Price Of Life

[endure]

food 400week thats feeding 2 big kids plus wife and me

I live in Bangkok but can't see how you can feed four people for 400b per week. Really? Even if you ate nothing but rice I still can't see that, it's 14baht per meal - the price of a can of soft drink in a Bangkok 7/11. Very impressive.

I think you'll find that he was talking about costs in the village rather than in Bangkok.

[arthurwait]

Chicken ?

Chicken breast is 90-100B (£2) /kilo here now, 5 years ago in the UK it was £12 a kilo for the cheapest non-frozen chicken breast you could get.

Although strangely whole non-Thai chickens here are expensive even though the most expensive parts, the breast and fillet are cheap.

[Trembly]

BTW op, your school costs 60k baht a term!..wow thats alot, even for a good school here in Aus.

It's probably a pretty good school at that price but that won't even come close to paying for a top school in Thailand (not meant as judgmental or snobbish - just a comment on the cost of a first rate education here).

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Well 60k baht a term isnt a 2nd rate education here.

You know what, I read these price comparison threads and it makes me wonder.

Op, when you list what you pay out, its the same prices we pay in the west. Which means you live in Thailand(for over 20 years!), doesnt mean you spend like a Thai.

If this makes you think, then after 20 years of living there, YOU should be telling US how to live in Thailand CHEAP!...not the other way round.

60000 Baht a term isn't even half what it costs for a first rate education here (for teenagers).

Edited January 4, 2013 by Trembly

[MAJIC]

Not in the village. Still cheap as. I notice it hugely when we stop in Bangkok or the occasional trip to your area op up in CM. Ask my MIL, she will tell you the village isnt cheap anymore, but up to her, its cheap I say, dirt cheap. No council rates, no water bills, electricity perhaps 800month, food 400week thats feeding 2 big kids plus wife and me, plus we dont have any mortgages, so I cant wait to move there full time. Here in Australia, wife and I dont spend much, and our expenditure would be approx $800 a week . Thats not going out for dinner or any luxuries. Now we have the daughter, who knows, but its gonna be more.

BTW op, your school costs 60k baht a term!..wow thats alot, even for a good school here in Aus.

The Thai school fees @ 60k a term is a killer blow,considering good Government schools in the UK are free.Food is pretty much as the OP states,not only cheaper,but more choice for westerners,and better quality. Petrol in the UK in Supermarket filling stations is averaging 65 baht a litre,or close on £6 a gallon. And a 10 kilo Bag of rice = 600 Baht. Like Australia,Council Tax is high,the same as water rates,which average 2,900 baht a month,but also varies according to occupants of the household.

[MAJIC]

Chicken ?

Chicken breast is 90-100B (£2) /kilo here now, 5 years ago in the UK it was £12 a kilo for the cheapest non-frozen chicken breast you could get.

Although strangely whole non-Thai chickens here are expensive even though the most expensive parts, the breast and fillet are cheap.

Since you were last in the UK prices for food have changed drastically,like most other things! You can now buy a whole chicken for £3.50 weighing 2 Kilo, or (170 Baht) Chicken breasts £4-50 for 2 Kilo ,or (220 Baht).

[Banzai99]

Everytime that I visit the UK, I am surprised about some things that are cheaper than Thailand.

Often you can buy whole cooked chickens in UK Tesco cheaper than Tesco Lotus.

Low budget clothing and shoes are cheaper in the UK - and you can return them if they fall apart a couple of weeks later.

Stuff like cheese is a lot more expensive in Thailand.

Bread is a lot more expensive in Thailand. What is it? the Farmhouse range of sliced bread? That would be equivalent to a supermarket "value" range. Ie. crap at a cheap price, but in Thailand at double the price.

Tomatoes here in Thailand are generally such low quality that you cannot compare to cost in the UK and that goes for many things.

Generally, it is cheaper to live in Thailand as long as you are prepared to accept low quality in many areas. If you want the best of everything and are not willing to eat Thai food, you will probably find it more expensive.

So, when are you going back to England ?

[NeverSure]

...5millionB spent here wouldn't get you much in the UK,

If you compare quality, real estate is more expensive than in the western world, umless you compare Isaan with the olympic area in London of course.

