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

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

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

It would sound better if you put "Warrior" at the end of your Trojan Magnum

I assume he wears it over his head when he goes muff diving.

[Soutpeel]

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

It would sound better if you put "Warrior" at the end of your Trojan Magnum

I assume he wears it over his head when he goes muff diving.

We dive at 5, no muff is too tuff

[Naam]

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

...with stainless steel reinforcement

[StreetCowboy]

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"...

So long as no-one sees you, put in anything you want...

[StreetCowboy]

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

It would sound better if you put "Warrior" at the end of your Trojan Magnum

Tailored with a snugger fit for the more insecure gentleman...

Is that the durex equivalent of the Wonderbra?

SC

[David48]

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"...

So long as no-one sees you, put in anything you want...

Unfortunately biggunguy will not be able to avail himself of your advice as he has left the building.

[PattayaParent]

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

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

Well if you're going to include condoms and viagra you'll have to include bar fines and short time and long time prices, otherwise there's no need for the condoms and viagra.

[Soutpeel]

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

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

Well if you're going to include condoms and viagra you'll have to include bar fines and short time and long time prices, otherwise there's no need for the condoms and viagra.

This is true, as these are staples living in Thailand

[CrazyKid]

Don't Forget The EZ-Bribe Card. That is a must

[MrRealDeal]

I hate to belabor the topic but I just don't find good comparisions all that possible ...... Steak for example is horrible here so you can't really compare that , sure they sell it at macro but it's nothing like in the usa ..... just because it has a usda stamp doesn't mean it's what I buy in the usa , Razor Blades might be good but the import tax kills ya and you would perhaps just buy Thai ones instead , Beer depends on the kind you compare it to , equivalant strength in a 48 ounce can is about the same in the usa as a big beer Chang ..... 1.60 .... a little more. But thats kind of seeking out a brand noone really drinks Even a bag of Doritos are a special export quality not the same.

I guess my point is that I think it's better to just figure out how much your monthly shopping basket costs for you to live and compare it rather than compare items that are kind of the same but not really or compare items that you might not even buy becasuse of the price difference. Lets face it your shopping basket is full of stuff here that you don't have there and the same back home.

I really dislike these posts because people tend to use the best price in Thailand and not the best price from back home , Chicken for example is the same price in the USA if you shop with half a brain as the cooked chickens you buy streetside here. everyone thinks are such a great deal.

Things are cheaper for a reason not because they are exactly the same , often just taxes , like cars more exp or cigs less , so sometimes it's not a differecne but it usually is. Someone posted that nice large places with good sized livingrooms are easy to find for 10-20K ........ Thats just not true. If you compare housing and whats inside the houses here they are cheaper a little but no so much when you look at the size of the rooms the size of the yard the proximity of the neighbors , the bathrooms and kitchens , lack of hot water tanks , ect. They are a pretty good deal but you lose a little of this and that to get some of the savings ...... the bottom end is the best deals I suppose but who can live in a 26 or 32 SQm condo even if it is 5000 bht or less ? Not me

The shopping basket would also need to include lack of property tax , thats really a pretty decent part of what saves the middle class living here ...... saves me about 6000USD per year thats pretty much free food beer and cigs or a new Camry every 5 years or new Yaris every 3. Even that is a questionable comparison ..... Do I compare a like house in the USA or compare the tax on the lesser expensive but same sized house here ? One way it's 6 the other 3 and depending on if you sell the house maybe 0. So it just another hard to compare comparision. ....... Unless you just compare cost to costs and make your personal fudge for lack of or improvement in quality of products or life enjoyment.

Yes their are savings to be had but not always because it's a real apples to apples comparision no matter how hard to try to make it one.

Hard as it seems for people to admit the savings come with a cost thats hard to put a price on but is greater than 0. But it is generally cheaper once the bastet is filled....... Because the quality of living and quality of products makes it that way most of the time.

Even at the High end the pools are not quite as clean , the tennis courts not as nice , the golf courses not quite as green , the Yacht clubs not as nice ect.

[Soutpeel]

I hate to belabor the topic but I just don't find good comparisions all that possible ...... Steak for example is horrible here so you can't really compare that , sure they sell it at macro but it's nothing like in the usa ..... just because it has a usda stamp doesn't mean it's what I buy in the usa , Razor Blades might be good but the import tax kills ya and you would perhaps just buy Thai ones instead , Beer depends on the kind you compare it to , equivalant strength in a 48 ounce can is about the same in the usa as a big beer Chang ..... 1.60 .... a little more. But thats kind of seeking out a brand noone really drinks Even a bag of Doritos are a special export quality not the same.

