Bangkok Ranks 2nd In ASEAN As City With Highest Living Cost

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Bangkok ranks 2nd in ASEAN as city with highest living cost

BANGKOK, 7 June 2011 (NNT) – The capital of Thailand is rated second as the city with the highest living costs in ASEAN, according the 2011 cost of living survey of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the Economist Magazine.

It was found that Singapore had the highest living cost in the ASEAN region and was ranked tenth in the world while Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, were ranked second and third in ASEAN as well as 72nd and 90th in the world respectively.

EIU economists said prices of domestic products and exchange rates were the major factors driving the living cost in Asian countries.

Tokyo of Japan reportedly had the highest living cost in the world, followed by Osaka of the same country. Paris of France fell to the third place after it was at the top of the table in 2010 due to the Euro depreciation compared with the Yen currency.

Hong Kong moved up to the 11th from the 28th while Shanghai and Beijing of China were also rated 29th and 36th after they were ranked 45th and 58th last year respectively.

Nevertheless, there were five cities in Asia on the list of top 10 cities with lowest living costs, comprising Manila of the Philippines, Kathmandu of Nepal, New Delhi and Mumbai of India and Karachi of Pakistan.

-- NNT 2011-06-07

[Viper]

Ive been trying to tell people that for a long time. Its not just subtle any more but very much noticeable. The bottom line is you need to be comfortably off now-a-days to live in Bangkok and be happy.

[kdc1899]

If I can get the Thai wife to move to the philipines I'd be gone 2morrow

[Misterwhisper]

I can fully agree with that assessment. Bangkok used to be cheap, but it ain't any longer. Almost every supermarket visit these days easily sets me back 2,500 Baht or more - and no, I am not stocking up on imported cheeses or expensive wines, just normal groceries. And when I see that fast food pizza (yuck!) can cost up to 399 Baht, then I am wondering who would still consider Bangkok a cheap place.

Yeas, taxi fares are still dirt cheap, and you easily can get a delicious one-plate meal at a small neighbourhood food stall for 40 Baht. But even my local barber now takes 200 baht for a cut. A large bottle of beer costs at least 44 Baht (Chang) even at the cheapest mom-and-pop store, with premium brands up to 65 or even 70 Baht. A local beer in a hotel bar for 250 Baht ++? Out of the question.

[rotary]

If a guy moves outside Bkk about 30 mins by taxi (i.e. away from Sukhumvit) out to Nontaburi or something like that rent is about 1/4 of what it is near Sukhumvit.........plus cheaper in other ways!

[Wallich]

Any chance of seeing the 'list'?

[anterian]

I think this meant as a tourist, otherwise why mention exchange rates? Foodwise I find Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines comparable, if you are buying and cooking your own meals. Renting or buying accommodation is cheaper in Phil. Public transport and taxis are dearer in Malaysia. Mobile phone charges are cheaper in Phil, internet connection about the same but not reliable. Many of my friends in Manila visit me in Bangkok for the cheap bargains, particularly trendy clothes.

In essence these types of comparisons are valid only for a certain category of lifestyle. Obviously not mine, I muck in with the locals and find life in Manila, Bangkok and KL cost roughly the same.

[asdecas]

Yes, this is an assessment done by the EIU, so you can be sure that it applies to the expat-salaried lifestyle, and all the housing quality, imported food & drink and eating out that that implies; not so much to those foreigners living on a local or fixed income, who can adapt and "live local" to some extent. Still, there is no question but that Thailand, and Bangkok in particular, has become very noticeably more expensive in the past five years.

[MaxYakov]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So, I don't find Bangkok particularly expensive, unless one has needs and spending habits that make it so. The major thing one can do is to eschew a profligate Western lifestyle without throwing the intellectual baby out with the bathwater. I have lots of high-tech equipment so I'm not Amish, but I do have certain funds-refocusing tactics such as avoidance of purchasing or riding in motorized vehicles and even avoiding BTS and buses by riding a bicycle almost everywhere in Bangkok. I bought much of my household furnishings on Craigslist at bargain prices and have found ways to both measure and minimize my power consumption at 8 THB/KWH. My rent is 6K THB for 20 SQM just off Soi 4, Nana and, admittedly it is a bargain for the area. I don't have any drug needs by having dropped my drinking to a beer a week (whether I need it or not). I don't need gourmet or Western food so it's street food and Foodland bargains for me. I avoid all tourist-priced stores and shop minimally at Big C for, mainly, bargains.

