Things Which Are More Expensive In Thailand Than In Your Home Country?

[phuketjock]

re.

branston pickle

i bought a jar here in 09 and it was about 270 baht or just over a fiver but

i had a craving for a few cheese and pickle sandwiches which was sorted : )

dave2

200 baht a jar in Tops Phuket Dave

[TommoPhysicist]

Another poster mentioned that pizza was more expensive and yet I have found the opposite. I can take my wife and kids to Pizza Co. and get an extra large pizza, pasta, chicken wings, garlic bread for around 500bht ($17) same meal in Aus would cost at least $40

Large Pizza from Pizza Hut in USA is $10-12, fast food in the US is very cheap.

https://quikorder.pizzahut.com/phorders3/index.php#deals

[thaicbr]

i could swear that i saw you post in a thread about your wife and you stated that the day you met her she could not speak a word of english. Since when is there 2 chiangmaikelly on the forum?

Nope, not to my knowledge. There is a Chiangmai. My lady speaks English at work daily as she deals with technical people from all over the world. Our dog is multi lingual too.

The dog learnt how to talk bullshit from his master then

sent from my ..................#

[chiangmaikelly]

i could swear that i saw you post in a thread about your wife and you stated that the day you met her she could not speak a word of english. Since when is there 2 chiangmaikelly on the forum?

Nope, not to my knowledge. There is a Chiangmai. My lady speaks English at work daily as she deals with technical people from all over the world. Our dog is multi lingual too.

The dog learnt how to talk bullshit from his master then

sent from my ..................#

Perhaps in your country but bullshit is not a language in my home or native country.

[Chads]

Another poster mentioned that pizza was more expensive and yet I have found the opposite. I can take my wife and kids to Pizza Co. and get an extra large pizza, pasta, chicken wings, garlic bread for around 500bht ($17) same meal in Aus would cost at least $40

Yup same expensive situation in Singapore re: Pizzas.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Chads

[driedmango]

Cars are silly cheap in Canada, $500 can get you one, but god forbid you need a real mechanic to look at it $90 an hour.

But on the same token, a motor scooter is much more expensive in Canada,

My theory ? there is more cars than people in Canada, it has been that way for decades, cars lose their value here daily, and everyone here is stupid enough to think they need a new car every few years and don't mind financing themselves to their eyeballs. So it does work out for cheap cars I agree.

Electronics are very cheap in Canada (cheaper in the USA thou) I have no theory on that.

Tents are cheaper in Canada, lots of good quality outdoor gear is cheaper here,

I can't think of much else I buy that is cheaper here, many other things are like 10-20% of the cost, and you get much better quality and service in Thailand. If you go to motel in Canada you are lucky if they even smile at you, If you go into a shop the workers won't even help you for a second.

[driedmango]

Another poster mentioned that pizza was more expensive and yet I have found the opposite. I can take my wife and kids to Pizza Co. and get an extra large pizza, pasta, chicken wings, garlic bread for around 500bht ($17) same meal in Aus would cost at least $40

Large Pizza from Pizza Hut in USA is $10-12, fast food in the US is very cheap.

https://quikorder.pi...index.php#deals

Yes, also fast food is cheaper in America, that pizza though, and they could try to sue me, is about the lowest quality processed food on the planet.. supply and demand... but if you got to a 24 711 in america they double the price late at night, you can spend $10 on a drink and a chocolate bar.

[NeverSure]

I still think it's apples and oranges. I think it's possible to live very nicely in LOS for less than average US places. However, there will always be a difference and in the US you'll pay for that. For instance I had a very serviceable flat at the Riverside. No problem. But, I've never seen such a thing in the US and I don't even know if the Riverside would meet code. I don't know if people in the US would rent it either.

I know of no one bedroom apartments, much less a flat in the town near me which has a pop. of 100,000. All new apts I know of, built in the past 30 years are 2 br 2 bath. The smaller ones just don't pencil. The US apt will have a full blown Western kitchen with lots of cabinets, a built in dishwasher and microwave, lots of counter space and a return for bar stools. Of course there will be w/d in their own closet. There will be plenty of closet space. There will be parking for 2 cars and maybe a cover over it.