99% of the + 5 million Baht houses built here would not pass inspection in the western world.

Agreed. IF you were allowed to buy and own the land under that 5 million baht home in LOS, what would the total be and how would that compare to something other than the most expensive cities in the West? I have no clue about other countries, but you could do that for that money in small town US in the less populated states. The US is huge and you have your choice of climate from near tropical to near arctic or any other climate in between.

Edited January 4, 2013 by NeverSure

[loong]

Everytime that I visit the UK, I am surprised about some things that are cheaper than Thailand.

Often you can buy whole cooked chickens in UK Tesco cheaper than Tesco Lotus.

Low budget clothing and shoes are cheaper in the UK - and you can return them if they fall apart a couple of weeks later.

Stuff like cheese is a lot more expensive in Thailand.

Bread is a lot more expensive in Thailand. What is it? the Farmhouse range of sliced bread? That would be equivalent to a supermarket "value" range. Ie. crap at a cheap price, but in Thailand at double the price.

Tomatoes here in Thailand are generally such low quality that you cannot compare to cost in the UK and that goes for many things.

Generally, it is cheaper to live in Thailand as long as you are prepared to accept low quality in many areas. If you want the best of everything and are not willing to eat Thai food, you will probably find it more expensive.

So, when are you going back to England ? ��

What a strange post.

What gives you the impression that I intend to return to England and why do you want to know when?

[Banzai99]

Everytime that I visit the UK, I am surprised about some things that are cheaper than Thailand.

Often you can buy whole cooked chickens in UK Tesco cheaper than Tesco Lotus.

Low budget clothing and shoes are cheaper in the UK - and you can return them if they fall apart a couple of weeks later.

Stuff like cheese is a lot more expensive in Thailand.

Bread is a lot more expensive in Thailand. What is it? the Farmhouse range of sliced bread? That would be equivalent to a supermarket "value" range. Ie. crap at a cheap price, but in Thailand at double the price.

Tomatoes here in Thailand are generally such low quality that you cannot compare to cost in the UK and that goes for many things.

Generally, it is cheaper to live in Thailand as long as you are prepared to accept low quality in many areas. If you want the best of everything and are not willing to eat Thai food, you will probably find it more expensive.

So, when are you going back to England ? ��

What a strange post.

What gives you the impression that I intend to return to England and why do you want to know when?

I wan't you to bring me back some cheap, good quality food, what did you think I was on about ? ?

Edited January 4, 2013 by Banzai99

[Banzai99]

I definately agree with the quality on some foods issue, in Tokyo many things are horrendously expensive, but, it's good quality, as Looong said, here Tomatoes are not so good, in Tokyo, I can buy very ace quality, but, I pay a very high price.

Prices are high in Tokyo, but then again, the quality is also high. ( And that goes for everything) ?

[matt helm]

I have said over and over that I can live a good life cheaper in the US than in LOS, I can't speak for other Western countries.

I would simply choose the climate type I prefer, then move to small rural US in that climate. I can find a good solid liveable home in rural US for under $100k and I own the land. I own the land. I own the land.

There are places like Southern Texas and the Appalachians and N. Alabama and N. Mississipi all with warm weather. There are places like Wyoming and N. Idaho for those who like four distinct seasons. I could go on.

I can't go Thai food 24/7. The food I actually buy and eat would break the bank in LOS. Last week I hit another sale and put another 60 pounds of USDA choice beef in the freezer for $2.99 a pound. I could go on and on about food.

Sundries. Outrageous in Thailand. Just mention laundry detergent. Gasoline, $2.79 a gallon with a coupon last time, and my pickup holds 27 gallons.

Cars? About 1/2 price. Someone mentioned Camry. I can buy one here for $18,000 - an LE model with all the goodies and no sales tax. LOS - more than double that.

If medical is ever an issue, I have $125 per month Medicare Advantage. That could tip the scales in a huge way very quickly as I get older.

I think it's time we quit kidding ourselves. I'm a citizen here, not a guest, and I don't need anyone's leave to be here and move about. The reason to live in LOS is still good, but it's not about money unless I move to a village in Isaan and live like the locals.

