The Price Of Living In Thailand

[a2396]

Haircuts. I spend 1,500 here in Thailand for a "quality" of haircut that would cost about 1,200 in the UK.

all over the world a haircut combined with a blowjob is more expensive than a haircut without.

I spend 100 bht for a quality haircut, as good as I would get back home for 500 bht. But, alas no BJ. Maybe that's where the real quality standard comes in (no pun intended).

[yorkieb]

Which is the more expensive UK or Thialand?.

I tend to look at thinks in the UK in terms of how much value I actually get for my £ here in the UK. I have roughly calculated that for every UK £ I earn I only get about 15 - 20 pence of valve. Where does the 80 - 85 pence go................ well consider 20%-40% income tax. 60 pence out of every pound fuel tax. 17.5% vat. tax on insurance, road tax, carbon tax, congestion charge, stamp duty, airport tax. The layers of tax in the UK have sucessfully created a system that would leave any mafia green with envy. And even when you have worked all your live opening up your wallet to MR Brown (the current muppet who is lineing his own self interested pockects, oh sorry that should be who is running our counrty) and you have a pension he takes tax off the top of that too.

I hazzard a guess that with an exchange of 1 GBP to say 60 bhat that I would get more value out of 6o baht in Thailand.

[Ijustwannateach]

Naturally if you expect a life here that is a carbon copy of upper-middle-class suburban life in a 1st world country, then it will seem prohibitively expensive simply because of the import duties. It don't think it's really a fair or reasonable way to compare the costs of living in different countries, as it assumes the standard should be what is true in the *foreign* country- it would be like trying to judge London expensive because som tam is so pricey in all the Thai restaurants.

[Naam]

Back home on the French Riviera, the cost of living with a fraction of what it is here.

you seem to have a valid point. i am not quite sure but i think the cost of maintaining our home in Thailand is considerably higher than the tent in which we lived in Germany. i have no idea about finances. have to ask my wife for details.

p.s. if i'm not mistaken the construction of our thai house was also more expensive than the tent purchase.

[GuestHouse]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

[jonniebkk]

Of course, if you want to live like you did in Kensington or Cincinatti, it ain't cheap to live a farang lifestyle. The more you live like locals, on the economy, the cheaper it gets.

Very true PB. I think one of the best aspects of my 10 years of living in LOS has been by decoupling from the attachment to Name Brand Goods. When I was working and back Stateside, I too had the closet full of Armani suits, shirts, Ferragamo shoes, Burberry raincoats, Italian camel-hair overcoats, Izod shirts, etc., etc. I justified it by saying that in my professional position, I NEEDED these things. Maybe so maybe not...but it all cost allot of money. Of course, my spending was coaxed along by the massive advertising and marketing juggernaut we call the "consumer economy."

As soon as I moved to Thailand...all the wishes for all that expensive crap faded away. Of course, I didn't need the suits anymore and a pair of shorts and a few light shirts was all I needed but I truly feel that not being exposed to 24/7 advertising and marketing had a big part in my change of attitude too. Now don't get me wrong, I am not so naive to think that there isn't the same marketing/advertising consumer economy nexus here in Thailand...there certainly is...but 99% of it is in Thai and presented in Thai media outlets that I don't see, hear, or read. Therefore, I am not exposed to it and not influenced by it

Like the person who posted about buying a B 2000 equilivent stingray wallet. Maybe in the old days having an exotic-skin wallet would have been appealing to me and I might have spent that kind of money to have something to put my money in. Now, I think, how silly! I just buy a nice (but relatively inexpensive) local brand leather wallet (real not some brand name copy) for B 500-B800. I get a beautiful well made soft leather wallet that is just fine.

For most consumer goods one would need in Thailand, there are well-made local brands that are much much cheaper than highly advertised international brands. Another good example is shoes. A pair of walking boots or leather slip-ons can easily run B 4000-B 7000 if one buys something from a Timberland shop in Thailand but if you just go to Robinson's, there are perfectly acceptable local brands like "Heavy" and others that are no more than B 1000- B 1500. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they probably were made in the same Chinese factory that made the Timberlands

So the overall point being that people's cost of living is often high because they choose it to be.