It will be close to if not more than 900 square feet. The living room and dining area will be together, but the dining will be next to the kitchen with its own space and room for at least 6 chairs.

The cheapest one to rent will be an "older" one of maybe 30 years but it will be well maintained or it won't rent. Maybe US$800 per month, and it's common for single people to share one. It's not so hard when you have 2 brs and 2 full baths.

So housing appears more expensive but you get what you pay for. If someone in LOS needs a 5k baht rental ($US 160) it's there, but it isn't the US style living. That's not to mention the infrastructure that goes with all of that such as an ambulance at your door in 5 minutes flat with highly trained paramedics on board, radio to a doctor for instruction, meds on board, etc. etc.

Still I can't help loving LOS.

[chiangmaikelly]

I still think it's apples and oranges. I think it's possible to live very nicely in LOS for less than average US places. However, there will always be a difference and in the US you'll pay for that. For instance I had a very serviceable flat at the Riverside. No problem. But, I've never seen such a thing in the US and I don't even know if the Riverside would meet code. I don't know if people in the US would rent it either.

I know of no one bedroom apartments, much less a flat in the town near me which has a pop. of 100,000. All new apts I know of, built in the past 30 years are 2 br 2 bath. The smaller ones just don't pencil. The US apt will have a full blown Western kitchen with lots of cabinets, a built in dishwasher and microwave, lots of counter space and a return for bar stools. Of course there will be w/d in their own closet. There will be plenty of closet space. There will be parking for 2 cars and maybe a cover over it.

It will be close to if not more than 900 square feet. The living room and dining area will be together, but the dining will be next to the kitchen with its own space and room for at least 6 chairs.

The cheapest one to rent will be an "older" one of maybe 30 years but it will be well maintained or it won't rent. Maybe US$800 per month, and it's common for single people to share one. It's not so hard when you have 2 brs and 2 full baths.

So housing appears more expensive but you get what you pay for. If someone in LOS needs a 5k baht rental ($US 160) it's there, but it isn't the US style living. That's not to mention the infrastructure that goes with all of that such as an ambulance at your door in 5 minutes flat with highly trained paramedics on board, radio to a doctor for instruction, meds on board, etc. etc.

Still I can't help loving LOS.

I had a heart attack in Thailand. I'm fine now because of the good, fast and caring medical care. I would have been dead or broke or both if it happened in the US. Tell me about infrastructure. Am I saying medical care is better in Thailand? Yes of course it is.

Edited October 22, 2012 by chiangmaikelly

[isawasnake]

Anything will be better off, and less expensive to maintain, in the long run when top notch people maintain it... whether it be a car or a human body. Maybe that is arguable to some, but what is not really arguable is there aren't really top notch doctors in Thailand, at least not readily accessible ones.

[driedmango]

at least 70 000 million people in the USA live in the worst imaginable kinds of housing in dangerous places, with slum lords, high bills, no grocery store for 10 miles, no markets, nowhere to go without a car.

I would take a bamboo hut any day compared with a moldy trailer, sorry.

[StefanBBK]

At work people constantly tell me, that I must save a lot of money living in Thailand. If anything I believe thailand is a little more expensive than Europe living at the same standard. Some things are cheaper here, others are far more expensive. More expensive are: imported foods an beverage, such as cheese, wine, chocolate, bread (other than toast), potatoes, avocado, etc. , Cars, insurance, large size clothes, electronics, furniture, school fee for the kids, gym membership, quality bicycle, cable tv, internet, mobile data plans and so on.

There are many things that are less expensive here too: most food, restaurants, gasoline, doctors, cigarettes, local drinks, cinema, bowling, amusement parks, simple clothes, services, electricity, and many more.

