Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?

[sunholidaysun1]

@ 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.

I thought the basic hourly rate was in the region of 6 quid and hour . Thats less than 1000 GBP per month before tax. the majority of workers would be on less than 12,000 per year .

[Tchooptip]

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.

What type of visa do you have? 40K 45K b I suppose cannot have a retirement visa?

In Samui for me difficult under 60k maybe Bangkok is cheaper?

[Naam]

Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?

everything is cheap for a chap like me who is spared paying income tax exceeding his total expenditure in Thailand.

[FunFon]

@ 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.

I thought the basic hourly rate was in the region of 6 quid and hour . Thats less than 1000 GBP per month before tax. the majority of workers would be on less than 12,000 per year .

-

When you look at average income - even mean statistics - that rate will always be much higher than what the majority at the bottom are making, counterbalanced by a small number of people making millions per year.

The average US income is around USD 65K p.a., but most people are struggling to get by on under 24K.

And that gap's been growing enormously over the past thirty years, the average bloke's had a declining standard of living, while the top small percentage are earning - and owning - higher and higher percentages of the total.

To the point where there's almost a third-world vs first-world split within our societies back home, similar to what we see here in Thaland.

[rct99q]

UK minimum wage structure

National - 6.19

London - 8.30

Surrounding London - 7.30

Also I love those posters who include in their costs of living "goods" - women.

Nice. So when looking at a place to live you consider the cost of "rent, beer, food and women". Do you tell your family this?

"Hi mom, guess what, the price of women in Cambodia is cheaper then in Thailand so I am moving. Good Idea, huh. Oh by the way can you spare a couple of bucks I am feeling horny."

Too funny...

[theoldgit]

I thought the basic hourly rate was in the region of 6 quid and hour . Thats less than 1000 GBP per month before tax. the majority of workers would be on less than 12,000 per year.

Yes the minimum wage for somebody over 21 is £6.19 an hour, the figure I used was lifted from the ONS is, as has been pointed out, is the average weekly earnings.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[rct99q]

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...

More importantly - how much to use a woman - do you know the costs as I feel some of the readers need to know if it is worth going back to the UK if the price of a shag is less then it is here!

[Bandersnatch]

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.

Closer to ฿300 an hour

[Johnniey]

mango is very cheap as is car repairs.

[rene123]

Food, accommodation and cheap clothing are inexpensive. You just need to know where to look and not set your sights too high. I'm off for a few weeks to Krabi to get away from the smokey smog in Chiang Mai. Then it's back to Canada for 6 months of clear air.

[FunFon]

Also I love those posters who include in their costs of living "goods" - women.

Nice. So when looking at a place to live you consider the cost of "rent, beer, food and women". Do you tell your family this?

"Hi mom, guess what, the price of women in Cambodia is cheaper then in Thailand so I am moving. Good Idea, huh. Oh by the way can you spare a couple of bucks I am feeling horny."

Too funny...

-

Only realistic since most farang living here are here for that reason, and do spend a very large proportion of their time and treasure in that activity.

Fact is most couldn't afford to engage in even a quick short-time more than once a month back home, while here a full-time live-in GF can be less than what my friends spend on their cable/internet package back home.

And even those legally married if they totalled up the costs including getting scammed occasionally, comes out a lot less than the same expense category back home.

Not everyone's looking for a "real" romantic relationship, just a bit of slap and tickle more or less frequently seems enough for many.

And of course we don't usually share the gory details with female members of our family back home, any more than an alcoholic is honest about his drinking patterns, or a druggie his habit, why should we?

Society in general looks down on certain forms of recreation - hiding it doesn't have to imply shame over those activities, just being practical.

[muythai2013]

stupid thread, Thailand is so much cheaper, come on be realistic.

[FunFon]

stupid thread, Thailand is so much cheaper, come on be realistic.

-

Some people insist on maintaining a first-world standard in all areas of their life. In that case, unless women are a large percentage of their expenses, that lifestyle will be more expensive here, except perhaps for some who are wealthy enough that the tax advantages of living overseas makes up the difference.

For normal common folk, only those that are willing to adapt to local conditions and start to live as normal Thais do in significant areas actually benefit from the potentially much lower cost of living here.

Edited March 26, 2013 by FunFon

[rct99q]

Also I love those posters who include in their costs of living "goods" - women.

Nice. So when looking at a place to live you consider the cost of "rent, beer, food and women". Do you tell your family this?

"Hi mom, guess what, the price of women in Cambodia is cheaper then in Thailand so I am moving. Good Idea, huh. Oh by the way can you spare a couple of bucks I am feeling horny."

Too funny...

-

Only realistic since most farang living here are here for that reason, and do spend a very large proportion of their time and treasure in that activity.

Fact is most couldn't afford to engage in even a quick short-time more than once a month back home, while here a full-time live-in GF can be less than what my friends spend on their cable/internet package back home.

And even those legally married if they totalled up the costs including getting scammed occasionally, comes out a lot less than the same expense category back home.

Not everyone's looking for a "real" romantic relationship, just a bit of slap and tickle more or less frequently seems enough for many.

And of course we don't usually share the gory details with female members of our family back home, any more than an alcoholic is honest about his drinking patterns, or a druggie his habit, why should we?

Society in general looks down on certain forms of recreation - hiding it doesn't have to imply shame over those activities, just being practical.

I guess you are you are right, women = commodity. My bad.

[Almera]

Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?

Rent. Massages. Sex with hot Asian women.

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.

Wine,... and a lot of the Western style food is a lot nicer and cheaper than Thailand. The French colonial influence is fantastic in terms of architecture and cuisine.

Plus the locals are far nicer, interesting, less self-important while also being more intelligent than, the Thais.

[FunFon]

I guess you are you are right, women = commodity. My bad.

