Has Anyone Noticed How Expensive It Is To Live In Isaan These Days?

[meatboy]

145B for a big mac set nowadays. What's the place coming to at all. Next guys will be complaing that 100b won't even get you two changs.

At my local in Chiangmai 2 large Chang's is 120bht and that's happy hour!

buy my chang from the wholesalers in 9months its gone up from 475bht.x 24cans to 550bht up 16% yet my pension is frozen.all together now haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

[transam]

145B for a big mac set nowadays. What's the place coming to at all. Next guys will be complaing that 100b won't even get you two changs.

At my local in Chiangmai 2 large Chang's is 120bht and that's happy hour!

buy my chang from the wholesalers in 9months its gone up from 475bht.x 24cans to 550bht up 16% yet my pension is frozen.all together now haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Thought it cheaper by the bottle. My local place sells my Chang draught for 40 bht a large bottle.

[Cluey]

so OP wont scan the receipt. why not ban him for wasting everyone's time and trolling?

-

I suspect you don't understand the nature of TV's business model. . .

[johna]

I have not read all the posts so if someone has already said this, excuse me,

Tesco, Big C Tops ect are not cheap places to shop, if you are only buying fresh food shop at open air markets, the price can be 75% cheaper on some items. vegetable sellers at my local market will get me anything I ask for within a few days of ordering.

[SinglePot]

Exactly.

You'd have trouble spending 416GB in Tesco on Kensington High Street if you didn't have a couple of Samsung 32 inch tellies underneath the trollies.

Sounds like the cost of living is rising a lot faster in Isaan than it is in West London!

[SinglePot]

so OP wont scan the receipt. why not ban him for wasting everyone's time and trolling?

-

I suspect you don't understand the nature of TV's business model. . .

Maybe. But I understand yours.

[thehelmsman]

Stay out of the big box stores. Good to buy some items there. Go there for diapers and forumula. Also a good place for sea food, squid and shrimp, which we eat mostly. But beyond that, that's where you'll over spend.

It's the same story back in the states. If you want to be thrifty, stay out of the big box stores.

[Johnniey]

 

145B for a big mac set nowadays. What's the place coming to at all. Next guys will be complaing that 100b won't even get you two changs.

At my local in Chiangmai  2 large Chang's is 120bht and that's happy hour!

 

buy my chang from the wholesalers in 9months its gone up from 475bht.x 24cans to 550bht up 16% yet my pension is frozen.all together now haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Go to AA and you´ll live like a king.

[Cluey]

I suspect you don't understand the nature of TV's business model. . .

Maybe. But I understand yours.

-

Please, let me know, very much in need of a way to monetize my lifestream here.

[cpofc]

Not Isaan, I am in outer suburban BKK but its all relevant when it comes to inflation.

17,500 on groceries? At Tesco? If you didn't buy any 'big ticket' items, then that is indeed, a day out! I have a very large Tesco right across the road so I almost own the place. I always shop when I am hungry having not eaten all day. a cardinal sin. Admittedly I am single, but if I spent 17,500 in one visit, on groceries, I could feed the entire Moo Baan for a week. I eat things like smoked and fresh salmon, advocados, good beef, vine ripened tomatoes and all the good stuff. Plenty of Milk and Dairy produce.

Yes, the prices have gone up, no argument there, and perhaps it has something top do with your exchange rate too.

But your spending spree seems massive to me. If I spend 3-4 grand in one hit I have a mountain of food you can't jump over and end up having to give it away

A standard meal at my eatery right across the Soi is around 35 baht. My water bill is the same now as it was 8 years ago except for a couple of years when I got it for free when the government gave it to us for nothing for a while. Council Rates (Rubbish Removal, City Works Etc.) is still 20 Baht per month as it has been for decades. You can still rent a typical thai townhouse for around 5-7 grand per month. Taxi fares still at 35 baht flag fall. Electricity is still not too bad, and non use of air con could cut it to bugger all if I needed or wanted to.

A bottle of Scotch has risen only a fraction really in the past 8 years or so. Smokes (Marlboro Red) have almost doubled.

All I can say is, have you ever thought of putting your family on wages, instead of feeding them.

[Salapoo]

All I can say is, have you ever thought of putting your family on wages, instead of feeding them.

I suspect many are doing both.

[transam]

All I can say is, have you ever thought of putting your family on wages, instead of feeding them.

I suspect many are doing both.

The voice of Isaan knowledge speaks.

[arthurwait]

All I can say is, have you ever thought of putting your family on wages, instead of feeding them.

I suspect many are doing both.

The voice of Isaan knowledge speaks.

OiI ! he's my relative.

[transam]

All I can say is, have you ever thought of putting your family on wages, instead of feeding them.

I suspect many are doing both.

The voice of Isaan knowledge speaks.

OiI ! he's my relative.

Gawd, don't advertise it, think about your street cred......................

[arthurwait]

Gawd, don't advertise it, think about your street cred......................

I have none.

[transam]

Gawd, don't advertise it, think about your street cred......................

I have none.

Well at least thats two of us.............................. .............

[SinglePot]

I hear what you are saying guys.

transam. your point is much better made without the smiley guy with the coffee cup.

trust me. less is more

[transam]

I hear what you are saying guys.

transam. your point is much better made without the smiley guy with the coffee cup.

trust me. less is more

It just looks like me sooooooooooooooo.

