cheaper to live in USA or Thailand?

[derator01]

A troll post has been removed from view. Please stick to the topic and abide by forum rules. 

[Mr0Yallow]

I have been in Thailand, (BKK) for about a year & a half. I needed medical care one time for kidney stones. I went to the Lad Phrao General Hospital on a Saturday morning, they took x-rays & gave me some pain killer as well as medicine to help pass the small stone.

They did not have a specialist on staff during the weekend and wanted to admit me. My friends said no, then took me to another university hospital which gave me a saline IV and pain medication. the total bill for both hospitals was 5500 Baht less than $150 US less than a simple ER deductible with my Medicare & Union rider. for simple aches, pains & other ills my local pharmacist is a great help he also will tell me he cannot help to go to a hosp if I need that.

[james1995]

I have lived on 400-500 Baht daily in Thai for months at a time.  Cannot do that in the US.  Go to any 7/11 or convenience store in the US and a bottle of soda is 70 Baht instead of 17 Baht.  Total ripoff.

[mania]

2 hours ago, james1995 said:

I have lived on 400-500 Baht daily in Thai for months at a time.  Cannot do that in the US.  Go to any 7/11 or convenience store in the US and a bottle of soda is 70 Baht instead of 17 Baht.  Total ripoff.

 

555 If you want to claim 1st place in the race to the bottom you give a fine example

 

But really most hope for a better life not based on the extreme cheapness....but if living on $14 a day

is your example/plan yes of course it can be done anywhere including the US....But why is this considered a win??

[Living in a cartoon]

I had a BUPA policy when I lived in Thailand. Low premium, reasonable co-pays, in-patient care but not out-patient care as I recall.

 

It is folly not to have a policy over there, unless you have pretty deep pockets.

 

Definitely sign up for Medicare when you turn 65. If you end up with a serious condition,  like cancer,  you can always go back to the US and get treatment.

 

If you are a military veteran, apply for VA healthcare, they get a bad rap. I use it, and receive excellent care.

[gk10002000]

On 11/3/2016 at 4:05 PM, Mr0Yallow said:

I have been in Thailand, (BKK) for about a year & a half. I needed medical care one time for kidney stones. I went to the Lad Phrao General Hospital on a Saturday morning, they took x-rays & gave me some pain killer as well as medicine to help pass the small stone.

They did not have a specialist on staff during the weekend and wanted to admit me. My friends said no, then took me to another university hospital which gave me a saline IV and pain medication. the total bill for both hospitals was 5500 Baht less than $150 US less than a simple ER deductible with my Medicare & Union rider. for simple aches, pains & other ills my local pharmacist is a great help he also will tell me he cannot help to go to a hosp if I need that.

  I had a very small stone that barely showed up on the cat scan.  An IV, some pain med and in a few hours it was dissolved and I was back home.  But this was done on a weekend at night using the emergency room.  Total bill was $3,000 USD.  My medical plan paid about 2,000 of it.  Since I was out of network (different state) and it was emergency services, I paid about $1,000.  The care was prompt and fine.  I had never had such a thing and as I described the lower/middle back pain the admitting nurse said, Oh, a kidney stone.    What got me mad was is they told me if had I made a regular hours appointment the cost would have been less than 1/2 what the emergency cost was.  To me that is disgusting because in my mind, I did the hospital a favor and gave them some business on a quiet night and they made money and got some business they would not otherwise have gotten.  I was a windfall income to them, yet I get price gouged.  This is in Rancho Bernardo California.  Not a combat zone type of area or emergency room like some USA cities

 

Edited November 5, 2016 by gk10002000
typo

[gk10002000]

10 hours ago, Living in a cartoon said:

I had a BUPA policy when I lived in Thailand. Low premium, reasonable co-pays, in-patient care but not out-patient care as I recall.

 

It is folly not to have a policy over there, unless you have pretty deep pockets.

 

Definitely sign up for Medicare when you turn 65. If you end up with a serious condition,  like cancer,  you can always go back to the US and get treatment.

 

If you are a military veteran, apply for VA healthcare, they get a bad rap. I use it, and receive excellent care.