You can only compare rural areas with rural areas and cities with cities. It doesn't make any sense to compare rural Alabama with Bangkok or Pattaya.

[NeverSure]

I have said over and over that I can live a good life cheaper in the US than in LOS, I can't speak for other Western countries.

I would simply choose the climate type I prefer, then move to small rural US in that climate. I can find a good solid liveable home in rural US for under $100k and I own the land. I own the land. I own the land.

There are places like Southern Texas and the Appalachians and N. Alabama and N. Mississipi all with warm weather. There are places like Wyoming and N. Idaho for those who like four distinct seasons. I could go on.

I can't go Thai food 24/7. The food I actually buy and eat would break the bank in LOS. Last week I hit another sale and put another 60 pounds of USDA choice beef in the freezer for $2.99 a pound. I could go on and on about food.

Sundries. Outrageous in Thailand. Just mention laundry detergent. Gasoline, $2.79 a gallon with a coupon last time, and my pickup holds 27 gallons.

Cars? About 1/2 price. Someone mentioned Camry. I can buy one here for $18,000 - an LE model with all the goodies and no sales tax. LOS - more than double that.

If medical is ever an issue, I have $125 per month Medicare Advantage. That could tip the scales in a huge way very quickly as I get older.

I think it's time we quit kidding ourselves. I'm a citizen here, not a guest, and I don't need anyone's leave to be here and move about. The reason to live in LOS is still good, but it's not about money unless I move to a village in Isaan and live like the locals.

You can only compare rural areas with rural areas and cities with cities. It doesn't make any sense to compare rural Alabama with Bangkok or Pattaya.

I'll show you a beautiful first class infrastructure, clean air town in the US where you can pull it of and it will be nothing like Bangkok. No matter how much lipstick you put on Bangkok, it is still a third world hole. In a Western country, everything you buy in the store will be regulated and clean and so will the water and the traffic conditions and anything else you want to name. Small town, lightly populated area.

[NeverSure]

Small town in the West vs Bangkok. I still can't believe it. Perhaps we could remove the sidewalks and if not, crowd them with vender carts and scooters and what not. Perhaps we could park the cars all askew and pay no attention to traffic or parking signs. A couple of truckloads of litter would help. A bunch of wires overhead running all askew would fit in. Import some polluted air. Put some unknown crap (literally) in the water and perhaps some in the street. Import some food of unknown origin and chemical content. Get a bunch of dogs and rats to roam the streets. Show no respect for other drivers or pedestrians. Worry about the wiring in your new house, and put in a septic or sewer system that won't drain properly. Put some loudspeakers in the streets to mimic the noise...

Idaho's pretty nice...

[steve down under]

Wile we are talking price comparisons what is the price of a 6pack of Chang Beer in Thailand ?? here in Oz at a local Dan Murphys outlet its around THB447 AU$14 and for smokes well thats gotta be way cheaper in Thailand I roll my own using good old Drum classic at AU$ 35 for a 50gram pack thats a whopping THB 1,117 a pack

[endure]

I have said over and over that I can live a good life cheaper in the US than in LOS, I can't speak for other Western countries.

I would simply choose the climate type I prefer, then move to small rural US in that climate. I can find a good solid liveable home in rural US for under $100k and I own the land. I own the land. I own the land.

There are places like Southern Texas and the Appalachians and N. Alabama and N. Mississipi all with warm weather. There are places like Wyoming and N. Idaho for those who like four distinct seasons. I could go on.

I can't go Thai food 24/7. The food I actually buy and eat would break the bank in LOS. Last week I hit another sale and put another 60 pounds of USDA choice beef in the freezer for $2.99 a pound. I could go on and on about food.

Sundries. Outrageous in Thailand. Just mention laundry detergent. Gasoline, $2.79 a gallon with a coupon last time, and my pickup holds 27 gallons.

Cars? About 1/2 price. Someone mentioned Camry. I can buy one here for $18,000 - an LE model with all the goodies and no sales tax. LOS - more than double that.

If medical is ever an issue, I have $125 per month Medicare Advantage. That could tip the scales in a huge way very quickly as I get older.