-

I thought we were talking about the world as it actually is rather than how we'd like it to be.

In an ideal world, basic housing, health care, education shouldn't be commodities either, our whole political-economic system is based on human beings exploiting others for their own benefit, trading our time doing stuff we don't enjoy or even find abhorrent in order to survive and provide for our families is the normal status quo isn't it?

And few people think they're actually getting the whole person, just looking for a fair exchange of value in the market, time and services rendered.

If an attractive young person wants to trade that aspect of themselves for economic benefit then why not? You trying to say millions of marriages back home aren't based on exactly the same trade-off?

Making it more explicit doesn't make it any more wrong IMO. . .

Edited March 26, 2013 by FunFon

[soi41]

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.

Despite all that wisdom, you are still in your rented room in Patts ??

The real winners are those, who had the foresight to invest in Thailand, and now are cashing in in BAHT

[chuang]

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

I remembered just paying half a baht some years back...

[petedk]

It all depends on what you want.

I have just arrived back in Denmark, for the first time in three years. It seems that many of te western products are cheaper here. Shaving foam, cheese and even beer Carlsberg costs about 20 baht a bottle in the supermarket. Wine is cheap too.

Looking at vegetables and fruit then they are expensive here. A pinappple costs over 200 baht.

I live on Thong Lor and that has become a very expensive area to live in. The new restaurants that are shooting up are far overpriced and many of them serve disgusting food. I had my worst fish 'n' chips ever at a new restaurant there and cost nearly 400 baht. The young Thai hi so's seemed to enjoy it though.

If I go to the smaller Thai restaurants away from Thong Lor I can get good cheap Thai food.

yes, there are plenty of cheap things in Thailand but stay away from HiSo and tourist areas,

[billd766]

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

Terrible isn't it.

Stop telling people or they will all want to live up here.

[Neeranam]

Stop telling people or they will all want to live up here.

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

Terrible isn't it.

Stop telling people or they will all want to live up here.

There's a reason it's cheap - boring as hell.

[FunFon]

I remembered just paying half a baht some years back...

-

35 satang down the road from me, if you're willing to settle for crappy paper, 50 satang for the branded stuff.

[nidieunimaitre]

sex

[TRicher]

Cheap? Well, I was in Bang Saen on Sunday. Had 2 large Sing-beers, 2 different snacks and a bottle of OJ for my daughter. The check bill was 139 baht. You can still rent a house for around 7000 baht per month. It is possible to find in-expensvie in Thailand. Just not in Pattaya-Jomtien, BKK, or any other area that is in demand. Bang Saen is not a bad choice. Lived there for over a year and 1/2.

[Almera]

Stop telling people or they will all want to live up here.

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

Terrible isn't it.

Stop telling people or they will all want to live up here.

"There's a reason it's cheap - boring as hell."

Not to mention that one is also paying for the quality of neighbours they will have....

Loud, uncivilized, undomesticated, inconsiderate village peasants, living in their own crap.... paradise.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Almera

[Neeranam]

TRicher, on 26 Mar 2013 - 14:06, said:

Cheap? Well, I was in Bang Saen on Sunday. Had 2 large Sing-beers, 2 different snacks and a bottle of OJ for my daughter. The check bill was 139 baht. You can still rent a house for around 7000 baht per month. It is possible to find in-expensvie in Thailand. Just not in Pattaya-Jomtien, BKK, or any other area that is in demand. Bang Saen is not a bad choice. Lived there for over a year and 1/2.

My old house is for rent in the cntre of Khon Kaen - 4000 baht a month - 3 bedrooms(2 en suite), 3 bathrooms, good security, satellite tv, air-con etc.

Had a game of snooker near my house this morning - 20 baht an hour - 2 bottles of coke (2x 10 baht).

Yesterday played at the golf driving range - one tray of balls - 5 baht.

Playing golf tomorrow - 9 holes plus caddy 280 baht.

Sexy massage with full extras(so I'm told) 500 baht, again very near my house.

Got an oil change and check up on my car the other day - 600 baht

Got my new CD system wired in my car a couple of months ago - 30 baht.

AT LEAST 10 times these prices where I'm originally from in Scotland.

Another thing, when I came here in 1992, it was 39 baht to the pound.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Neeranam

[OZEMADE]

Compared to the prices back home, Thailand is as cheap as chips. I cant find one thing in Thailand that is not cheaper than back in OZ and our Bart for the OZ $1 is currently over Bt30. Cant complain.

[Scottythai]

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...

I give up with most here. Some just moan for the sake of moaning. I love Thailand. Beautiful weather all year round. Great food ( Much less that food at home) Cool and fun people. I think some people need to move back home for 1 year and tell us inflation never hit there as well. This is a modern world where the cost of everything will go up. Go home for 1 year and tell us after that time if Thailand is cheaper.

Even if its not at least there will be 1 year of less Moaning going on here!

[FunFon]

I cant find one thing in Thailand that is not cheaper than back in OZ and our Bart for the OZ $1 is currently over Bt30. Cant complain.

-

Completely agree with the general sentiment, but disagree with the absolutist statement. There are always exceptions that prove the rule - some of these may be more true when the US is "back home", not sure of Oz specifics for some of these:

Biggest one: decent education for the kids, most especially if you want it to be English-language only, but a critical problem even without that.

Imported cheese, wines etc, especially at the high end, for that matter, pretty much anything imported - cars being a huge example.

Quality clothing.

Anything second-hand.

And then a bit OT but some things are very hard to find at any price, like trustworthy advice from government officials, a peaceful and quiet place to live with civilized neighbors etc etc ad infinitum.

However to me I agree these are very minor quibbles and well worth the huge factors in favor.

[Payboy]

Is There Anything Cheap In Thailand Now ?

Talk has been and will always be cheap.