Ok Thailand is known for copies of this that and the other.

What's good value in the UK/Europe < £1000 and costs alot more in LOS

computers??

By computers do you mean:

All parts:

Chips, memory, video & sounds cards cards webcams etc etc

Wine?

Does your partner understand you?

Presumably you are thinking on the lines of exporting something from the UK/Europe and selling it in LoS?

I looked at this a while back. There are certainly many things which are actually cheaper to buy in the UK/Europe! But the reason why is because Thailand imposes high import taxes on said items. So it's not feasible to run a business importing and selling these items....

What's good value in the UK/Europe < £1000 and costs alot more in LOS

I could be wrong about this one. I'm in the process of shopping for appliances for our new home. I've only looked in a couple of locations, and I do prefer to buy top quality with big ticket new items (e.g., refrigerator, washer/dryer, etc.). From what I can tell, it looks like these kinds of appliances are higher priced than things I can find in the UK or US. So far I would guess something like 10-20% higher.

cell phones are a lot cheaper in Oz, next time I come over I might bring a few with me, I'm sure they will sell quickly

Many items are a good deal cheaper outside of Thailand (in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, England)

Cars, wine, food items (cheeses, Marmite, Vegemite, beef, lamb, etc) computers and a host more items as well.

If anyone comes to Thailand and wants to live like they did at home and eat the same food it is much more expensive here.

You forgot Baked Beans.

Cheaper now than they used to be, but still expensive for the real Heinz ones.

Foreign newspapers.

You forgot Baked Beans.

Cheaper now than they used to be, but still expensive for the real Heinz ones.

How much are they in Thailand? I know they was 80 baht a few years back, i never looked at them again.

I am in Japan and paid 315 yen for a tin of Hienz Baked Beans : 115 Baht

French cheese, comes to Baht 1200/kg in LoS.

English Stilton about the same price.

I buy a kilo or two in Taipei, Hong Kong downtown. Roughly half the price of BKK.

Only first time, baught the cheese 4 hours before departure in HKG, got me some nasty looks, when I opened my hand luggage in the lounge

So don't forget to ask the for proper packing.

PS: @ Begs, will look for Heinz beans next time in the shop.

If Kerry wins, mayu be we ask him to help Japan... (just joking)

Second hand books - about 2-4 times more expensive in LOS.

In fact, 2nd hand almost anything, as there are no charity shops over here, and cars defy the laws of economics.

Correct Axel

Cheese. It’s d*mn extortionate to buy in Asia .

Second hand books - about 2-4 times more expensive in LOS.

In fact, 2nd hand almost anything, as there are no charity shops over here, and cars defy the laws of economics.

Pick ups are cheaper in LOS than UK.

In fact, 2nd hand almost anything, as there are no charity shops over here, and cars defy the laws of economics.

The thinking in Thailand seems to be that a buyer should never lose value over time on any item purchased, so material goods generally do not depreciate here as they would elsewhere.

The only thing that's consistently cheaper here is labor, or any physical goods that have a high labor component involved in their production.

Ten years ago it was a lot cheaper to live here than in Europe or the US. Now, I doubt it. My wife and have have the general impression that the overall cost these days is about the same. Some things here cheaper, some things more expensive, but overall, it all works out about the same. Welcome to globalization.

Ten years ago it was a lot cheaper to live here than in Europe or the US. Now, I doubt it. My wife and have have the general impression that the overall cost these days is about the same.

I think that depends on what sort of lifestyle you wish to maintain in Thailand. I think that one can still live more cheaply in Thailand than in the West but if you were to transport that same Thailand lifestyle back to Europe or the US, you would be looked upon as a pauper.

You forgot Baked Beans.

Cheaper now than they used to be, but still expensive for the real Heinz ones.

How much are they in Thailand? I know they was 80 baht a few years back, i never looked at them again.

I am in Japan and paid 315 yen for a tin of Hienz Baked Beans : 115 Baht

I grew up on Heinz beans but have'nt seen them over here. I find the AYAM brand bigger and tastier anyhow. Don't know about price comparison though.

