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

[CygnusX1]

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Then again, no money gets spend on the building or area and the area and building fall into disrepair

With its juristic fee of 20% of my Australian equivalent, my Thai condo’s building and grounds are beautifully maintained, and with very thorough accounts. The swimming pool area was recently completely renovated, with no special levy needed, unlike in Australia, where a special levy is raised for any minor fix.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, khunPer said:

but if I look at fuel price it's double as expensive now as 20 years ago

91 was 32 today, when I first arrived in 2009 it was 34bht.

[Lacessit]

21 minutes ago, JakeC said:

 

Oh dear... 🤕

The sarcasm police is a new phenomenon.

[KhunLA]

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

91 was 32 today, when I first arrived in 2009 it was 34bht.

2000/2001, and remember around 14 baht.  It hit 40 during covid, steady at 35 for a while, now lower.  All makes sense, sort of.  

 

Minimum wage is up 200-300%, since then, as are most things.  I remember eggs, 3 for 5 baht, now 1 egg, milk at 39 baht for 2 L, now near 100 baht, if not there already, as haven't bought 2L in long time.

[KhunLA]

6 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

The sarcasm police is a new phenomenon.

A few comments about not understanding a comment, and yet, original comment, has yet to be explained.

 

Go figure 

[JakeC]

Quote

A few comments about not understanding a comment, and yet, original comment, has yet to be explained.

 

Go figure 

 

They actually replied, just not to you. But you are so busy protesting in defence of yourself, that you missed it.

 

Quote

Want to translate that ... 

 

 

 

isn't polite. But of course you know that.

 

 

[Travis179]

On 5/21/2025 at 7:35 PM, 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.

Exactly. Living in Pattaya the past year. My daily living expenses virtually unchanged. At least not enough to notice, or make an impact on my budget. 

[harryviking]

If anyone fins Thailand expensive, I really is wondering where you come from! 🙄

[hotandsticky]

31 minutes ago, harryviking said:

If anyone fins Thailand expensive, I really is wondering where you come from! 🙄

 

 

...or, why they stay.

[still kicking]

1 hour ago, harryviking said:

If anyone fins Thailand expensive, I really is wondering where you come from! 🙄

I had my years in LOS, and it was not cheaper than in my country. I don't like Thai food at all, so I have to buy Western food. My average food bill in LOS was about 2000 baht per week. The electricity bill is about 2000 baht per month. Where I live, I pay 90 AUD for food every 2 weeks or so. Electricity is about 90 AUD per 2 months, or 1900 baht for 2 months. I can buy a Pizza for just 5 AUD, about or just over 100 baht in LOS, I paid over 300 baht. I still can afford a holiday in LOS twice or 3 times a year, and I am a pensioner and don't talk about health care, which is free for me here and many other things. This is not Thai-bashing at all, just my opinion.

[Harrisfan]

3 minutes ago, still kicking said:

I had my years in LOS, and it was not cheaper than in my country. I don't like Thai food at all, so I have to buy Western food. My average food bill in LOS was about 2000 baht per week. The electricity bill is about 2000 baht per month. Where I live, I pay 90 AUD for food every 2 weeks or so. Electricity is about 90 AUD per 2 months, or 1900 baht for 2 months. I can buy a Pizza for just 5 AUD, about or just over 100 baht in LOS, I paid over 300 baht. I still can afford a holiday in LOS twice or 3 times a year, and I am a pensioner and don't talk about health care, which is free for me here and many other things. This is not Thai-bashing at all, just my opinion.

But your life sicks. Living on $90 for 2 weeks is <deleted> food.

[Djinn91]

Thailand is way more expensive than pre 2020, but where isn't?

[Andycoops]

People from Western countries who call Thailand expensive clearly need to buy the same stuff in their home country at the same price here.

[ElwoodP]

Bickering posts removed.

[Gottfrid]

On 5/22/2025 at 8:35 AM, 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!

 

Definitely agree with you. Thailand is not expensive at all. The ones you hear complaining, is the too many guy who went to Thailand thinking they can hack it on far too small budget. They simple can´t afford to settle in a foreign country, and see no possibility to live with the costs in their home country. Most just made silly and lazy decisions in life, and are now paying for it.

Regarding the vegetables you got for 30 baht. That was really cheap, but it all has to do with where and who you buy it from. 🙂 It could easily had passed for 25-30 baht only for the 2 bell pepper, 10 baht for the pineapple and minimum 10 baht for the tomato, and still been a fair price. 

