It'S Amazing How Much Cheaper Food Is In America Than Thailand

[Oberkommando]

Just been to Tops Bang Rak. Danish Mozzarella cheese 110thb for 100gms. Bayon Market in Phnom Penh same cheese same brand 300thb ($10) per kilo.

Even Thai-German meat products were cheaper in Phnom Penh...

<deleted>?

[zzaa09]

There are many replies to this post, and I did not have time to read most of them , so I apologize if some one has answered this in the same way I have.

Food and consumer goods is not the only cost of living,

I am In the USA now for work, and I agree that food and many other consumer goods are less expensive in the US, especially since an average US worker makes a lot more money than their Thai counterpart. But as I said before, food and consumer goods are no the only cost of living. For instance in the NY area where I am now, Property taxes are about 30,000 bht per month !!!, It cost me about 8,400 bht per month in road tolls, about 7,500 bht in fuel p/m,and about 15,000 p/m to park in Manhattan. I Just paid 6,000 bht to have my tax return prepared, only to find out that I owe the fed and state Government 60,000 bht in additional tax. While waiting for some one to go out of their parking spot so that I can park my car there ( 5 min, with me in the car) I got a 6,000 bht parking ticket last week, (for those in LOS who complain about the 200 bht speeding ticket in Thailand.

I cant wait to come back to Thailand,

half the planet would give their balls to be able to live and work in NYC

A more realistic guess would be that 95% of the world's population wouldn't give it much thought.....and if they did, it would be on the negative side. Have to be careful when displaying self-absorbed and highly subjective standards and then expecting "the world" to fall in line.

[IanForbes]

New York City would be one of the LAST places on earth where I would choose to live... even if money was not an issue. I would lump it in with Manilla, Hongkong, Bangkok, Detroit, Chicago, Stalingrad, London, Los Angeles and Paris. And a whole lot more megametropolis's scattered around the world. I see NOTHING interesting with any of them... even if I was a billionare.

[dumball]

Oberkommando' timestamp='1302935779' post='4359521']

Go to Bayon Market in Phnom Penh and compare prices of imported foods with those available in Western style supermarkets in Thailand.

Everything is cheaper; cheese, breads, wines, spirits, cans, sauces, soft drinks etc. And there is a comparible selection.

I would love to know why that is considering the logistics of importing into Cambo must be more expensive, significantly so, than to Thailand.

You chose one of the more expensive places to shop in Phnom Penh , city mall has more choices for less , is more pleasant to wander around and the staff are very obliging , I find living in Cambodia less costly than Thailand was 5 years ago . I had a fair sized apartment with plastic tiled floor , small balcony with almost no view to speak of , contained an iron bed and a clothes closet, it had surveillance in the corridors and the staff were friendly as were the vendors in the soi outside , the area was almost a hundred percent Thai , cost B5,000

Here I have a 1 bedroom with tiled floor and walls , an airy balcony with a reasonable view , a larger toilet , furnished with good furniture , cooking facilities , sliding glass door kitchen cupboards , large fridge and TV etc , cost with a recent rent increase B4,500 . I used to shop half and half stores and market , now my wife shops mostly fresh markets , we eat very well and she has learned to cook western foods with health in mind , she is very hygenic in preparation and cooking , uses the fridge as it is meant to be used and keeps it well stocked . I first I did the shopping with her but we decided she would have a ' House allowance ' and be responsible for all expenditures in regards to house and food . B15,000 covers every thing including eating out now and then plus she keeps herself well dressed inside this same allowance . With the escalation I have noted just for food in Thailand if you want to live healthy , there is not a dogs chance you can live that well that reasonably , it costs people that much to eat off of unhealthy street vendors plus the higher cost oh a decent furnished apartment .

Some have mentioned food being low cost in Canada , on my visits I do not find it that way at all , many things are more expensive for similar items imported into Cambodia , the stores are generally larger with a some what greater variety but you can in no way eat as well for low cost . In regards to eating out , here you can eat good healthy western style foods at half the cost with good , polite staff who give good service , they also speak reasonable English and get your order correct first time .

This country has come a long way forward in the 5+ years I have lived here , the big bonuses are that you are welcome to be here and the visa is a no hassle deal , very few scams especially by the police whom I have found easy to talk to , young people who vend books etc are able to carry on a conversation in good English . Many TVF posters are completely out of touch of their immediate neighbours and how well an expat can live at low cost , please stay where you are , we will not miss you .

