Cost Of Life

[bolognamare]

hello!

to all of you out there a question from the all too expensive europe (italy exactly)

How much does it cost to live in phuket?

My husband and I are considering changing our life around and bringing our two kids (2 and 20 months) away from this western world into a more nature filled and shanty kind of place..

We have both been to thailand and loved it, and I remember the overall costs were low (1998), but that was just a vacation..

I'd like to know how much it can cost today to rent a house? buy a second hand car?

How much do imported goods cost (wine for ex.)?

Can we get away from the tourist prices ?

thankyou

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am italian too, and I understand your escaping "from western shit" dream, but i have to agree with the other posts, may be it could be different if you have high paid job that you can do everywhere with an internet cable.

You can live better in Thailand with 1000 euro/month than in Italy of course, but not with children (if you don't want to live with the thai lifestyle).

Phuket is a paradise for nightlife, beaches and relax (vacations in a word), but it could become a nightmare for health (diseases, insects, snakes, sharks...), expecially for children.

Ok you can do an insurance, there are good hospitals..if you go there in time and you understand that a fever is something more than a simple fever.

It's a lovely dangerous wild paradise.

All these things cannot change my minds about considering Phuket my dreaming place, but it's not for family expating, it's ideal for single men who want to live in a permanent holiday (until they get bored from that).

[LadyinRed]

...a nightmare for health (diseases, insects, snakes, sharks...)

What has sharks got to do with health in Phuket?

[bolognamare]

What has sharks got to do with health in Phuket? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, two months ago I was in Laem Singh Beach, i was swimming with my friends (and other people) about 10-15 meters from the sand border, in a second all people go out from the sea, i did the same (even if i noticed a bit late), i supposed for the big waves. When i come out i discovered that 2-3 meters from me there was a 1,5 mt. shark (clearly seen in a wave from people on the beach). You should have seen, thai people were more frightened than me...

Near my bungalow in the center of Patong (PS2) i met a nice long jumping snake (may be a cobra) at 20-30 cm from my foot....

Two years ago my best friend took the denghi fever in Soi Nanai while he was having a relaxing sauna, fortunately his friend (who live in Phuket form many years) haven't understimate his fever and brought him immediately to the hospital, where he stayed two weeks...

Last summer when i came back i have taken a viral disease in eyes (i was like a red-eyes vampire for two weeks) fortunately it happened the last day of vacation...

And i could tell more.. ..you have to pay more attention than in other western safe places.

It's Thailand, i love my LOS more than my soul, but you have to know that nature is wild there and it can happen everything you could never suppose.

[Welsh John]

The other way of becoming an Expat is to phase the transition over a period of time rather than just up sticks & go.

I've bought a couple of houses here(One for rent) and come here 3 months a year. Still work in the UK & when the time is right I will move here full time.

We dont have any kids but that would certainly have to be a rather large consideration on making the move permanent.

[Tornado]

If you reckon Thailands bad, you must get to Australia - everything can kill you

[sadman]

The other way of becoming an Expat is to phase the transition over a period of time rather than just up sticks & go.

I've bought a couple of houses here(One for rent) and come here 3 months a year. Still work in the UK & when the time is right I will move here full time.

We dont have any kids but that would certainly have to be a rather large consideration on making the move permanent.

Pretty much what we're doing. Between us, Mrs Sadman and I have 5 children, of whom 4 are grown and gone. We have a 12 yr old so we come over several times a year and are preparing so that when the time comes (in about 6 years, I guess) we will come over full time, having built our dream home, got a business up and running etc.

At present, it pays to earn a pound and spend a baht. Not ideal, and we miss LOS literally every day, but its only fair to our son to keep him in UK education and give him options, especially as his dad and siblings live in the UK.