Gazza

Second hand books - about 2-4 times more expensive in LOS.

In fact, 2nd hand almost anything, as there are no charity shops over here, and cars defy the laws of economics.

Pick ups are cheaper in LOS than UK.

New yes (cos of low tax), but second hand, not always. The rate at which a second hand motor loses value in the UK is much more rapid that LOS, so a ten plus year old banger Toyota pick-up in Britain that you could get for less than 600 quid, is still fetching double that in Thailand. The demand for those in Britain is pretty low, but there seems no shortage of Thai farmers prepared to mortgage their land for a beat-up old pick-up for 100,000 baht. I know from my wife's rellies, that economic rationalisation is not their strong point.

The demand for those in Britain is pretty low, but there seems no shortage of Thai farmers prepared to mortgage their land for a beat-up old pick-up for 100,000 baht. I know from my wife's rellies, that economic rationalisation is not their strong point.

Well, they're probably anticipating trying to sell that pick-up truck for 110,000 baht, three years down the road.

cell phones are a lot cheaper in Oz, next time I come over I might bring a few with me, I'm sure they will sell quickly

I don't know where you were looking for phones? But at the begining of the year I was in Melbourne and deliberately wanted to compare the price of a Nokia 6610, with what it would cost in Thailand. At the time the phone was priced at 10k here and 14k in the phone shops along Swanston street. I also found other similarities re phones when I looked around

The demand for those in Britain is pretty low, but there seems no shortage of Thai farmers prepared to mortgage their land for a beat-up old pick-up for 100,000 baht. I know from my wife's rellies, that economic rationalisation is not their strong point.

Well, they're probably anticipating trying to sell that pick-up truck for 110,000 baht, three years down the road.

In the UK, you've got more expenses on running a car. (Does Thailand even have an MOT test).

Also, fixing a car is cheaper here because of the lower labour costs.

i.e. A 10 year old pickup costs less to run here, and is cheaper to fix when it goes wrong. - That's why it depreciates less here than in the UK.

Technical goods of high quality are very expensive in Thailand and are often difficult to find here....Electronic goods, or special tools for example..

I have here a hard time to find what I like, so I bring all my technical stuff in from Japan.

You forgot Baked Beans.

Cheaper now than they used to be, but still expensive for the real Heinz ones.

How much are they in Thailand? I know they was 80 baht a few years back, i never looked at them again.

I am in Japan and paid 315 yen for a tin of Hienz Baked Beans : 115 Baht

@ Begs, took a while but checked as promised:

The only thing I found today in Villa, Heinz- vegetarian beans Baht 59

McGarett baked beans Baht 42.75

Where are these Hienz beans, last time I saw any was in Vientien Lao, nevr even seen them for sale here in Thailand

PS I'm down to my last tin

i haven't read all the posts, so i may repeat:

i've found that most consumer items cost about the same in the us & thailand.

ie:

a clothes iron at Kmart runs about $10 us, or 400 baht bigC.

tv, stereo, film, pots &pans etc all about the same.

you'll have to find a new niche not covered by regional manufacture,

or a loophole in the tax.

sand to the beach,

So it looks as though compared with the Uk/Europe essentials that are cheaper in Thailand include:

Food

Housing

Transport

Repairs

Hotels

Electrical goods - same same

As some of you might have read,I am moving out to CM with my family next year,

I have just looked at importing my car over to LOS,as it is only 6 yrs old and would be a great car here in LOS,Value here in the UK for my Volvo S70 T5 is £6k,Been looking on RODTHAI and TALAD web sites and they want over £10k for the same car,

Looks like i am going to sell my car here in the UK,Then buy a Isuzu pick up for around the same price or upto 500,000 baht,

Inusrance for my car here is £950 a year,and i am 38 with 2 yrs NCB,fuel is now at £0.87 a litre

Also looks like Broadband is a lot more expensive in LOS for the same set up i have here in the UK, 600 KPBS is £30 unlimited,in LOS i have heard £50 with a lottery for connection at a high speed.

ps once saw a Mars Bar in Korat with a 55baht price tag,and that was 4 years ago.