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Manchester now cheaper than Bangkok thanks to Brexit: Weak pound makes UK a bargain for visitors while Brits are stung by rising shop prices

 

- Manchester is as expensive as Bangkok, at 51st place

- London is 24th most expensive in the world and tenth in Europe

- London is now cheaper to live than New York for the first time in 15 years

 

By Camilla Canocchi for Thisismoney.co.uk

 

The UK has become a cheaper place for visitors but more expensive for Britons since the Brexit referendum caused the pound to drop sharply, new research shows.

 

Manchester has recorded the biggest drop in the cost of living for expats than all the other big cities in the world, falling 25 places to 51st, on a par with Bangkok and cheaper than Beijing.

 

London has also fallen sharply down the list, going from being the 6th most expensive city in the world to the 24th, its lowest ranking in twenty years, according to the latest Worldwide Cost of Living Survey by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

Full story:http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-4334258/UK-cheaper-visitors-expensive-Britons.html

 

-- This is MONEY 2017-03-21

[JAS21]

That is the Daily Mail ... the print 'fairy stories'...

Edited March 22, 2017 by Scott
OP edited out

[Laughing Gravy]

So getting a taxi in Manchester is cheaper than Bangkok. No.

getting a tram or bus. No

As a visitor staying in a hotel is cheaper than Bangkok. No.

Gas and electricity are more expensive in Manchester than Bangkok.

House prices to buy or rent cheaper. No

Some food items. Yes.

Beer. depends where you go.

Cigarettes No.

 

I really would like to see the 160 products and services that are cheaper. Seems like another article blaming Brexit on everything.

I am sorry to the Manchester people on the board but it is grim anyway and I suspect if people had a choice, in which place to go, Bangkok would come on top by a mile.

[phutoie2]

1 hour ago, JAS21 said:

That is the Daily Mail ... the print 'fairy stories'...

No,there is one much better, read the Daily Brexit (Express), their frequent GBP soars articles will make your ribs sore.

[BwindiBoy]

Mumbai used to have the most expensive property prices in the world a few years ago - not sure of that aspect now, but it seems pretty odd that it's now one of the cheapest cities.  Bangkok is way cheaper than Manchester, by the way.  Fact.

[simple1]

3 hours ago, JAS21 said:

That is the Daily Mail ... the print 'fairy stories'...

From the OP: Worldwide Cost of Living Survey by The Economist Intelligence Unit. If you're interested you can download the report from the Economist website

[12DrinkMore]

Try this website.

 

You can even add in your own prices to add to the data.

 

https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/comparison/bangkok/manchester?

 

The reckon Manchester is 40% more expensive than Bangers and 70% more than Patters.

 

 

[dunroaming]

6 hours ago, JAS21 said:

That is the Daily Mail ... the print 'fairy stories'...

I agree they do have a very biased approach most of the time and openly back Brexit.  However this report is from "Thisismoney.co.uk" an independent body.

 

Of course any report can cherry pick examples to "make their case" as can any individual.  The facts that are indisputable are that the pound has fallen considerably which makes everything cheaper for those visiting and changing currency, and prices are rising for everything that the UK imports.  You don't need a degree in economics to see that. 

[wirat69]

Still wouldn't live in Manchester!!!

 

[dunroaming]

I went to university in Manchester and lived in Moss Side in a student house.  Interesting times but I wouldn't want to live there now!

[hansnl]

Friends, having returned to Holland after living in Thailand for years, tell me for daily shopping, food & drink, it is indeed cheaper there now.

But have to go to Lidl or Aldi.

Thailand is getting expensive.

[dunroaming]

Last time my wife went back to Thailand she was shocked how much prices have risen, even in the markets.  many things are comparable with UK prices.  Having Lidl and Aldi here does make a difference and keeps the other supermarkets in check.

[chilli42]

Accurate or not, I would not go to Manchester if it were free. The very definition of dreary.

[Grouse]

5 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

Accurate or not, I would not go to Manchester if it were free. The very definition of dreary.

Wrong side o' Pennines

[Stupooey]

What's happened to Manchester over the last 50 years? I lived there from 1969 to 1972 and it was really buzzing, definitely England's second city then.

[Stupooey]

Cheap as well, I bought a house for £310 and beer was 12p a pint.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Manchester has much more than rain to offer. If you really want to get depressed in the England try Liverpool or Middlesbrough.

As for the article, same old story, cherry picking things to prove a point, statistics are just a load of meaningless nonsense.

Red Top tabloids love anything that you can sensationalize: celebrity gossip, football transfer gossip, political forecasts, financial and environmental "research' etc etc.

[mommysboy]

When I was back in Blighty recently I was surprised how cheap food was, and good quality too.  Basic clothing is cheaper than Thailand and better. The local library was free of course, and had fast internet.  If you look and sound English then nobody seems much bothered about charging for medical services.

 

But housing costs are incredibly high.