[LivinLOS]

For most consumer goods one would need in Thailand, there are well-made local brands that are much much cheaper than highly advertised international brands. Another good example is shoes. A pair of walking boots or leather slip-ons can easily run B 4000-B 7000 if one buys something from a Timberland shop in Thailand but if you just go to Robinson's, there are perfectly acceptable local brands like "Heavy" and others that are no more than B 1000- B 1500. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they probably were made in the same Chinese factory that made the Timberlands

Let me know when you find ANYTHING local in size 46 47 then..

Its not even like I have huge feet.. But I pretty much cant buy any Thai soes, even nike / rebook / etc (at 4000+ baht) often dont have stocks over 45.

[Naam]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

ask our fellow Americans in this forum. i think they will be quite p*ssed off when checking your ability to calculate percentages. come to tho think of it... even the Brits won't admire your mathematical/arithmetic capabilities

[Gary A]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

ask our fellow Americans in this forum. i think they will be quite p*ssed off when checking your ability to calculate percentages. come to tho think of it... even the Brits won't admire your mathematical/arithmetic capabilities

The mathematics indeed need some work and recalculation. That said, when I made the decision to retire here the exchange rate was 25 baht to a dollar. That's what my needs here were based on so I'm still in pretty good shape.

[bendix]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

That's a fatuous argument.

A 5% slide in exchange rates and resulting whines from expats is nothing to do with the cheapness or expense of living here. It's to do with those expats being woefully bad at planning and coming here completely undercapitalised or under-resourced.

[jonniebkk]

Let me know when you find ANYTHING local in size 46 47 then..

Its not even like I have huge feet.. But I pretty much cant buy any Thai soes, even nike / rebook / etc (at 4000+ baht) often dont have stocks over 45.

I am an 8-1/2 or or 9 in American sizes. I think that is around 44 in Euro sizing. I usually don't have any trouble finding shoes in my slightly smaller size. However, it is true that larger than average sizes will be harder to find (and sell out quickly). In your case, have you considered custom made shoes. You would get a perfect fit and still much less than some branded shoe.

As for athletic shoes, the Thai brand Dee Mac (Very Good) is perfectly acceptable to me and around B 1000 a pair.

[hanibal7]

Everybody has different views on what type of life style suits the individual best.My view is i would hate to be working in uk now,meeting owners and directors of companies who are so far up their own <deleted>,trying to sell products to them.Staying in top quality hotels,paid by the company, does not appeal to me any more.going abroad with a huge budget to spend on customers,who,for the most part were dickheads does not appeal to me.getting up at 5.00am to travel 350 miles for a business meeting,scraping the ice of the car does not appeal to me.shaving and getting my good quality shirts,ties and suit on does not appeal to me no more.I love my lifestyle here and wouldnt change it for my 280,000 pound house,top of the range car,40k per year job and loads of money saved.Health and happiness is number for for me and i have it.Why do i need a 70k a month penthouse suite or big swimming pool or a big car.this is the first time i have driven a 7 year old car since i was 17 and i love it.Most of my friends who are fairly rich envy me and my life and wish they had the balls to retire early and live a good life.

[zorro1]

Everybody has different views on what type of life style suits the individual best.My view is i would hate to be working in uk now,meeting owners and directors of companies who are so far up their own <deleted>,trying to sell products to them.Staying in top quality hotels,paid by the company, does not appeal to me any more.going abroad with a huge budget to spend on customers,who,for the most part were dickheads does not appeal to me.getting up at 5.00am to travel 350 miles for a business meeting,scraping the ice of the car does not appeal to me.shaving and getting my good quality shirts,ties and suit on does not appeal to me no more.I love my lifestyle here and wouldnt change it for my 280,000 pound house,top of the range car,40k per year job and loads of money saved.Health and happiness is number for for me and i have it.Why do i need a 70k a month penthouse suite or big swimming pool or a big car.this is the first time i have driven a 7 year old car since i was 17 and i love it.Most of my friends who are fairly rich envy me and my life and wish they had the balls to retire early and live a good life.