[Spee]

Thailand is getting more expensive every year, but most of that is due to fuel, import duties and strength of the baht versus other currencies. I hope the people who manage the Thai currency will be able to keep inflation under control.

For one, I can't conclude that Thailand is more expensive. A few months ago, I switched to a mostly raw food diet (fruits, vegetables, herbs). My weekly food bill averages around $120-$150. Thai coconuts are $2.25 or $2.99 each, depending on who has them in stock. A nearby Asian market has many other fresh Thai ingredients like chiles, basil, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, etc., and those prices are far higher than any market in Thailand.

[Ulysses G.]

You are most definitely out of touch with reality ,

I was thinking the same about you. Many of the expats in Cambodia whine and moan on Internet forums about all the problems while you always insist that it is so much better there. Yeah, sure.

"Cambodia is no replacement for Thailand at all.

Cambodia is widely underdeveloped, economically far below Thailand, the Cambodian government cannot be trusted, it depends also on supply of goods mainly to Thailand...all what you need as a foreigner is imported, not cheap at all. Nothing is yet available for long-term stay...

No retirement visa, no visa exemption for tourists, no condominium for sale for foreigners, nothing to hear about owning your own land, medical facilities often not existent, many streets in terrible condition and so on, many areas are not safe...."

"I would never invest a Dime here as long as any big-shot can walk in and take away your business. I thought corruption in VN was bad, but the Vietnamese are babes-in-the-woods compared to the Khmer."

http://www.orientexp...-next-thailand/

Edited April 17, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[Suradit]

Housing has gone down in the US at the same time it has gone up in Thailand (at least in Pattaya).

Housing has gone down because the US went through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, unemployment is at record levels, people are abandoning property for which they owe more money than it's worth and banks have been repossessing homes from people unable to make payments on their mortgages. I suppose we could pray for an economic disaster here so you could watch your property values stagnate.

If your quality of life depends on being able to wander aisles and aisles of trans fat laden snacks, then the US is definitely where you'll feel most at home. In Pattaya either Friendship or Carrefour or the local market offer sufficient choice for many. On the other hand, for most people the quality of life is not measured by the size of the frozen food section in their local grocery.

[melissarossi199]

I'm sitting here in Florida -- in shock -- reading somebody asserting prices are better in U.S.!!! Perhaps for cheese and wine and tomato sauce, but outside of that, all I think of whenever I go out here is how ridiculously overpriced the U.S. is. Going to the hair salon, which rang in at about $3 in Chiang Mai, is $25 here; the manicures I had for $5 are five times that; I wouldn't consider having a massage in the US -- it often runs into the hundreds of dollars.

The contact that is currently broken and lost in my eye is going to stay there until it comes out on its own as it would cost me $100 at least to have a doctor fish it out here -- when I went to Ram Hospital, it cost $20 to have them get it out, and that included the eyedrops. From the dentists to the taxis to going out to eat, the U.S. astounds me (in a bad way) with the costs, and let's not even get into rent.

So I don't know who posted that or where they are shopping, but trust me -- even with the baht being strong to the dollar, life is so so so much more affordable in Thailand than the U.S. or any place else I've been to -- and I've been to 43 countries.

[maswov]

This is really a stupid comparison, the only thing that holds value in the is the coconut products. Most food that people find expensive here is farang food, exotic if you will. Go to a thai restaraunt in the US and compare the price to the 30baht you will pay here. How many mexicans live in thailand, of course the burrito will be pricey it is international cuisine its not like the streets of san diego. Why would anyone think cheese would be cheap here, this isn't wisconsin, not too many dairy farms here, and from what i have seen cheese is just not that popular in any asian country.

[Gerald14]

Hey stay in yankeeland mate. Thailand won't miss you

[asdecas]

You can talk about this being cheaper here than that being cheaper there till the cows come home. If it's a problem, the solution is very simple; if you want to live on a budget then you simply adapt your lifestyle to where you are at any given time.

And what is "tab water"?

[tigermonkey]

Just a simple 30 km flight from Vancouver to Victoria is double or more what I pay for a 700 km flight in Thailand.