[Hummin]

7 hours ago, harryviking said:

If anyone fins Thailand expensive, I really is wondering where you come from! 🙄

There is expats here who live at minimum retirement fee and savings, and do not meet visa requirements even, so with the stronger baht, I can understand they feel the changes.

 

Also when used to how it was, makes also think it gets more expensive, but travelling back and forth keeps my reality in check. The prices escalates all over the world faster than we where used to, because our wages and pension is not in sync as it used to be with a growing economy. 

[sandyf]

16 hours ago, CCesar said:

We all have different standards and preferences, but comparing Thailand and prices to a civilized western country I find a bit unrealistic, because back home we have many other benefits which can be an advantage, especially for the older generation.

"Back home", the GDP per capita is a great deal higher, something foreigners prefer to forget.

[newnative]

    Still very cheap here compared to the US.  Housing, usually the biggest monthly expense, remains the biggest bargain here.   Spouse and I just bought a  very nice 3 bedroom, 3 full bath house with 2 car garage and swimming pool in the Lake Mabprachan area of Pattaya. 

     Total price for everything, including all furnishings, appliances, electronics, drapes, art, etc. : 4.6MB.  About $140,000.  That would buy you absolutely nothing in the town I lived in stateside, where the average housing price is now $699,000.    Zillow tells me the small 1 bedroom condo I owned there with a dumpster/parking lot view is now around $325,000.  Imagine what you could buy in Thailand for that amount--a lot more than a small 1 bedroom no-view condo.   Rents, of course, are also a terrific bargain with lots of selection at all price points, at least in Pattaya. 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

    Still very cheap here compared to the US.  Housing, usually the biggest monthly expense, remains the biggest bargain here.   Spouse and I just bought a  very nice 3 bedroom, 3 full bath house with 2 car garage and swimming pool in the Lake Mabprachan area of Pattaya. 

     Total price for everything, including all furnishings, appliances, electronics, drapes, art, etc. : 4.6MB.  About $140,000.  That would buy you absolutely nothing in the town I lived in stateside, where the average housing price is now $699,000.    Zillow tells me the small 1 bedroom condo I owned there with a dumpster/parking lot view is now around $325,000.  Imagine what you could buy in Thailand for that amount--a lot more than a small 1 bedroom no-view condo.   Rents, of course, are also a terrific bargain with lots of selection at all price points, at least in Pattaya. 

Agree, and probably a 'best buy' compared to all '1st world / G20 countries'

 

Ours cost <2M / $61.5k USD, land, house & solar system.   Along with being <10 mins from the surf, eastward, if you catch both traffic lights.  And about 10 mins from the rolling hills to the west, bordering Myanmar.

 

Obviously would be silly priced in USA, and probably couldn't even buy the land for our 'all in' price.

 

Best part, no RE Taxes.  Don't even have home owners insurance, as not expecting any damaging quakes or typhoons.  Trivial law suits don't really exist here, TH.

 

Puts a lot of extra jingle in the pocket vs living in the Mother Land 😎

[Photoguy21]

22 hours ago, sandyf said:

It is only some things that have got more expensive, mainly accommodation and imports.

When I first came here in 99 it was 60 baht for a small beer and the rate was about 60/pound, so about a pound a bottle. You can still get a small beer for about a pound, not a great increase.

It is much the same with Thai street food.

The real increases are to do with "presentation" for the want of a better word, in one way or another.

We can go to a  seafood restaurant in Ang Sila and pay around 200 baht/head and 75 for a large Chang or go to one a few yards away and pay around 300 baht+/ head and 120 baht for the Chang. The food doesn't taste any better, just the appearance.

It is all about choices and many now want to eat with their eyes, sit in comfort,  have the best looking vehicle, phone, clothes etc.

Becoming increasingly difficult to make a valid comparison generally, but there will always be some prime targets such as energy costs and fuel tax.

Absolutely agree.

[papa al]

a 12-pk of 600ml water, 30baht near my Thai condo.

One bottle at TX convenience store  = $1.59

[khunPer]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

91 was 32 today, when I first arrived in 2009 it was 34bht.

When I first arrived here in 2001 I paid around 18 baht per litre on an island.

[JakeC]

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When I first arrived here in 2001 I paid around 18 baht per litre on an island.

 

Was that the petrol station on the Ghost road(Samui), between OP Bungalows and the Ring road?