Think about it..Thailand ain't so cheap!

[jonesthepost]

Ok. Just for the &$@: of it let's compare FLORIDA to Chiang Mai.

1) many many houses for $60,000-80,000usd (nice)

2) real estate taxes $600 per yr.

3) cars both new and used cheaper. Especially used!

4) all farang food cheaper. ALL

5) cable, internet, wi-if cheaper $12 per month land line unlimited $50 per month no contract unlimited cell phone

6) golf much Cheaper

7) Duke's menu at a restaurant in Florida cheaper. Steaks, pizza, Mexican!

8) Clothes cheaper and have SIZES!!

And.......weather better and air you can breathe

Oh, thai food is more expensive in Florida!

Well then just get your ass on a. plane and get back there

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[trainman34014]

At least 40% cheaper than Europe and some things up to 60%. No need to worry about only seeing sunshine for three months of the year either.

If you want the Western life then live in a Western country, it's not rocket science. Living here is about flexibility of mindset and the ability to adjust and if people can't do that then they are going to be miserable for one reason or another.

[BritManToo]

Came over from the UK, not so long ago.

Just to let you know CM is between 1/2 and 1/4 the price of living in the UK.

Council tax and housing being the major areas of saving.

Quite a lot of the Thai prices on Numbeo are high.

I only pay 30bht for a cappuccino, 12bht for a 440ml bottle of Pepsi, 104bht for a KFC combo.

Edited April 2, 2014 by BritManToo

[puukao]

I do think Hamburgers in CM are much more expensive than USA, except the ones that use "substitute beef".

USA: rent, or mortgage: $1500 CM: $500 for fine place Net: CM +$1,000 per month

food $450 month, 1 person $300, 1 person CM +$150

car plus insur. $400 month car not necessary blah, blah, blah....

utilities $300 mo $100

however, you do constantly spend money in CM. i do. plus airfare, visa, etc.... I would say CM is 1/2 cheap as USA easily and less stressful. but i do think many people underestimate how much you do need per one year here. 12,000 is a good start, with good cushion or cash flow monthly. without that, yes, things feel expensive.

[ThaiWx]

Medical expenses are way cheaper here than stateside, at least it has been for me over the years. Example, a few years back I was stung by a scorpion and my wife drove me to the hospital for treatment. It was on a Sunday morning and when I arrived we were directed to the emergency reception area. I was immediately accepted and given treatments for the sting. A doctor came in and explained what I needed to do and watch for. When all was over (doctor visits, billing, prescription pick-up,etc.) we walk away with a total bill of 150 baht. Heck, in the states parking at the hospital would have been that much.

[arunsakda]

Ok. Just for the &$@: of it let's compare FLORIDA to Chiang Mai.

1) many many houses for $60,000-80,000usd (nice)

2) real estate taxes $600 per yr.

3) cars both new and used cheaper. Especially used!

4) all farang food cheaper. ALL

5) cable, internet, wi-if cheaper $12 per month land line unlimited $50 per month no contract unlimited cell phone

6) golf much Cheaper

7) Duke's menu at a restaurant in Florida cheaper. Steaks, pizza, Mexican!

8) Clothes cheaper and have SIZES!!

And.......weather better and air you can breathe

Oh, thai food is more expensive in Florida!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

So Florida it is then.

To each his own. Of course we all know cost are increasing in CM

I'll never go there again unless necessary for work. I'd rather walk around in CM

with a smile without being legally killed by some moron "Standing his Ground".

I really believe though a sub 100K residence with low taxes would put you in a neighborhood

of crackheads or gangbangers in FL. Internet is more expensive. 3BB 590/month plan

beats anything in the states. If you are in the southeast US or small town midwest with home paid off

some kind of assets or SS coming in and medicare or VA healthcare of course it is cheaper to just stay put.

For most who love CM these would be soul-starving black holes of killer boredom.

