Cost Of Living?

[Neeranam]

ค่าครองชีพ

Is this the best way to say it?

[DavidHouston]

Here's Lexitron:

ค่าครองชีพ [N] cost of living; living expenses

Def. ค่าใช้จ่ายในการดำรงชีวิต.

Sample:คนในชนบทสิ่งเย้ายวนใจมีน้อยหรือแทบไม่มีเลย เศรษฐกิจก็พึ่งพาตนเองได้ ค่าครองชีพก็ถูกกว่าคนในสังคมเมือง

"For rural people temptations are either minor or nonexistent; their economics are suffient for their own living; and, their cost of living is lower than people who live in urban areas."

Related word : ค่ายังชีพ;ค่าเลี้ยงดู;ค่าเลี้ยงชีพ;ค่าใช้จ่าย;

Translations also from Lexitron:

ค่ายังชีพ [N] cost of living; living expenses

ค่าเลี้ยงดู [N] alimony; maintenance; living allowance

ค่าเลี้ยงชีพ [N] alimony; maintenance; living allowance

ค่าใช้จ่าย [N] expenses; expenditure; disbursement; consumption; fee; charge

[withnail]

That's the phrase I was taught in Thai class. ค่าครองชีพ

[meadish_sweetball]

ค่าครองชีพ

Is this the best way to say it?

Yes, that's the official term. The definition ค่าใช้จ่ายในการดำรงชีวิต from David's might be a good explanation to add if you are not sure people will understand (i.e. insufficient education).

[taxexile]

some other economic related expressions (that i believe are correct)

ต้นทุนรับไม่ไหว unable to absorb the costs

ล้มละลาย bankrupt

คนต้องทำมาหาเช้ากินค่ำ people who live hand to mouth

[Wizzard of Oz]

Could someone give the english phoentic version (sorry, can't read thai [yet?]) of asking 'what is the cost of living'?

Guessing the rest is easy 'gee-baht', but just put it in a sentence in case there is a different word for 'cost of living' in that situation'

Cheers,

WoZ

[meadish_sweetball]

WoO, you can get your own preferred version of phonetics by copying and pasting the Thai text into the largest box on the front page of thai2english.com (there are several transcription methods to choose between, and if you have cookies enabled the website will remember your preferred settings).

[Wizzard of Oz]

OMG!

Thanks.

Okay, one more question.

kâa krong chêep

I know 'kâa' means cost of like kâa jâang = cost of hiring someone = wages

Can anyone clue me into what 'krong' and 'chêep' mean?

Edited November 16, 2007 by Wizzard of Oz

[kriswillems]

OMG!

Thanks.

Okay, one more question.

kâa krong chêep

I know 'kâa' means cost of like kâa jâang = cost of hiring someone = wages

Can anyone clue me into what 'krong' and 'chêep' mean?

ครอง (krong): to control, to wear, to be busy with

ชีพ (chêep) : life

so:

kâa krong chêep

cost to "live" a life

[Wizzard of Oz]

Ah thanks.

That's a lot of words that mean life:

chiwit (the 'standard' one as far as I'm aware?)

chaat (for 'past life', 'next life')

and now - chêep - meaning 'existence'

Not really necessary, but does anyone know how to say:

I want to LIIIIIIIIIVE (like in a movie where they are about to be killed)?

[stateman]

ค่าครองชีพ

Is this the best way to say it?

This is the way most Thais say it.

Ah thanks.

That's a lot of words that mean life:

chiwit (the 'standard' one as far as I'm aware?)

chaat (for 'past life', 'next life')

and now - chêep - meaning 'existence'

Not really necessary, but does anyone know how to say:

I want to LIIIIIIIIIVE (like in a movie where they are about to be killed)?

ชีวิต (chee wit) ชีวี (chee wee) ชีวา (chee wa) ชีพ (cheep) ชีวาต (chee waat)

all related words to mean the same thing.

This is one reason Thai is a language very rich in poetry because of the choices.

Certain word is more commonly used with another word, not with others. Example in your original question

ค่าครองชีพ here you'd use ชีพ, not another.

ชาตินี้ (chaat nee) this life. here you'd use ชาติ, not another word

'I want to LIIIIIIIIIVE'

ผม(ยัง)อยากมีชีวิตอยู่ This is the Thai way of saying what you want. Transliterate meaning is

I (still) want to have (my) life (remain)