30km flight!? Jeezuz you're lazy. I always believed 30km was the kind of distance you covered on foot before sunrise to get a fresh loaf of bread for breakfast in the outback...

Jeezz, I knew you folks from the outback were special -- but you all can walk on water ? -- and before sunrise. I am very impressed.

Actually it's 70 km from Vancouver to Victoria -- you have your choice of ferry, airplane or walk on water.

[kirk0233]

We lived in Texas for 15 years before moving here. Thai food products were very expensive in Texas. Now we live in Thailand. Why should there be any surprise that US products are more expensive here?

We buy 95% of our food in the local market. Beef tenderloin (okay, it's Thai, but it's not bad) 160 baht a kilo. Pork 120 baht a kilo. Eggs 40 baht per 10. Veggies ultra cheap....whereas in the US, veggies are what add up quickly.

My favorite bowl of viet noodle soup here (not a pushcart) is 35 baht (special size).....it's $7 in Texas. We've owned 3 new trucks in 14 years and had them serviced......highest bill I ever paid was 6000 baht for 100k service that included a timing belt change. That'd a cost me several hundred back in the US. I took our daughter's car in for oil/filter change in Dec......$35 for semi-synthetic. The same for my truck here costs about $25. When my lawnmower needs a weld, I do it for 20baht per spot weld in the village. In the US, I'd chuck the lawnmower and buy a new one. Same with our TV....service here for peanuts. In the US, you don't service a TV unless it's top end stuff.

My computer needs an overhaul......200 baht for the labor and min charge for parts. In the US, you buy a new computer or do without for a week-10 days and kiss a few hundred dollars goodbye.

I tune up my 24 speed mountain bike for 50 baht....change all the cables for another 100 baht. My brother in the US tunes up his Cannondale for $149 each spring. I can fix my flats in 1000's of motorcycle repair shops 24 hours a day for 20 baht. In the US, haha.....8-5 and it'll cost you dearly.

Our 5 day-a-week gardener and 5 day-a-week maid cost 210 baht per day, plus another 500 baht or so of groceries that we throw in each week. In the US, my wife would be cleaning the house and I'd be doing the yard. Gardener/maid in the US? Not on a pension of $3500/month.

We buy flowers to transplant at the nursery for 2-5 baht each, veggies at the market for 5 baht, I get my hair cut in an AC shop by a stylist for 70baht, my wife gets her hair dried for 40 baht, a speeding ticket might cost you 200-400 baht, primo grilled chicken with a plate of somptom and a plate of sticky rice goes for 110 baht, a fullup physical cost me 15,000 baht and my wife 12k. Our twice-annual dental cleanings cost 500 baht each.......we walk in without an appointment, rarely have to wait more than a few minutes. My occasional bottle of Johnnie Walker Black costs about the same here as in Texas (maybe a bit cheaper). A good bottle of wine costs me $15 in the US, the same costs $25 here. Hey, wait a minute. I'm going back to Texas!

Where did you live in Texas? I lived in Houston and the Thai restaurants were very reasonable there. I good large vergetarian meal for two might cost 300 to 400 baht. Where do you live in Thailand? My last computer repair in Nonthaburi cost 2,500 baht. My last dental cleaning cost 1,000 baht. If you live near, I would like to know where you get your teeth cleaned and your computer repaired. Of course, it all depends on what was wrong with your computer. I would say overall that Thai food, if you are a vegetarian as I am, tastes much better in Houston than here. I find Vietnamese food is much tastier here for vegetarians than Thai food with the Thai preference for pork in almost everthing.

[maswov]

Where did you live in Texas? I lived in Houston and the Thai restaurants were very reasonable there. I good large vergetarian meal for two might cost 300 to 400 baht. Where do you live in Thailand? My last computer repair in Nonthaburi cost 2,500 baht. My last dental cleaning cost 1,000 baht. If you live near, I would like to know where you get your teeth cleaned and your computer repaired. Of course, it all depends on what was wrong with your computer. I would say overall that Thai food, if you are a vegetarian as I am, tastes much better in Houston than here. I find Vietnamese food is much tastier here for vegetarians than Thai food with the Thai preference for pork in almost everthing.

Wow, you need to learn how to say paeng mak and walk away. Don't let them overcharge you because your skin is white.

