JSixpack Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 A comparison of the prices of one essential has been entirely neglected here: a haircut. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunFon Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 60 baht, usually tip 20. And he's very good, Burmese fella, often lines out the door. While the Thai owner of the salon sits around, I've never seen a woman customer. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWorldwide Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 The only people paying 1/2 a million USD for a condo are either: - unwilling to live anywhere beyond upper Suk - too late to the party (we all remember when condos were 4-5mill baht on upper Suk, and it's not that long ago ..) - in the financial position where parting with that kind of cash isn't an issue - they prefer to have a condo than pay for a hotel room when they fly into BKK Can anyone here honestly tell me that that would pay that sort of money for a condo in Ratchada or Pattaya ? That simply isn't an accurate figure for a 'condo in Thailand'. Per xe.com this afternoon: 500,000.00 USD = 14,635,000.23 THB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isawasnake Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) Everything but tax and rent is more expensive here than in the USA. - Maybe for you, but then your spending patterns must be very different from me and most posters here. To be honest, I'm calling "<deleted>". And of course "only" rent and taxes are a pretty large chunk of most people's monthly expenses back home. Generally almost everything is cheaper here except for cars & imported goods, won't repeat myself, see here for other countering items - but getting cars etc fixed is lots cheaper. Here's a summary, obviously some of these (listed first and indented) may in some "home" locations particularly the US may be cheaper Locally made economy cars Petrol Beer Dental & medical treatment Gym membership Holidays, much nicer or at least more interesting destinations close by too in most cases. Cheap clothes & household goods. Otherwise, pretty sure the rest of this list are pretty much universally cheaper here compared to other farang countries: All utilities - electric, water, cable, Internet (faster too), telephone, both landline and mobile. No TV license. Basic marketing, especially fruit & veg, and much nicer selection of fruits IMO. Eating in Thai and other Asian restaurants (sushi like 80% cheaper), surprisingly McDonald's is much cheaper here, probably the other chain foods as well, going out for drinks, taxis, clubbing. Massage, golf, snooker, going to the cinema. The big one for me - servants/staff and other labour-intensive value-add, including keeping a full-time maid nanny - or even a full harem of hotties - for less than the cost of a twice-a-week maid visiting back home. And then remember how big a chunk rent and taxes are for most of us, which as you say are also much cheaper here. I disagree with almost everything; the post you quoted me on I was referring to the US btw. Gas is a wash for the most part; you may have a slight edge here, but youd have to consider roads and traffic effects in mileage. wash for me. Beer, and all liquor for that matter, you are just way way off, just trust me Dental is a get what you pay for thing, it is unreal in the US, sucks here, but yeah it's cheap here... but I'd prefer the US for something serious. Teeth cleaning here, i'm all with you. Same goes with the eye docs, id rather have US docs, I dont care about thai cheapness when it comes to my eyes anymore. Gym membership - mine is the ocean, so wash for me anyway Holidays - can you say camping in Baja California Mexico.... you could go a month on 500 bucks if you have a car Clothes.... please... really, we have these places like Ross that sell good 50 dollar levi jeans for like 15 bucks. Again, actual quality at a low price. That same sentiment goes for MANY many products, ie, it may be cheaper here, but the quality is terrible here time and time again. In short, considering how long things last, better value in the US. Much better - The best in the world Id say. Fruit - I take it you have never bought oranges, bananas apples grapes etc in the US?? I personally don't massage, golf (too hot) or go to the movies.... so great, Im glad somebody can enjoy something cheaper here Labor, yes. I'm sure you could get cheaper in other countries as well, and pay somebody even 30 baht a day to break their back like walmart does. So yeah, great, again, happy for you.... i dont want or need Thai labor myself, ill DIY every time. Take home point is probably that for some people, most things are just not cheaper here when compared with the US. The ILLUSION of being cheaper may be there, but it is just that, an illusion for most if it. A pair of jeans from MBK just aint all that "cheap" when it comes right down to it. Edited March 30, 2013 by isawasnake 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHammer Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Everything but tax and rent is more expensive here than in the USA. I agree. I don't think some of our Western brothers know how much it means to not have import taxes, and I live in a state that has no sales tax. I do have to pay income tax on income received (earned, paid) in the US but I will have to do that no matter where I live. Yes, Thailand is in fact a low tax country. Most of the population doesn't pay tax at all. Incomes less than 150.000 baht are not taxed at all! Incomes up to 350.000 are only taxed 10%. Incomes up to 1.000.000 baht are only taxed 20%. If you