The Thai Shopping Basket......Cost Of Living ( And No Not That Again ).

[theblether]

Just reading the thread about Chiang Rai...........it got me thinking about creating a cost comparison shopping basket between the various areas. Obviously things like schooling, housing etc would have to be involved so!!! how about we try to create a multi-point shopping basket and use it as a template for enquiries about where is best to live? ( an enquiry which is quite common on TV ).

At the risk of being lazy.......I don't have time just now to start it off so I'll leave it to my charismatic and erudite fellow members to suggest what would be in a comprehensive shopping basket for cost of living comparisons.

So the root is.......comparison baskets......not another thread about how much does it cost to live in Thailand

[BookMan]

It's a great idea and I love it!

Should be interesting having TVers living in the same area to agree on prices though

[TwoDogz]

I bought one jar of vegemite in Thinglor for 149b and then I bought another one the same day in Ploenchit for 190b.

So compare away...thats the only essential shopping requirement anyway.

[Soutpeel]

Condoms should be on the list....and seeing as I suggested this use my size ...Trojan Magnum

[Soutpeel]

Seeing as we have a lot of OAP's in Thailand, Viagra should be in the shopping basket as well..

[BookMan]

Condoms should be on the list....and seeing as I suggested this use my size ...Trojan Magnum

Thai Trojan Magnum size?

[MrRealDeal]

Put in a car and all savings are gone ...... so better convience yourself taking taxis is just as good as your own car.

Put in a real house with a stove , bathtub a decnt size livingroom ...... oops thats to expensive to better leave that out

Steak , Hamburger , oops not Thai better leave that out.

Levis.......... nope imported ...... whats the point ?

[biggunguy]

good indicators are the menues of

- mcdonalds

- kfc

- burger king

- au bon pain

and starbucks prices...

[MrRealDeal]

good indicators are the menues of

- mcdonalds

- kfc

- au bon pain

and starbucks prices...

Only relevant if you look at wages ...... Big macks cost about the same in Thailand as the USA however min wage in the USA is 5 times as much so looking at just the price is an unrealistc comparasion , and no sensible meashure of the actual cost of living between the 2 places.

[biggunguy]

Only relevant if you look at wages ...... Big macks cost about the same in Thailand as the USA however min wage in the USA is 5 times as much so looking at just the price is an unrealistc comparasion , and no sensible meashure of the actual cost of living between the 2 places.

its about a "shopping basket"...

[TwoDogz]

And in the basket, will it be a keg or 6 pack for the beer ? and what if you dont like beer, I prefer a gin, or whiskey etc.

[arthurwait]

Put in a car and all savings are gone ...... so better convience yourself taking taxis is just as good as your own car.

Put in a real house with a stove , bathtub a decnt size livingroom ...... oops thats to expensive to better leave that out

Steak , Hamburger , oops not Thai better leave that out.

Levis.......... nope imported ...... whats the point ?

Steak quite cheap at Makro.

Hamburgers, make your own. Pork mince is 100B a kilo. Add in breadcrumbs and onions and the price per kilo goes down. Yes £2/$3 for a kilo.

Houses with living rooms are available from a few thousand baht depending on where you live.

Oven 20,000 baht and a bath less than that (?).

Levis are made in Thailand.

http://voices.yahoo.com/best-factory-outlet-stores-bangkok-thailand-jeans-4796546.html

[arthurwait]

good indicators are the menues of

- mcdonalds

- kfc

- au bon pain

and starbucks prices...

Only relevant if you look at wages ...... Big macks cost about the same in Thailand as the USA however min wage in the USA is 5 times as much so looking at just the price is an unrealistc comparasion , and no sensible meashure of the actual cost of living between the 2 places.

Don't know about the US, but Maconalds are about a third of the price of the UK. Although it's a while since I've been back.

Can one of our UK (and US) residents let us know what the current prices are ?

