Prices going up :)

[meechai]

The Pinnacle on Thanon Padaed

http://thepinnacle.koolpuntville.com/HomeType.html

Thanks yes that is it.

Can't say I have noticed it for years but

$636,000 is pricey for anywhere in the world much less Chiangmai Thailand

The Pinnacle is not far from where I live and has only been completed about a year.

Maybe they started advertised waaay before construction, as they usually do.

Actually passing that sign again today ( it is to the left of the big LCD )

I see it is not the pinnacle but pran luxury home

http://pranluxuryhome.com/index.php?lang=en

Appears they have sold 10 of the 24 already

Edited November 5, 2013 by meechai

[uptheos]

The Pinnacle on Thanon Padaed

http://thepinnacle.koolpuntville.com/HomeType.html

Thanks yes that is it.

Can't say I have noticed it for years but

$636,000 is pricey for anywhere in the world much less Chiangmai Thailand

The Pinnacle is not far from where I live and has only been completed about a year.

Maybe they started advertised waaay before construction, as they usually do.

Actually passing that sign again today ( it is to the left of the big LCD )

I see it is not the pinnacle but pran luxury home

http://pranluxuryhome.com/index.php?lang=en

Appears they have sold 10 of the 24 already

Might be nice to have one there and one at The Pinnacle.

[TheFishman1]

Does any body have a per cent figure of what the inflation rate is in Chiang Mai

[elektrified]

The Pinnacle on Thanon Padaed

http://thepinnacle.koolpuntville.com/HomeType.html

Thanks yes that is it.

Can't say I have noticed it for years but

$636,000 is pricey for anywhere in the world much less Chiangmai Thailand

The Pinnacle is not far from where I live and has only been completed about a year.

Maybe they started advertised waaay before construction, as they usually do.

Actually passing that sign again today ( it is to the left of the big LCD )

I see it is not the pinnacle but pran luxury home

http://pranluxuryhome.com/index.php?lang=en

Appears they have sold 10 of the 24 already

They would like you to believe that they sold "10 already".

[FolkGuitar]

I wonder... In which 'livable' country are the prices going down?

Edited November 11, 2013 by FolkGuitar

[PostmanPat]

I noticed yesterday in Makro that whilst most boxed wines have gone up by almost a third, eg 900 to 1200, Montclair, which is owned by one of the large drink companies here (Singha or Chang or Red Bull) has hardly gone up at all, still around 900 baht.

Strange coincidence that isnt it?

[puukao]

I understand the hike in food prices, and most commodities for that matter. In fact, most can be tracked online (corn, cheese, oil, etc..) so it only makes sense to hit the consumer at some point. To me, it would be a big hike in rents that would be troublesome. Say a 7,000 baht one bedroom to 12,000. That might be a game changer. Or a cheap hotel from 250 baht to 450. Also, massages to 500 baht instead of 200. yes, it's all still cheap, but there comes a point when you need to explore elsewhere. To me, CM is about 1/3 the cost of what I spend when in America. But in America you can earn 6x of what you might make in Thailand.

[meechai]

I wonder... In which 'livable' country are the prices going down?

USA & pretty big too when looking at real estate

[beau thai]

I wonder... In which 'livable' country are the prices going down?

USA & pretty big too when looking at real estate

not any more surely...unless you wanna live in Detroit

[NeverSure]

I wonder... In which 'livable' country are the prices going down?

USA & pretty big too when looking at real estate

Yes, and this is where I don't get all excited about the cost of living in Thailand. I love to visit Thailand, but when I look at the price of anything consumer including cars, electronics, alcohol, imported Western items... and houses, I could match Chiang Mai in the US. Not anywhere in the US, but certain places.

I made an offer on this today for a rental. It needs paint inside and out and it isn't fancy, but it's totally Western, and has safe drinking water, sanitary sewer, good streets, drainage and sidewalks, all utilities underground.

It's just outside of Reno Nevada, with a Reno address. Please click on the picture to enlarge and scroll through. Not bad for a rental for 1.4 mil baht.