Edited April 2, 2014 by arunsakda

[Frank James]

Thailand is a great place to quit drinking alcoholic beverages. Saves you so much money, depending on your level of consumption. I did, and so can afford the premium on personal 'essentials' like good cheese, peanut butter, and breakfast cereal. Let's hear it for Tops and Rimping!

This topic is done to death (a new variation: how about Ecuador (?) vs Chiang Mai!) but I still read every entry. Can't help myself.

[FolkGuitar]

An Expat (the real American definition but can't imagine it being different elsewhere) is one who breaks away from their own country, removes themselves from voting, social security...basically breaks away. Not responsible for benefits from nor not able to participate in government programs (<deleted> that means today, other than paying taxes) of your country, but a citizen after all..the passport BS remains open. For me to become an expat, I would have to remove ALL residency from the US other than a month a year, give up my Social Security & Medicare (Obama)...so far that's what I remember & bored with researching it up again.

You need to do something about that boredom, because without looking it up, you couldn't be more wrong if you tried.

I've lived and worked in Asia for over 25 years. I've been back in the US perhaps 7-8 times in those years, for no more than a week or two each time. But not giving up all those rights and benefits you claim, I guess I'm still just a tourist.

We don't often want to buy steak, wine, imported foods, imported clothing (I think the only clothing I've bought in the past few years was a plain T-shirt!)

My rent on a two-bedroom condo is 1/5 that I would pay to get equal quality in any US city being in the downtown area.

Health care costs next to nothing compared with the US, and you don't have to sit in waiting rooms for three hours to get it.

Public transportation... hell, the first drop of the meter on a taxi where I was living just before returning to Thailand was the equivalent of 300 baht, and that was before even moving. I went up 100 baht for every 1/5 kilometer. It would cost me 2,000 baht to ride from my house to Thapae Gate rather than 20 baht!

The US poverty guidelines says that for a household of two people, anything below $15,000 is considered below the poverty level. Here in Chiang Mai, we live a rather comfortable life, eating in restaurants, socializing, buying 'toys,' doing just about anything we want to do (other than international travel) on less than $13,000. In the US, we'd qualify for Food Stamps, Welfare, and Federal Assistance programs. Here, we have no need of them. Thank you, Chiang Mai!

Edited April 2, 2014 by FolkGuitar

[Konini]

On the other side take Aussie wine which isn't as bad as Italian or Spanish wine but, really quite foul, even with import Taxes, you'll pay (USD) say $6 to $12 a standard 750ml corked bottle. In Thailand, for the same yet already spoiled since Thais do not not anything about transporting wine, pay $30 to $60 per bottle with no refunds. The beef is another rather HUGE issue.

Not a wine drinker myself but my husband who, like millions of others around the world, loves Australian wine tells me that they haven't used corks there for a fair old while. It's all screw top nowadays. Maybe they use corks for export, but I don't see why they would.

As for beef, of course it's expensive it's not really a staple here is it? Not much market means it's imported, mostly from Aus or NZ and to be honest not that much more expensive than there going on my last sortie to a Melbourne Supermarket (fresh markets are much cheaper, but we have to compare apples with apples).

Home time, perhaps?

[northernjohn]

Actually, still in 4 years, only met 1 Expat, but met many who already fled to Vietnam, few to Laos & less to Cambodia. I haven't broken away & denounced my citizenship yet so not an Expat; & considering all the people I've met here either work via international companies or collect pensions from their own countries, also are not, so where exactly are you getting your information?

Maybe the mixed Tourist numbers with the short-term 3-8 month backpackers, seeking investors, sex fiends or world travelers are growing; or even the worker base as more foreign companies are bringing over foreign workers...but that is money, not Expats. Boggles the mind that there are so many browsing members on this form who don't even live here & lessor of education that they don't even know the definition of an expat. Worst are Europeans with over-judgement based on just walking around. Will have to go further into Europe one day if I can stomach it & make my own survey...just have to convince one of my black friends to play the part of my girlfriend.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

So what is your definition of expat? Maybe mine is a bit loose, but I'll go with Wikipedia ...

