Can't afford to live in Thailand anymore

[chiang mai]

Why the Thai Baht is tied to US currency is beyond me, since it's obviously damaging to Thai economy, exports, and the tourist industry etc.

The Thai baht hasn't been pegged to the US dollar since the 1998 Asian financial crisis.

Prior to 1998 the Thai baht was pegged to the USD at approx 25 baht per dollar. Since 1998 the Thai baht has floated against the US dollar, and ranged from approx 50 baht to 27 baht per dollar.

Maybe in name Gecko 123 but it's certainly acting like it's tied, why would the Baht be so strong?

Presumably it is strong because it is in demand - tourism, trade, expats remittances etc - I very much doubt that the Bank of Thailand would have the resources to prop up the currency to any degree.

For the twenty zillion, quillionth time:

http://www2.bot.or.th/statistics/BOTWEBSTAT.aspx?reportID=80&language=ENG

Big sigh!

[CapeCobra]

Thailand is a very affordable place for anyone to live.

It can be expensive or amazingly cheap....you just have to cut your cloth accordingly.

The ONE thing that really needs thinking about is health, health insurance or what you would do if a catastrophe struck and your finances were limited.

Other than that live as you choose and be happy.

-----------

I agree with you. I never had health insurance, I just paid when I (or my divorced kids) needed something. I don't want to explain why I don't believe in certain types of insurance. It has to do with maths. Gaussian distribution. My theory saved me millions.

Now, at old age in Thailand, I bought an international health insurance to cover the, still, unlikely case that, as you said "a catastrophe strikes". I don't need someone to pay for pills and any type of ambulatory costs. I only cover serious hospital costs up to 20 million Baht per case. Very cheap imo. (I use April, a French insurance designed for expats). There is another one in Thailand giving you enormous discounts if you take out ambulance, treatment in Usa or Japan, or you agree to an excess of , e.g., 200,000 Baht. It suits me well. The math works for me.

Edited February 1, 2015 by CapeCobra

[duanebigsby]

Thailand is a very affordable place for anyone to live.

It can be expensive or amazingly cheap....you just have to cut your cloth accordingly.

The ONE thing that really needs thinking about is health, health insurance or what you would do if a catastrophe struck and your finances were limited.

Other than that live as you choose and be happy.

-----------

I agree with you. I never had health insurance, I just paid when I (or my divorced kids) needed something. I don't want to explain why I don't believe in certain types of insurance. It has to do with maths. Gaussian distribution. My theory saved me millions.

Now, at old age in Thailand, I bought an international health insurance to cover the, still, unlikely case that, as you said "a catastrophe strikes". I don't need someone to pay for pills and any type of ambulance. I only cover serious hospital costs up to 20 million Baht per case. Very cheap imo. (I use April, a French insurance designed for expats). There is another one in Thailand giving you enormous discounts if you take out ambulance, treatment in Usa or Japan, or you agree to an excess of , e.g., 200,000 Baht. It suits me well. The math works for me.

I've had cancer...radiation, 2 radical surgeries, chemo, loss of 2 years income.

would have cost close to 2 million dollars in US.

Be very careful with your insurance.

[TheSpade]

30k a month per month is possible even for a single expat in bangkok. But maybe not if you frequent cowboy and nana.

I've lived off it before and it was no major hardship, i could still go out, drink, date, eat western food etc as long as i didn't do it every day. Lived in an 8k apartment that had eVerything i needed.

NoW I'm living in a nicer condo, go out every night (literally out for dinner, drinks, dating, films, social events etc), don't think about what I'm spending, eat where i want, buy something (clothes or stuff for condo for eg) if i want it and i struggle to spend 50k per month.

So its still very very cheap to live a good life in Thailand. While there may be a few things more eexpensive here than home there's no way i could live the lifestyle i have here back home for the cost, not even close.

[Tocquinio]

In your situation I would go back to Thailand, or at least do 6 months each in Thailand and Canada, seeing as you say you can still afford it.. but it's between you and your girl Mr

[Time Traveller]

Thailand is a lifehack guys, and you all know it. On paper its a 3rd world country, but lets take the poverty rate in the London, its about %18-20

Whats the poverty rate in Bangkok, its less than 1%.