Of course it includes the land with a big back yard... Link

Edited November 12, 2013 by NeverSure

[chiang mai]

And there are trailer parks in the mojave where it's even cheaper! But come on now, at some point the price comparison has to factor in the quality of life aspect, without that the equation is incomplete.

[meechai]

I wonder... In which 'livable' country are the prices going down?

USA & pretty big too when looking at real estate

not any more surely...unless you wanna live in Detroit

Go to Clark Realty ( Hawaii ) & there you will see you can own nice land on the island of Hawaii for a fraction of what land costs here.

Of course Oahu ( Honolulu) is more but it is a little Hong Kong now. Overpopulated etc. not nice anymore.

A nice home on the island of Hawaii can still be had for 3 million baht

Hawaii as you may know has the highest cost of living of all States in the USA ( It is no Detroit )

Edited November 12, 2013 by meechai

[meechai]

Yes, and this is where I don't get all excited about the cost of living in Thailand. I love to visit Thailand, but when I look at the price of anything consumer including cars, electronics, alcohol, imported Western items... and houses, I could match Chiang Mai in the US. Not anywhere in the US, but certain places.

After living here in Thailand a few years

I would have to say it is the food ( non imports ), fuel & electricity & of course medical & dental that you save on.

Everything else is comparable or more in our case.

But we do love it here for many other reasons.

Also because of less liabilities it is cheaper overall by a good amount for us.

Edited November 12, 2013 by meechai

[Mekong Bob]

Supposedly 10% of Chinese street food is cooked in "gutter oil"

I guess food quality in Thailand could go down due to prices etc.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1ed_1382996617

I wish I hadn't opened that link. I always see those motorcycles with side-cars delivering used, bleached palm oil sold in large plastic bags to street vendors and it always freaks me out. That is one reason I never eat food from people on the street - with the exception of the Muslim ladies at Pratu Chang Mai once in a while. Knock on wood I've never gotten sick from their food in six years now. But I think they use clean food. I hope.

Hopefully they will raise prices rather than resort to using "gutter oil".

Which restaurants and bakeries are using transfats? Anybody know?

[FolkGuitar]

While there are some 'things' in which the price is going down in the U.S., the cost of living certainly isn't. That is going up, as indicated by the 'Cost of Living' increases given for various monthly governmental programs such as Disability Income or Veteran's pensions. The fact that one can purchase property because it is currently cheaper in some locations, or the price of peanuts is lower this year than last is no indication of Cost of Living.

Perhaps we could get a cabin in Appalachia, 4 miles from the nearest paved road, with enough garden space to grow our own vegetables, and be able to live as cheaply as we do in Chiang Mai, but it certainly wouldn't be as well.

[hml367]

Where on the Big Island are you talking about that "nice" house can be bought for 3 million baht?

[hml367]

Sorry. I still cannot edit on my Android app. My previous post said "house". I see you said land. I would still like to know where land can be had for that price on the Big Island.

[meechai]

Where on the Big Island are you talking about that "nice" house can be bought for 3 million baht?

East side (Hilo) of the island South areas too.

North side ( Waimea ) is expensive lush pasture lands as is the West side ( Kona ) as it is the tourist spot.

Edited November 12, 2013 by meechai

[FiftyTwo]

In the last 5 years my cost of living has increased by 19%, which is almost an annual increase of 4% and I am living the same sort of lifestyle as back in 2008. Also there is the crap bank foreign currency exchange rates to take into consideration, but for those who have savings, the bank interest rates have improve over the last 4 years, which as helped.

That is something I would expect 3-4% per year.

Which is why I tend to notice when something goes 20-33% up in one step.

I agree savings interest is quite good here compared to where we are from.

Savings here can generate a couple months living expenses per year for us. Which is not something

that can be said for elsewhere.

In the last 5 years my UK company pension (index linked plus a bit) has gone up 45%.

Foreign exchange for the UK, 3% loss in the last 5 years (52 then, 50.5 now)

So if the cost of living in CM has only risen 19%, then I'm quids in!

[Sparkles]

I noticed yesterday in Makro that whilst most boxed wines have gone up by almost a third, eg 900 to 1200, Montclair, which is owned by one of the large drink companies here (Singha or Chang or Red Bull) has hardly gone up at all, still around 900 baht.