"An expatriate (sometimes shortened to expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of the person's upbringing. The word comes from the Latin terms ex ("out of") and patria ("country, fatherland")."

This group is on the rise for sure in chiang Mai. If you only met 1in 4 years then I can only assume you're a hermit. There's nothing wrong with that, not everyone likes or needs company. I hope you aren't including me in the "browsing members that don't live here." If you are you are wide of the mark.

You sound like you are trying to justify your inability to fit in here. Since you are so negative about the place it's probably time for you to move on.

An Expat (the real American definition but can't imagine it being different elsewhere) is one who breaks away from their own country, removes themselves from voting, social security...basically breaks away. Not responsible for benefits from nor not able to participate in government programs (<deleted> that means today, other than paying taxes) of your country, but a citizen after all..the passport BS remains open. For me to become an expat, I would have to remove ALL residency from the US other than a month a year, give up my Social Security & Medicare (Obama)...so far that's what I remember & bored with researching it up again. WIKI is Wiki but not something I would trust as gold.

Would say go play with your marbles, but take a look for god sake. There're a large amount of people who have property, businesses whatever & live only 6-9 months a year because they have residences & businesses in their own countries. They're world travelers....why am I explaining this to an idiot.. Go travel. Most people in relation to percentage of world population maintain an anchor to their own country.

Blind........uh!!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I can see now why you've only met 1 expat in 4 years. Fortunately, I'm not that one.

oz893

Interesting I am an Ex Pat who has a residence in Canada and the U S and have not been back there in two years and am not planning on going back in the foreseeable future. When I do go it will be for a visit only. All my income comes from those two countries and I am am retired here. That means I don't own a company or work for one. There or here.

I find it quite astonishing that you have met people who meet your standards of Ex Pat. My money says even if they did live by your standards they would not be turning down a SS check or other source of income they had earned in the country they are an Ex Pat from. They may not have earned any money from there home countries but they do not turn it down if they had earned it. People like that have some thing wrong with them. If they are living off the income from a sale of property or a business they are still drawing there money from the country they came from. What you have met is probably a couple of burned out hippies from the 60s teaching English. Who would not qualify for any thing if they wanted to. Other than still be able to vote.

Living here in Thailand is far and away cheaper than living in Canada or the United States. Just the difference in rent and utilities more than makes up for the things that are costlier.

I wonder if you would count a trust fund baby as an Ex Pat? We have quite a few of them.

As for the cost of living you pick a couple of items and skip over the big ones. Claim 17% tax on a few things and in general are clueless to reality.

Edited April 2, 2014 by northernjohn

[Bernard Flint]

At least 40% cheaper than Europe and some things up to 60%. No need to worry about only seeing sunshine for three months of the year either.

If you want the Western life then live in a Western country, it's not rocket science. Living here is about flexibility of mindset and the ability to adjust and if people can't do that then they are going to be miserable for one reason or another.

Very good post

Can one put a price on having great weather nearlt 365 days a year.

wONDERFUL thai food, less expensive

gas, water, electricity, much cheaper than uk

Petrol cheaper

All premier league games for 1000 baht a month

Overall, a very safe place to live

Can walk to the beach in 6 minutes, better beaches 20 min drive

Walk every day, spend 6 baht for a water

swimming in many hotels for 50 baht a day, i use one for 10 baht

Gyms very cheap

Lived here 10 years and can get many farang things at a reasonable price now

Friends come over regularly and bring me cheeses,gravy granules, oxo cubes, brown sauce etc etc, they dont even want money off me, friends are precious

Renting property can be cheap too.

Would i buy thai food in uk,certainly not, unless i found a good place to purchase

[Ulysses G.]

I wonder if you would count a trust fund baby as an Ex Pat? We have quite a few of them.

We certainly do and most of them are remittance men. I just wish that I was one of them and I certainly met some of the criteria when I was younger.