This is actually a very rich country.

I think Thai people are better off compared to the folks in the west. I've been in Philippines as well, every single girl I met there was looking for their way out of the country , there is real poverty there. But in Thailand I've yet to meet a girl or a guy that desperately wants to leave Thailand, yeah sure they wanna visit Europe etc but for vacation only.

for such a "very rich country" Thailand sure does have a lot of child beggars compared with those western countries with 18% poverty rates.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Time Traveller

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Thailand is a lifehack guys, and you all know it. On paper its a 3rd world country, but lets take the poverty rate in the London, its about %18-20

Whats the poverty rate in Bangkok, its less than 1%.

This is actually a very rich country.

I think Thai people are better off compared to the folks in the west. I've been in Philippines as well, every single girl I met there was looking for their way out of the country , there is real poverty there. But in Thailand I've yet to meet a girl or a guy that desperately wants to leave Thailand, yeah sure they wanna visit Europe etc but for vacation only.

for such a "very rich country" Thailand sure does have a lot of child beggars compared with those countries with 18% poverty rates.

Child beggars in Thailand are professionals, often owned by gangs, it's not from personal need.

Edited February 1, 2015 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Time Traveller]

Thailand is a lifehack guys, and you all know it. On paper its a 3rd world country, but lets take the poverty rate in the London, its about %18-20

Whats the poverty rate in Bangkok, its less than 1%.

This is actually a very rich country.

I think Thai people are better off compared to the folks in the west. I've been in Philippines as well, every single girl I met there was looking for their way out of the country , there is real poverty there. But in Thailand I've yet to meet a girl or a guy that desperately wants to leave Thailand, yeah sure they wanna visit Europe etc but for vacation only.

for such a "very rich country" Thailand sure does have a lot of child beggars compared with those countries with 18% poverty rates.

Child beggars in Thailand are professionals, often owned by gangs, it's not from personal need.

In the tourist areas that may be true. In the slum areas, they definitely are begging from personal need.

[MrWorldwide]

Thailand is a lifehack guys, and you all know it. On paper its a 3rd world country, but lets take the poverty rate in the London, its about %18-20

Whats the poverty rate in Bangkok, its less than 1%.

This is actually a very rich country.

I think Thai people are better off compared to the folks in the west. I've been in Philippines as well, every single girl I met there was looking for their way out of the country , there is real poverty there. But in Thailand I've yet to meet a girl or a guy that desperately wants to leave Thailand, yeah sure they wanna visit Europe etc but for vacation only.

for such a "very rich country" Thailand sure does have a lot of child beggars compared with those countries with 18% poverty rates.

Officially, Thailand has 12.6% of the population living below the poverty line, down from over 20% in 2000. I regard that with the same skepticism that many here allocate to the official '<1%' unemployment rate, given the number of people just getting by in the cash economy. It seems that if you're an adult and you dont register for work, you're assumed to be 'employed' - happy to hear that the calculation is more rigorous than that.

I've heard different things re the beggars in BKK and Pattaya - including the claim that many of the babies were taken from their mothers by crime syndicates - but none of that explains why some of the women are left on the streets with the babies all night long, long after the limbless beggars have been removed from their territory. Every Thai I've asked about these women claims they're Cambodian - I dont care if they're from Mars, its appalling. The flower sellers here now have a baby on their hips for effect, and I can happily ignore that little charade, but I periodically cave and give the women on the sidewalk 20 baht : whatever their criminal affiliation, the babies dont deserve the cards they've been dealt.

http://www.undp.org/content/thailand/en/home/countryinfo/

[Fishenough]

Once the affair with a wonderful Thai lady was over, you noticed that Thailand is a dirty place and Thai girls are a load of bunk. No, we don't do ignorant generalizations. No, we don't give advice on a Web forum. This web site is not for you. Spend more time with Canadian dating sites. That's better for all of us.

The perfect response that I both enjoy and look forward on this forum, one that is randomly negative and a critical assumption that couldn't be any farther from the truth. No offense taken, sorry to disappoint but even just a brief read is open to all of my life in Thailand and past travels since 1988 to Thailand.

[fey]

OP, I don't know your age, but don't underestimate the value of your health care as you get older. That one issue can break a lot of guys in LOS.