In the end, I live here, not to save money, but to enjoy a nice lifestyle. Money wise if I wanted to live here, same as in the West, Thailand would be much more expensive. BUT, if I wanted to live in the West, like I live here, I could not afford it......

Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Naam]

at least 70 000 million people in the USA live in the worst imaginable kinds of housing in dangerous places, with slum lords, high bills, no grocery store for 10 miles, no markets, nowhere to go without a car.

I would take a bamboo hut any day compared with a moldy trailer, sorry.

70 000 million seems slightly exaggerated

[samran]

at least 70 000 million people in the USA live in the worst imaginable kinds of housing in dangerous places, with slum lords, high bills, no grocery store for 10 miles, no markets, nowhere to go without a car.

I would take a bamboo hut any day compared with a moldy trailer, sorry.

70 000 million seems slightly exaggerated

I think he meant a gabillion jillion people

[driedmango]

ok, so of course it is a little more expensive to live at a western upper middle income standard of living in Thailand.

Maybe the moral of the story is if you have the money, and need a upper middle income standard of living, but somehow still like to save a buck maybe Thailand is just going to piss you off.

If you are your average young person, or person of a pension or some other small income, maybe you have a small income from investments or sold your house and have a little wad in the bank, AND are more than stoked and WANT to eat great little meals, afford little hotels, taxi, buy nice little handmade things, get something like a cheap diving course, attend great festivals for almost nothing, take trains for $2 an hour... go to thailand

Everyone that travels might know a "better" spot than Thailand, and some of you know India can be very much cheaper, but anyone that travels SAmerica, or eastern Europe knows that Thailand is the Cheapest place on the planet compared with what you get until maybe you pass this threshold where you have those upper middle class idiots with white sweaters around their shoulders and $200 sandals complaining about prices, but <deleted> else is new ?

[Rob8891]

I can't be bothered reading back through the whole thread, just want to say why the heck does a BKK to UK airfare cost anything between £100 to £200 more than UK - BKK? makes no sense.... no import taxes to levy?? Surely landing charges at BKK can't be higher than at LHR?...then again, the plane has to hit the ground at both ends of the flight!

Rant ..... gripe ..... whinge.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Rob8891

[gray42]

Perhaps you are confusing the word "Thai" when what you really mean is "peasant", and the word "farang" for "anyone with standards". If your goal in life is to live as cheap as possible then yes, living like a peasant in cockroach ridden 2000 baht per month studio room, riding on 10 baht buses and eating 30 baht noodles means that Thailand still is cheaper than western countries. However, for most people (including most thais) who aspire to better living standards and have their own car, nice home, their own spending on discretionary items, then Thailand is likely just as expensive or even more expensive than western countries.

You're calling Thai people who can only afford 2,000 per month for rent and 30 baht noodles "peasants"? Have you ever been outside of farangtown? Most Thai people I meet don't talk about better living standards or a nice home. In fact they seem pretty content, and it's incredibly disrespectful of you to call them peasants.

[chiangmaikelly]

at least 70 000 million people in the USA live in the worst imaginable kinds of housing in dangerous places, with slum lords, high bills, no grocery store for 10 miles, no markets, nowhere to go without a car.

I would take a bamboo hut any day compared with a moldy trailer, sorry.

70 000 million seems slightly exaggerated

The number is a bit high but I want to know what place has a slum landlord and is 10 miles from a grocery store. And what is the difference in the US between a grocery store and a market? And are all trailers moldy? What about the ones in Nevada?

[MahaYellow]

I stayed in Chiang Mai for almost 3 months, and glean a lot of info from this forum. I've come to the conclusion that as a retired person it's cheaper to live in the US, other than housing and some utilities...

I get full health coverage here for $US125.00 a month and no age limit. That's Medicare Advantage for those in the know.

I can buy a brand new Toyota Camry LE here right off the floor with no waiting for $US20,000 (615,000 baht) and we have no sales tax. Toyota Camrys are made in the US! So are Toyota pickups!

Plates and registration cost $US160 for four years. My car insurance with full coverage on me and others and my car is about $US500 a year. That's bumping my liability part up to $US500,000.