Within Victorian British culture, this often meant the black sheep of an upper or middle-class family who was sent away (from the United Kingdom to the Empire), and paid to stay away. These men were generally of dissolute or drunken character, and may have been sent overseas after one or more disgraces at home

Edited April 2, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[art vandelay]

sure, thailand can be expensive but it doesnt have to be. my mate insists on eating at restaurants along sukhumvit where the food is less delicious and much more expensive than that available 10 minutes away where i live. you can find a good quality apartment at a reasonable price no problem. i guess if you want to spend your time in bars and need to pay for a lady to pretend she cares about you then you will find the thailand expensive. open your eyes.

[NancyL]

I think most people in Chiang Mai who would consider themselves to be expats follow the Wikipedia definition of someone who is temporarily or permanently residing outside their country of citizenship.

What oz893 is describing in Post#5 would be regarded by most expats not as as an expat, but rather as an "exile", someone who has renounced (or is refusing to acknowledge) their citizenship. This is a step that few foreigners do in Thailand, especially since it is so difficult for foreigners to obtain Thai citizenship.

Personally, I agree with the wikipedia definition. I don't think the Chiang Mai Self-imposed Exiles Club would be a very big (or fun) club.

Edited April 2, 2014 by NancyL

[kimbathewhitelion]

Other than imported food and drinks I'm struggling to think what else is more expensive here. If you consider that the major expenses of a house (rented or bought or built), a vehicle , clothing, healthcare, schooling, energy, transportation, etc are all cheaper here then even taking the cost of imported foods into account it's still way cheaper than back home for most of us.

I'm not here because it's cheap , but it is an added bonus.

All wrong, unless your last living experience in the US was both or either 10-15 plus years ago and/in nice living conditions compared to now, dressing like a bum & living like a peasant. Having a "don't care" body & rental girlfriends.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[hml367]

The more "expats" that come to live in Chiang Mai, the more expensive it will become.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Other than imported food and drinks I'm struggling to think what else is more expensive here. If you consider that the major expenses of a house (rented or bought or built), a vehicle , clothing, healthcare, schooling, energy, transportation, etc are all cheaper here then even taking the cost of imported foods into account it's still way cheaper than back home for most of us.

I'm not here because it's cheap , but it is an added bonus.

All wrong, unless your last living experience in the US was both or either 10-15 plus years ago and/in nice living conditions compared to now, dressing like a bum & living like a peasant. Having a "don't care" body & rental girlfriends.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It's not difficult to see how you only met one expat in four years, you are a social misfit. Either people overheard your conversations and so avoided you , or they saw you coming.

Personally, I like you, I think you're funny. 776 posts! where have you been hiding? We could have been having so much fun with you.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[Duvidl]

The two-bedroom/ two bathroom townhouse I now rent in a nice neighborhood in Chiang Mai for $300/month would cost me $2000-2200/month on the street in California where I previously lived. With that kind of savings on housing, the prices I pay for beer, cheese, falang food, etc., are not that much of a factor. Sure, I don't have the beach two blocks away, but it's nice, nonetheless. And much less crime. I hate the smoke now, but we had frequent fires to deal with in California and I suffered through a terrible earthquake. Hey, the grass is always greener...

Everybody seems to be talking about Ecuador these days, so who knows?

[kimbathewhitelion]

Other than imported food and drinks I'm struggling to think what else is more expensive here. If you consider that the major expenses of a house (rented or bought or built), a vehicle , clothing, healthcare, schooling, energy, transportation, etc are all cheaper here then even taking the cost of imported foods into account it's still way cheaper than back home for most of us.

I'm not here because it's cheap , but it is an added bonus.

All wrong, unless your last living experience in the US was both or either 10-15 plus years ago and/in nice living conditions compared to now, dressing like a bum & living like a peasant. Having a "don't care" body & rental girlfriends.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It's not difficult to see how you only met one expat in four years, you are a social misfit. Either people overheard your conversations and so avoided you , or they saw you coming.

Personally, I like you, I think you're funny. 776 posts! where have you been hiding? We could have been having so much fun with you.