Well said

[jonniebkk]

My view is i would hate to be working in uk now,meeting owners and directors of companies who are so far up their own <deleted>,trying to sell products to them..Why do i need a 70k a month penthouse suite or big swimming pool or a big car.this is the first time i have driven a 7 year old car since i was 17 and i love it.Most of my friends who are fairly rich envy me and my life and wish they had the balls to retire early and live a good life.

Exactly...there's lots to be said for the "slow life." As they say, there are plenty of rich men enjoying their money... in the grave

Edited April 24, 2008 by jonniebkk

[Naam]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

ask our fellow Americans in this forum. i think they will be quite p*ssed off when checking your ability to calculate percentages. come to tho think of it... even the Brits won't admire your mathematical/arithmetic capabilities

The mathematics indeed need some work and recalculation. That said, when I made the decision to retire here the exchange rate was 25 baht to a dollar. That's what my needs here were based on so I'm still in pretty good shape.

you are THAT old Gary?

[GuestHouse]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

ask our fellow Americans in this forum. i think they will be quite p*ssed off when checking your ability to calculate percentages. come to tho think of it... even the Brits won't admire your mathematical/arithmetic capabilities

Actually I think you might have a point... although its not my calculation that is in error but my recollection of when exactly the Panic Messages started - on second reflection it seems that it was a 2% slide in exchange rates that started TV filling up with Blind Panic Messages along the lines

'I'm going to starve/going back home/going to Cambodia'.

----

That's a fatuous argument.

A 5% slide in exchange rates and resulting whines from expats is nothing to do with the cheapness or expense of living here. It's to do with those expats being woefully bad at planning and coming here completely undercapitalised or under-resourced.

OK - So someone thought Thailand was cheaper than it is.... The result is the same..

[Heng]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

That's a fatuous argument.

A 5% slide in exchange rates and resulting whines from expats is nothing to do with the cheapness or expense of living here. It's to do with those expats being woefully bad at planning and coming here completely undercapitalised or under-resourced.

Agree, but to the defense of the 'short term planners' the local environment severely limits 'plan B' options and as it has been throughout history: it's not too difficult to overrun your supply lines in Asia.

[YoungFarang13]

many of the farang here are the Western version of Isaanites: bad spending habits, beat down by the man, etc

And I disagree Heng, any farang can go out and grab a 20k+/month teaching job, while perhaps not ideal, I think thats a pretty awesome plan B when you consider the majority of Thais are making waaaaay less than that.

Edited April 24, 2008 by YoungFarang13

[Heng]

many of the farang here are the Western version of Isaanites: bad spending habits, beat down by the man, etc

And I disagree Heng, any farang can go out and grab a 20k+/month teaching job, while perhaps not ideal, I think thats a pretty awesome plan B when you consider the majority of Thais are making waaaaay less than that.

Well, not all farangs speak/write a language where there is local demand for someone teaching it. Also, while it's not exactly a unique skills set type job, not everone can do it... like sewing or shaving with a straight razor. Not to mention that the average farang has a higher overhead because of the visa run/hoops thing. Plenty of farangs would have some meager savings if it weren't for the immigration issue, but instead they are treading water with a half a paycheck in the bank if that... just like a typical Issanite.

[YoungFarang13]

i cannot understand half of the stuff that comes out of non American/Canadian mouths but does that really stop them from teaching english? all i know about english teaching comes from stickman bangkok and he makes it out like ANYONE with a white face can get a job teaching.

[Naam]

i cannot understand half of the stuff that comes out of non American/Canadian mouths...

could the reason be that your knowledge/command of the english language is rather limited and you are only familiar with the dialect used to communicate in the northern parts of the Americas?

just asking...