I can ride a brand new Harley Road King Classic away for $US19,000. I bought my Ford F150 full four door 4x4 XLT loaded for $US33,000 (1 million baht) after rebates.

Good Western food and sundries are way cheaper here than in LOS.

Unless I cut my standard of living in LOS and lose the hobbies and the Harleys and my full size 4x4, I don't believe I'll save a dime. For me living in LOS is about lifestyle and not money. (I do plan to cut my lifestyle and save money but it won't be the same as I live now.)

If everything here in LOS is dearer I wonder why tons of

expats are are still living here. Maybe they've won the lottery.

[chiangmaikelly]

I stayed in Chiang Mai for almost 3 months, and glean a lot of info from this forum. I've come to the conclusion that as a retired person it's cheaper to live in the US, other than housing and some utilities...

I get full health coverage here for $US125.00 a month and no age limit. That's Medicare Advantage for those in the know.

I can buy a brand new Toyota Camry LE here right off the floor with no waiting for $US20,000 (615,000 baht) and we have no sales tax. Toyota Camrys are made in the US! So are Toyota pickups!

Plates and registration cost $US160 for four years. My car insurance with full coverage on me and others and my car is about $US500 a year. That's bumping my liability part up to $US500,000.

I can ride a brand new Harley Road King Classic away for $US19,000. I bought my Ford F150 full four door 4x4 XLT loaded for $US33,000 (1 million baht) after rebates.

Good Western food and sundries are way cheaper here than in LOS.

Unless I cut my standard of living in LOS and lose the hobbies and the Harleys and my full size 4x4, I don't believe I'll save a dime. For me living in LOS is about lifestyle and not money. (I do plan to cut my lifestyle and save money but it won't be the same as I live now.)

If everything here in LOS is dearer I wonder why tons of

expats are are still living here. Maybe they've won the lottery.

I was retired in CM for three years. I never owned a car there. I had a Thai family on call to drive. Not much money and a lot easier than owning a car. So the car ownership costs are not important for a lot of people. Cost of rent? I paid less in rent in CM than I paid for condo maintenance and taxes in Florida. In Florida old people look for shells and shark's teeth on the beach and patrol the city for early bird dinner specials.

In Thailand I normally let the girls cook dinner and went out dancing at the disco after we ate. Some folks actually like looking for sea shells and shopping for early bird dinners (spoiled food from the night before re heated).

[TommoPhysicist]

So housing appears more expensive but you get what you pay for. If someone in LOS needs a 5k baht rental ($US 160) it's there, but it isn't the US style living. That's not to mention the infrastructure that goes with all of that such as an ambulance at your door in 5 minutes flat with highly trained paramedics on board, radio to a doctor for instruction, meds on board, etc. etc.

Still I can't help loving LOS.

Not everyone lives in Condos!

Plenty of two bedroom houses in the burbs around CM for 4-5kbht a month.

Try matching that in most western countries.

Bedsit (condo) in the UK way out of town about 200ukp/month (10kbht)

Edited October 22, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[thehelmsman]

I'm always amazed at those who are able to survive (happily) on 10-15k bht p.m. for all living expenses exc. rent. How much do you pay for health insurance/elec/internet access/mobile/TV programmes etc. etc.?

Health insurance = 0

Elec =1,000bht

Internet access =631bht

Mobile = 30bht

TV proggys = 0 (all downloaded)

@Naam

No wine, too poor to participate.

Is living so frugally something you are forced to do because of your financial situation or simply how you choose to live? Excuse me for being curious but it seems if the money is available then why not spend it. I'm not talking about western foods because I don't spend the extra $$ for sub-standard - over priced western style foods either.

How many people do you provide for for 10-15K a month?? I'm assuming you raise all your own meats.

I'm not trying to be judgemental - just amazed. I know the thais do it no problem. But the cost of buying food for 4-5 people with a few extras probably runs 10-15K a month.