[jbrain]

145B for a big mac set nowadays. What's the place coming to at all. Next guys will be complaing that 100b won't even get you two changs.

At my local in Chiangmai 2 large Chang's is 120bht and that's happy hour!

buy my chang from the wholesalers in 9months its gone up from 475bht.x 24cans to 550bht up 16% yet my pension is frozen.all together now haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Then you should put your Chang in the freezer, that way it lasts longer on your frozen pension.

[SinglePot]

I hear what you are saying guys.

transam. your point is much better made without the smiley guy with the coffee cup.

trust me. less is more

It just looks like me sooooooooooooooo.

Apologies for impertinence. ( Blokey doing a wai)

[Salapoo]

Note: Guys with Isaan wives on salaries get upset when it's pointed out.

[SinglePot]

Note: Guys with Isaan wives on salaries get upset when it's pointed out.

Sorry you've lost me. When what is pointed out?

[boosta]

Note: Guys with Isaan wives on salaries get upset when it's pointed out.

Sorry you've lost me. When what is pointed out?

When nosy parkers judge them giving their SO an allowance as revealing low moral character.

[transam]

Note: Guys with Isaan wives on salaries get upset when it's pointed out.

Yet another daft post.

[Johnniey]

Note: Guys with Isaan wives on salaries get upset when it's pointed out.

It's called housekeeping.

Did your mother get any?

[David48]

OK... lets factor in inflation

a bottle of leo beer in 2006 = 37baht

a bottle of leo beer in 2013 = 50baht (unless u by it in tescos - to all you tesco haters out there)

so lets say inflation in 7 years of 33%

33% of 975000baht = 321750baht = £7150

So to have the same standard of living we were enjoying 7 years ago, I would need to send over an additional £7150 + £6666 = £13816 (hence the term 'double wammy')

right.. lets summarise

Cost to live like a king back in 2006 = £15000

Cost to live like a king in 2013 = £15000 + £13816 = £28816 netto....

basically in 7 years, the cost of living for a UK farang in Thailand has almost doubled...

Man ... I'm doing my Tax at the moment, I need some-one is flexible with the truth figures ... care to assist?

I'm gonna save me heeps if you do them!

.

Edited June 14, 2013 by David48

[David48]

why don't you post the receipt? something is obviously amiss.

What everyone has thus far missed was this little gem of a confession ...

well.. we bought some spaghetti... oh and then there was the wifes cream which was probably about half of it... and I think she bought some kitchen plates... oh yeah... and some tuna...

I'll emphasise it just in-case it was missed ...

... oh and then there was the wifes cream which was probably about half of it...

Call me Sherlock baby ...

.

[Card]

OK... lets factor in inflation

a bottle of leo beer in 2006 = 37baht

a bottle of leo beer in 2013 = 50baht (unless u by it in tescos - to all you tesco haters out there)

so lets say inflation in 7 years of 33%

33% of 975000baht = 321750baht = £7150

So to have the same standard of living we were enjoying 7 years ago, I would need to send over an additional £7150 + £6666 = £13816 (hence the term 'double wammy')

right.. lets summarise

Cost to live like a king back in 2006 = £15000

Cost to live like a king in 2013 = £15000 + £13816 = £28816 netto....

basically in 7 years, the cost of living for a UK farang in Thailand has almost doubled...

Man ... I'm doing my Tax at the moment, I need some-one is flexible with the truth figures ... care to assist?

I'm gonna save me heeps if you do them!

.

I think by far the biggest cause of the increase in cost of living for farangs during the last 10 years has been the exchange rate. This is more important than the rate of inflation for those who import their living expenses. In 2004, I remember the baht/pound rate was briefly 75. I bought a condo then with a rate of 72. I sold recently at 49. Overall, I made a nice profit in pound terms, but not much in baht terms. Did I get richer or not?

In fact when I graph my net worth over time from 2004, including the value of several property purchases which I still own, I get richer when I calculate in pounds but poorer when I calculate in baht. So am I getting richer or poorer? I live in Thailand and live on pounds I bring in annually or for property purchases..

Edited June 14, 2013 by Card

[Neeranam]

Exactly.

You'd have trouble spending 416GB in Tesco on Kensington High Street if you didn't have a couple of Samsung 32 inch tellies underneath the trollies.

Sounds like the cost of living is rising a lot faster in Isaan than it is in West London!

I'd love to see this guy's receipt as frankly I don't believe it unless he did buy a tv ot 10 bottles of good whisky or whatever.

[boosta]

In fact when I graph my net worth over time from 2004, including the value of several property purchases which I still own, I get richer when I calculate in pounds but poorer when I calculate in baht. So am I getting richer or poorer? I live in Thailand and live on pounds I bring in annually or for property purchases..

-

As you as you live and spend in Thaiiand, you need to use baht, thus you're getting poorer.

If you know you'll head back to blighty one day, then to make yourself feel better do two separate calculations for wealth you've preserved outside the kingdom, but then to be realistic you probably need to write off most of what you've "invested" here, not really count it until you've successfully taken it back out. That might be even more depressing.