I guess my point is that I think it's better to just figure out how much your monthly shopping basket costs for you to live and compare it rather than compare items that are kind of the same but not really or compare items that you might not even buy becasuse of the price difference. Lets face it your shopping basket is full of stuff here that you don't have there and the same back home.

I really dislike these posts because people tend to use the best price in Thailand and not the best price from back home , Chicken for example is the same price in the USA if you shop with half a brain as the cooked chickens you buy streetside here. everyone thinks are such a great deal.

Things are cheaper for a reason not because they are exactly the same , often just taxes , like cars more exp or cigs less , so sometimes it's not a differecne but it usually is. Someone posted that nice large places with good sized livingrooms are easy to find for 10-20K ........ Thats just not true. If you compare housing and whats inside the houses here they are cheaper a little but no so much when you look at the size of the rooms the size of the yard the proximity of the neighbors , the bathrooms and kitchens , lack of hot water tanks , ect. They are a pretty good deal but you lose a little of this and that to get some of the savings ...... the bottom end is the best deals I suppose but who can live in a 26 or 32 SQm condo even if it is 5000 bht or less ? Not me

The shopping basket would also need to include lack of property tax , thats really a pretty decent part of what saves the middle class living here ...... saves me about 6000USD per year thats pretty much free food beer and cigs or a new Camry every 5 years or new Yaris every 3. Even that is a questionable comparison ..... Do I compare a like house in the USA or compare the tax on the lesser expensive but same sized house here ? One way it's 6 the other 3 and depending on if you sell the house maybe 0. So it just another hard to compare comparision. ....... Unless you just compare cost to costs and make your personal fudge for lack of or improvement in quality of products or life enjoyment.

Yes their are savings to be had but not always because it's a real apples to apples comparision no matter how hard to try to make it one.

Hard as it seems for people to admit the savings come with a cost thats hard to put a price on but is greater than 0. But it is generally cheaper once the bastet is filled....... Because the quality of living and quality of products makes it that way most of the time.

Even at the High end the pools are not quite as clean , the tennis courts not as nice , the golf courses not quite as green , the Yacht clubs not as nice ect.

But are the condoms cheaper ?

[StreetCowboy]

I get fed up when I go into a convenience store and they don't have baskets.

SC

[villagefarang]

I hate to belabor the topic but I just don't find good comparisions all that possible ...... Steak for example is horrible here so you can't really compare that , sure they sell it at macro but it's nothing like in the usa ..... just because it has a usda stamp doesn't mean it's what I buy in the usa , Razor Blades might be good but the import tax kills ya and you would perhaps just buy Thai ones instead , Beer depends on the kind you compare it to , equivalant strength in a 48 ounce can is about the same in the usa as a big beer Chang ..... 1.60 .... a little more. But thats kind of seeking out a brand noone really drinks Even a bag of Doritos are a special export quality not the same.

I guess my point is that I think it's better to just figure out how much your monthly shopping basket costs for you to live and compare it rather than compare items that are kind of the same but not really or compare items that you might not even buy becasuse of the price difference. Lets face it your shopping basket is full of stuff here that you don't have there and the same back home.

I really dislike these posts because people tend to use the best price in Thailand and not the best price from back home , Chicken for example is the same price in the USA if you shop with half a brain as the cooked chickens you buy streetside here. everyone thinks are such a great deal.

Things are cheaper for a reason not because they are exactly the same , often just taxes , like cars more exp or cigs less , so sometimes it's not a differecne but it usually is. Someone posted that nice large places with good sized livingrooms are easy to find for 10-20K ........ Thats just not true. If you compare housing and whats inside the houses here they are cheaper a little but no so much when you look at the size of the rooms the size of the yard the proximity of the neighbors , the bathrooms and kitchens , lack of hot water tanks , ect. They are a pretty good deal but you lose a little of this and that to get some of the savings ...... the bottom end is the best deals I suppose but who can live in a 26 or 32 SQm condo even if it is 5000 bht or less ? Not me

The shopping basket would also need to include lack of property tax , thats really a pretty decent part of what saves the middle class living here ...... saves me about 6000USD per year thats pretty much free food beer and cigs or a new Camry every 5 years or new Yaris every 3. Even that is a questionable comparison ..... Do I compare a like house in the USA or compare the tax on the lesser expensive but same sized house here ? One way it's 6 the other 3 and depending on if you sell the house maybe 0. So it just another hard to compare comparision. ....... Unless you just compare cost to costs and make your personal fudge for lack of or improvement in quality of products or life enjoyment.

Yes their are savings to be had but not always because it's a real apples to apples comparision no matter how hard to try to make it one.

