Whats Expensive Whats Not

[fiddlehead]

More Expensive:

Tennis balls. (3 times more expensive here than back in the US.)

McDonalds/Burger King

Transportation in Phuket vs just about anywhere in the world. (tuk tuks anyway)

Public school

Used cars

Cheaper:

Internet

Cell phone bill

Property taxes

Rent

Housekeeper

Fines for not wearing helmet

New Cars/Motorbikes

(besides all the things the OP said, like taxis, massage, etc)

[aronp1]

Things always are cheaper when you compare the price or cost to your home country's currency. It is we you live under the Baht is when you see how cheap or expensive things really are.

[Don Mega]

Baked Beans.

If you think baked beans are pricey don't even think about long term investment in a can of corned beef !

Those Ayer beans from Malaysia are like rugby balls in tomato ketchup. Get down to Makro and invest in a three pack of McGregors. Works out cheaper and the fatulance factor is definitely not worse.

Ugghhh. Can corned Beef. I would not even feed that to my dog.

I'll go check Makro for them beans.

[wow64]

During our recent visit to BKK we did a trial run on how much monthly income we needed to put away for our retirement so for 3 weeks we religiously recorded every baht we spent - it turned out to be a lot more that we were expecting to allocate. Whilst completing this exercise we paid more attention to the cost of things and compared them to the home country, so that when we come back for our 6 month stint we can bring with us those must have items with us.

So here goes - the following are just some of the things we noticed were expensive.

Wine

Cheese

Bleach (liquid)

Vegemite worked out to be Au$15 for a small jar

Cereal

Muesli

Butter

Olive Oil

Electricity

strawberries (probably imported)

Starbucks coffee (maybe the cost of milk makes it expensive)

good quality clothing

tissues in box (though did end up finding some cheaper ones on special)

Whats Cheap....

massage

food hall meals

hairdresser

water

tropical fruits

orange juice

Taxi

Train

It would be great if you could share what you have found to be expensive and those items you always bring back to Thailand from the home country.

You got ripped off on the vegemite... Top has it for way less then $15.. Its not only eaten here but also used for fancy dress events.

Sent from my c64

Please forgive me.... But do you actually use a Commodore 64 computer ? ?

Yes I do - with hypervisor.. On an actual c64..

Buidling a Mega65 which should be ready in a month in a month or so..

Sent from my c64

Edited March 27, 2016 by wow64

[mca]

I always bring sports shoes back from the UK. Last time I went home I bought a pair of Adidas and Nike trainers and a pair of Karrimor hikers all under the equivalent of 1000 baht each from JD Sports.

Nike and Adidas trainers for less than a 1000 baht, £20 don't think so ?

Sure. JD Sports always have special promotions and end of line stock on sale. My purchases were made in the Norwich branch in June 2015. I also picked up a 3 pack of plain Slazenger T- shirts for a tenner. Edited March 27, 2016 by mca

[Inquisitorial]

You can't live without cheese and vegemite ?

Of course he/we can but if he is going to a place that sells fantastic cheese why not bring some back? But I wouldn't bother - it could easily spoil/ go soft during the waiting time to board planes and many hours on the plane!

There are plenty of places you can buy quality cheese in Thailand, in Bangkok and Chiang Mai and any Tops shop in the Cities all around Thailand and selling as much selection as most people could want and it comes from Australia anyway!

Baked Beans? Thai ones are not very good for sure - they are adequate but the best ones are from Australia and available in Makro in lots of three for B120 - why would you bother with the weight those things are?!

In recent years many Western-type foods and other things for that matter have become more available countrywide and therefore less need to bring anything back.

But there is one thing I have looked everywhere and I couldn't buy - a Stanley window scraper even in HomePros where they have a large Stanley area that seems to sell everything else that Stanley makes. I got one in the end - from England

We also tried to buy a window cleaning scraper (Squeegee) recently - the ones the professional window cleaners use and could not find one anywhere there were window scrapers in homepro and big C but not the professional type the ones that dont leave streaks - we did however see a window cleaner using one so know they are available somewhere but not for the general public to purchase. Maybe we will add this to our list of things to bring back to Thailand.

[giddyup]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned labour. It's so cheap to get some jobs done, ie, had all my lawn replaced with hardier grass. The gardener and two offsiders spent 4 hours digging up all my old lawn and rolled out new turf, all for the princely sum of 4000 baht, about A$200. That would have cost me more than a $1000 in Australia.