have a business there are countless deductions. If you have a BOI business you don't pay tax for 7 years. VAT is only 10% This is one of the reasons for what is really cheap here - labor. Because there is no tax for a majority of low income earners and food supply is abundant, it is possible to hire people to do menial jobs at low rates. THAT is what is cheap in Thailand. A maid, cleaning, security staff, service staff, all that is very cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHammer Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Well, what is really cheap for me is stocking up on a deligtfull meal consisting of som tam, that great barbequed Isaan chicken, some fresh fruit, maybe some kanom like those rice and beans in banana leaves all will come out at maybe 150 baht. That is ridicously cheap for the great taste. Even in piss poor countries like the Philipines you simply can't get tasty 'healthy' food at that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poanoi Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Yes, it's time to point out the outstanding food in Thailand, my biggest reason to be here next to a special girl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWorldwide Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We have a 10% GST on everything except (some) food here in Oz, and the income tax rates arent as nasty as they were in the 90s: Taxable income Tax on this income 0 - $18,200 Nil $18,201 - $37,000 19c for each $1 over $18,200 $37,001 - $80,000 $3,572 plus 32.5c for each $1 over $37,000 $80,001 - $180,000 $17,547 plus 37c for each $1 over $80,000 $180,001 and over $54,547 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000 'Average' income is supposed to be up around the 70K mark, but many Australians have to make do on a lot less. Price-wise, I defy anyone to fill a shopping trolley full of food staples in Oz for the same money they would spend in Thailand. Our cars are cheaper - no surprises given the levy slapped on every new car in Thailand - but so much of our food is imported (a lot of it from Thailand) and trucked all over this massive country that the price paid by the consumer rarely bears any relationship to the 'farm gate' price. The two supermarket monopolies have pushed Australian farmers to the wall - the dairy industry being the saddest example - and everyone one I know who works at the local Coles claims they are rarely given enough hours to pay their bills each week. Oz might look like Utopia from the outside, but it's not all 3-day drunken orgies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naam Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 A comparison of the prices of one essential has been entirely neglected here: a haircut. last haircut in Germany was 1,080 Baht (tip not included). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 A comparison of the prices of one essential has been entirely neglected here: a haircut.last haircut in Germany was 1,080 Baht (tip not included).With a Klingon "do" like yours Naam what to you expect...must spend many hours under the hair dryer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?Noi on Beach Road in Pattaya. 500b Train ticket from Hualumpong to first stop, 2b Lunch 40b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrHammer Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 ^Yes, people are cheap in Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 ^Yes, people are cheap in Thailand. especially among the farang community.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ? Noi on Beach Road in Pattaya. 500b Train ticket from Hualumpong to first stop, 2b Lunch 40b Hospital bill to cure the veneral disease/food posioning and injuries sustained in the train wreck...THB 1.5 million.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct99q Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I just paid 60baht for a 6 pack of A&W Draft Root Beer...life is good!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamhar Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I just paid 60baht for a 6 pack of A&W Draft Root Beer...life is good!! Where?? I need to know! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray35ty Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 look thailand is extremely cheap im on 300 000 baht. month income...... look thailand is very expensive im on a retirement visa and have a government pension from abroad and now live on 18000 baht a month. maybe lower if the baht goes higher. really depends on your income and assets and your expenses at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driedmango Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Everything but tax and rent is more expensive here than in the USA. - Maybe for you, but then your spending patterns must be very different from me and most posters here. To be honest, I'm calling "<deleted>". And of course "only" rent and taxes are a pretty large chunk of most people's monthly expenses back home. Generally almost everything is cheaper here except for cars & imported goods, won't repeat myself, see here for other countering items - but getting cars etc fixed is lots cheaper. Here's a summary, obviously some of these (listed first and indented) may in some "home" locations particularly the US may be cheaper Locally made economy cars Petrol Beer Dental & medical treatment Gym membership Holidays, much nicer or at least more interesting destinations close by too in most cases. Cheap clothes & household goods. Otherwise, pretty sure the rest of this list are pretty much universally cheaper here compared to other farang countries: All utilities - electric, water, cable, Internet (faster too), telephone, both landline and mobile. No TV license. Basic marketing, especially fruit & veg, and much nicer selection of fruits IMO. Eating in Thai and other Asian restaurants (sushi like 80% cheaper), surprisingly McDonald's is much cheaper here, probably the other chain foods as well, going out for drinks, taxis, clubbing. Massage, golf, snooker, going to the cinema. The big one for me - servants/staff and other labour-intensive value-add, including keeping a full-time maid nanny - or even a full harem of hotties - for less than the cost of a twice-a-week maid visiting back home. And then remember how big a chunk rent and taxes are for most of us, which as you say are also much cheaper here. I disagree with almost everything; the post you quoted me on I was referring to the US btw. Gas is a wash for the most part; you may have a slight edge here, but youd have to consider roads and traffic effects in mileage. wash for me. Beer, and all liquor for that matter, you are just way way off, just trust me Dental is a get what you pay for thing, it is unreal in the US, sucks here, but yeah it's cheap here... but I'd prefer the US for something serious. Teeth cleaning here, i'm all with you. Same goes with the eye docs, id rather have US docs, I dont care about thai cheapness when it comes to my eyes anymore. Gym membership - mine is the ocean, so wash for me anyway Holidays - can you say camping in Baja California Mexico.... you could go a month on 500 bucks if you have a car Clothes.... please... really, we have these places like Ross that sell good 50 dollar levi jeans for like 15 bucks. Again, actual quality at a low price. That same sentiment goes for MANY many products, ie, it may be cheaper here, but the quality is terrible here time and time again. In short, considering how long things last, better value in the US. Much better - The best in the world Id say. Fruit - I take it you have never bought oranges, bananas apples grapes etc in the US?? I personally don't massage, golf (too hot) or go to the movies.... so great, Im glad somebody can enjoy something cheaper here Labor, yes. I'm sure you could get cheaper in other countries as well, and pay somebody even 30 baht a day to break their back like walmart does. So yeah, great, again, happy for you.... i dont want or need Thai labor myself, ill DIY every time. Take home point is probably that for some people, most things are just not cheaper here when compared with the US. The ILLUSION of being cheaper may be there, but it is just that, an illusion for most if it. A pair of jeans from MBK just aint all that "cheap" when it comes right down to it. are you crazy ? My budget for travel in the USA is $109 a day, Thailand is $30, everything I get is better quality in Thailand at my budget, the food in the us is full of chemicals, the hotels are more than my daily budget so I stay for $30 for a dorm bed..The only things cheap in the USA are very bad fast food, fuel from the wars, maybe a car because Americans get a new one every year with credit... maybe some electronic stuff of course, big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driedmango Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Agree - who the hell would want to live in Detroit ? I read that it could be the first city where large chunks are 'returned to nature' - completely abandoned and left to the trees. Ironic when you consider its industrial past. exactly the only safe fun and healty places in the USA are very expensive, apart from Oregon. I was just in Bellingham wa, cheapest breakfast is 500 baht and wasnt very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunFon Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) exactly the only safe fun and healty places in the USA are very expensive, apart from Oregon. I was just in Bellingham wa, cheapest breakfast is 500 baht and wasnt very good. - How could such a categorical statement be true when different locations in the US are as varied as people's tastes? I know lots of people that love places like Montana or the Dakotas, New Mexico etc. It's true that physically beautiful places with decent infrastructure and like-minded (for me = thoughtful open minded tolerant) people often tend to be more expensive than ugly, remote places populated by ignorant rednecks, but the right balance can be struck in hundreds if not thousands of places, and the fact remains that the US is cheaper than many many other places, in both more and less developed countries. However all discussion about the US is off-topic to this thread as far as I'm concerned now that that point has adequately established wrt to Americans comparing "back home" to Thailand. The vast majority of visitors to this site don't have the option of moving to the US, and even those that may wouldn't consider it an alternative to Thailand anyway, so can I make a request to facilitate continued productive discussion of this topic? All Yanks coming here please stop bashing on about how the generalities that apply to nearly everywhere except the States don't apply to the US. This post here I think pretty well summarizes those areas where Thailand is cheaper than most "back home" locations, and I specifically separated those categories (up at the top) that may very well be counter-examples for the US or perhaps also other exceptional places like Aus/NZ and Canada. IMO the "benchmark back home" locations should be the UK and Europe, since that seems to cover the majority of posters here concerned with the effect of exchange rate changes on their fixed pensions. Of course any discussion