Yes VA care is worth looking into.  In many cases it can even be used instead of having to pay for Obamacare.  But they have severe income limits.  If you make too much money you can't use it, and from what I have been reading, I couldn't see how one could pay for it, if one did kind of qualify as I do since I am a veteran.  Maybe I didn't read far enough

[Living in a cartoon]

3 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Yes VA care is worth looking into.  In many cases it can even be used instead of having to pay for Obamacare.  But they have severe income limits.  If you make too much money you can't use it, and from what I have been reading, I couldn't see how one could pay for it, if one did kind of qualify as I do since I am a veteran.  Maybe I didn't read far enough

 

You should go ahead and apply for VA healthcare.

 

The income limits are not as severe as you think they are. I thought my income was too high as well. It wasn't.

 

It's easy to apply. The worst that could happen is they say no.

 

It is high quality care too, as good as what I had through when I had an employer policy.

[gk10002000]

29 minutes ago, Living in a cartoon said:

 

You should go ahead and apply for VA healthcare.

 

The income limits are not as severe as you think they are. I thought my income was too high as well. It wasn't.

 

It's easy to apply. The worst that could happen is they say no.

 

It is high quality care too, as good as what I had through when I had an employer policy.

my dividend and interest income alone disqualifies me, but I think that just means it won't be free.  Doing some more reading, I found the copay table.  So it looks like when I leave this job I just took, I may be able to do the VA thing, and of course since I exceed the minimum income limits, then pay copays or whatever.  This makes more sense.  I will have to look into this some more as I get ready to punch out and before Medicare.  Frankly, I wish I had done this two years ago.  My grandfathered medical plan was very affordable, but once Obamacare kicked in, they raised my rate 30 % two years n a row and it just got excessive and next year's projected increases are even higher so I took this direct job, which is OK for now since I am OK with the work.   What I like about the VA now that I read more, is there don't seem to be any monthly premiums and it can qualify as a "qualified" plan and I won't have to do Obamacare.   I don't mind paying for services, co pays, any reasonable deductible, so damn, this has potential.

 

http://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/cost/copays.asp

 

http://nationalincomelimits.vaftl.us/LegacyVAThresholds/Index?FiscalYear=2016

 

Based on Income Year 2015
Veteran with:	VA National Income Threshold	VA Priority Group 8 Relaxation Threshold	VA Housebound Threshold	VA Pension with Aid and Attendance Threshold	VA Pension Threshold	Medical Expense Deductible
0 dependents	$31,978 or less	$35,176 or less	$15,725	$21,466	$12,868 or less	$643

[Boon Mee]

W/out a doubt, Thailand is less expensive than the States.  A guy I know in Ventura, Ca just told me he's paying $1,900.00 USD per month for a one-bedroom apartment and the rent is supposed to go to $2K USD after the first of the year.

[SaintLouisBlues]

2 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

W/out a doubt, Thailand is less expensive than the States.  A guy I know in Ventura, Ca just told me he's paying $1,900.00 USD per month for a one-bedroom apartment and the rent is supposed to go to $2K USD after the first of the year.

President Trump will fix that too

[Boon Mee]

6 minutes ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

President Trump will fix that too

Absolutely! 

[StefanBBK]

Cost of living primarily depend on HOW you live, not WHERE. Thailand is not cheap if you have kids going to private schools (equivalent to US public), eat western food, drink wine, drive a German Car, wear quality clothes etc.
Agree however that living on minimum income could be more pleasant in thailand then in the western world, but it would be different life altogether. Lets not compare apples and pears.

[Ace of Pop]

Best reply so far..


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Boon Mee]

11 minutes ago, StefanBBK said:

Cost of living primarily depend on HOW you live, not WHERE. Thailand is not cheap if you have kids going to private schools (equivalent to US public), eat western food, drink wine, drive a German Car, wear quality clothes etc.
Agree however that living on minimum income could be more pleasant in thailand then in the western world, but it would be different life altogether. Lets not compare apples and pears.

Absolutely!

If you want the Sukhumvit Farang lifestyle and shop at Villa Market for your vittles, it's not cheap but throughout the rest of the country w/exception of Phuket/Pattaya and parts of CM, it's real affordable. 

[GinBoy2]

Just now, Boon Mee said:

Absolutely!

If you want the Sukhumvit Farang lifestyle and shop at Villa Market for your vittles, it's not cheap but throughout the rest of the country w/exception of Phuket/Pattaya and parts of CM, it's real affordable. 

Not quite so sure about that either.