I think it's time we quit kidding ourselves. I'm a citizen here, not a guest, and I don't need anyone's leave to be here and move about. The reason to live in LOS is still good, but it's not about money unless I move to a village in Isaan and live like the locals.

You can only compare rural areas with rural areas and cities with cities. It doesn't make any sense to compare rural Alabama with Bangkok or Pattaya.

I'll show you a beautiful first class infrastructure, clean air town in the US where you can pull it of and it will be nothing like Bangkok. No matter how much lipstick you put on Bangkok, it is still a third world hole. In a Western country, everything you buy in the store will be regulated and clean and so will the water and the traffic conditions and anything else you want to name. Small town, lightly populated area.

Is that New York? If not a comparison with Bangkok is irrelevant.

[Jigger]

No idea about the UK but I am from Sydney.... I always laugh when people try to say Phuket and Sydney are starting to equal...

My rent in Phuket 4km from the beach, 4km from major shops, motorbike taxi's at the front door - 17,000 a month....

My rent in Sydney, (smaller house, about 10km from the beach, 10km to major shops, no public transport) - 75,000 baht a month...

The rent difference alone is more then enough for me.

Of course, we all have different needs and as a younger, single guy, I dont have to worry about Private School, kids, family holidays.... I am sure that makes it much easier for me to live cheap.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Jigger

[maturebrit]

I don't know where you shop but pork, chicken etc definitely is not more expensive here than in Australia (which is now more expensive than the UK).

I live in Phuket and I shop at Tesco. Yesterday I paid as follows:

Skin on chicken breasts 75THB kg....Australia circa 300THB kg

Minced pork 95THB kg...Australia circa 300THB kg

One egg Circa 4THB...Australia circa 8THB

This one is hilarious: Navel oranges (imported from Australia) 45THB kg....Australia circa 160THB kg

I bought 100 quail eggs a few days back for 80 thb.... now figure out what they would cost in the west or Oz...My son is a head chef in the UK and was gobsmacked they were so cheap here

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[matt helm]

Small town in the West vs Bangkok. I still can't believe it. Perhaps we could remove the sidewalks and if not, crowd them with vender carts and scooters and what not. Perhaps we could park the cars all askew and pay no attention to traffic or parking signs. A couple of truckloads of litter would help. A bunch of wires overhead running all askew would fit in. Import some polluted air. Put some unknown crap (literally) in the water and perhaps some in the street. Import some food of unknown origin and chemical content. Get a bunch of dogs and rats to roam the streets. Show no respect for other drivers or pedestrians. Worry about the wiring in your new house, and put in a septic or sewer system that won't drain properly. Put some loudspeakers in the streets to mimic the noise...

Idaho's pretty nice...

If we compare small town USA to small town Thailand I'm guessing rent and utilities is far cheaper in Thailand. Quality of life is obviously higher in the US but that's not a surprise.

[chiangmaikelly]

I have said over and over that I can live a good life cheaper in the US than in LOS, I can't speak for other Western countries.

I would simply choose the climate type I prefer, then move to small rural US in that climate. I can find a good solid liveable home in rural US for under $100k and I own the land. I own the land. I own the land.

There are places like Southern Texas and the Appalachians and N. Alabama and N. Mississipi all with warm weather. There are places like Wyoming and N. Idaho for those who like four distinct seasons. I could go on.

I can't go Thai food 24/7. The food I actually buy and eat would break the bank in LOS. Last week I hit another sale and put another 60 pounds of USDA choice beef in the freezer for $2.99 a pound. I could go on and on about food.

Sundries. Outrageous in Thailand. Just mention laundry detergent. Gasoline, $2.79 a gallon with a coupon last time, and my pickup holds 27 gallons.

Cars? About 1/2 price. Someone mentioned Camry. I can buy one here for $18,000 - an LE model with all the goodies and no sales tax. LOS - more than double that.

If medical is ever an issue, I have $125 per month Medicare Advantage. That could tip the scales in a huge way very quickly as I get older.

I think it's time we quit kidding ourselves. I'm a citizen here, not a guest, and I don't need anyone's leave to be here and move about. The reason to live in LOS is still good, but it's not about money unless I move to a village in Isaan and live like the locals.