Hard as it seems for people to admit the savings come with a cost thats hard to put a price on but is greater than 0. But it is generally cheaper once the bastet is filled....... Because the quality of living and quality of products makes it that way most of the time.

Even at the High end the pools are not quite as clean , the tennis courts not as nice , the golf courses not quite as green , the Yacht clubs not as nice ect.

But are the condoms cheaper ?

And are you using them alone or with someone else?

[bosunhiggs]

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

Not on Phuket it's not. An individual mode of transport is essential, given the paucity of a public transport system, enormity of the island, connecting point to point and disgustingly high taxi costs.

[MrRealDeal]

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

Not on Phuket it's not. An individual mode of transport is essential, given the paucity of a public transport system, enormity of the island, connecting point to point and disgustingly high taxi costs.

I was joking mostly it's not as good ANYPLACE not to have a car. It's just people who can't afford one convience themselves it is. Even in a place like NYC where you might not use it all that much and pay to park it someplace it's nice to have one. Riding on the back of a motorcsooter in the rain is hardly anyones idea of a good time. Taking taxis obviously doesnt save money over owning the taxicab\car or taxicabs couldn't make money.

[theblether]

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

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

Well if you're going to include condoms and viagra you'll have to include bar fines and short time and long time prices, otherwise there's no need for the condoms and viagra.

Eh? Speak for yourself man, some of us are irrisistible to the opposite sex.....

Gawd, now that I think about it some of us are irrisistible to the third sex when we're wearing a kilt.....

Oh no, flashbacks....

[theblether]

@MrRealDeal......accepting what you are saying, the comparison is within Thailand.

I reckon there can't be that massive a difference in grocery shopping baskets, but there could be on housing and schooling costs for example.

However, beer, condoms, nutella, hamburgers, vegemite/marmite, tartan pants, razor blades and steaks seem to be more essential than a place to stay.

I suppose I can see a logic

[F1fanatic]

We're never going to agree on a 'shopping basket' - let alone the cost of it !

[BookMan]

@MrRealDeal......accepting what you are saying, the comparison is within Thailand.

I reckon there can't be that massive a difference in grocery shopping baskets, but there could be on housing and schooling costs for example.

However, beer, condoms, nutella, hamburgers, vegemite/marmite, tartan pants, razor blades and steaks seem to be more essential than a place to stay.

I suppose I can see a logic

@MrRealDeal......accepting what you are saying, the comparison is within Thailand.

I reckon there can't be that massive a difference in grocery shopping baskets, but there could be on housing and schooling costs for example.

However, beer, condoms, nutella, hamburgers, vegemite/marmite, tartan pants, razor blades and steaks seem to be more essential than a place to stay.

I suppose I can see a logic

Thats true.

You should decide the final shopping basket, it is your thread. (20% higher for a shopping basket of food adds up through the year)

Let the REAL debate start up in regard to housing and schooling costs

[meatballs]

I guess Chiang Mai is less expensive than where I live(Pattaya). I was checking rental prices and the difference is ridiculous. I think rent is 50% higher here.

[overherebc]

Starting Monday I will list daily buys/costs at the local corner shop followed by items and costs at Foodland during the week. If done over a 3 or 4 week period should give an average weekly bill for 2. Some things bought obviously last longer than a week, eg frozen veggies etc, last why I think needs to be averaged out.

No schooling involved for me.

Housing costs will be monthly mortgage payment.

Transport weill be monthly for car and fuel

Meals out, beers etc all to be included.

Thoughts ?

[BookMan]

Starting Monday I will list daily buys/costs at the local corner shop followed by items and costs at Foodland during the week. If done over a 3 or 4 week period should give an average weekly bill for 2. Some things bought obviously last longer than a week, eg frozen veggies etc, last why I think needs to be averaged out.

No schooling involved for me.

Housing costs will be monthly mortgage payment.

Transport weill be monthly for car and fuel

Meals out, beers etc all to be included.

Thoughts ?

Sounds like a good start

[F1fanatic]

Starting Monday I will list daily buys/costs at the local corner shop followed by items and costs at Foodland during the week. If done over a 3 or 4 week period should give an average weekly bill for 2. Some things bought obviously last longer than a week, eg frozen veggies etc, last why I think needs to be averaged out.

No schooling involved for me.

Housing costs will be monthly mortgage payment.

Transport weill be monthly for car and fuel

Meals out, beers etc all to be included.

Thoughts ?

1) Local market/Tesco Lotus may well be cheaper for some items than local corner shop - so many will disagree with the price..