In Canada you can plan and budget. In Thailand the government is a failure at managing the economy, the value of the baht and inflation. They simply don't have a clue what they are doing to themselves. You can't plan anything to any level, as you are seeing.

In Canada at least you have health care and political stability and a predictable rate of inflation "most of the time."

I moved back to the US after only one year of retirement extension. I've visited many times for several months but I won't move back there. If guys were honest with themselves, Thailand is a dirty, corrupt <deleted> compared to their first world country. For those of us who have money or who come from countries where the cost of living is reasonable (USA) I find it better to visit Thailand about once a year for a few months and then come "home."

Good luck with what you decide.

as they say, grass is greener on the other side....it's always like that....once you settle somewhere, things become routine, routine leads boredom, boredom leads to unhappiness, unhappiness leads to the urge of moving somewhere else

the trick is to never really settle anywhere, stay in one-country for a year, then move on somewhere else, keep it fresh....

it works for awhile. as you get older the nomadic lifestyle becomes less pleasant for a variety of reasons.

[pattayahenry]

I would have to say in many ways Australia is actually cheaper than Thailand.

Im here on a year long work assignment in Sydney Australia.

As for Thailand I was shocked to see many monthly electricity bills basically the same as mine in Australia.

As for fruit I can get a lot cheaper in Australia as they sell by the kilo rather than paying per piece.

Cans of tuna either the same price or cheaper in Australia.

Coffee cheaper in Australia,a 200gm jar from 80baht

Water free by the tap.

2 litre milk in Australia $2...= about 75 baht.

Bacon and cold meats..cheese cheaper in Australia.24 cheese slices from 70baht.

Obviously thai takeaway is more expensive but have found places here in Sydney that sell thai food for under 90 baht a plate.and big portions.

to compare the prices of australia and thailand is simply ridicoulous. australia is one of the most expensive countries in the world, similar to norway or sweden. thailand is still one of the cheapest countries. (only myanmar is cheaper, a teacher there earns 100 us dollar a month)

the mayority in thailand lives more or less happily with less than 300 us dollar a month.(everything included, rent, electric, school, doctor, clothing, transport, 2 children...)

[NeverSure]

Interesting. I've been back in my home country(US) for a while and doing some comparisons. I think most consumer prices are similar. Maybe a hair bit cheaper in the US due to WalMart. Only thing that in cheap in Thailand is the LOW monthly rent for studio apartments and the cheap restaurants. In the US I can't find any apartment for less than about $300 a month(10,000 baht) anywhere. But I can find good studio apartments for less than $150 a month in Thai. You can even find rooms for $50 a month in Thai still. So for me, Thai is still a bargain in the accomodation department. It's actually much for affordable to live in Thai for me. I've been priced out of my own country.

$300/month rent? Yap.....I can see that your US is not California.

There are cheap places in California. California is huge and diverse. It has its isolated rural areas.

California is about 800 miles (1200kms) long and is divided the length of it by the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Eastern 1/2 is all rural except in the very South.

There are areas up North that are very rural. You could find housing in a nice town for those prices.

The worst part is that you can't escape state taxes which I think are outrageous.

[NeverSure]

OP, I don't know your age, but don't underestimate the value of your health care as you get older. That one issue can break a lot of guys in LOS.

In Canada you can plan and budget. In Thailand the government is a failure at managing the economy, the value of the baht and inflation. They simply don't have a clue what they are doing to themselves. You can't plan anything to any level, as you are seeing.

In Canada at least you have health care and political stability and a predictable rate of inflation "most of the time."

I moved back to the US after only one year of retirement extension. I've visited many times for several months but I won't move back there. If guys were honest with themselves, Thailand is a dirty, corrupt <deleted> compared to their first world country. For those of us who have money or who come from countries where the cost of living is reasonable (USA) I find it better to visit Thailand about once a year for a few months and then come "home."

Good luck with what you decide.

Can I ask what happened??? After only one year on a retirement visa you decided to go back to the USA ?

I thought I explained it. I live in an area of the US with very mild weather. I can understand people from more Northern countries having that as an issue.