[bangkoksimon]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So, I don't find Bangkok particularly expensive, unless one has needs and spending habits that make it so. The major thing one can do is to eschew a profligate Western lifestyle without throwing the intellectual baby out with the bathwater. I have lots of high-tech equipment so I'm not Amish, but I do have certain funds-refocusing tactics such as avoidance of purchasing or riding in motorized vehicles and even avoiding BTS and buses by riding a bicycle almost everywhere in Bangkok. I bought much of my household furnishings on Craigslist at bargain prices and have found ways to both measure and minimize my power consumption at 8 THB/KWH. My rent is 6K THB for 20 SQM just off Soi 4, Nana and, admittedly it is a bargain for the area. I don't have any drug needs by having dropped my drinking to a beer a week (whether I need it or not). I don't need gourmet or Western food so it's street food and Foodland bargains for me. I avoid all tourist-priced stores and shop minimally at Big C for, mainly, bargains.

You live in 20sq room, that's about half the size of an average hotel room.......it must be like living in a cell

[arthurwait]

I only spent 4 days in KL 2 years ago, but food, hotels, taxis, public transport were all more than double the cost of BK.<BR><BR> Most the bargain clothes were from Platinum so obviously marked up.We even found one shop selling my brother in laws dresses (no he doesn't wear them) at 800% mark up.<BR><BR> Have the exchange rates effected it or does Malaysia having petronas oil keep the price of things down ? Rent, public transport and street food are all the same in BK as two years ago aren't they ?

[cowboydog]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So, I don't find Bangkok particularly expensive, unless one has needs and spending habits that make it so. The major thing one can do is to eschew a profligate Western lifestyle without throwing the intellectual baby out with the bathwater. I have lots of high-tech equipment so I'm not Amish, but I do have certain funds-refocusing tactics such as avoidance of purchasing or riding in motorized vehicles and even avoiding BTS and buses by riding a bicycle almost everywhere in Bangkok. I bought much of my household furnishings on Craigslist at bargain prices and have found ways to both measure and minimize my power consumption at 8 THB/KWH. My rent is 6K THB for 20 SQM just off Soi 4, Nana and, admittedly it is a bargain for the area. I don't have any drug needs by having dropped my drinking to a beer a week (whether I need it or not). I don't need gourmet or Western food so it's street food and Foodland bargains for me. I avoid all tourist-priced stores and shop minimally at Big C for, mainly, bargains.

why?

[snarky66]

So Hong Kong isn't even on the list. Time for a new survey. No way is BKK City of Angels in 2nd place.

[foxteen]

If I can get the Thai wife to move to the philipines I'd be gone 2morrow

KKKKKK i like that

[REM]

Bangkok is expensive, more expensive than the places I've lived in before. If your someone who doesn't like to waste all your money, and you don't want to live in a box or like destitute person, and still enjoy regular things like a trip to the grocery store, or a night out every now and then, and some regular casual clothes or some nice clothes for work, this place is definitely getting really expensive!

A year ago, I could feed my gf and I for a week on a single trip to Carrefour for about 2,000, but now it's never cheaper than 2,500. Any type of clothing not purchased at an open air market is ridiculously overpriced, as well as any decent piece of technology. Heck, even restaurants are raising the prices!!!

I lived in Hong Kong for a while, and for the same price, I had the same type of condo I have here, but in a much nicer/safer city! Food is cheaper, as are clothes and electronics! In the USA, same thing, except rent is more there, but you get more for your money.

Well, we have to keep paying to maintain our middle class lifestyles if we don't have the money of a multinational expat, or the ability to live in a box.

