched, and many are now spending their savings, or forced to relocate to cheaper living standards. 

 

Thailand is still the cheapest and best expat destination if you include their infrastructure and safety. 

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Pizza dough from the stand mixer I purchased last week (1300bht). Bread machine too old to stir the dough any more.

 

Good buy

[KhunLA]

3 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Pizza dough from the bread machine?

Stand mixer for us.  Can use food processor also.  Made a 850gr loaf of bread the other day.  Cost all of ~฿30 to make.

 

If wanting quick pizza dough or a flat bread, just cut 100-150gr of that, and I have.  Still have a large loaf of bread.  Or if really lazy, just the bread for a quick pizza.  Options abound 

 

 

[Presnock]

38 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Yep ... simply chose wisely where and which vendor you buy from.  Whether local fresh market, vendors, chain store or online.

 

You can always pay more, but you don't have to.  Just weigh cost against convenience, or cost of going elsewhere.  

 

Chains ... I'm a Makro fan, and 90% of food shopping done there, especially meats.  Some items online, and baking supplies at local baking supply shop, as marginally (flour) to considerably (butter & chocolate) cheaper.

 

Fresh market usually cheaper for fruits & veggies, but a bit of a hassle, so don't go there that often.

 

Online pluses; availability and cheaper, usually.  Imported items, well, they are imported, so expect a premium price.  Although a bit of a scam for many.  Ex: USA brand, but not produce in or shipped from USA, but at silly USA+ prices.

yeah perfect example - extra virgin olive oil - I note the price at tops is of late, 700+ baht while I saw on a news clip of a grocery store in the Us with the price for the same brand $18.99.  I guess those olive groves suffered a lot due to weather conditions which have driven the price up.

But for the most part, I do note it is best to shop around as one can still get great bargins even with brand name and quality.

[scubascuba3]

Golf is expensive, £10k a year for three rounds a week, in UK £1k

[KhunLA]

14 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

You remember the prices of hundreds of food items at different grocery stores?

 

Are you ... Rain Man by any chance? 

 

Stop it ...

 

... No need for 100s, as simply know the pricing of what we buy.  Saying that, I do have an amazing memory for numbers 😎

 

You buy something repetitively, every week, the numbers start to stick.  Especially if you see  large increase or sale.  We buy fresh, whole foods, so do need to shop more often than those living on pre-made processed crap.

[msbkk]

16 minutes ago, Denim said:

People who think its getting expensive here have'nt made a trip to the mother country for a few years. 

 

When you do it really puts things in perspective.

It depends on what you are shopping. If you like cottage cheese, greek yogurt, wine, chocolate, cereals and other items than Thailand is expensive. I am often moved to tears when walking in a German Aldi or Lidl or Rewe shop. You can argue that nobody needs these products. The mentioned items are even expensive when produced in Thailand. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

I am in Australia and yes most basics are more expensive here - prices have gone up a lot in the last year or two - but many things: wine, beer, chocolate, many nuts, many cereals, many dairy products are more expensive in Thailand. Those things are a significant part of what I buy so Thailand doesn't come out that far on top.  

[sandyf]

39 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Cheese actually, I'm not sure. I need to do a comparison. 

Cheese is dependent on where it comes from, eg Australian Edam is a lot cheaper than Dutch Edam.

Most supermarket pre packed is about 1-1.5 baht/gram, about the same as in the UK.

 

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Stop it ...

 

... No need for 100s, as simply know the pricing of what we buy.  Saying that, I do have an amazing memory for numbers 😎

 

You buy something repetitively, every week, the numbers start to stick.  Especially if you see  large increase or sale.  We buy fresh, whole foods, so do need to shop more often than those living on pre-made processed crap.

We used to spend 30k 5 years ago for 

 

Electric

4 grown ups (parents works for us gets 10k a month and we do the shopping of food)

Adoptive daughter who gets 3k a month + school, clothes, phone etc

3 dogs

One cat

10 cheeps

15 chicken

 

Now spending 40k

 

When I'm not here used to be 20k, now 25k - 30k 

 

Income farm 280k last year, and do not expect anything more next year. 

 

Not including holidays, insurance

 

 

[KhunLA]

29 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Pizza dough from the stand mixer I purchased last week (1300bht). Bread machine too old to stir the dough any more.

 

Took la dee  👍

 

We went 'high end' ... Electrolux (cheapest), being rich elitist 🙄

All of ฿8k, with extra attachments & all (meat grinder), which we rarely use 

 

Does have a stronger motor than our cheap A$$ food processor, which if constantly making bread in, would kill it.

[Hummin]

13 minutes ago, msbkk said:

It depends on what you are shopping. If you like cottage cheese, greek yogurt, wine, chocolate, cereals and other items than Thailand is expensive. I am often moved to tears when walking in a German Aldi or Lidl or Rewe shop. You can argue that nobody needs these products. The mentioned items are even expensive when produced in Thailand. 

The only youghurt I eat is farmers union Greek, and that have gone up from 150 baht 8 years ago, to 240 - 320 depends where you buy it, and also season in tourists areas. Still find good offers on cheese at makro, but since we live 180km away from closest makro, we do not chase prices. We buy what we need when we are there.

 

 

[CCesar]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

I agree not up much to notice if you buy from mostly Thai markets, food stands etc.

Hotels in Bangkok and other areas are way up though.  Food in these areas up also.

 

Totally disagree, because most local people I talk to are complaining about unreasonable price increases in markets besides other places where costs have been going up, especially with local products too.

[JakeC]

Quote

 

Cheese is dependent on where it comes from, eg Australian Edam is a lot cheaper than Dutch Edam.

Most supermarket pre packed is about 1-1.5 baht/gram, about the same as in the UK.

 

 

No.

Edam cheese in the U.K. £3 for 300 grams at Sainsburys. That's nowhere near 1 baht per gram.