The US is simply First World with the cleanliness and safe roads and drinking water, etc. etc. Littering will get you a stiff fine and you can't get out of it. I could walk around for an hour and not see any litter. It's a cultural thing that's been drilled into us.

I own my own home and my taxes are about $150 per month. So I pay the city and state that much "rent" every month but it pays for clean safe streets, street lights, and so on. Just this week a big street sweeper came through the neighborhood and its brushes and vacuum system cleaned all of the street and curbs and gutters.

I have full medical coverage which will last for my lifetime. It's Medicare "F" + RX. In thailand I wouldn't have any.

Consumer items are cheaper in the US. I bought a new Ford F150 full 4 door 4x4 "Supercrew" loaded with extras for just over one million baht ($33,000.) What could I get in Thailand?

I am free to go to Thailand about once a year until I get tired of it and want to come home. I wouldn't trade my first world lifestyle for Thailand on a bet.

But that's just me.

[NeverSure]

For the twenty zillion, quillionth time:

http://www2.bot.or.th/statistics/BOTWEBSTAT.aspx?reportID=80&language=ENG

Big sigh!

With all due respect, few here are qualified to read a bank's financial statement and even that isn't the BOT's financial statement. It's what it claims to have in foreign reserves. Because no one will accept the baht for oil or other international trading, Thailand (like China and Russia and most others) has to hold $USD to back its trades.

It isn't possible to take a snapshot of one tiny corner of all that's happening and use that to prove why a currency has value.

Russia and China have foreign reserves in US Treasuries to back their trades because few would accept their currencies either. This is where some make the mistake of thinking that the US "owes China money." No, China bought US treasuries so that it could buy on the international market just as Thailand has.

Now please start over and tell me why the baht is so high against many other currencies.

[NeverSure]

Another thought. I lived in different countries and moved on after a while. I would never participate in a forum for expats in such places. What's the point? Why do people continue posting on TV once they have left Thailand? Is their pain caused by substantial loss of "something" so unbearable? Does bashing Thais and "idiots" still living in the LOS help soothing that pain?

Good questions. I often wonder the same.

Maybe some of us vacation regularly in Thailand for several months and maybe even every year. Maybe we have lived there. It isn't hard to maintain an interest in Thailand especially with the volatility there and frankly, world volatility.

[Petchou]

Sincerly if you can't live in Thailand, you can't live in Canada for sure. Depreciation of Canadian dollar has an impact in the price of all goods in Canada since almost everything is imported and paid in us dollar.

not all goods

Like what?

[NeverSure]

Sincerly if you can't live in Thailand, you can't live in Canada for sure. Depreciation of Canadian dollar has an impact in the price of all goods in Canada since almost everything is imported and paid in us dollar.

not all goods

Like what?

Things that are grown or made in Canada. Manufacturers long ago learned to manufacture in the currency they sell in because they aren't in the forex business. GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and Honda all have plants in Canada, for instance.

[chiang mai]

For the twenty zillion, quillionth time:

http://www2.bot.or.th/statistics/BOTWEBSTAT.aspx?reportID=80&language=ENG

Big sigh!

With all due respect, few here are qualified to read a bank's financial statement and even that isn't the BOT's financial statement. It's what it claims to have in foreign reserves. Because no one will accept the baht for oil or other international trading, Thailand (like China and Russia and most others) has to hold $USD to back its trades.

It isn't possible to take a snapshot of one tiny corner of all that's happening and use that to prove why a currency has value.

Russia and China have foreign reserves in US Treasuries to back their trades because few would accept their currencies either. This is where some make the mistake of thinking that the US "owes China money." No, China bought US treasuries so that it could buy on the international market just as Thailand has.

Now please start over and tell me why the baht is so high against many other currencies.

You should read more carefully! My post was in response to another poster who said, "I very much doubt that the Bank of Thailand would have the resources to prop up the currency to any degree" and was not an attempt to explain, "why the baht is so high against many other currencies". The availability of BOT foreign currency reserves proves that BOT does have that capability, whether or not it uses those reserves for that purpose is another subject, as is why the Baht is so strong.

[chiang mai]

Sincerly if you can't live in Thailand, you can't live in Canada for sure. Depreciation of Canadian dollar has an impact in the price of all goods in Canada since almost everything is imported and paid in us dollar.

not all goods

Like what?