I think it is time we quit kidding ourselves. I don't drive (I'm old) don't need a car here. New house $400 mortgage payment (I can walk to the beach). Utilities $30 bucks a month and I use ac at night. Food, ate dinner last night with the mayor 55 baht. Women? Hugh Hefner is jealous. On the dark side? There is a quail egg bubble. Quail eggs are so cheap they are almost free. You can use them to bake cookies with or make omelets with or eat them hard boiled. But sooner or later will come a time to pay the piper. The Chinese quail egg bubble will burst first and unless Thailand is very careful it will also effect Thailand. I know there are some wackadoodles out there who compare Bangkok to Boise. Let me tell you the difference. In Bangkok the pretty young girls smile back in Boise the cops arrest you for being a dirty old man.

[TommoPhysicist]

In the west most of my money was spent on Housing, heating and taxes.

Here those items cost almost nothing ........... all the other items are irrelevant to the equation as you don't really need them. (housing costs 1/10, heating zero, taxes, zero)

Edited January 5, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[kennedy]

My rent is 2.5% of my retirement income.I live in a gated community about 50 km from gridlock(Bangkok).I threw a few thousand $ into the house to make it confortable.

That being said, my expenses are peanuts compared to the U.S., and no disputes or arguments with neighbors.

Food prices? Only gives the wife something to complain about, which seems to be in her DNA.

[fletchsmile]

Have been out of Thailand for 4 months and went back for Xmas and NY. It struck me how many day to day things had gone up in price, from basics at the supermarket to food and drink at the pub.

The stats compared to the UK are interesting. In many respects to maintain the same lifestyle in UK would be cheaper. If in Thailand:

- We spend THB 4k a month on electric (incl. aircon) = GBP 1,000 a year compared to 500 quoted by OP

- Our 3 bed condo in BKK costs ball park the same as the lovely 4 bed house with garden I grew up in does now. Definitely would prefer the house

- Cars much more expensive here on the basics like Honda, and astromically more on a nice BMW. In the UK I didn't mind paying say 50% more for a nice BMW over a Honda. Here a BMW is like 3-4 times the price of a Honda so can't justify that.

- Comparable education here needs a private school at over GBO 6,000 a year per young kids (free in UK)

The big saver for us is on tax. Largely no tax on investment returns in Thailand.

Petrol is an interesting one. I remember UK being several times the price of Thailand. That gap is now about 50% higher only. In the last 10 years or so petrol in Thailand has quadrupled from under THB 10 to over THB 40.

So the big items to maintain a similar life are much more in Thailand. Sure the little things are cheaper, but as above they're increasingly rapidly. This is a trend I expect to continue. As Thailand gets wealthier, higher growth rates, and with policies like the minimum wage driving inflation here those living off UK income will become worse and worse off - not to mentione the exchange rate.

Time to consider locking in some THB investments and assets if you want to live here. Otherwise dwindling returns in UK + GBP currency weakening combined with higher Thai inflation will continue to be a triple whammy

Edited January 5, 2013 by fletchsmile

[farang000999]

finally a new topic of discussion!

[NeverSure]

Is that New York? If not a comparison with Bangkok is irrelevant.

Who could compare New York with Bangkok? If I failed miserably at making my point I apologize. I was trying to say that if someone were willing to move to a clean but small rural area of the US, he could live just as cheaply as he could in LOS. I'm not trying to compare a tiny village in Isaan with Sydney, either.

I was trying to compare decent housing and other things of life being found at comparable prices and not "having" to move to a third world country to have a decent living, especially with the costs in LOS climbing.

[Jigger]

- We spend THB 4k a month on electric (incl. aircon) = GBP 1,000 a year compared to 500 quoted by OP

- Our 3 bed condo in BKK costs ball park the same as the lovely 4 bed house with garden I grew up in does now. Definitely would prefer the house

2 questions...