[kirk0233]

Where did you live in Texas? I lived in Houston and the Thai restaurants were very reasonable there. I good large vergetarian meal for two might cost 300 to 400 baht. Where do you live in Thailand? My last computer repair in Nonthaburi cost 2,500 baht. My last dental cleaning cost 1,000 baht. If you live near, I would like to know where you get your teeth cleaned and your computer repaired. Of course, it all depends on what was wrong with your computer. I would say overall that Thai food, if you are a vegetarian as I am, tastes much better in Houston than here. I find Vietnamese food is much tastier here for vegetarians than Thai food with the Thai preference for pork in almost everthing.

Wow, you need to learn how to say paeng mak and walk away. Don't let them overcharge you because your skin is white.

I think the cost for computer repair depends on what is wrong. The cost I quoted for the repair was a repair my Thai wife negotiated without my presence. It had nothing to do with white skin, although her skin is as white as mine since she is part Chinese. The dental cleaning was at a hospital's dental center. If you know a cheaper place in Nonthaburi, as i asked, I would like to know it since it is time for a dental cleaning again.

[thequietman]

1 dam thai, delicious 20 baht.

1 pat kapow moo, tasty, 20 baht.

i noodle soup, nice, 15 baht.

much cheaper in the village and better for you too.

[dumball]

'Ulysses G.' timestamp='1303001722' post='4360770'dumball' timestamp='1303000541' post='4360756']

You are most definitely out of touch with reality ,

I was thinking the same about you. Many of the expats in Cambodia whine and moan on Internet forums about all the problems while you always insist that it is so much better there. Yeah, sure. "Cambodia is no replacement for Thailand at all.

Cambodia is widely underdeveloped, economically far below Thailand, the Cambodian government cannot be trusted, it depends also on supply of goods mainly to Thailand...all what you need as a foreigner is imported, not cheap at all. Nothing is yet available for long-term stay...

No retirement visa, no visa exemption for tourists, no condominium for sale for foreigners, nothing to hear about owning your own land, medical facilities often not existent, many streets in terrible condition and so on, many areas are not safe...."

"I would never invest a Dime here as long as any big-shot can walk in and take away your business. I thought corruption in VN was bad, but the Vietnamese are babes-in-the-woods compared to the Khmer."

http://www.orientexp...-next-thailand/

You know , I could most likely go through TVF history and find several posts similar to the vindictive one you have displayed today , in my mind that would be nonsensical , I have never spoken about Thailand in that manner , in fact , should you do a search on my posting history you will find quite the opposite . No country is all bad , there is always worth or places there in that appeal to tourists and some people , to decry or denigrate an entire country and its people shows only the worth of the author .

As to moaning expats on forums , can you show me where a day goes by on TVF where an expat is not passing a comment which you do not agree with , or do you just have to look through rose tinted glasses with blinkers so you can poo-poo personal comments by people you wish not to even consider that they too have experiences of their own .

Have you lived in Cambodia in recent years so you are able to have formed an unbiased opinion of your own , or do you take the words of the disenchanted as the gospel according to Ulysses to be the truth , the whole truth and nothing but the truth , or are you capable of independent thinking ?

Being as I am not affected personally by much of this country , I get on with my life in a happy , contented manner , speak as I find and will continue that which I have done all of my life , relate things as I see them from my perspective , if this is not what you can be content with and take me as I come , so be it . I do recall an old saying which you may heed if you so wish " The truth hurts " .

[blazes]

We lived in Texas for 15 years before moving here. Thai food products were very expensive in Texas. Now we live in Thailand. Why should there be any surprise that US products are more expensive here?

We buy 95% of our food in the local market. Beef tenderloin (okay, it's Thai, but it's not bad) 160 baht a kilo. Pork 120 baht a kilo. Eggs 40 baht per 10. Veggies ultra cheap....whereas in the US, veggies are what add up quickly.

My favorite bowl of viet noodle soup here (not a pushcart) is 35 baht (special size).....it's $7 in Texas. We've owned 3 new trucks in 14 years and had them serviced......highest bill I ever paid was 6000 baht for 100k service that included a timing belt change. That'd a cost me several hundred back in the US. I took our daughter's car in for oil/filter change in Dec......$35 for semi-synthetic. The same for my truck here costs about $25. When my lawnmower needs a weld, I do it for 20baht per spot weld in the village. In the US, I'd chuck the lawnmower and buy a new one. Same with our TV....service here for peanuts. In the US, you don't service a TV unless it's top end stuff.