 

Regardless of where in Thailand you live, if you want to maintain a Western lifestyle there is a cost. Paradoxically it might even cost you more if you do live outside of Bangkok or one of the Sexpat havens.

 

This thread has gone around and around, and I think as I said way back somewhere, its an almost impossible question to answer.

How you want to live, where you want to live can be asked for both countries and the costs are wildly different in each case.

 

 

[craigt3365]

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

W/out a doubt, Thailand is less expensive than the States.  A guy I know in Ventura, Ca just told me he's paying $1,900.00 USD per month for a one-bedroom apartment and the rent is supposed to go to $2K USD after the first of the year.

I know a guy living in Bangkok paying over $4k USD per month.  What's your point?

[Strange]

2 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I know a guy living in Bangkok paying over $4k USD per month.  What's your point?

 

I live in a rented house in Isaan for 5k a month and still spend 60k a month to live. I would spend more too if there were more options available. Its all about what a person wants and why they find comfortable. I mean my electric bill is 5k when its hot outside lol I'm not even trying to go native. 

 

I honestly think that my state (florida) is a better choice than Thailand, and Im getting ready to move back soon. It might be more 'expensive' but what you get in return in even a basic apartment is far and away better than the options available in Thailand. 

[Boon Mee]

4 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I know a guy living in Bangkok paying over $4k USD per month.  What's your point?

The point was already made - Sukhumvit Farangs living the Dream in fancy HiSo condos paying exorbitant rents are not the norm here in LOS...

[craigt3365]

4 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

The point was already made - Sukhumvit Farangs living the Dream in fancy HiSo condos paying exorbitant rents are not the norm here in LOS...

I just got off the phone with a friend who's brother lives in Arkansas.  Nice house rented for $500.  3 kids.

 

Ventura, if you've been there, is not a cheap area.  Perhaps Barstow? 5555  Closer to living in Issan.

[Strange]

14 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

The point was already made - Sukhumvit Farangs living the Dream in fancy HiSo condos paying exorbitant rents are not the norm here in LOS...

 

Say you can afford $4000 a month in living expenses comfortably to live and still travel, save, etc. Would Thailand still be a better choice? Compared to states that don't have state tax and are not NYC/Beverly Hills? 

Edited November 6, 2016 by Strange

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

22 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I know a guy living in Bangkok paying over $4k USD per month.  What's your point?

 

There are always extremes at both the high and low ends of the spectrum, but those really aren't relevant for most folks.

 

What I know is this:

 

Here in BKK, I'm living on a quiet soi/pretty safe area in the CBD, close to everything including mass transit (BTS/MRT) and paying about $500 a month for a nice two-bedroom, 80 square meter apartment, and my rent has been unchanged since the day I moved in many years ago. (Admittedly, I managed to find myself what I consider to be a very good deal).

 

If I were to move back to a comparable U.S. city like Los Angeles, for example, I think it would be almost impossible to find a comparable place I'd be willing to live in, in an area I'd be willing to live in, for that kind of price.

 

Here in BKK, I could easily go the more costly new condo rental route and be paying in the 40-80K per month range. But the nice thing about BKK is, I can opt for a 15K place and still have a good quality of life experience (in terms of just the housing itself). In Los Angeles, by comparison, I don't think I'd have that same more economical but still quality choice.

Edited November 6, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Strange]

9 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

There are always extremes at both the high and low ends of the spectrum, but those really aren't relevant for most folks.

 

What I know is this:

 

Here in BKK, I'm living on a quiet soi/pretty safe area in the CBD, close to everything including mass transit (BTS/MRT) and paying about $500 a month for a nice two-bedroom, 80 square meter apartment, and my rent has been unchanged since the day I moved in many years ago. (Admittedly, I managed to find myself what I consider to be a very good deal).

 

If I were to move back to a comparable U.S. city like Los Angeles, for example, I think it would be almost impossible to find a comparable place I'd be willing to live in, in an area I'd be willing to live in, for that kind of price.

 

Here in BKK, I could easily go the more costly new condo rental route and be paying in the 40-80K per month range. But the nice thing about BKK is, I can opt for a 15K place and still have a good quality of life experience (in terms of just the housing itself). In Los Angeles, by comparison, I don't think I'd have that same more economical but still quality choice.