Is Elec really that cheap in the UK? My parents are getting $2000 quarterly elec bills? $650 a week! If so, I rekon you poms should go back home.. Who cares if its cold if you get elec bills like that 5555

Is the house you grew up in in a similar situation to the condo in BKK (buildings around, close to shops, close to CBD, ect)? If not, how can you really compare the 2? You need to compare apples with apples.

Edited January 5, 2013 by Jigger

[chiangmaikelly]

Is that New York? If not a comparison with Bangkok is irrelevant.

Who could compare New York with Bangkok? If I failed miserably at making my point I apologize. I was trying to say that if someone were willing to move to a clean but small rural area of the US, he could live just as cheaply as he could in LOS. I'm not trying to compare a tiny village in Isaan with Sydney, either.

I was trying to compare decent housing and other things of life being found at comparable prices and not "having" to move to a third world country to have a decent living, especially with the costs in LOS climbing.

Jigger above said compare apples to apples. OK I don't think Never can. Matter of fact I bet anyone a beer that he can't.

1. Furnished new house (built to Western codes) and Japanese appliances and air and hot water, 2000 sq feet, walking distance to a year round beach, mortgage $400.00 per month. 2. Utilities $33.00 per month. 3. Taxes 0. No substitutions allowed. Simple, new house at year round beach comparison between the USA and Thailand. UK is not comparable because of climate. Two largest expenditures by percent in almost any country. Housing and utilities. No messing around with other stuff, keep it simple. Housing and utilities.

Edited January 5, 2013 by chiangmaikelly

[aussiebebe]

food 400week thats feeding 2 big kids plus wife and me

I live in Bangkok but can't see how you can feed four people for 400b per week. Really? Even if you ate nothing but rice I still can't see that, it's 14baht per meal - the price of a can of soft drink in a Bangkok 7/11. Very impressive.

I think you'll find that he was talking about costs in the village rather than in Bangkok.

Yes I know he was, my question was whether things are really that cheap in a Thai village, I don't believe that they are. Unless they're just eating rice with vegetables picked locally or something.

[TommoPhysicist]

food 400week thats feeding 2 big kids plus wife and me

I live in Bangkok but can't see how you can feed four people for 400b per week. Really? Even if you ate nothing but rice I still can't see that, it's 14baht per meal - the price of a can of soft drink in a Bangkok 7/11. Very impressive.

I think you'll find that he was talking about costs in the village rather than in Bangkok.

Yes I know he was, my question was whether things are really that cheap in a Thai village, I don't believe that they are. Unless they're just eating rice with vegetables picked locally or something.

I live in CM and a small Thai village.

Apart from housing, CM is usually cheaper for purchased items.

[aussiebebe]

I definately agree with the quality on some foods issue, in Tokyo many things are horrendously expensive, but, it's good quality, as Looong said, here Tomatoes are not so good, in Tokyo, I can buy very ace quality, but, I pay a very high price.

Prices are high in Tokyo, but then again, the quality is also high. ( And that goes for everything)

Except for the food with elevated levels of radioactive cesium; fish, beef, rice, mushrooms etc. I have a Japanese friend who is extremely worried about the radiation levels in certain foods - she explained how Japanese don't trust that their own government is being honest about the radiation levels; they keep on raising the upper-limits of acceptable radiation levels. However nice it tastes, irradiated food can't really be described as high quality and many Japanese don't trust that food from the Fukushima area isn't being fraudulently relabelled.

[fletchsmile]

- We spend THB 4k a month on electric (incl. aircon) = GBP 1,000 a year compared to 500 quoted by OP

- Our 3 bed condo in BKK costs ball park the same as the lovely 4 bed house with garden I grew up in does now. Definitely would prefer the house

2 questions...

Is Elec really that cheap in the UK? My parents are getting $2000 quarterly elec bills? $650 a week! If so, I rekon you poms should go back home.. Who cares if its cold if you get elec bills like that 5555

Is the house you grew up in in a similar situation to the condo in BKK (buildings around, close to shops, close to CBD, ect)? If not, how can you really compare the 2? You need to compare apples with apples.

Jigger,

I don't think electricty in the UK is that cheap either, that was just quoting OP's number. I suspect it's understated.

The house in the Uk was much nicer than the condo in BKK, and in a much nicer area too. The prices are the same though.