My computer needs an overhaul......200 baht for the labor and min charge for parts. In the US, you buy a new computer or do without for a week-10 days and kiss a few hundred dollars goodbye.

I tune up my 24 speed mountain bike for 50 baht....change all the cables for another 100 baht. My brother in the US tunes up his Cannondale for $149 each spring. I can fix my flats in 1000's of motorcycle repair shops 24 hours a day for 20 baht. In the US, haha.....8-5 and it'll cost you dearly.

Our 5 day-a-week gardener and 5 day-a-week maid cost 210 baht per day, plus another 500 baht or so of groceries that we throw in each week. In the US, my wife would be cleaning the house and I'd be doing the yard. Gardener/maid in the US? Not on a pension of $3500/month.

We buy flowers to transplant at the nursery for 2-5 baht each, veggies at the market for 5 baht, I get my hair cut in an AC shop by a stylist for 70baht, my wife gets her hair dried for 40 baht, a speeding ticket might cost you 200-400 baht, primo grilled chicken with a plate of somptom and a plate of sticky rice goes for 110 baht, a fullup physical cost me 15,000 baht and my wife 12k. Our twice-annual dental cleanings cost 500 baht each.......we walk in without an appointment, rarely have to wait more than a few minutes. My occasional bottle of Johnnie Walker Black costs about the same here as in Texas (maybe a bit cheaper). A good bottle of wine costs me $15 in the US, the same costs $25 here. Hey, wait a minute. I'm going back to Texas!

You pay 5 day-a-week gardener and 5 day-a-week maid cost 210 baht per day, plus another 500 baht or so of groceries that we throw in each week.

How many hours is that? Per person? 3 hours per day would be 70 baht per hour.

Sounds like slavery to me....

[Ulysses G.]

" The truth hurts " .

That is why you keep denying it.

I have been to Cambodia many times and have nothing against it. I just get tired of a few posters misleading other members about how much "better" things are there. I also have friends with businesses both here and there, but they much prefer to live in Thailand.

[DP25]

You pay 5 day-a-week gardener and 5 day-a-week maid cost 210 baht per day, plus another 500 baht or so of groceries that we throw in each week.

How many hours is that? Per person? 3 hours per day would be 70 baht per hour.

Sounds like slavery to me....

70 baht an hour would be waaaaaay over minimum wage, that's over twice what they would be paid per hour working at a fast food restaurant.

[blazes]

Although I agree with many ofher things you say I disagree that you can't get a nice place for under 5 k baht. I have a nice big corner room in a Thai hotel and my monthly rent is under 4 k baht. including electricity and water. It has a small fridge, air con (that works) and internet that sometimes works. I even have a view. And, I'm only a mile from the heart of Chiang Mai.

There is a queen size bed that is as comfortable as my bed in Canada.

The view from my room...

like ewwwww.

Seriously, that room is crappier than my undergrad dorm. It's like a halfway house where the put excons, except your room probably has bugs.

Why would I want to live in a room that looks like it was out of the institutional decorators journal circa 1975? Who in his right mind would sit at that little crappy table? If your bed is as comfortable as the one you have in Canada then stop buying your matresses at Walmart. A good mattress costs in excess of 30,000 baht in Canada and that same quality is 60,000 baht or more in Thailand. Just go and look at a Sealy posturpedic. Great , so you have a view looking out over a swamp. I'm sure the mosquitos must be an added pleasure.

I'm sorry, if this reads as being rude, but if you want to take the fellow to task for his comments then at least compare apples to apples.

If I ended up in a room like that when I was retired, I'd probably take a Pattaya dive. The post you cite is actually the accurate and realistic one.

I haven't worked all my life to end up reverting to a period in my life where I scrimped and ate noodles. Its the kind of room one sees in the Pattaya Daily News where they find old dead male farangs after the neighbors complain about a bad odor.

I would be very content with this dwelling...I am a simple man with simple needs..and this is my choice..My preference

Really, what is the point of escaping the rain of Victoria in winter to live in a gerbil's cage like that?