Prefer the educated, the technical, the creative which are VERY hard to find in Thailand...or a personality which isn't hellbent on cheap lays.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The more "expats" that come to live in Chiang Mai, the more expensive it will become.

Don't think so. (Chiang Mai will get more expensive regardless)

But fewer expats would mean less options, less choice. Think Chiang Mai around 1990 or before. You couldn't buy certain common Western things locally even if you had unlimited funds. Had kids and wanted to send them to an international / bilingual program? Well, severely limited options again. Wanted to by a child safety seat? Ha, don't think so! A proper espresso / cappuccino.. MAYBE at the Rincome hotel, but nowhere else. International cuisine: a handful of places that were reasonable. Buying a lampshade, or anything providing nicer light than bright white fluorescent tube: an undertaking! Western groceries: Kasem-Store-Roulette! (Never know what yer gonna get.. But lovely it was. )

So while more expats result in more OPPORTUNITIES to spend more money, it doesn't mean that you actually have to spend it if you're happy living like people did in 1990, or the way people currently do in places like places like, say, Nakhon Sawan.. Phitsanulok.. Phrae.. Chiang Rai to an extent.

Getting back to the lamp shade, these days there exist Thai people in shops who will speak to you in English about various types of light bulbs, with a choice of color temperature. Yes these places are expensive (Lamptitude..) but nothing is forcing me to buy; I could just get anything with an on and off switch that'll produce light, and just rig something like I did in the early 90s. But that very same LED light bulb or fixture I get at Lamptitude is more expensive than it is at Home Depot in the USA. And for that reason, people are now telling me in all seriousness that Chiang Mai is more expensive. And in their own way they're right.

Edited April 2, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[northernjohn]

The more "expats" that come to live in Chiang Mai, the more expensive it will become.

Don't think so. (Chiang Mai will get more expensive regardless)

But fewer expats would mean less options, less choice. Think Chiang Mai around 1990 or before. You couldn't buy certain common Western things locally even if you had unlimited funds. Had kids and wanted to send them to an international / bilingual program? Well, severely limited options again. Wanted to by a child safety seat? Ha, don't think so! A proper espresso / cappuccino.. MAYBE at the Rincome hotel, but nowhere else. International cuisine: a handful of places that were reasonable. Buying a lampshade, or anything providing nicer light than bright white fluorescent tube: an undertaking! Western groceries: Kasem-Store-Roulette! (Never know what yer gonna get.. But lovely it was. )

So while more expats result in more OPPORTUNITIES to spend more money, it doesn't mean that you actually have to spend it if you're happy living like people did in 1990, or the way people currently do in places like places like, say, Nakhon Sawan.. Phitsanulok.. Phrae.. Chiang Rai to an extent.

Getting back to the lamp shade, these days there exist Thai people in shops who will speak to you in English about various types of light bulbs, with a choice of color temperature. Yes these places are expensive (Lamptitude..) but nothing is forcing me to buy; I could just get anything with an on and off switch that'll produce light, and just rig something like I did in the early 90s. But that very same LED light bulb or fixture I get at Lamptitude is more expensive than it is at Home Depot in the USA. And for that reason, people are now telling me in all seriousness that Chiang Mai is more expensive. And in their own way they're right.

There is no way in the world Chiang Mai is more expensive than the states if you compare apples to apples and the whole barrel not just a few of the items.

[FolkGuitar]

Other than imported food and drinks I'm struggling to think what else is more expensive here. If you consider that the major expenses of a house (rented or bought or built), a vehicle , clothing, healthcare, schooling, energy, transportation, etc are all cheaper here then even taking the cost of imported foods into account it's still way cheaper than back home for most of us.

I'm not here because it's cheap , but it is an added bonus.

All wrong, unless your last living experience in the US was both or either 10-15 plus years ago and/in nice living conditions compared to now, dressing like a bum & living like a peasant. Having a "don't care" body & rental girlfriends.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It's not difficult to see how you only met one expat in four years, you are a social misfit. Either people overheard your conversations and so avoided you , or they saw you coming.

