Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?

[sunholidaysun1]

Prices for most things have escalated over the last few years as everywhere else in the world . The Thai Baht is unusually very strong against most currencies , I have no idea why but would think someone is propping the Baht up.

So , is Thailand still the place to be ? Most farangs on basic pensions must be being hit hard , I know I am , especially as the Baht to the GBP is currently slightly higher today at 44.45 .

Where is the best place now to be in Thailand , is there anywhere cheap to live ? Isan was the choice of many but somehow I think its just as expensive everywhere , unless your loaded of course .

[stoneyboy]

Air con units are very reasonably priced,and effective.

[longstebe]

Beer, food and clothes have pretty much stayed the same IMO. I remember paying 70 baht for a bottle of beer down walking street 10 years ago. 45 baht for spicy chicken n rice. The exchange rate has gone crap though.

[britgent]

Is Cambodia the way to go for us Brits?

[phutoie2]

Two Baht a photo copy now for my 90 dayer. Where's Cambodia?

[meatboy]

Air con units are very reasonably priced,and effective.

as long as you dont use them

[MrWorldwide]

Is Cambodia the way to go for us Brits?

Given that there are only about 10 thread discussing that exact topic, I would have thought someone would have definitive answer by now. Other than (local) food, beer and working girls, I didnt encounter anything in PP that was cheaper than Thailand - if they have to import it, you can guarantee that you will pay dearly for it, and the same in Vientiane. If you can live like a local, I would need to see side-by-side costings of the advantages of living in a city like Pnomh Penh over staying put in Nakhon Nowhere, particularly if said NN is a reasonably short distance from BKK.

[MrWorldwide]

Air con units are very reasonably priced,and effective.

as long as you dont use them

Move to Australia - we'll show you what a REAL electricity bill looks like. I posted figures showing just how little you pay for electricity in Thailand - a few cents per kw/H compared to 10 times that figure in Oz - but I guess we will all get a shock when the days of the coal-powered electricity plants come to an end.

[ThailandNeil]

Everything is dirt cheap here compared to UK! Except for imported goods...

I came over from london.

Rent is now £200 per month compared to £900.

Meal with drinks in a restaurant £10 compared to £30.

Taxi £1-2 compared with £5-10.

Pint of Beer is £1.40 compared to £4.50.

I think people forget who have been here a while that UK prices rocket too...

[jackr]

^^ A pint of real beer on par with a UK beer is more like 200-300 baht here, so £4-£6, and you're comparing London prices don't forget, plus those prices have typically always been in that region. While stuff has gone up the world over, it has gone up exponentially here, currency anomalies notwithstanding. Fuel, as an example, is 3-500% from 10 years ago. Only things that are still cheap is food (on the street), rent and cheap plastic tat from China.

[ThailandNeil]

Rubbish. A large singha, leo, Heineken is 70 to 100 baht

[MrWorldwide]

Who the hell pays 200-300 baht for a beer other than lollygaggers sitting in the front row of a Soi Cowboy go-go with a sign that says 'First Time Thailand' slapped on their foreheads ? Might as well catch a cab straight to Patpong if you want to be ripped off that badly - even in Cowboy, I can still find 'happy hour' prices at 10pm : I just wont be throwing ping-pong balls to Isaan's finest .....

[mca]

I just wont be throwing ping-pong balls to Isaan's finest .....

Are you the new ball boy for the Kalasin Police Olympic Table Tennis Team mate? Cool!

[doji]

To the OP: Why looking at the exchange rate only?

The way I see it, the exchange rate is just one part of the equation. You should be looking at “your overall quality of life you’re getting right now” at the place you’re currently at. Remember many thais of soso-middle class can live by with around 30-40k Bths /month and they are fine with it.
The definition of “a quality of life” varies by each person. Even tho the exchange rate is bad, still many have choosen to remain, because there are more into it, than just the exchange rate.

Even many thais are flocking to the west (Aus, US, English), because “in their mind” the quality of life there for them is overall better, even tho the living expense may be a bit more expensive (however nowadays is not that much anyway). For a quality of living, there are more things in life than what the money can buy. It’s all about personal choice and each own definition.

[MrWorldwide]

I just wont be throwing ping-pong balls to Isaan's finest .....

Are you the new ball boy for the Kalasin Police Olympic Table Tennis Team mate? Cool!

We are still looking for a mascot. Needs to be a sober type and happy to hang out with the girls in the change room before and after matches - volunteers ?

[Scully]

Everything is dirt cheap here compared to UK! Except for imported goods...

I came over from london.

Rent is now £200 per month compared to £900.

Meal with drinks in a restaurant £10 compared to £30.

Taxi £1-2 compared with £5-10.

Pint of Beer is £1.40 compared to £4.50.

I think people forget who have been here a while that UK prices rocket too...

This hits the nail on the head for me. When I split from the ex I i moved my furniture etc into a thai style apartment. The neighbours all work and are quiet at 10 pm, view lovely and rent 1500 baht a month so I thought i would stay a week, here over a year now.