 

Yeah man but that is LA. The USA is HUGE so why limit your cost comparisons to LA? You are living in Thailand now, so its not an employment or family thing. Yeah you can get a 2 bedroom apartment (nice one) with carpet, central heat/air, pool, gym, etc in FL for like $1000 a month, with fiber internet speeds (real speeds) and 4G LTE+ phone speeds (Over 60MBS) and all that. 

 

Its like trying to compare London or Tokyo with BKK. Makes no sense. 

[craigt3365]

10 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

There are always extremes at both the high and low ends of the spectrum, but those really aren't relevant for most folks.

 

What I know is this:

 

Here in BKK, I'm living on a quiet soi/pretty safe area in the CBD, close to everything including mass transit (BTS/MRT) and paying about $500 a month for a nice two-bedroom, 80 square meter apartment, and my rent has been unchanged since the day I moved in many years ago. (Admittedly, I managed to find myself what I consider to be a very good deal).

 

If I were to move back to a comparable U.S. city like Los Angeles, for example, I think it would be almost impossible to find a comparable place I'd be willing to live in, in an area I'd be willing to live in, for that kind of price.

 

Here in BKK, I could easily go the more costly new condo rental route and be paying in the 40-80K per month range. But the nice thing about BKK is, I can opt for a 15K place and still have a good quality of life experience (in terms of just the housing itself). In Los Angeles, by comparison, I don't think I'd have that same more economical but still quality choice.

LA is not, IMHO, a cheap place to live.  Perhaps other cities, like, Vegas, Albuquerque, Ashville, etc, might be better examples?  I spent 20 years in SoCal, so know the area fairly well.  My brother lives in Farmington very cheaply.

 

But Farmington/Albuquerque/Ashville would not be for me.  Just like living in Issan would not be for me.  Probably also Bangkok, though I do LOVE to visit Bangkok!

 

I do know a guy who lives only blocks from the beach in a nice 1 bedroom apartment in Mission Bay (San Diego), for 40,000B. A bit more, but what a great place to live!

[Boon Mee]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

I just got off the phone with a friend who's brother lives in Arkansas.  Nice house rented for $500.  3 kids.

 

Ventura, if you've been there, is not a cheap area.  Perhaps Barstow? 5555  Closer to living in Issan.

Yes indeed...I used to live in Santa Barbara.  The city of the newly wed and the nearly dead.

[craigt3365]

1 minute ago, Boon Mee said:

Yes indeed...I used to live in Santa Barbara.  The city of the newly wed and the nearly dead.

I worked in Goleta for some time.  Lovely area.  Just insanely expensive.

[Boon Mee]

1 minute ago, craigt3365 said:

I worked in Goleta for some time.  Lovely area.  Just insanely expensive.

Isla Vista reminds me of Thailand.  Dogs sleeping in the streets - have to drive around them. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

LA is not, IMHO, a cheap place to live.  Perhaps other cities, like, Vegas, Albuquerque, Ashville, etc, might be better examples?  I spent 20 years in SoCal, so know the area fairly well.  My brother lives in Farmington very cheaply.

 

But Farmington/Albuquerque/Ashville would not be for me.  Just like living in Issan would not be for me.  Probably also Bangkok, though I do LOVE to visit Bangkok!

 

I do know a guy who lives only blocks from the beach in a nice 1 bedroom apartment in Mission Bay (San Diego), for 40,000B. A bit more, but what a great place to live!

 

The reason I compared BKK with the LA area is because they're both capital/BIG city places with all the big city options available to their residents. Somehow, when you start talking about Ashville, you're moving into an entirely different milieu.

 

I too know So Cal, and I seriously doubt there's many/any places there where I'd want to live/feel good about living where I'd find a satisfactory/pleasant two bedroom apartment for $500 a month, which is what I have here in BKK.

 

I have a relative who's currently living in an OC suburb in a two bedroom apartment in a nothing fancy apartment community, and the rent there is almost $2000 a month. And that's just an example, not a claimed average.

 

[derator01]

An off topic post has been removed from view

 

[bendejo]

16 hours ago, StefanBBK said:

Cost of living primarily depend on HOW you live, not WHERE.

 

For example, there are certain young-ish people from the Occidental counties that travel Thailand as if it were a grand pub crawl. (Yeah, I know traveling is not the same as living somewhere.)  They spend something like US$10-15 for a bed and meals, and on most days spend just as much on booze.