I can only conclude that Mr Forbes is just chronically cheap. Can you imagine bringing a half-decent Thai woman to visit you in your shangri la above the swamp?

Even if you had NO INCOME other than pensions in Canada, you would be receiving about 42,000 baht per month. You could, like me, rent a high-end condo in very salubrious conditions, quiet and with good view of Doi Suthep, for 15,000 baht and still be living well in food AND saving a few thousand baht each month.

[toybits]

To OP. So why not go back to the USofA? Some people just cannot stop complaining can't they?

[toybits]

A bit off topic but would the average American be able to get his refridgerator fixed (as in a major repair - at home) for less than 1,500 Baht (<50.00 US$)????

[Midnite80]

I can only vouch for Australia and Europe but it's much cheaper in Thailand in nearly every possible aspect. First when comparing restaurants, you can't compare Sukumvit Rd hotel food with eating a sandwich from your local supermarket and if you do, usually it will still be more expensive in the supermarket anyway. How about comparing local goods.

These are all Bangkok prices, most things are 25-50% cheaper in other parts of Thailand. Oh and I am not speaking about prices that you pay freshly of the boat as you hit the scouts and tourist areas.

Clothes:

Good quality clothes (not big named brands like Calvin Klein but brands like you find in A2Z and other Thai branded designer shops?) a third of the price here.

Food and drink:

Thailand is quarter of the prices of back home.

If you shop at Tops (expect to pay rediculous prices) - Tescos, big C = better prices.

Ok, so there is a better selection of Western foods with cheaper prices in the West. ie cheese

( It's not rocket science - it's supply and demand). I love Thai food and eat that 90% of the time,

even back home.

325 ml coke Thailand = 13 baht \ Australia = 80 baht

Pad Thai Thailand = 35-50 baht\Australia - 350-500 baht (any meal in a restaurant will cost you this (unless it's Mcdonalds)

Services:

1 hour Massage Average Thailand 120-250 baht \ Aus 1500-2000 baht

Haircuts = 1/4 of the prices

Accommodation:

1 bedroom unit with decent view, gym, pool, security 15 minutes from city center for 1 month Thailand 7000 Baht \ Australia = 50000 BHT

Travel:

Taxi, bus, plain... Do I need to say more....

[blazes]

Whahahahaha, farang000999,

I didn't read all the comments here, but wow man, you're the prototype of the average dump sh*t low IQ'ed fat*ss citizen of the United States of Whatever.

Where would you want me to start with all the "better" things of your country.

and nope, I will not be so unoriginal to rant about your politics or bank system.

Ok, so you take your time to share how much better your country is, well, mister, your country is f*cked.

In ALL ways, I wonder how much longer you might be saying how much better it is to be there.

Talking about food, check this:

Do you recognize yourself? I am sure you do.

Brilliant. Carlin for President. Should be required viewing for all peoples, not just dumbass Republicans....

and another one to keep it funny:

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

I would love to go on and on about your ridiculous post, but watcht his only, it's funny and o so true, each and every single word of what he says.

[SICHONSTEVE]

I can only vouch for Australia and Europe but it's much cheaper in Thailand in nearly every possible aspect. First when comparing restaurants, you can't compare Sukumvit Rd hotel food with eating a sandwich from your local supermarket and if you do, usually it will still be more expensive in the supermarket anyway. How about comparing local goods.

These are all Bangkok prices, most things are 25-50% cheaper in other parts of Thailand. Oh and I am not speaking about prices that you pay freshly of the boat as you hit the scouts and tourist areas.

Clothes:

Good quality clothes (not big named brands like Calvin Klein but brands like you find in A2Z and other Thai branded designer shops?) a third of the price here.

Food and drink:

Thailand is quarter of the prices of back home.

If you shop at Tops (expect to pay rediculous prices) - Tescos, big C = better prices.

Ok, so there is a better selection of Western foods with cheaper prices in the West. ie cheese

( It's not rocket science - it's supply and demand). I love Thai food and eat that 90% of the time,

even back home.