Personally, I like you, I think you're funny. 776 posts! where have you been hiding? We could have been having so much fun with you.

Prefer the educated, the technical, the creative which are VERY hard to find in Thailand...or a personality which isn't hellbent on cheap lays.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you even IN Chiang Mai? Have you ever been?

Virtually every one of my Expat friends (and there are several of them) have university degrees. Some are writers or artists now in their retirement, others dabble in finance. Myself... I have undergraduate degrees in psychology and education, and two post-graduate degrees, and am an avid photographer, musician, and athlete. My waist is 10" smaller than my chest. While I don't walk around wearing an Armani suit and Gucci loafers, my clothes are clean and in good condition. Most of my Expat friends don't hang out in bars (well, to be honest, one does go out 2-3 nights a week,) we are all in committed relationships so no rental girlfriends...

Your view of Chiang Mai, and people in general, is interesting. Really &lt;deleted&gt;@ked up and radically wrong, but interesting. Could we meet? I'd like to do a case study on you.

[northernjohn]

Other than imported food and drinks I'm struggling to think what else is more expensive here. If you consider that the major expenses of a house (rented or bought or built), a vehicle , clothing, healthcare, schooling, energy, transportation, etc are all cheaper here then even taking the cost of imported foods into account it's still way cheaper than back home for most of us.

I'm not here because it's cheap , but it is an added bonus.

All wrong, unless your last living experience in the US was both or either 10-15 plus years ago and/in nice living conditions compared to now, dressing like a bum & living like a peasant. Having a "don't care" body & rental girlfriends.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It's not difficult to see how you only met one expat in four years, you are a social misfit. Either people overheard your conversations and so avoided you , or they saw you coming.

Personally, I like you, I think you're funny. 776 posts! where have you been hiding? We could have been having so much fun with you.

Prefer the educated, the technical, the creative which are VERY hard to find in Thailand...or a personality which isn't hellbent on cheap lays.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

When you find them do they want to associate with you and your lack of knowledge.

If they do. Do you sit around when they deem to associate with you and do you sit around and drink tea with your little pinky out and a high priced hooker on your arm?

[Chiengmaijoe]

It's not difficult to see how you only met one expat in four years, you are a social misfit. Either people overheard your conversations and so avoided you , or they saw you coming.

Personally, I like you, I think you're funny. 776 posts! where have you been hiding? We could have been having so much fun with you.

Prefer the educated, the technical, the creative which are VERY hard to find in Thailand...or a personality which isn't hellbent on cheap lays.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you even IN Chiang Mai? Have you ever been?

Virtually every one of my Expat friends (and there are several of them) have university degrees. Some are writers or artists now in their retirement, others dabble in finance. Myself... I have undergraduate degrees in psychology and education, and two post-graduate degrees, and am an avid photographer, musician, and athlete. My waist is 10" smaller than my chest. While I don't walk around wearing an Armani suit and Gucci loafers, my clothes are clean and in good condition. Most of my Expat friends don't hang out in bars (well, to be honest, one does go out 2-3 nights a week,) we are all in committed relationships so no rental girlfriends...

Your view of Chiang Mai, and people in general, is interesting. Really <deleted>@ked up and radically wrong, but interesting. Could we meet? I'd like to do a case study on you.

But then again you sound like a regular, normal guy. He lives in a little condescending, judgemental , arrogant world of his own. How could he possibly meet people ,educated and creative or not. Who was the one guy he did meet? Maybe he was doing a case study? Edited April 2, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[hml367]

The more "expats" that come to live in Chiang Mai, the more expensive it will become.

