Is Phuket as affordable as Pattaya?

[swordfisch]

been visiting LOS since 1977 (14 yo)

these days,mostly just hang in Pattaya.

can't help but think i'm missing some great places.

Pattaya prices:

- gd fan room (wifi, cable tv, balcony, corner room, 2 windows etc) Bt 6500/month (low season)

- happy hour beers at excellent go-gos Bt 45

- BBQ chicken from Soi Buhkow Bt 130

- BBQ fish from Soi Buhkow (street carts) Bt 40 - 100

- Archer beer 650 ml (7/11) Bt 42

- gd meal (foodcourt, local restauant) Bt 40 - 100

my question is:

can Phuket compete or match these prices?

a friend recently told me of a guesthouse at one of the smaller villages/towns on Phuket that had a guesthouse for Bt300/night, great beach, cheap food etc.

likely? unlikely?

how are the go-gos on Phuket?

are they all centralized in Patong?

do they have happy hour specials?

cheers for any info.

[LivinginKata]

Intersting question. Just about everyone I know claims that Pattaya is much cheaper than Phuket. Trouble is that it's like comparing apples and oranges. Phuket is nothing like city Pattaya. It's made up of many areas, villages, town. Even a place like Patong has plenty of cheaper places to live and places to eat/drink. And plenty of expensive places ...

[KarenBravo]

Yes.....but only on the east coast.

[NamKangMan]

Intersting question. Just about everyone I know claims that Pattaya is much cheaper than Phuket. Trouble is that it's like comparing apples and oranges. Phuket is nothing like city Pattaya. It's made up of many areas, villages, town. Even a place like Patong has plenty of cheaper places to live and places to eat/drink. And plenty of expensive places ...

I wouldn't entirely agree that comparing Phuket and Pattaya is like comparing apples and oranges, LIK.

A beer is a beer, and a bar girl is a bar girl - and they are both cheaper in Pattaya.

Edited September 9, 2013 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

And Phuket has wonderful beaches and Pattaya does not

[SantiSuk]

Intersting question. Just about everyone I know claims that Pattaya is much cheaper than Phuket. Trouble is that it's like comparing apples and oranges. Phuket is nothing like city Pattaya. It's made up of many areas, villages, town. Even a place like Patong has plenty of cheaper places to live and places to eat/drink. And plenty of expensive places ...

I wouldn't entirely agree that comparing Phuket and Pattaya is like comparing apples and oranges, LIK.

A beer is a beer, and a bar girl is a bar girl - and they are both cheaper in Pattaya.

... and so is the food and so are the hotels and so is the transport. No contest - don't bother with Phuket if you are cost-conscious (they don't want you to either).

Say what you like about sleaze capital Asia, expensive it is not!! Wouldn't live there if you paid me, but as a visit? Love, Loathe and Enjoy - no other place like it on earth.

Of course if you are after scenery and beaches it's no contest the other way round but you'll pay for your preferences

[NamKangMan]

And Phuket has wonderful beaches and Pattaya does not

A fair point LIK, however, a tourist residing in Patong, who may wish to go to Kata Beach for example, is up for at least a 400baht tuk-tuk.

In Pattaya, it's a 10 baht bus down to the Bali Hai Pier and then a 30 baht ferry boat ride to Koh Larn, a nice island.

400 baht versus 40 baht. 10% of the Phuket price for a similar, if not better, product. (nice beach)

http://kohlarn.com/getting.htm

http://kohlarn.com/beach.htm

It's not that Pattaya is so cheap - it's that Phuket is so expensive.

Edited September 9, 2013 by NamKangMan

[hkt83100]

Why don't you just invest a week and come here to find out?

[Somchai Mao]

Haven't been to Pattaya for a while but was in Patong very recently. Used to live in Pattaya and had a business there some years ago, I left when the Russians started coming in droves and a previously small village, South Pattaya on the hill turned into a tropical Leningrad. If the prices you quote in Pattaya are correct and the depth and scope of Pattaya entertainment hasn't changed then there is no contest. I found Patong has changed just over the past two years into an overpriced Bronx in the seventies, aggressive ladyboys, even more aggressive chavs, high prices, especially on Beach Road and intimidating tuk tuk drivers - definitely no Thai smile with these guys. I won't be returning to Patong, from a relative haven (think a revved up Jomtien) a few years ago to something close to a war zone, and I'm not exaggerating.

There are plenty of beautiful places on Phuket but for Pattaya-like intensity then Patong is your only choice.

[Old Croc]

Phuket (Patong area) Is too expensive for you.