Things that are grown or made in Canada. Manufacturers long ago learned to manufacture in the currency they sell in because they aren't in the forex business. GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and Honda all have plants in Canada, for instance.

Manufacturing or Assembly plants? Most of the big auto manufacturers have assembly plants in different countries because it's tax efficient for one thing. Key components however are usually shipped in, as is the case in Thailand's auto industry.

[makescents]

Money isn't everything. Go wherever makes you happiest.

I'm from the UK, wife is Thai and we're both moving to Canada next year.

The unemployment is higher than the UK, growth is lower but I'm not moving for those reasons.

Like you said - some things matter more than money.

[Kerryd]

More proof that it is, without a doubt, more expensive to live in Canada than in Thailand. A new study just came out that ranks 119 countries by a "Cost of Living" index.

"A new global cost of living index report reveals the cheapest countries in the world to live in. The report, prepared by data research website Numbeo, considered factors such as the cost of rent, groceries, local purchasing power, and cost of eating in a restaurant. The study compares Consumer Price Index (CPI) of each country with that of New York City. Click through to see which country is the cheapest to live in."

Canada ranks as the 20th most expensive country to live in.

Thailand ? 87th. Yeah, 67 places lower than Canada.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp

Interesting to note that, according to that index, it is more expensive to live in Myanmar and Cambodia than it is in Thailand ! I also found it interesting that India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh all rank in the bottom 21. Indonesia ranks as the 12th cheapest country to live in.

Some of those countries are probably more expensive to live in because of the cost of getting anything there (like Libya). Still, apparently it is cheaper to live in Syria than Thailand (but more expensive in Iraq) !

[Robby nz]

More proof that it is, without a doubt, more expensive to live in Canada than in Thailand. A new study just came out that ranks 119 countries by a "Cost of Living" index.

"A new global cost of living index report reveals the cheapest countries in the world to live in. The report, prepared by data research website Numbeo, considered factors such as the cost of rent, groceries, local purchasing power, and cost of eating in a restaurant. The study compares Consumer Price Index (CPI) of each country with that of New York City. Click through to see which country is the cheapest to live in."

Canada ranks as the 20th most expensive country to live in.

Thailand ? 87th. Yeah, 67 places lower than Canada.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp

Interesting to note that, according to that index, it is more expensive to live in Myanmar and Cambodia than it is in Thailand ! I also found it interesting that India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh all rank in the bottom 21. Indonesia ranks as the 12th cheapest country to live in.

Some of those countries are probably more expensive to live in because of the cost of getting anything there (like Libya). Still, apparently it is cheaper to live in Syria than Thailand (but more expensive in Iraq) !

I would suspect that it could never be said to be all inclusive of any country as to which is the cheapest to live in unless you were to try to get an average over the whole of every country.

For instance it is far cheaper to live in a small non tourist town in Thailand than in BKK.

There is also the aspect of, cheaper for who ?

A lot cheaper for a Thai to live in rural Thailand then a Farang.

For someone to go to the UK, Canada, NZ or OZ who has no right to the free or subsidized health care, pensions, rents a property or wants to eat at restaurants it would be more expensive than a local who enjoys these privileges, owns their own home and cooks their own food.

[mogandave]

More proof that it is, without a doubt, more expensive to live in Canada than in Thailand. A new study just came out that ranks 119 countries by a "Cost of Living" index.

"A new global cost of living index report reveals the cheapest countries in the world to live in. The report, prepared by data research website Numbeo, considered factors such as the cost of rent, groceries, local purchasing power, and cost of eating in a restaurant. The study compares Consumer Price Index (CPI) of each country with that of New York City. Click through to see which country is the cheapest to live in."

Canada ranks as the 20th most expensive country to live in.

Thailand ? 87th. Yeah, 67 places lower than Canada.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp

Interesting to note that, according to that index, it is more expensive to live in Myanmar and Cambodia than it is in Thailand ! I also found it interesting that India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh all rank in the bottom 21. Indonesia ranks as the 12th cheapest country to live in.

Some of those countries are probably more expensive to live in because of the cost of getting anything there (like Libya). Still, apparently it is cheaper to live in Syria than Thailand (but more expensive in Iraq) !