Lunch 35 baht, dinner 100baht (i did have half a grilled chicken) petrol (gas) cheap. You want a beer in Udon, plenty have deals at 80 baht large Leo,

But you are right op stay away from Issan its ridiculously expensive

Oh PS if you want cheap but like to quoff wine and French Camenbert its not cheap, live like a local and it's super cheap.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Scully

[MrWorldwide]

I have to admit - UT and NK dont seem terribly exciting until you've spent a few days in VT - suddenly, crossing back into Thailand seems like an adventure !

[longstebe]

My council tax is cheap here....

[meatboy]

Everything is dirt cheap here compared to UK! Except for imported goods...

I came over from london.

Rent is now £200 per month compared to £900.

Meal with drinks in a restaurant £10 compared to £30.

Taxi £1-2 compared with £5-10.

Pint of Beer is £1.40 compared to £4.50.

I think people forget who have been here a while that UK prices rocket too...

whats the minimum wage in london ? little bit more than 300bht.a day.

[krisb]

In the villages up our way it's rediculously cheap.

[longstebe]

In the villages up our way it's rediculously cheap.

Terrible isn't it.

[FarangTalk]

Everything is dirt cheap here compared to UK! Except for imported goods...

I came over from london.

Rent is now £200 per month compared to £900.

Meal with drinks in a restaurant £10 compared to £30.

Taxi £1-2 compared with £5-10.

Pint of Beer is £1.40 compared to £4.50.

I think people forget who have been here a while that UK prices rocket too...

This hits the nail on the head for me. When I split from the ex I i moved my furniture etc into a thai style apartment. The neighbours all work and are quiet at 10 pm, view lovely and rent 1500 baht a month so I thought i would stay a week, here over a year now.

Lunch 35 baht, dinner 100baht (i did have half a grilled chicken) petrol (gas) cheap. You want a beer in Udon, plenty have deals at 80 baht large Leo,

But you are right op stay away from Issan its ridiculously expensive

Oh PS if you want cheap but like to quoff wine and French Camenbert its not cheap, live like a local and it's super cheap.

Cheese and wine are incredibly cheap on Cambodia, and sold in every minimart.

In fact; rent, alcohol, women, Western food are all cheaper. Visas are easy and you can own your own business.

I used to get scoffed at for suggesting Cambo as a viable alternative but as usual I was bang on the cash.

The real losers are those invested too deep in Thailand to leave.

[Briggsy]

Accommodation is cheap.

[welsh1]

Who the hell pays 200-300 baht for a beer other than lollygaggers sitting in the front row of a Soi Cowboy go-go with a sign that says 'First Time Thailand' slapped on their foreheads ? Might as well catch a cab straight to Patpong if you want to be ripped off that badly - even in Cowboy, I can still find 'happy hour' prices at 10pm : I just wont be throwing ping-pong balls to Isaan's finest .....

Normally I will drink Thai beer because its cheaper, The last time I was on my travels came across a bar in Bangkok, selling Strongbow, a small bottle was 180 baht, I just had to have some

[kevvy]

i live 35 minutes from pattaya, we have one townhouse and one single house we rent out for 4000/5000 baht a month . if you leave pattaya and look at the other surrounding areas you will find cheap rent. you can also get cheap meals from the locals.

[MrWorldwide]

I could handle living in Rayong for 5000 baht a month rent - Nakhon Nowhere would be a much tougher call. There is a point where the distance between my posterior and the bright lights really gets me down, and I found that point in Chumphon. The thought of living in the north-eastern equivalent would have me climbing the walls.

Edited March 26, 2013 by metisdead
: Oversize font reset to normal.

[theoldgit]

@ Meatboy

According to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics, the average weekly wage in the UK is £442 a week, so a tad under £23,000 a year.

After tax and National Insurance deductions that equates to a take home pay, at current rates, of £1,500 a month. Factor in things like Coucil Tax and the like and the average salary isn't too hot.

I will admit to occasionally looking at whether I would be better off back 'home' but the thought doesn't stay with me for long.

[IMA_FARANG]

I'm from the U.S., retired and living in Thailand (Bangkok).

I still find it possible to have (by my standards) a decent life in Bangkok .... but what you call a decent life depends very much on your standard of what is "decent".

Let;s just say, I find it possible to live happily at 40K to 45K baht a month.

In the U.S. I would have to add at least 60% to that cost to get the same life style.

Cambodia ... well I've looked into that possibility.

But so far Cambodia is behind Thailand in many ways.

Other's may have a different opinion.

It's also possible I may yet end up in Cambodia in a few years.

But so far, no thank you to Cambodia.

[meatboy]

@ Meatboy

According to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics, the average weekly wage in the UK is £442 a week, so a tad under £23,000 a year.

After tax and National Insurance deductions that equates to a take home pay, at current rates, of £1,500 a month. Factor in things like Coucil Tax and the like and the average salary isn't too hot.

I will admit to occasionally looking at whether I would be better off back 'home' but the thought doesn't stay with me for long.

doesnt stay with me either looking at the whether

[sunholidaysun1]

Is Cambodia the way to go for us Brits?

The place is now filling up with foreigners , its a busy place , especially in the seaside resort of Sihanoukeville .That place is growing really fast and so many bars and restaurants now . Soon to be the Pattaya of Cambodia I would think .