Can I suggest somewhere like Bang Yai in Bangkok? A room can be had for about 2,500 per month, and it's a short, cheap commute to the flesh-pots of Bangkok's night life.

[Jimi007]

Hum. Another Pattaya versus Patong thread... I personally wouldn't and don't go to either. But from I read Pattaya is cheaper if that's all that matters...

[phuketrichard]

u can find a fan room easily back in the village off sai nam yen in Patong for 3,500-5,000/month

eat on the streets,

rent a motorbike for 2,500/month an u don't need deal with tuk tuk or motos

7/11 prices are pretty much the same throughout Thailand that i have seen

Food court in Junk Ceylon more like 70-120

bu the food court in Central an Big c in Phuket town are cheaper (35-100)

Gogo's are all in Patong, ( haven't been in one in years and years) but there are some good Thai singer style clubs in Phuket town

[NamKangMan]

u can find a fan room easily back in the village off sai nam yen in Patong for 3,500-5,000/month

eat on the streets,

rent a motorbike for 2,500/month an u don't need deal with tuk tuk or motos

7/11 prices are pretty much the same throughout Thailand that i have seen

Food court in Junk Ceylon more like 70-120

bu the food court in Central an Big c in Phuket town are cheaper (35-100)

Gogo's are all in Patong, ( haven't been in one in years and years) but there are some good Thai singer style clubs in Phuket town

I agree. If you live "as a Thai" - then Phuket (all parts of Phuket, including Patong) can be very affordable.

As soon as you look at any product/service that is all things farang - Phuket, in general, is more expensive than Pattaya, with some things being a lot more expensive than Pattaya. Eg. transport.

That's everything from beer and bar fines to a Sunday roast dinner.

It's not that standards are higher here (beaches aside) - the beer in Phuket is that same bottle of beer in Pattaya. It's that rents are higher here, which gets passed onto the consumer, also, an amount of collusion drives this, as most of the primes real estate here is held by a wealthy minority who hold a lot of power on the island.

Edited September 11, 2013 by NamKangMan

[NamKangMan]

Hum. Another Pattaya versus Patong thread... I personally wouldn't and don't go to either. But from I read Pattaya is cheaper if that's all that matters...

In all honesty, don't you see "a little bit of Patong" where you live on the island?

Haven't you seen "more of Patong" creep into the area where you are living on the island?

How long do you give it before where you are living on the island becomes another "Patong?"

Pattaya spead into a city. Look at the construction here, of which we (expats) have absolutely no control over.

Don't you think that in the future, you will not have to go to Patong because Patong will be coming to you?

[Theo007]

Even McDonald's is 25% more expensive in Phuket than in the rest of Thailand.

[N47HAN]

Even McDonald's is 25% more expensive in Phuket than in the rest of Thailand.

Agree if your in Patong ,

But NOT in Tesco , or Phuket town . Same price as Bkk.

[nedkellylives]

If you only live here for the cheap booze and bar girls one place may be better than the other

I like a lot of people live in Phuket for the lifestyle and infrasracture including a international airport

and very rarely [only twice this year] drink in a bar and never girlie bars

[Phronesis]

You can live cheaply in Phuket. However, it requires constant and disciplined vigilance to ensure you are not ripped off.

[Paangjang]

Hum. Another Pattaya versus Patong thread... I personally wouldn't and don't go to either. But from I read Pattaya is cheaper if that's all that matters...

Read the title properly... Its not a Patong Vs Pattaya thread, you made that up. It's Phuket Vs Pattaya. Saying you wouldn't go to either, well you live in one of them

I've only spent 1 week in Pattaya a few years ago. However, in general i'd say Pattaya is overall cheaper than Phuket.

77 Provinces in Thailand. There are other choices to Chonburi and Phuket...

[Old Croc]

Hum. Another Pattaya versus Patong thread... I personally wouldn't and don't go to either. But from I read Pattaya is cheaper if that's all that matters...

Read the title properly... Its not a Patong Vs Pattaya thread, you made that up. It's Phuket Vs Pattaya. Saying you wouldn't go to either, well you live in one of them:cheesy:

I've only spent 1 week in Pattaya a few years ago. However, in general i'd say Pattaya is overall cheaper than Phuket.

77 Provinces in Thailand. There are other choices to Chonburi and Phuket...

In fairness, why don't people say Chonburi if they want to compare with Phuket?

The closest match to the town of Pattaya in the province of Phuket is the town of Patong.

Compare like to like.

[IrishIvan]

Farangs make any part of Thailand expensive once they arrive in droves