I would suspect that it could never be said to be all inclusive of any country as to which is the cheapest to live in unless you were to try to get an average over the whole of every country.

For instance it is far cheaper to live in a small non tourist town in Thailand than in BKK.

There is also the aspect of, cheaper for who ?

A lot cheaper for a Thai to live in rural Thailand then a Farang.

For someone to go to the UK, Canada, NZ or OZ who has no right to the free or subsidized health care, pensions, rents a property or wants to eat at restaurants it would be more expensive than a local who enjoys these privileges, owns their own home and cooks their own food.

Start with who did the study, and who funded it. Every study has a sponsor, and every sponsor has an agenda.

[mogandave]

That said, I don't doubt it's cheaper to live in Thailand than the US or Canada, but money isn't everything.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

That said, I don't doubt it's cheaper to live in Thailand than the US or Canada, but money isn't everything.

But it really sucks not to have any!

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Every single day the currency is down. It is quite depressing to watch actually. I was planning on buying a condo when dollar was 31 instead of 25. It's a $8000 difference on 2mil baht condo.

Feel like crying.

[teutonian]

Every single day the currency is down. It is quite depressing to watch actually. I was planning on buying a condo when dollar was 31 instead of 25. It's a $8000 difference on 2mil baht condo.

Feel like crying.

isnt that more like $15,000 difference?! I have 50 million baht in condo purchases due over the next 18 months... I stopped crying about currency a long time ago. Often it works out well the other way. For instance if I wanted to change Thb to Canadian now it would be quite a bargain. Rental and other income from Thailand looks good on paper when comparing to Canadian Dollar at the moment my Canadian salary looks like crap compared to THB of course. . The trick is to earn money in about three different currencies and things should balance out. Edited February 2, 2015 by teutonian

[Mencken]

I looked at going back to US, we are staying. Mostly this is me being old and she nearly 40 herself, I don't see huge oppty gor jobs. On the contrary.

IMO rent, utilities, need for car, insurance all nails in the coffin.

I understand when guys complain about their grubbing 'girlfriends', Id survived many years in the bar scene.

I think what's mussed though is there are tons of great women here and many would not at all mind marrying a western guy that is active, relatively attractive and somewhat has his act together. My wife is totally cool. She has never disappointed me in the six years I've known her. She is an absolutely lovely human being.

I miss sharing cultural jokes but my wife has so much more about her I could never find in an American woman. She lovesand lives to travel, just like me. Western women like holidays, they teach overseas a year - but they cant live out of a bag. Further, women that love camping my age, non existant.

Finally, I'm lucky. Women in general are very predatory and money focused. I don't blame the hookers here, I was running away from women twenty five years ago. I'm interested in a partner, the question is not what I can do or buy for you. You don't need to have a house and bmw at 30, sorry. Thus is doubly true when the beauty fades as well as the interest in sex. Kids? Kill me.

Sorry if some of you see all Thai women as grubbing prostis. They are not. I've met 100 great women thru and with my wife.

Further, my wife loves intl travel, she wants badly to go to us or just to travel. Its very coveted thing and Thai.are jealous of any oppty for a great adventure. Well, modern, BKK, educated Thai. My wife friends and family trying all the time to take trips. Trips small and large, domestic and especially intl. Tons of hot chicks.

So, if you are slunk over the bar and whinging about the women you meet. Take stock of yourself, your surroundings.

I miss my freedom, but I have a great partner snd great life.

OP I have no advice, my wife would love the snow but O would not marry and have to wait, make vusa, move, settle...Id just stick it out here.

Actually, if I wasbt married I would leave Thailand and go travel again. Try Vietnam and back to Phillipines (I tbink I'm mature and sober enough to.make life there) .

I would not marry that gf. Thailand sucks for visas, land ownership and divorce proceedings. Its my biggest regret, but wife will pay for Thailands prejudice and bigotry. I won't buy anything until ots mine. Not bcz I don't trust her, bcz its mine, not hers.

Good luck

[SoiBiker]

Western women like holidays, they teach overseas a year - but they cant live out of a bag.

Weird that you see a lot of them backpacking, then.