[YoungFarang13]

i cannot understand half of the stuff that comes out of non American/Canadian mouths...

could the reason be that your knowledge/command of the english language is rather limited and you are only familiar with the dialect used to communicate in the northern parts of the Americas?

just asking...

nobody has a problem understanding Americans and Canadians when they speak, but they have problems understanding each other...its just about the ability to speak clearly. Singlish is probably crystal clear for Singaporeans. I don't have the first clue about what they are trying to say. i have watched football with Thais many times when they ask "Why is he (english guy) talking like that. It makes me want to kill myself". Fwiw, Indians also tend to speak very clearly.

i know there are many kinds of english dialects. i like the ones that the cnn reporters and hugh grant use. some of the other ones, i dont know where they come from, probably from the docks or factories, its like being slowly tortured.

Edited April 24, 2008 by YoungFarang13

[sbk]

i cannot understand half of the stuff that comes out of non American/Canadian mouths...

could the reason be that your knowledge/command of the english language is rather limited and you are only familiar with the dialect used to communicate in the northern parts of the Americas?

just asking...

One word Naam: Glaswegian

I think that says it all, right there

[Naam]

i cannot understand half of the stuff that comes out of non American/Canadian mouths...

could the reason be that your knowledge/command of the english language is rather limited and you are only familiar with the dialect used to communicate in the northern parts of the Americas?

just asking...

nobody has a problem understanding Americans and Canadians when they speak

who is "nobody"? i never met him. and why does he have problems to understand Americans or Canadians?

just pulling your leg

[Naam]

Glaswegian

when your sling shot hits SBK it hits hard. i had to google for the meaning of "Glaswegian"

[sbk]

Sorry, I just assumed you had met someone from Glasgow. Most incomprehensible dialect of English I have ever heard, and in my now 20 years of living overseas, I have heard quite a few.

OK, back to the price of goods in thailand and how much teachers make

[Gary A]

If it were indeed so very much cheaper to live in Thailand then why is it that a 5% slide in the exchange rates sends so many expats in Thailand into a blind panic?

ask our fellow Americans in this forum. i think they will be quite p*ssed off when checking your ability to calculate percentages. come to tho think of it... even the Brits won't admire your mathematical/arithmetic capabilities

The mathematics indeed need some work and recalculation. That said, when I made the decision to retire here the exchange rate was 25 baht to a dollar. That's what my needs here were based on so I'm still in pretty good shape.

you are THAT old Gary?

Actually it seems like only a couple of years ago. I went back to the US when the Thai economy crashed. That's only a little more than ten years ago. My Thai wages were cut nearly in half. California offered much more money. I always thought the baht could easily go back to twenty five to one. I KNEW where I was going to retire.

[Heng]

i cannot understand half of the stuff that comes out of non American/Canadian mouths but does that really stop them from teaching english? all i know about english teaching comes from stickman bangkok and he makes it out like ANYONE with a white face can get a job teaching.

A lot of schools have high teacher turnover -either they get fired or can't cut it-, and there's only so many schools that these guys can shuffle around to. Eventually they either have to go home or get creative (which sometimes works, but often doesn't).

[a2396]

A great country & affordable: Example - Shoelaces: Thailand 12 bht, USA 3 dollars.

[Dakhar]

I base the comparison not on just on it costs to maintain my lifestyle, but what I can save for the future too.

I not only have a better quality of life here (based on type of accommodation, meals out, the little perks like driving to and from work in a nice car etc) than I would in London, but I'm also able to save around half my takehome salary here. That would simply be impossible in London.

For me, there is no comparison.

For me, my saving are essentially the same as it was in the US. Standard of living.... Ehhh, I would say lower. Maid? Well I never worried about that in the US, that was the wife's job.... here we have a maid. So I guess life is better in that respect. Driver, when you have an M3, you don't want a driver.... in Thailand you want a driver.

Job..... Well I have tons more freedom, and authority.... and honestly, I do not think I would go back to the US unless the job was well into the 6 figures.

So I am staying.... & yest it takes loads of money to live the "bling" life style here. When folks go on about Thailand being rich in Thailand, I think.... "Man you must have been some kind of poor in your home country..."

Because for me, I had a microwave and warm water in the states, but apparently they sets the bar for wealthy over here!