2) Depends on what you buy - others will have an entirely different shopping list...

3) Monthly mortgage depends on how much/type of house you bought...

etc. etc.

I suspect the only thing that we will all agree on is that the costs of living in a tourist area are higher than those without tourists?!

Edit - Mind you, the cost of meals out (as long as the meal eaten is provided - huge difference between Western meal and Thai meal) and cost of beers, should work?

Edited August 11, 2012 by F1fanatic

[theblether]

Starting Monday I will list daily buys/costs at the local corner shop followed by items and costs at Foodland during the week. If done over a 3 or 4 week period should give an average weekly bill for 2. Some things bought obviously last longer than a week, eg frozen veggies etc, last why I think needs to be averaged out.

No schooling involved for me.

Housing costs will be monthly mortgage payment.

Transport weill be monthly for car and fuel

Meals out, beers etc all to be included.

Thoughts ?

1) Local market/Tesco Lotus may well be cheaper for some items than local corner shop - so many will disagree with the price..

2) Depends on what you buy - others will have an entirely different shopping list...

3) Monthly mortgage depends on how much/type of house you bought...

etc. etc.

I suspect the only thing that we will all agree on is that the costs of living in a tourist area are higher than those without tourists?!

Edit - Mind you, the cost of meals out (as long as the meal eaten is provided - huge difference between Western meal and Thai meal) and cost of beers, should work?

Spot on f1,

@overherebc, great plan, and I bet it will be interesting for you too. Your Mrs may have a look at the spend after 4 weeks and decide she can do better at the local market.

@bookman, will do. As soon as I get to a laptop I'll make up a rudimentary cost of living basket then we can all modify it.

If anyone would like to do the cost of living basket in the meantime that would be great, I'm under a bit of time pressure at work.

[overherebc]

Starting Monday I will list daily buys/costs at the local corner shop followed by items and costs at Foodland during the week. If done over a 3 or 4 week period should give an average weekly bill for 2. Some things bought obviously last longer than a week, eg frozen veggies etc, last why I think needs to be averaged out.

No schooling involved for me.

Housing costs will be monthly mortgage payment.

Transport weill be monthly for car and fuel

Meals out, beers etc all to be included.

Thoughts ?

1) Local market/Tesco Lotus may well be cheaper for some items than local corner shop - so many will disagree with the price..

2) Depends on what you buy - others will have an entirely different shopping list...

3) Monthly mortgage depends on how much/type of house you bought...

etc. etc.

I suspect the only thing that we will all agree on is that the costs of living in a tourist area are higher than those without tourists?!

Edit - Mind you, the cost of meals out (as long as the meal eaten is provided - huge difference between Western meal and Thai meal) and cost of beers, should work?

Ok agreed,

so lets take the car and house part.

Where I am, outskirts of Patts, the mortgage payment is about the same as the average rent for a two bedroom bungalow with a good kitchen and garden for the dog.

8500 a month

Car 9000 a month

electric 2400 a month 4975 a week.

Food etc I'll start on Monday

Thinking about it I can add now,

beer at home usually 4 cans for 5 nights plus one pack ciggies

Say 200 a day, so that's 1000 a week.

so now up to 5975 a week.

Edited August 11, 2012 by overherebc

[Naam]

We're never going to agree on a 'shopping basket' - let alone the cost of it !

any attempt is bound to fail as individual situations vary too much.

[harrry]

I do not use a shopping basket....Just throw it in the back of the truck.

[theblether]

We're never going to agree on a 'shopping basket' - let alone the cost of it !

any attempt is bound to fail as individual situations vary too much.

If anyone can do it Naam you can do it, as you are our resident financial guru.

I know you wouldn't allow a simple exercise such as a shopping bag comparison defeat you.

You are too intelligent and talented to allow that to happen.

[MrRealDeal]

I don't find razor blades or condoms more essential than a place to stay.

[harrry]

I do not think that a basket is the way to determine the needs of people on this forum. It is a disparate group and income and lifestyles vary,

I think it may be able to be compared in a same way as the Harvester Judgement determined the minimum wage in Australia way back in about 1907 I think. It was an attempt to set an amount that would support a basic family in a comfortable but frugal way.

We could probably start by determining the needed rent. And then food costs which I would propose at starting from 3 meals at 35 baht each a day with for foreigners 3 or 4 much more expensive meals a week. Schooling costs need to be consider for younger families but no so much for the older of us. These costs are replaced though by medical costs. Transport can cover a mercedes and its associated costs but I think it more reasonable to consider a motorscooter with one tank of petrol a week as needed.

Go to it and tear these about.

Edited August 11, 2012 by harrry