Strange coincidence that isnt it?

Same with Peter Vella still 799 b at Makro

[wolf5370]

Some things here seem to go up and down wildly. Eggs are a prime example: I get mine locally rather than from BigC/Tesco/7-11 and usually pay 60 baht for a tray (30 eggs) at size 2. In September last year this shot up to 100baht. Then after xmas is was mysteriously back down. Since September this year it is back up at 97baht. Do chickens not lay during the cool season or what? Price nearly doubling for 3 months of the year seems to imply seasonality.

I remember eating out for less than 100baht easily - say 15 odd years ago. Exchange rate made it even cheaper. Now I can still eat out for say 200-300baht (if eating well) in the same sort of place - nice Thai. Pizzas are pretty much the same as I remember, but back then there was much less choice so was expensive comparatively. Street food was perhaps 10baht cheaper in most cases. Those girls that come around with bugs/quail eggs/fruit/nuts/etc still sell them at 20b a pack or 3 for 50b. It seems individual prices of dishes have gone up a lot, but the over all cost seems to be the same, so I guess I am eating less now (wish my tummy line took note!). Fuel has gone up markedly, but compared to back home its a joke - indeed, my sister is currently visiting from the UK and she is gobsmacked how cheap fuel is here (fill the car for 20 quid here - or 80+ quid back home). I still think electricity is expensive, but I guess that is comparative to other bills - in the UK I paid about 160 quid a month, but then we had heating on all year around near enough and that included gas and electricity - here gas is only really used for cooking, then butane/propane in a tank which costs less than 100b to refill every 3 to 6 months! I pay about 30 quid a month electric (no air con - have it but never use it - but fans are on all day as are several computers). Water is ridiculously cheap - at the tap I pay around 100baht a month give or take - and delivered drinking water about 1.5baht a litre. Rent is silly too - last time I rented in the UK (going back some 20 odd years) it cost me 1600 quid per month (5 beds in Kent) here I can get the same for under 400 easily - and furnished to boot. No local taxes. Garbage collection is literally pennies per go - no monthly fire brigade/police/community charges. Gardener is cheap (my landlord actually sends his son to do it for free ).

[Bpuumike]

The biggest price rises have been mostly on food stuffs,

and obviously fuel,while the utilities costs have not gone

up so much,the days of cheap vegetables,meat,rice are

gone.I must be very difficult for poor people to survive,

we all know why rice is so expensive,and in the biggest

growers of rice in the World,thats just not right.

regards worgeordie

Spot on with the rice prices. Well, we all know what that's about.

Changing tack, the Tok Lae (can't remember the name) eateries in the Foodland stores are still great value and don't seem to have increased prices over the last 2-3 years.

[postallady]

I've only been here a year but I lived in a tourist area in the USA too. I found that prices went up when the tourists came and when the weather was crappy and the tourists left the prices went down. So far that seems to be holding true for CM too. And BTW if you think stuff is expensive here in CM check out the current prices on groceries in the good ole USA. www.safeway.com Get ready for a serious increase in the cost of animal proteins. 10,000 head of cattle dead in a blizzard isn't just going to raise beef prices, it will raise, poultry, lamb, etc as people look for alternatives to expensive beef.

[qdinthailand]

The biggest price rises have been mostly on food stuffs,

and obviously fuel,while the utilities costs have not gone

up so much,the days of cheap vegetables,meat,rice are

gone.I must be very difficult for poor people to survive,

we all know why rice is so expensive,and in the biggest

growers of rice in the World,thats just not right.

regards worgeordie

Spot on with the rice prices. Well, we all know what that's about.

Changing tack, the Tok Lae (can't remember the name) eateries in the Foodland stores are still great value and don't seem to have increased prices over the last 2-3 years.

Restarant prices in general have gone up a few times in the past 2 or 3 years, so if this is not the case for tok Lae eateries, then I have to wonder about the portions (smaller) or the ingredients (poorer quality - more organ meats then prime cuts - Seen any chicken feet lately?). Produce prices have risen steadily the past couple years - seafood/fish prices have too. (my wife has a restuarant, shops the "fresh market" every day)