[Kilgore Trout]

So Hong Kong isn't even on the list. Time for a new survey. No way is BKK City of Angels in 2nd place.

Right, because China is not an ASEAN country.

[snarky66]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So, I don't find Bangkok particularly expensive, unless one has needs and spending habits that make it so. The major thing one can do is to eschew a profligate Western lifestyle without throwing the intellectual baby out with the bathwater. I have lots of high-tech equipment so I'm not Amish, but I do have certain funds-refocusing tactics such as avoidance of purchasing or riding in motorized vehicles and even avoiding BTS and buses by riding a bicycle almost everywhere in Bangkok. I bought much of my household furnishings on Craigslist at bargain prices and have found ways to both measure and minimize my power consumption at 8 THB/KWH. My rent is 6K THB for 20 SQM just off Soi 4, Nana and, admittedly it is a bargain for the area. I don't have any drug needs by having dropped my drinking to a beer a week (whether I need it or not). I don't need gourmet or Western food so it's street food and Foodland bargains for me. I avoid all tourist-priced stores and shop minimally at Big C for, mainly, bargains.

Imagine how cool it would be if you were paying the government rate of 3.8 baht per kWh? You are getting ripped.

[MaxYakov]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So....

why?

Because I don't want to ever again be in a position where I'm forced to give my time and my life to freeloaders as are now many of my countrymen and will be their children and grandchildren and I desire to live within my means and in proportion to my perception of my value to society. I was a minor 'Atlas' and one that managed successfully to 'shrug'.

[wpcoe]

Is this topic really even newsworthy?

List of ASEAN member states (http://www.asean.org/18619.htm):

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Viet Nam

What city WOULD you expect to be first, besides Singapore?

What city WOULD you expect to be next, besides Bangkok?

Now, if the headline were about Bangkok's ranking within ASIAN nations, that might be more of interest!

[MaxYakov]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So ....

You live in 20sq room, that's about half the size of an average hotel room.......it must be like living in a cell

If you're referring to an incarceration cell, it's nothing like it since I have the keys and the entire city of Bangkok available to me at any time I desire. Besides, it tends to limit the amount of 'stuff' I can accumulate. To put things in perspective of a 'cell', the Captain and crew of a US submarine have less and cannot even see sunlight for months at a time for relatively poor pay.

[Christmasfairy]

Try living in Phuket... vastly more expensive than Bangkok. It's very hard to find even a small house for to rent for less than 15,000THB a month and frankly you have to search for those. I paid on average 23,000THB for a 2-bed house in central Phuket, near to the school where I worked, not near the beach. Not only were the supermarkets more expensive than Bangkok, the international hospitals where charging more than Bumengrad. Welcome to the Geneva of Asean!

[SwedishTranslator]

Is this topic really even newsworthy?

List of ASEAN member states (http://www.asean.org/18619.htm):

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Viet Nam

What city WOULD you expect to be first, besides Singapore?

What city WOULD you expect to be next, besides Bangkok?

Now, if the headline were about Bangkok's ranking within ASIAN nations, that might be more of interest!

Couldn't agree more. For those of us that work on-line and need reliable high speed broadband, what other country in the region offers that other than Singapore and Thailand? Possibly some areas in Kuala Lumpur but me personally don't fancy living in a muslim country...

[Arkady]

And, if you start talking about buying cars, consumer electronics, wine and other luxury goods, it is much more expensive than in most Western capitals.

[pontius]

Is this topic really even newsworthy?

List of ASEAN member states (http://www.asean.org/18619.htm):

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Viet Nam

What city WOULD you expect to be first, besides Singapore?

What city WOULD you expect to be next, besides Bangkok?

Now, if the headline were about Bangkok's ranking within ASIAN nations, that might be more of interest!

Good point.

[barryFunk]

In ASEAN maybe... but by world standards - Bangkok is still a bargain!

