rethaier Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Lets face it. Some things are so cheap in the LOS. Some examples... 1. Thai post office.... To send huge boxes anywhere in Thailand by tracking is really cheap. I posted a huge box with a heavy pram in it and it only cost thb140. It would have been around $40 back home 2. Water bills.... We have a 3 br home with 2 bathrooms. My water bill each month is 400 baht. Back home water is really expensive. I have a friend back home who said that he was paying $100 a month minimum on a 3 b/r house with same size family as me. 3. Electricity... My monthly electricity bills are extremely cheap at the moment thb 500 to 700 a month. We are not using the air con yet. Obviously it will be up in april but no where near the prices back home. My sister back home said that she had a bill of $600 a quarter during winter. Another friend in a medium size home says he walks around turning lights off etc in his house everyday to reduce the bills. His quarterly electricity bill was $900 but he has 4 kids. Do you have any other examples cheers 1. The post office doesn't steal things out of my mail in my home country. 2. I wouldn't drink that dodgy water at any price. 3. In my home country my electrical can't kill me. It's grounded (earthed.) Next. Wait till he cranks the air con. Costs me about 2 k a month in hit season to run the air con. Still not bad imo. It's just to hot not to have it going and I live in the hottest continent in the world the rest of the year. Electricity costs me around 2000 per month in Chiang Rai with no aircon. When summer hits that will go back to 4500 per month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rethaier Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Cheap is the correct word. Not to be confused with " inexpensive". Example: A "cheap" pair of shoes in Thailand might last two months before falling apart. A good pair of shoes in USA will last me two years or more! Low priced items are not inexpensive when they need to be replaced so often, or don't even work at all when you get them home. You get what you pay for. Poor quality cost less, yes! An old farmer once said, " Buying oats is much cheaper if they have been through the horse once already!" P.S. I am curious as to where you are from that you paid for utilities quarterly? In America, I always paid monthly. Australia is quarterly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rethaier Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I do have to give credits for this to Thailand and Thai people. Thais have the skill to get a job done for real low price..Even if you compare it with other Asian countries often Thailand has the lowest price. Hair cuts,dinners,massages,hotels... Maybe somehow thais are less profit minded then farangs,as in farang countries all is heavily overpriced.. Thais have a skill to stay and maintain low on their selling prices , Thais deserve credit for this... You have not been here long have you? Thais are greedy little buggers who will charge you double or triple the going rate as a farang. Have one build something for you and you will see the quality of work is at best dodgy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sanuk711 Posted February 17, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 17, 2015 NeverSure 1. The post office doesn't steal things out of my mail in my home country.During the reporting period from October 2012, through September 30, 2013, OIG special agents conducted 1,514 internal mail theft investigations, resulting in 339 arrests, 854 administrative actions, and approximately $350,000 in monetary benefit for the Postal Service. For additional investigative statistics, 2. I wouldn't drink that dodgy water at any price. Study Finds Safety of Drinking Water in U.S. Cities at Risk researched, documented and peer-reviewed study of the drinking water systems of 19 U.S. cities, found that pollution and deteriorating, out-of-date plumbing are sometimes delivering drinking water that might pose health risks to some residents. http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/uscities.asp 3. In my home country my electrical can't kill me. It's grounded (earthed.) Electrocution in the workplace is the most common cause of electrical death in the United States. Over 400 people die each year on their job sites from accidental electrocution. Another 500 people die in house fires caused by electricity. http://www.electricshock.org/electrical-safety.html Are you not getting just a little bit silly with your dislike for Thailand Neversure------ no one would expect it to be up to the standards of some western countries. but if this place irks you that much....why do you live on the forum..... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nithisa78 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yep, things can be pretty cheap here. No big surprise though that a chorus of negative nellies have turned up already to tell you that some things are expensive, or that it's all rubbish. Thaivisa never lets us down. yes the so many that are from the perfect world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) Thai openness, warmth, friendliness, and inclusiveness. Free, but worth more than all the tea in China, the gold in Fort Knox, and the oil in Saudi Arabia combined. Some things you just can't put a price tag on. Edited February 17, 2015 by Gecko123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissie Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 The only ones that I have so far discovered that think Thailand is truly an expensive country is the masses of Thai-People that have to get by with 300 Bht a day by doing strenuous agricultural work. 3 children at home and the Thai-Husband has left 2 years ago and hasn't been seen ever since. Under these circumstances and for those people, Thailand is an extremely expensive place to live. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozyjon Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 It's really expensive living here in Sydney,, you really have to be street smart as many people are, i have lived in this country all my life but find myself away for most of the year but i visit once every year to see my family, two things strike me the minute i land here, one is how clean the city is, and two is the wealth i see around me, it's incredible the wealth that surrounds me but it's real money, not loans or credit, as an example, the house next to mine is rented out for $2000 per week, it has been rented at that price for over 5 years,,, yes this place is expensive and yes i do walk around with my mouth open in disbelief but it is what it is and we accept it, but i do miss simple village life in Thailand. I would trade it all for a small house in the middle of a rice field with a buffalo (the missus) and a pig (the outlaw) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Emster23 Posted February 17, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 17, 2015 I assume OP is recent arrival. Once "seasoned" won't remark on how cheap things are here but on those visits back home (where ever that may be) but be shocked by how expensive things there have become. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Lets face it. Some things are so cheap in the LOS. Some examples... 1. Thai post office.... To send huge boxes anywhere in Thailand by tracking is really cheap. I posted a huge box with a heavy pram in it and it only cost thb140. It would have been around $40 back home 2. Water bills.... We have a 3 br home with 2 bathrooms. My water bill each month is 400 baht. Back home water is really expensive. I have a friend back home who said that he was paying $100 a month minimum on a 3 b/r house with same size family as me. 3. Electricity... My monthly electricity bills are extremely cheap at the moment thb 500 to 700 a month. We are not using the air con yet. Obviously it will be up in april but no where near the prices back home. My sister back home said that she had a bill of $600 a quarter during winter. Another friend in a medium size home says he walks around turning lights off etc in his house everyday to reduce the bills. His quarterly electricity bill was $900 but he has 4 kids. Do you have any other examples cheers 1. The post office doesn't steal things out of my mail in my home country. 2. I wouldn't drink that dodgy water at any price. 3. In my home country my electrical can't kill me. It's grounded (earthed.) Next. "1. The post office doesn't steal things out of my mail in my home country." Never had anything go missing for any reason sent through the Thai Post Office and I've sent or received hundreds of things. Probably they were stolen in your home country or before reaching here or whoever addressed them wrote illegibly or go the address wrong. "2. I wouldn't drink that dodgy water at any price. Plenty of cheap drinking water available. I've never had any problem with the water here. At home most people use bottled drinking water anyway. 3. In my home country my electrical can't kill me. It's grounded (earthed.) Plenty of people electrocute themselves in Farang Land. No one I know personally has ever died from electrical shock in Thailand, but maybe you have "special" friends who stick their fingers in sockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowfactor10 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I do have to give credits for this to Thailand and Thai people. Thais have the skill to get a job done for real low price..Even if you compare it with other Asian countries often Thailand has the lowest price. Hair cuts,dinners,massages,hotels... Maybe somehow thais are less profit minded then farangs,as in farang countries all is heavily overpriced.. Thais have a skill to stay and maintain low on their selling prices , Thais deserve credit for this... You have not been here long have you? Thais are greedy little buggers who will charge you double or triple the going rate as a farang. Have one build something for you and you will see the quality of work is at best dodgy. Maybe some cases..yes correct but compare thailand then with farang land and they will screw u more there... Example i do not like to wash my own hair in asia just being lazzy i guess.. So for years now i go to salon,,just for shampoo..couple times a week.. In nice salons in Thailand they use 3 rounds of shampoos and one conditioner and spend 15-20 minutes on it very relaxing all ways..then they use hair dryer and comb u hairs for lets say 100 BHT...I then give that lady always a nice tip as i think they deserve it... Do this in Europe they use one round of shampoo and one conditioner and spend 5 minutes on it...and charge u 15 euros... complain what you want but often Thais give you a much better deal ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacky54 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 eg cheaper but crap. Builders today extending a small patio for 5k, concreting out from existing tiles. It's only 2 x 3 meters if that. when they had gone I measured as it looked a bit odd- 4 inches longer at one end than the other, luckily my wife handles all such matters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsigane Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Our Australian electricity bill tops $1000 for the summer quarter. Maybe $600 each other quarter. My gas bill is average $250 a quarter. That's for 3 of us but our daughter is only 2 . Shopping food bill is about $300 a week. We eat pretty well. But nappies are in that and they're expensive. Water bill is around $200 a quarter. Add mortgage and cars and the rest of life costs in its crazy really. Just a comparison for you. How about comparing the average wage in Australia to the average wage in Thailand. Then perhaps you might have a better understanding ! Cost of living has nothing to do with wages. Standard of living does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zierf1 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Transport is cheap in that you don't even need a car to get around. There are many places you can just walk everywhere. Saves me a bundle. Do you realize the cost of car ownership these days? In America, I must use a car to get everywhere which is very annoying and expensive. The only places with decent transport are Manhattan and some dangerous inner city areas. In Thailand, I always walk or use baht buses or tuk tuks. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsigane Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 NeverSure 1. The post office doesn't steal things out of my mail in my home country. During the reporting period from October 2012, through September 30, 2013, OIG special agents conducted 1,514 internal mail theft investigations, resulting in 339 arrests, 854 administrative actions, and approximately $350,000 in monetary benefit for the Postal Service. For additional investigative statistics, 2. I wouldn't drink that dodgy water at any price. Study Finds Safety of Drinking Water in U.S. Cities at Risk researched, documented and peer-reviewed study of the drinking water systems of 19 U.S. cities, found that pollution and deteriorating, out-of-date plumbing are sometimes delivering drinking water that might pose health risks to some residents. http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/uscities.asp 3. In my home country my electrical can't kill me. It's grounded (earthed.) Electrocution in the workplace is the most common cause of electrical death in the United States. Over 400 people die each year on their job sites from accidental electrocution. Another 500 people die in house fires caused by electricity. http://www.electricshock.org/electrical-safety.html Are you not getting just a little bit silly with your dislike for Thailand Neversure------ no one would expect it to be up to the standards of some western countries. but if this place irks you that much....why do you live on the forum..... I sent mail by Express Thai post and it never made it to the destination. Considering that I sent only a few letters from Thailand, I must have been very unlucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby nz Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Thailand: Property taxes = 0 baht auto registration = 1025 baht 5 year driver's license = 700? baht parking fees = 0 baht parking tickets = 0 baht weedcutter repair = 40 baht lawnmower repair = 100 baht countertop oven repair = 40 baht refrigerator repair (change freon) = 900 baht haircut = 50 baht 10 gallon bottle of water = 12 baht pork = 140/kl chicken breast meat = 80 baht/kilo large shrimp = 260 baht/kilo squid = 140-180 baht/kilo home grown mangos in season = free home grown bananas year round = free home grown lamut in season = free home grown papayas year round = free bamboo shoots in season = free electric bill (no air) = 1200 baht/month cell phone = 300 baht/month mail letter within Thailand = 3 baht mail letter overseas = 19 to 28 baht dental checkup and cleaning = 800 baht dental crown and root canal = 10,000 baht vet bill for neutering = 900 baht vet bill for infected bite wound = 900 baht 3.5 hour bus trip = 165 baht No way living in the US is cheaper that Thailand. I hope the neutering didn't hurt to much, you really should have gone to a doctor or hospital. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterb17 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Help! Isn't it about time these price comparison threads were CANCELLED for ever. I spend a fortune here - but then have live lobsters flown in everyday and have several staff to prepare lobster Thermidor whilst I sip my Champagne. Sorry these threads are so boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiBiker Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Help! Isn't it about time these price comparison threads were CANCELLED for ever. I spend a fortune here - but then have live lobsters flown in everyday and have several staff to prepare lobster Thermidor whilst I sip my Champagne. Sorry these threads are so boring. Then why click on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wow64 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Cars and bikes that's are not built in Thaland are a lot more expensive here then back home. Likewise 2nd hand cars are almost the cost of new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 You can build a house here for $20,000. That's Thai quality, which will probably last 15 - 20 years. Or go with Western standard plumbing and kitchen, up to $100,000 for a large 3 bedroom home.. A townhouse in Australia will be $150,000 minimum. A condo apartment in Chiang Mai, fully furnished 46 sq with swimming pool can be rented for $350/ month. You'll pay more than that per week for an unfurnished apartment in Sydney or Melbourne. Thai massage, 1 hour $70 in Australia. There's a temple in Chiang Rai that does a 1 hour massage for $5, although $8 is the norm in Chiang Mai. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacky54 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Transport is cheap in that you don't even need a car to get around. There are many places you can just walk everywhere. Saves me a bundle. Do you realize the cost of car ownership these days? In America, I must use a car to get everywhere which is very annoying and expensive. The only places with decent transport are Manhattan and some dangerous inner city areas. In Thailand, I always walk or use baht buses or tuk tuks. You can't walk where we are as you would get knocked down by a car (no pavements) or savaged by soi dogs. There is no transport so for the first time in my life bought a car, it's actually not that expensive at 25 baht a litre for petrol, gas is a lot cheaper than that. However I do refuse to drive here as it's just insane what I see every day. Today a saw a man siting half cross legged on a motor bike, madness. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mango66 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 groceries can be VERY expensive in Thailand if you want something that is not part of the basic needs of Thai people. And I am not talking about imported goods, I am talking about products made in Thailand. one example, a 225 gr block of (local) butter costs double of what I would pay in my home country. And yes, sorry, while I do eat Thai food too, butter is still part of MY daily basic needs. A tiny cup of (locally made !) cottage cheese costs 4 times as much as in my home country. On the other hand, I don't get a 1$/ lunch in my home country when eating out.... for 1$ you get now a half starter, not a Vienna escalope ( 160 grms ) with pommes for about 120 thb, with 160 gramm pork, a thai fast food can do min 10 to 15 potion of fried rice with pork , each for 40 thb ! calculate; 1 portion of pommes in europe you make 4 in Thailand - min 80,- thb = is 320,- thb !! a can of beer, 0,5l - in europe supermarket - 55-60cts - is about 20 thb ! In thailand - about 50 thb or up !! electric in sva mode but AC ( therefore you not heat in TH ) 5 members - 3.800,- thb per month !!! ( for 600,- you leave in dark village )) so what is really cheap in Thailand ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mango66 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 you can't get a haircut for 50 baht in Bkk these days, it's 60 baht, bloody outrageous Lucky you jacky...here on Samui it costs me Bht 100. well that does happen here, they have 60 baht on the window but when the falang comes to pay it's often a hundred, in that case I never go back and they don't see that they lost hundreds of baht in lost custom, idiots. must have been a terrible experience for you how did you cope? went to a shrink or joined a support group for a few months? not go back same shop for haircut does not help, because the next where u go will aso charge 100, and the next 5 shops too ; and other customers cross with U , also will not go back same, but also will pay everytime 100, ! so find a klong hair cut ! 50 paid, 100 taken from your pocket 55555 and lise maybee free !! 555555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnievino Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I have a three bedroom, three bath home. my water is 86 baht per month. Electric is about 1,000 baht when not using AC and 3,000 baht when we use it. Haircut is 80 baht in a normal Thai place and 400-500' baht if I go to a high style place that shampoos my hair three times and fools around for an hour. The next day they both look the same. New housing (non condo) seems to sell for about $50 a square foot and built to a higher quality than in the US ( I am in Chiang Mai). Food for Thai wife is very cheap and for me closer to US if I insist on eating farang food. Just furnished a new house and feel costs were about one half of US price for same quality level. Appliances and electronics probably closer to US price but custom made stuff like closets maybe 25% of comparable US. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiBiker Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Food for Thai wife is very cheap... You make her sound like a pet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigdog474 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 you can't get a haircut for 50 baht in Bkk these days, it's 60 baht, bloody outrageous Hair cut 60 bath .. outrageous??? last hair cut in my home country, 650 baht. Many thing are cheaper here in Thailand but I find I spend about the same amount as I spend back home except here I don't get to go fishing, something that makes me return home yearly. I enjoy life in both countries and will remain coming here until my wife's mother passes away. I never really compared the actual differences but I would have to say depending on your situation. Here I pay about 15,000 baht auto ins and another 12000 fees/taxes for the house, and as for my home in Canada I'm paying yearly between house and toys over 3,500 (90,000 baht) insurance and another 2,500 ( 64,000) taxes. Looking at that I guess I could live a hell of a lot cheaper over here, but like they say you can't take it with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Traveller Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) No way living in the US is cheaper that Thailand. Let me guess, you moved from somewhere like California to Krapburi Thailand? Edited February 17, 2015 by Time Traveller 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIPinthailand Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 in USA you live under a bridge In Thailand you live in a condo in USA you live in your car in Thailand you live In a 3 stars hotel. in USA you are full of debt in Thailand you are debt free. in USA you are a millionaire in Thailand you are a multimillionaire (around 32x) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wotsdermatter Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Differences in economics, culture, wages, disposable income, etc. make a lot of difference. If one tries to live by the same standard as their home country, most people will soon be crying the blues. The list provided is a very good and worthwhile comparison. However, having said that, I live in Bangkok, near Don Muang Airport and eat a lot of Thai food. Three things I do not like are the dogs, especially at night, people sticking their fingers into their noses, and the fact that the man who cuts my hair has just put his price up to 80 Baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I say Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yep, things can be pretty cheap here. No big surprise though that a chorus of negative nellies have turned up already to tell you that some things are expensive, or that it's all rubbish. Thaivisa never lets us down. yes/no. Some westerner's food are priced to be unaffordable even to myself with a good US retirement check. Cheese, potatoes, butter, pomelos, and many local fruits I just can't see how they justify those high prices. Beef, salmon,etc. etc.- The markets are a dump and quality of textile is shit. You have to buy middle of the range and for me Body Glove is about the middle. Textile Thai sizes, (even coat hangers) are for midgets. Bring your own hangers from your home country. yes my friend, keep blabbering your mouth how cheap Thailand is and the merchants keep jacking up the prices on "farangs items" like french bread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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