Bangkok Is The #50 Most Expensive City To Live In

[sunreader]

What no Venice?

Paid £8 for a coffee and £9 for a pint there the other day, not to mention £15 for a Bellini at Harrys....I guess there's one born every minute!

[Xangsamhua]

I'll say a few words: thrift stores, garage/yard sales, bulletin boards, classified ads are essentially not found in Thailand.

BB, you'll be happy to know we now have "boot sales" in Bangkok. Every Friday night to Sunday out the front of our local Central Plaza. And they're genuine, so my wife tells me, as in:

"How much is this?"

"I don't know - make me an offer. It was a gift."

[Xangsamhua]

From their (UBS) methodology:

As in past studies, the basket of goods and services was based on Western European consumer preferences.

I assume this means that if you eat Thai food and live as much as possibe off the local economy (e.g. shop at the market rather than Tops), Bangkok is much cheaper than they would rate it. I'm not sure what "Western European consumer preferences are with respect to "services"....USB? theatre?..??

[DP25]

From their (UBS) methodology:

As in past studies, the basket of goods and services was based on Western European consumer preferences.

I assume this means that if you eat Thai food and live as much as possibe off the local economy (e.g. shop at the market rather than Tops), Bangkok is much cheaper than they would rate it. I'm not sure what "Western European consumer preferences are with respect to "services"....USB? theatre?..??

These studies in general are simply awful in gauging real cost of living for average people because of this. The price of a bottle of Evian in Bangkok is completely irrelevant for 99.9% of the population.

[Heng]

Well I don't really worry about it, but I do think I kind of keep an eye on prices. After all we are both on the consumer, retail, and wholesale side of things.

I agree on the 'consumer, retail side of things' but we are not on the 'wholesale side of things.' Even when we go to places where it's advertised as 'wholesale,' such as Makro (where they sell consumer items in bulk), the discounts from retail are small. Shop owners will make a bunch of noise telling you things are discounted down close to 'wholesale' prices, but if you look closely, the price might be 5% off retail if you're lucky.

In contrast, you go to the States, and discounts are much more generous. Granted, much of it is marketing/publicity hype, but still the comparative prices of the same product (a new car or a name-brand electronic item/computer, for examples) will almost always be higher in Thailand, when the smoke clears.

Yeah, I wasn't thinking of Makro, just for us in shrimp feed wholesale and also cut orchid wholesale (export). There have been times of price spikes (with the market), but otherwise our prices have remained fairly constant with the mentioned slight upward trend (often a few Baht or even satang per unit per YEAR).

Makro in my opinion is almost at retail prices simply because they cater to the market where extremely slim retail margins are the norm.

I do agree there are higher computer and automobile prices, but that simply means that in the end, those with any common sense will make use of these items longer before upgrading/replacing.

Even in the end, if someone how all the goods and services are equally priced, for me anyway, I doubt Thailand will ever be able to match the US (while we're comparing) for tax exposure, making living here -for most of the year- more economical regardless. That said, it'll completely depend on how one sets up their life, I suppose I could live anywhere, but then I have this thing about hands on management, so I'd probably be here anyway.

Edited September 28, 2009 by Heng

[mommysboy]

To my mind Bangkok is becoming more and more expensive, and I can only assume that this will continue as it seems to in any major city. It's gratifying to note that despite a substantial drop in income, a savaging of my country's exchange rate, and the rising prices, I'm still able to keep head above water, and now a little more.

I guess Thailand is first world now, I'll keep that in mind as I wade through the sewerage next time I'm in showpiece Sukhumvit.

[Heng]

I guess Thailand is first world now, I'll keep that in mind as I wade through the sewerage next time I'm in showpiece Sukhumvit.

Important to remember that it's not a team sport. You can easily live a first world life from start to finish anywhere on the planet if you can afford the furnishings.

A good start might be not going out during floods and/or wading through sewage.

[mommysboy]

I guess Thailand is first world now, I'll keep that in mind as I wade through the sewerage next time I'm in showpiece Sukhumvit.

Important to remember that it's not a team sport. You can easily live a first world life from start to finish anywhere on the planet if you can afford the furnishings.

A good start might be not going out during floods and/or wading through sewage.

It's a good point, and as a matter of fact I've been working on it lately. I got levelled during the big slump but seem to be on the up, and have upped my game.

[Heng]

That's the spirit!

[mommysboy]

I'll say a few words: thrift stores, garage/yard sales, bulletin boards, classified ads are essentially not found in Thailand.

BB, you'll be happy to know we now have "boot sales" in Bangkok. Every Friday night to Sunday out the front of our local Central Plaza. And they're genuine, so my wife tells me, as in:

"How much is this?"

"I don't know - make me an offer. It was a gift."

Sounds interesting. Where?

[mccw]

I think you'll find there are many second hand stores around with everything from tvs, luandrywashers in one place to clothes and shoes in another. Also of course there's the vast numbers of second hand phone shops. There's also fix it (anything) shops, which in england are vertualy non existant these days as its cheaper to just get a new one, labour costs i guess.

The only thing which i can see they really do Require a new one of is when buying property, becuase yes thats right some one might have died in it and still be lingering in some way, similarly with violence leaving nasty energy signatures. I wouldn't discount this all as wakky supersition, ever been to the concentration camps in europe or killing feilds in camboidia? can definately feel some seriously f#cted up shit gone down, even the birds feel it and mute there song accordingly; or maybe you've felt something in the air when you've walked in a room after a heated arguement, you've registered the energy and felt something wrong before looking at facial experesions to clarify what it is your sensing.

People still rent obviously, but will move if they get some dodgey vibes; if buying your own place they wouldn't take the risk. So much land, lack of planning regulation and 90% finance why would they take the risk. In europe plenty people encounter strange goings on but nobody thinks about it until it happens, and then its just a curiosity rather than something to worry about (even an oppertunity, open spookies b&b or something)