My wife and I moved here from the UK and took about a 40% pay cut when looking at our salaries before. At that time, we were able to save about £600 per month after all expenses. Thanks to lower taxes, lower rental costs (and the place comes with a pool!), lower cost of food, lower cost of transport and - well - lower cost of just about everything except cheese - we're now saving £1800 to £2000 per month. In the UK, we didn't live in London but rather in a mid-sized town on the south coast.

That disgusting 399THB delivery pizza that keeps getting mentioned? Last time I ordered it, I also got all sorts of other greasy stuff with it (wings, etc..) and it came in at about 350THB. Same pizza in the UK? It'd be at least twice the price.

Bangkok's incredibly good value even if it is a bit more pricey than a few years ago.

barryFunk

[HardenedSoul]

Regardless of its ranking within ASEAN, Bangkok is still cheap when compared to carving out an existence in any major Western city.

My modest 120 sqm apartment here in relatively well situated Asoke would easily cost £3000 (150,000 THB)a month back in Notting Hill. A black cab from Victoria Station to Portobello Road at 4am with minimal traffic cost me £14 (700 THB)last time I went back in 2009. A pack of Marlboro Lights set me back £6 (300 THB), a standard bottle of Heineken £5 (300 THB), a litre of 95RON unleaded £1.20 and a zone 2 to zone 1 jaunt on the tube weighed in at £4 (200 THB).

Frankly, the only expats with real grounds for complaint are retirees suffering the effects of weakening western currencies. If you're working here, you're living large compared to the majority of Thais.

Edited June 7, 2011 by HardenedSoul

[Razzler1973]

Is this topic really even newsworthy?

List of ASEAN member states (http://www.asean.org/18619.htm):

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Viet Nam

What city WOULD you expect to be first, besides Singapore?

What city WOULD you expect to be next, besides Bangkok?

Now, if the headline were about Bangkok's ranking within ASIAN nations, that might be more of interest!

Yeah, kind of agree with this really

[SwedishTranslator]

And, if you start talking about buying cars, consumer electronics, wine and other luxury goods, it is much more expensive than in most Western capitals.

Could that be because most of those goods are imported from Western countries perhaps? Personally, I find that anything that is made in Asia is a lot cheaper here than in Europe.

[Tanlic]

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangokand not everyone wants to live in the Capital' You can still live like aking in Buriram for around 150 baht a day

That of course is down to whether you want to live in Buriram or not.

The thing is the west have been so up themselves fro so long they still believe Bangkok/Thailand is a 3rd world country where the local transport is the horse and cart

Bangkok is he bees and ees! Friendlier than London or new York, better looking chicks by a proverbial mile sowhat if it costs a few bob extra these days to stay.

Best dam_n country in the world and the best city by far.

[whatamidoinghere]

As a tax-protester and non-producer-for-others in the USA, I adopted a lifestyle that was frugal by comparison to all but the poorest Thai before I arrived in Bangkok. So, I don't find Bangkok particularly expensive, unless one has needs and spending habits that make it so. The major thing one can do is to eschew a profligate Western lifestyle without throwing the intellectual baby out with the bathwater. I have lots of high-tech equipment so I'm not Amish, but I do have certain funds-refocusing tactics such as avoidance of purchasing or riding in motorized vehicles and even avoiding BTS and buses by riding a bicycle almost everywhere in Bangkok. I bought much of my household furnishings on Craigslist at bargain prices and have found ways to both measure and minimize my power consumption at 8 THB/KWH. My rent is 6K THB for 20 SQM just off Soi 4, Nana and, admittedly it is a bargain for the area. I don't have any drug needs by having dropped my drinking to a beer a week (whether I need it or not). I don't need gourmet or Western food so it's street food and Foodland bargains for me. I avoid all tourist-priced stores and shop minimally at Big C for, mainly, bargains.

Very nice response. I fully agree with you. I have been renting a 25sm flat with a million dollar view and swimming pool in a very nice tower in Sutthisan area for 5000 a month. Power is free as I use less than 300 baht a month. If you avoid a western lifestyle, you can have a great time in BKK for 10.000 - 15.000 a month all in.