of any areas is fine, but let's please stop posting as if our exceptional individual circumstances apply to the majority of people taking part in the discussion. Edited March 30, 2013 by FunFon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunFon Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 anywhere good in the USA your looking at house prices over $300000 .. sure you can buy in Detroit but is the worlds biggest hell hole you could be better in Bangladesh- IMO discussion of housing purchase prices is irrelevant to the topic here, since doing so here is either impossible or (in the opinion of many here) very risky, at least without expensive legal structures to do it "by the book". All discussion of which is also a separate topic please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Flip flops are cheap. Smiles are free. Some of you might not get that one though.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunFon Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Smiles are free.- Certainly free to give, not always free to receive, especially in the urban and touristed areas here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokie36 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Smiles are free.-Certainly free to give, not always free to receive, especially in the urban and touristed areas here. Answering your own post there mate! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunFon Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Answering your own post there mate!- Sorry I know I'm a bit thick sometimes but I don't get it, please explain as if to a ten-year-old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driedmango Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 So the us is cheap for some things.. Thailand is one of the worlds cheapest and best value destination s. If your a western yuppie you might find you high end items cheaper back home, good, go home then, for everyone else how could have a straight face and honestly even compare prices .. by the way Montreal is very cheap to live and so is it to eat, half price new York, but Bangkok is one tenth for most things. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driedmango Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 What a silly conversation. Its about one tenth to one quarter in Thailand vs the west. Prices in the USA are cheaper for the quality you get. Houses are vastly cheaper. Cars are much cheaper. Electronics are much cheaper. Restaurants are cheaper in Thailand but look what you get. It's typically just a tiny portion of rice, meat, and veggies. I think even clothes are cheaper in the USA. This is something that I think many other Westerners don't really understand. I'm blown away by prices in other Western countries, but like Thailand, they have high import taxes and high VAT's. In another thread I posted some grocery store sales flyers and a real estate ad for a really decent house in a decent area with a two car garage and I think 1/5 acre for $57,000 or something similar. I got virtually no comments. In another thread I posted a legit ad for a new 14" laptop computer - good brand but don't remember which - with all the latest stuff including Win 8, 4 gig ram and 500G HDD. It was less than $US350 including shipping with no tax. I can't live cheaper in the US in the home and acreage I have because utilities and upkeep are too much. I have a landscaper working 40 hours on Spring maintenance this week and next, but the typical lot doesn't need that. All I'd have to do is move to a cheaper home with a typical 1/2 rai lot and I could live as cheaply in the US as I could in LOS. Not only that, I'd have my $100 per month Medicare Advantage to use, and that could be a really big deal at some point. Folks from Canada, UK, Australia etc. do save money in LOS. It is cheaper in LOS. I get that. anywhere good in the USA your looking at house prices over $300000 .. sure you can buy in Detroit but is the worlds biggest hell hole you could be better in Bangladesh No, I posted a link to a home for sale in Medicine Bow, Wyoming near Cheyenne. It was $57,000, had a two car attached garage, built in the '70's, nice sized lot, paved street, curbs, gutters, underground utilities, 3 bedrooms. I don't know why people so often think of big cities in the US. The US is huge. There are lots of rural areas where prices are low, crime is low, people are nice... I could find tons of places like that with almost any type of weather I wanted, depending on whether it was Arkansas or Montana or somewhere in between. Edit: I found it again. Link The gravel on the street is temporary for the snow. You can see the curbs and gutters. Yes, my US home is worth far more than that. I'm just saying it can be done on a limited income. sure I am just going on a road trip threw the USA.. what does it have to do with anything of Thai prices ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poanoi Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 The girls got picky after they saw me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldgit Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 A number of off topic posts removed, this thread is about Thai prices, not US real estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaullyW Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 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. Some might argue Cambo women are not only cheaper but often more attractive as well, especially when you get one of those with some French blood and the nice pink nipp.... you know. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now