Don't think so. (Chiang Mai will get more expensive regardless)

But fewer expats would mean less options, less choice. Think Chiang Mai around 1990 or before. You couldn't buy certain common Western things locally even if you had unlimited funds. Had kids and wanted to send them to an international / bilingual program? Well, severely limited options again. Wanted to by a child safety seat? Ha, don't think so! A proper espresso / cappuccino.. MAYBE at the Rincome hotel, but nowhere else. International cuisine: a handful of places that were reasonable. Buying a lampshade, or anything providing nicer light than bright white fluorescent tube: an undertaking! Western groceries: Kasem-Store-Roulette! (Never know what yer gonna get.. But lovely it was. )

So while more expats result in more OPPORTUNITIES to spend more money, it doesn't mean that you actually have to spend it if you're happy living like people did in 1990, or the way people currently do in places like places like, say, Nakhon Sawan.. Phitsanulok.. Phrae.. Chiang Rai to an extent.

Getting back to the lamp shade, these days there exist Thai people in shops who will speak to you in English about various types of light bulbs, with a choice of color temperature. Yes these places are expensive (Lamptitude..) but nothing is forcing me to buy; I could just get anything with an on and off switch that'll produce light, and just rig something like I did in the early 90s. But that very same LED light bulb or fixture I get at Lamptitude is more expensive than it is at Home Depot in the USA. And for that reason, people are now telling me in all seriousness that Chiang Mai is more expensive. And in their own way they're right.

There is no way in the world Chiang Mai is more expensive than the states if you compare apples to apples and the whole barrel not just a few of the items.

northernjohn, where in the posts you are quoting does it say it is more expensive to live in Chiang Mai than "in the states" ?

My opinion is that the price of an item that was available in 1996 has a higher price now, and partially because of a growing expat community. You don't have to agree, as Winnie does not, and in my post I don't think I infer that it is more expensive here than "the states".

[umbanda]

Most people here still thinking that Thailand is BK, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Phuket, when comparing Thailand it with other countries....

The US is lucky that tourist travels there not to go only to Las Vegas....if not..."What happens in the US..stays in the US"....

[worgeordie]

Expensive or not, I don't take that into consideration,and maybe

other people do too,I live here because I like living here,I don't

exactly know what it is about Chiang Mai,it just feels comfortable ,

like an old pair of shoes,nothings really a hassle here,some may

say getting your extension every year may fall in to that category

bit with a little planning,couple hours one day every year.

Yes prices are going up,nearly every week,I don't know what the

cost of living is like back home,have not been back for 20 odd years,

and don't want to,it would have my head spinning,too many changes.

maybe the biggest change here is the availability of goods you need,

before if you needed anything just a little different ,it had to be sent

from Bangkok,or you had to go to Bangkok or even Singapore to find

it.

So if you find Chiang Mai is boring,getting too expensive,too much smoke

just bugger off somewhere else,its that simple.

regards Worgeordie

Edited April 2, 2014 by worgeordie

[hml367]

Expensive or not, I don't take that into consideration,and maybe

other people do too,I live here because I like living here,I don't

exactly know what it is about Chiang Mai,it just feels comfortable ,

like an old pair of shoes,nothings really a hassle here,some may

say getting your extension every year may fall in to that category

bit with a little planning,couple hours one day every year.

Yes prices are going up,nearly every week,I don't know what the

cost of living is like back home,have not been back for 20 odd years,

and don't want to,it would have my head spinning,too many changes.

maybe the biggest change here is the availability of goods you need,

Let me try it here. I agree with you.

Edited April 2, 2014 by hml367

[realthaideal]

This whole thread's mostly a troll and everyone's happily feeding the op's appetite.

When I visit my country of origin it always seems that most things are really thru the roof as prices go. State of the world these days inflation and prices up in general. CM is still cheap if you know how to do it.

[worgeordie]

Something else i like here,no appointments to do most things,

car service ,just take it in, Dentist, just walk in,same hospital,

you can get most things fixed,repaired,easily,back in UK they

tell me 2 weeks wait to see dentist, appointment for Doctor,

want your washing machine fixed, 60 quid just for the white van

man to come and look at it.

life's too easy here,lets celebrate it.

regards Worgeordie