325 ml coke Thailand = 13 baht \ Australia = 80 baht

Pad Thai Thailand = 35-50 baht\Australia - 350-500 baht (any meal in a restaurant will cost you this (unless it's Mcdonalds)

Services:

1 hour Massage Average Thailand 120-250 baht \ Aus 1500-2000 baht

Haircuts = 1/4 of the prices

Accommodation:

1 bedroom unit with decent view, gym, pool, security 15 minutes from city center for 1 month Thailand 7000 Baht \ Australia = 50000 BHT

Travel:

Taxi, bus, plain... Do I need to say more....

Welcome to the fold midnite 80. Prepare yourself for the battle that lies ahead that is the visa forum!!!!

[blazes]

My home in Canada sits empty for 5 months of the year and basically is just a place to store all my "toys": boats, campers, trailers, etc, etc. It has a nice view in the best neighbourhood in town and yet I only get to enjoy it for a few months of the year. The remainder of the time I'm off somewhere else living in my truck camper, or in a tent on top of some mountain. I sometimes regret owning a home because the general maintenance of a home is an anchor tying me to one place when I'd rather be fishing or hunting.

I'm often just as happy watching the locals fish in the klong and pond behind my one room in a Thai hotel.

"

I am from Victoria, and this is not recognisable as the "best neighbourhood in town". Looks more like Colwood to me. Never mind, everyone on here is entitled to exaggerate from time to time.

[kirk0233]

I don't believe ad hominem attacks are necessary or appropriate; although they are all too common on this forum. If you do not believe the OP's opinion, why not provide an argument of facts that relate to the premise that some food products are cheaper in the United States?

Edited April 18, 2011 by craigt3365
Derogatory Post Removed

[gregb]

My mother came over here for about 6 weeks before Christmas. We had alot of time to compare prices between the US and Thailand. The fact is, it is impossible to do a 1:1 comparison, because each country has its own way of doing things.

Let me give you an example which most people don't consider. In the US, maintenance on my car would be substantially cheaper than Thailand. Why? Because I'd do most of it myself, and I could buy discount replacement parts on the internet. Only a rich fool with too much money pays for this kind of stuff in the West.

Same with restaurants. People in the states cook at home. You can't use restaurant prices to gauge the cost of living, because people in the West simply don't eat out very often. Some food is cheaper in Thailand, some food is more expensive. Depends on what you buy. The prices at Costco in the states are unbeatable for many things. Thailand couldn't hope to compete. But if you must buy things in single servings you generally do better in Thailand. So when you say "food is cheaper in America" it really depends on exactly which food you are talking about, and how it is packaged. Heavily processed food is almost always cheaper in the states. So the answer is both yes and no.

Don't tell me Thailand is cheaper because movies are only 120 baht instead of 300 baht. There is a simple solution there. Don't go to the movies. People in the states rent DVDs through cheap online services.

What my mother and I concluded after weeks of discussion is that in all honesty, if you have a family and a car, the cost of living in the states is currently on par with the cost of living in Thailand, with the exception that it's easier to find very cheap rooms in Thailand. The only way to get a similar cheap room in the states is to live in a trailer park. The US has these unfortunate things called building codes which don't allow for building cut rate, permanent structures. Of course, the minute you decide you need a Western style residence in Thailand with properly grounded outlets, you immediately find that all your cheap Thai options for accommodation have gone away, and the US actually becomes cheaper than Thailand. (Do keep in mind a family of 4 making $50,000 USD in the states pays very little in the way of taxes. That same income in Thailand puts you in the 30% tax bracket, so Thailand takes a big hit here.)

You have to change your lifestyle to take advantage of the culture though. Trying to live like a Thai in the US will cost a fortune. Trying to live like an American in Thailand will cost a fortune. I expect over the next few years as the USD continues its downward spiral to its intrinsic value of zero, the US will become a much better bargain overall than Thailand. I still won't want to live there, but it is time for all of us to admit Thailand is no longer a cheap place.

[cabanday]

in thailand you have to go without certain things,budget your wine consumption,and for gods sake do not become addicted to cheese,the price and quality is a joke.bread is often a problem,not good quality,and overpriced,fish strangely enough expensive.I also find dentistry way over the top for a 3rd world country.Tip try vietnam,some good dentists in hcmc,6times cheaper than thailand,probably better class dentist.Eye surgery go to the philippines great value even with air fares,and hotel,same applys to hospital treatment,cebu pacific good budget airline,plenty of info on the net.