[chicowoodduck]

Any type of vitamins....always bring a shi*t load back in my suitcase along with deodorant.....??

[Denim]

Baked Beans.

If you think baked beans are pricey don't even think about long term investment in a can of corned beef !

Those Ayer beans from Malaysia are like rugby balls in tomato ketchup. Get down to Makro and invest in a three pack of McGregors. Works out cheaper and the fatulance factor is definitely not worse.

Head to Big C Mega Bang Na.

Brookes 38 baht per tin.

Branston 50 baht per tin.

Heinz 60 baht per tin.

Ayers beans, yeah right, too bloody sweet, throw them in the bin.

Yes you are right . I actually meant Brookes baked beans. Mcgregors do other stuff. Their muesli is pretty good.

[akentryan]

I bring back grits (Southerners will know), 500 aspirin in bottles, CVS pain pills 500 in a bottle, I have also brought back huge London Broil beef from the US. Char them on both sides, freeze them, wrap them in foil, insert in an insulated bag and put them in your checked luggage. Mine did not completely thaw out on the way over. Jockey shorts too. Socks that fit. The most expensive item I know is refill ink for my printer. Works out to hundreds of dollars a gallon. Second is probably refill filament coils for my electrric weed eater. Last about an hour and then come unwound with no way to rewind. Not expensive but perhaps too cheap are cutting tools from China. Lousy steel that will not hold an edge. Files (rasps) that you use once or twice and then there is no grain left.

[pgrahmm]

Buy vitamins on sale and bring along....Things like B6 - B12 - Folic Acid - C & supplements....Sometimes hard to find here & very expensive but easy to cull down and carry....

[akentryan]

Request for friends and family visiting. Bring Bombay Sapphire Gin from duty free. Last trip a liter cost 770 baht vs 1,150 here for a .7 liter. Got two and drank one immediately. Same with Gray Goose vodka but I still have a couple of liters left.. Perfectly content with Belgian sparkling wine at 219 baht a bottle

[TheCruncher]

Baked Beans.

If you think baked beans are pricey don't even think about long term investment in a can of corned beef !

Those Ayer beans from Malaysia are like rugby balls in tomato ketchup. Get down to Makro and invest in a three pack of McGregors. Works out cheaper and the fatulance factor is definitely not worse.

Head to Big C Mega Bang Na.

Brookes 38 baht per tin.

Branston 50 baht per tin.

Heinz 60 baht per tin.

Ayers beans, yeah right, too bloody sweet, throw them in the bin.

Yes you are right . I actually meant Brookes baked beans. Mcgregors do other stuff. Their muesli is pretty good.

And maybe you also meant the "Mcgregors" is actually called Mc garrett.?

[wow64]

For some reason a pair of Nike or Asics are expenisve in thailand.. Only made around the corner but more expensive then US, Uk, Canada, Aus or Nz

Sent from my c64

[Don Mega]

For some reason a pair of Nike or Asics are expenisve in thailand.. Only made around the corner but more expensive then US, Uk, Canada, Aus or Nz

Sent from my c64

30% import duty.

7% VAT.

Etc

Etc

Etc.

[gandalf12]

My experience has been that anything not produced in Thailand is more expensive than it would be at home. However you have to remember that there is shipping (from point of origin) and import duty so you would expect these items to be more expensive. I have never found it a problem but there again I prefer Thai food. If you still want to eat as you would back home then it will be more expensive

[Stjohnm]

What's expensive in Thailand is, anything imported, the Government slap on so much import duty it is always going to be. Yes electricity can be a bit dear but only if you live in an Apartment that slaps on an extra ฿6-7+ a unit, the per square foot price of renting in some parts Bangkok can be compared to that of some small provincial towns in some western nations.

Bottom line learn at least some Thai so you can haggle with street vendors/tell Taxi drivers the fastest route etc, eat local food & get used to living without air-con 365 days a year (buy a fan from BigC). Oh & stay away from the big shopping malls, there's a reason only Tourists & the Hi-So's shop there, a quick check on your smartphone will tell you there is nothing sold in them that is cheaper than it is in your home country.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Stjohnm

[little mary sunshine]

I can't believe people that have worked 30-40 years, saved this

Money and now have a pension would care about the cost of

Baked beans. It's only money people, and nobody takes

It with them....enjoy and stop complaining about such

Insignificant items.

[giddyup]

I can't believe people that have worked 30-40 years, saved this

Money and now have a pension would care about the cost of

Baked beans. It's only money people, and nobody takes

It with them....enjoy and stop complaining about such

Insignificant items.