[biggunguy]

beer brand a (per xy ml bottle)

beer brand b (per xy ml bottle)

...

marlboro

other cig brands

...

coke / pepsi cans

...

bottled water (1 ltr)

eggs (1/6/12 pcs)

...

magnum ice cream

...

things, which can be compared by brand or by type e.g. minced pork (more difficult)...

[arthurwait]

Condoms should be on the list....and seeing as I suggested this use my size ...Trojan Magnum

Thai Trojan Magnum size?

Yes thats right the Magnum variety.

Their inners melt as soon as they encounter something warm.

[arthurwait]

beer brand a (per xy ml bottle)

beer brand b (per xy ml bottle)

...

marlboro

other cig brands

...

coke / pepsi cans

...

bottled water (1 ltr)

...

magnum ice cream

...

things, which can be compared by brand or by type e.g. minced pork (more difficult)...

It's easier. You can't compare imported things as it all varies on country and import tax.

Basic things are what's needed to be compared.

Chicken breast 90-100Baht a kilo. £1.80 - £2.00 per kilo. Four years ago in the UK the cheapest was about £12 per kilo.

And another basic like for like comparison: Thai beer 25-50 baht in a shop. Tramps piss in the UK = free.

[theblether]

Hmmm, hamburgers, beer, viagra and condoms.

Yes I can see a pattern emerging.

[mjj]

I bought one jar of vegemite in Thinglor for 149b and then I bought another one the same day in Ploenchit for 190b.

So compare away...thats the only essential shopping requirement anyway.

VEGEMITE! VEGEMITE!

It's MARMITE you want!

[arthurwait]

Ooopps I mean fruit, lucozade, trainers, running shorts.

[biggunguy]

You can't compare imported things as it all varies on country and import tax.

Yes, sure it is comparable... you have to pay that price for the product...

it doesnt matter whether the price is based on import tax or transportation cost or different quality...

[harrry]

If anyone needs a current cost comparison try looking at www.coles.com.au and go to online shopping. The prices there shocked me. Tops is not as expensive as I thought.

[arthurwait]

If anyone needs a current cost comparison try looking at www.coles.com.au and go to online shopping. The prices there shocked me. Tops is not as expensive as I thought.

Until you get home and find the thing you have bought is 6 months out of date and throw it in the bin.

[theblether]

On a side note, I was in a Sports bar down in Sukhumvit last week. 1 litre Heineken, 350 baht.....I had to go outside to check if I'd been transported to central London.

I hadn't, it was BKK, at London prices. Oh well.

[BookMan]

I bought one jar of vegemite in Thinglor for 149b and then I bought another one the same day in Ploenchit for 190b.

So compare away...thats the only essential shopping requirement anyway.

VEGEMITE! VEGEMITE!

It's MARMITE you want!

I agree: we can do inferior substitution when the real thing is not available

[arthurwait]

On a side note, I was in a Sports bar down in Sukhumvit last week. 1 litre Heineken, 350 baht.....I had to go outside to check if I'd been transported to central London.

I hadn't, it was BKK, at London prices. Oh well.

Any idea what nationality the owner was ?

[TwoDogz]

I do not want cigarettes in my shopping basket, foul disgusting things stinking the universe.

[TwoDogz]

You are welcome to use marmite as a substitute if you like.

I guess you will be costing thai whiskey also ?

[Slip]

Sorry to be too on topic, but here's a link to the items included in (and removed from) the UK's 2010 basket. Might be as good a place for you to start as any?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/mar/15/inflation-basket

[chiang mai]

On a side note, I was in a Sports bar down in Sukhumvit last week. 1 litre Heineken, 350 baht.....I had to go outside to check if I'd been transported to central London.

I hadn't, it was BKK, at London prices. Oh well.

Any idea what nationality the owner was ?

I'm guessing the reference was to the Huntsman pub in the Landmark, in which case not representative pricing in my book.

[TwoDogz]

Why do you need UK and such foods in your basket to compare living costs and standards between CM and Hua Hin for example ?

If you cannot do without your western luxuires, you should go home.

Vegemite excluded as it is not a luxury.