[Chads]

I'm always amazed at those who are able to survive (happily) on 10-15k bht p.m. for all living expenses exc. rent. How much do you pay for health insurance/elec/internet access/mobile/TV programmes etc. etc.?

Health insurance = 0

Elec =1,000bht

Internet access =631bht

Mobile = 30bht

TV proggys = 0 (all downloaded)

@Naam

No wine, too poor to participate.

Is living so frugally something you are forced to do because of your financial situation or simply how you choose to live? Excuse me for being curious but it seems if the money is available then why not spend it. I'm not talking about western foods because I don't spend the extra $$ for sub-standard - over priced western style foods either.

How many people do you provide for for 10-15K a month?? I'm assuming you raise all your own meats.

I'm not trying to be judgemental - just amazed. I know the thais do it no problem. But the cost of buying food for 4-5 people with a few extras probably runs 10-15K a month.

I provide for 2 people incl. myself. An average Thai meal costs about 40 baht. So 40 baht x 2 people x 2 times a day = 160 baht per day.

160 baht x 30 days = 4800 baht.

Rent plus bills is about 9000 baht.

That totals 13800 baht.

Add going to club, movie and pizza once a month and some transport costs (motorbike) it's about 15000 - 16000 baht a month. I don't spend money on sex/women.

You can add another 1000 baht if I treated a bunch of friends to a nice dinner sometime.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Chads

[chiangmaikelly]

So housing appears more expensive but you get what you pay for. If someone in LOS needs a 5k baht rental ($US 160) it's there, but it isn't the US style living. That's not to mention the infrastructure that goes with all of that such as an ambulance at your door in 5 minutes flat with highly trained paramedics on board, radio to a doctor for instruction, meds on board, etc. etc.

Still I can't help loving LOS.

Not everyone lives in Condos!

Plenty of two bedroom houses in the burbs around CM for 4-5kbht a month.

Try matching that in most western countries.

Bedsit (condo) in the UK way out of town about 200ukp/month (10kbht)

Chiang Mai Ram is a great hospital and there are probably 20 condo's within a 5 minutes drive. A simple search will also find cardiac ambulances in Thailand. But even if a poster is shown to be completely in error they are unable to admit that Thailand could hold a candle on many areas to their home country.

Not only that they are driven to tell people who live in Thailand how good and cheap it is in their home country. Or any finding of truth in any area is met with ten reasons the Thai way even though better is flawed morally or logically or mystically or is not comparing apples to apples.

For anyone to suggest this rampant xenophobia is in error is to incur the wrath of all kindred spirits.

Like Jim Rogers said, 1807 was the time to move to London, 1907 to NYC and 2007 Asia.

Edited October 22, 2012 by chiangmaikelly

[driedmango]

Right, live like a Thai and lower your living standards ? My father taught me, one does not move half way around the world to lower his living standards, maybe cool for the first 2 years but after 10+ years, I'm happy to say that I live in a "farang" house eat both cuisines though the farang one comes at a price, love cheeses and wine, so yes even without debts and without having to pay wife's family we spend around 60K per month on living, petrol, eating out, buying farang food and so on..... All about choices I guess, but living like a Thai on cheap rice plates, hmm, all cool in the beginning, gets boring very quickly.

No, you just don't get it. For many or most of the people I know, being able to take a taxi every day, a sleeper train on a whim, have a mango shake anytime you feel is uppper our standard of living even if a at home our houses might be a little more comfy. What you consider a higher standard of living is what I might consider boring and what i am trying to escape.

[driedmango]

And cheap rice dishes ? WTH you talking about that white rice is about the best tasting rice in the world and much more expensive where I live. In the winter I am lucky to have any fresh fruit I can afford here.

What ever your father once told you was crap. Most move around the world nothing to do with their standard of living and more to do with their standard of excitement. No wonder you guys are so cranky and board, you belong in a gated community beside a walmart in Florida, sick of all you crying, go where you are a happy.