I don't know if anyone is actually complaining, only stating the facts, what is expensive and what isn't.

[SoiBiker]

I can't believe anyone would live somewhere with amazing food like Thailand and then bother with baked beans at all.

Guess it takes all sorts.

[little mary sunshine]

So you find a buck for a can of beans expensive ?? Really!

[giddyup]

I can't believe anyone would live somewhere with amazing food like Thailand and then bother with baked beans at all.

Guess it takes all sorts.

Amazing food that's full of MSG, salt, sugar and fried in very unhealthy palm oil. I love Thai food, but only as my missus cooks it, without all the unhealthy stuff.

[Don Mega]

I can't believe people that have worked 30-40 years, saved this

Money and now have a pension would care about the cost of

Baked beans. It's only money people, and nobody takes

It with them....enjoy and stop complaining about such

Insignificant items.

Ive not worked 30 to 40 years.

Cost of beans is important to me.

[Don Mega]

I can't believe anyone would live somewhere with amazing food like Thailand and then bother with baked beans at all.

Guess it takes all sorts.

I find the majority of food here to be terrible at best. I cant believe anyone would bother with it at all.

Guess it takes all sorts.

[SoiBiker]

I can't believe anyone would live somewhere with amazing food like Thailand and then bother with baked beans at all.

Guess it takes all sorts.

This 'might' enlighten you a 'little'..........

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-baked-beans.html

The nutritional value of beans boiled to death in a sugary sauce?

You want healthy, eat some vegetables.

[swissbie]

Visiting my homecountry, coming back, i always have batteries and lighters in my luggage (price and quality). Food too, but that's not about the price, more about the availability here.

[swissbie]

Yes, lighters, as i am a smoker and as i hate the cheap ones sold here.

[gemguy]

Relative to the income of say at least 70 percent of the Thai citizens...everything is now considered expensive...damn expensive for all too many items.

On top of that there is a huge increase in the amount of people living far beyond their means as the credit system ( buy now, pay later ) is in full swing and fueling the consumerism of all kinds of gadgets and self serving consumption that is afforded to a significant percent of the citizens that previously could not buy and consume in that manner, if they had to spend only cash money on hand.

But still, whether it be cash or credit, nothing here in Thailand is cheap relative to the amount of income earned by the mass of people.

So...it is the same or similar as near every country.

Cheers

[sandyf]

I brought a bottle of Mateus rose from Portugal to give my Thai

friends as they like it very much,, i bought the bottle when it was on sale.

After carrying the bottle half way around the world and finally giving it to

them,, we were shopping one day when i see the same exact bottle for

sale in BigC for $3 less than what i paid for it, lesson learnt.

Wine is a difficult one to classify. Unless people do as you have done,actually compare like for like you do not know if it is more expensive or not.

I know you can buy 5 ltr boxes of red Chilean wine for about the same price as UK.

Hmmmmmm,

prices in the UK......

Try a trip to Spain.

Then report......

€10 can buy you a 4 pack of excellent Grand Reserve 2008

Most of Europe is cheaper than the UK, its a tax thing.

I used to go across to Carrefour in Calais and get litre cartons of red for about 1.3 euros.

[kokesaat]

Cheaper: Any sort of labor....be it on the vehicle, in the yard, on the house, or fixing anything. In the US, it's largely getting to the point of not trying to fix things (other than autos). If my lawn equipment needs a quick tune up, I take it to the village shop and get it done on the spot for 20 baht. If it's a major tuneup (changing oil, plug, filters), maybe a few hundred baht. Ha ha ha if you try that in the US.

We build a 50sq meter guest home in our back yard 2 years ago. No permit necessary, no engineering/architect, just a good contractor and a few laborers. Can't do that in the US.

I pay our gardener 430 baht per day for 9 hours of work.

Milk is more expensive here. My coffee beans (from Makro, Dark Blend) are cheaper.

I get my truck pimped for less than 200 Baht.

Don't judge out of season veggie costs. I bought juicy large limes in our market for 4 baht each......normally 2. They may go up to 5 baht each before coming back down again. My wife buys green onions by the kilo.......can be anywhere from 20 baht to 50 baht per kilo.

If you get stopped for a traffic violation or speeding, it'll cost you a few hundred baht.

My cell phone, home phone, and ADSL internet cost less than 1200 baht per month.

There are soooo many things that are cheaper here......don't judge prices by the price of foreign products....the same as you wouldn't judge the cost of living in a town in the US by pricing products in the local oriental store.