But even then, my standard of living skyrockets in Thailand. I sleep in tents when I travel in Canada, or my Van, A hotel is over 100 and is not fun, I can get a little motel room, not as fancy for $10 I am stoked, I would love it if there were budget hotel rooms in Canada, i would be in one today on the road

[driedmango]

Perhaps you are confusing the word "Thai" when what you really mean is "peasant", and the word "farang" for "anyone with standards". If your goal in life is to live as cheap as possible then yes, living like a peasant in cockroach ridden 2000 baht per month studio room, riding on 10 baht buses and eating 30 baht noodles means that Thailand still is cheaper than western countries. However, for most people (including most thais) who aspire to better living standards and have their own car, nice home, their own spending on discretionary items, then Thailand is likely just as expensive or even more expensive than western countries.

You're calling Thai people who can only afford 2,000 per month for rent and 30 baht noodles "peasants"? Have you ever been outside of farangtown? Most Thai people I meet don't talk about better living standards or a nice home. In fact they seem pretty content, and it's incredibly disrespectful of you to call them peasants.

Rich is not counted in the amount of money one has, it is counted in their number of friends, their merit, the amount of people that would help them when in need, the number of parties they get invited to, their family love... money would make this list somewhere near the end, but the truley rich share their money and never dwell on it.

Hard for some people to understand, you can be rich in money but a very poor man.

[Chads]

Right, live like a Thai and lower your living standards ? My father taught me, one does not move half way around the world to lower his living standards, maybe cool for the first 2 years but after 10+ years, I'm happy to say that I live in a "farang" house eat both cuisines though the farang one comes at a price, love cheeses and wine, so yes even without debts and without having to pay wife's family we spend around 60K per month on living, petrol, eating out, buying farang food and so on..... All about choices I guess, but living like a Thai on cheap rice plates, hmm, all cool in the beginning, gets boring very quickly.

No, you just don't get it. For many or most of the people I know, being able to take a taxi every day, a sleeper train on a whim, have a mango shake anytime you feel is uppper our standard of living even if a at home our houses might be a little more comfy. What you consider a higher standard of living is what I might consider boring and what i am trying to escape.

I have quite a high quality of life here (definitely much higher than I've had in Singapore), and I don't need to spend more than 20,000 baht for it. I still get all my western food, catch movies when I want, and buy whatever I fancy (though I'd add that I'm not into designer goods).

I still eat normal Thai food on most days, but I don't find Thai food "boring" or "cheap". Maybe it's cause I'm Asian, and there any many varieties of Asian food here, which keep me well satisfied. But as my mentioned, I can still that pasta, pizza, or burger whenever I like.

Living in Thailand has doubled my standard of living at half the price

[driedmango]

In the old days it took many weeks of hard work to make a little cheeze, Now in places that have daily milk and dairy habits, they have hundreds of millions of cows, being feed tons more food then we get out of them, they fart and are a major reason for climate change, not to mention the millions of acres of rainforests in the amazon cut down to make room for cows.

The simple reason that milk is expensive in Thailand is thailand has thousands of dishes, hardly any include milk or cheeze, so it is very expensive to make dairy products in large numbers, and even if they did Thais aren't huge on Dairy like your homeland.

Same goes for bread, ask asian people what they eat at home, Rice, as A french person why bread is so cheap in France as well as wine.

Get it ? your in Asia, imagine the price of French Wine 300 years ago in Asia, it is cheaper now.

[NeverSure]

Like Jim Rogers said, 1807 was the time to move to London, 1907 to NYC and 2007 Asia.

He didn't mean Thailand. He doesn't buy Thailand. He meant the thriving international exporters like Singapore and China and S. Korea.

Thailand still has far to go in producing an educated and willing workforce, and working international trade laws. The wealth in Thailand is for the few.

I think one of the best examples of a super successful 3rd world country rising from the ashes is Hong Kong. When they got their new government apart from China, that government existed to protect private property and to do little else. People were free to do as it suited them and that strange word capitalism took off. Hong Kong may just be the richest place per capita on the globe.