[Prbkk]

5 hours ago, mommysboy said:

When I was back in Blighty recently I was surprised how cheap food was, and good quality too.  Basic clothing is cheaper than Thailand and better. The local library was free of course, and had fast internet.  If you look and sound English then nobody seems much bothered about charging for medical services.

 

But housing costs are incredibly high.

Food, clothing, shoes, wine...even in central London...cheaper than Bangkok and way, way lower than NYC or Sydney. A bargain.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

16 hours ago, Prbkk said:

Food, clothing, shoes, wine...even in central London...cheaper than Bangkok and way, way lower than NYC or Sydney. A bargain.

I'm not sure where you shop but food is most certainly cheaper in Bangkok (6 tomatoes for 25p at BigC), even eating out if you compare like for like. Santa Fe Steak restaurants, rib eye for £6.50, you'd be lucky to get one at the butchers for that in the UK. Shoes are not expensive unless you are buying imported Italian, same thing for whine. How about fuel costs, electricity, gas, petrol not to mention housing, where in London can you rent a 1 bed fully furnished apartment with swimming pool, gym and a parking space for £350 a month?

 

Edited March 23, 2017 by George FmplesdaCosteedback

[mommysboy]

3 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

I'm not sure where you shop but food is most certainly cheaper in Bangkok (6 tomatoes for 25p at BigC), even eating out if you compare like for like. Santa Fe Steak restaurants, rib eye for £6.50, you'd be lucky to get one at the butchers for that in the UK. Shoes are not expensive unless you are buying imported Italian, same thing for whine. How about fuel costs, electricity, gas, petrol not to mention housing, where in London can you rent a 1 bed fully furnished apartment with swimming pool, gym and a parking space for £350 a month?

 

Not my question I know. I wasn't in central London but the south coast is nearly as affluent.  I was buying food from Tesco Express and Co-op mainly.  A general basket of food was much cheaper than Bangkok, not just like for like. Ate Like a king.  The home meals were as cheap as the street stalls and much more nutritious.  They had multi buy offers too. Then really big bars of chocolate for 70 pence (200g).  To cap it all there was even some Thai dishes- good stuff for just 1.50.  Much bigger portions.  It was across the board really, from biscuits, bread, rice, to wine.  I understand Lidl, pound saver, etc are even cheaper.

 

Best of all I was getting these chicken roast dinners for 1.50. 

 

I got some training shoes for 15 quid.  Now the point is they were decent enough quality and comfortable too.  And some jogging gear cheaper than Big C and Tesco, and again streets ahead in quality.  I picked up a half decent Dell laptop for a few thousand baht less than I would have got it in Thailand.

 

But I agree eating out, fuel costs, and of course housing is where you pay through the nose.  Renting an apartment in Bangkok is great value.

 

Health costs are very high in Thailand though.  Yes I understand they charge less per visit in Thailand and govt hospitals offer a good, budget option, but if anything bad happens there's a big bill on the way.  If your poor, NHS  still represents very good value (It spends 3000 quid odd per head each year).

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

23 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Not my question I know. I wasn't in central London but the south coast is nearly as affluent.  I was buying food from Tesco Express and Co-op mainly.  A general basket of food was much cheaper than Bangkok, not just like for like. Ate Like a king.  The home meals were as cheap as the street stalls and much more nutritious.  They had multi buy offers too. Then really big bars of chocolate for 70 pence (200g).  To cap it all there was even some Thai dishes- good stuff for just 1.50.  Much bigger portions.  It was across the board really, from biscuits, bread, rice, to wine.  I understand Lidl, pound saver, etc are even cheaper.

 

Best of all I was getting these chicken roast dinners for 1.50. 

 

I got some training shoes for 15 quid.  Now the point is they were decent enough quality and comfortable too.  And some jogging gear cheaper than Big C and Tesco, and again streets ahead in quality.  I picked up a half decent Dell laptop for a few thousand baht less than I would have got it in Thailand.

 

But I agree eating out, fuel costs, and of course housing is where you pay through the nose.  Renting an apartment in Bangkok is great value.

 

Health costs are very high in Thailand though.  Yes I understand they charge less per visit in Thailand and govt hospitals offer a good, budget option, but if anything bad happens there's a big bill on the way.  If your poor, NHS  still represents very good value (It spends 3000 quid odd per head each year).

You have some interesting observations on food. Some of the multi buy offers are okay if the extra one doesn't get binned, and yes chicken is cheap there too but it depends on what and where you buy. I bought a nice pair of trainers last week for £13, not a brand name either so there is not much in that. I shop at MaxValue and they have deals twice a week and more just the same. I like Thai food and can eat for £1.50 a day quite easily.

As for the NHS, it is a basket case. Waiting times, misdiagnosis at hospitals, etc etc etc. If you are under 60 and working the prescription charges are much more than you pay here for drugs even at some of the rip-off hospitals, and pharmacies are pretty cheap. For £3000 per year a head there must be a better way. I do agree if you get sick or have a serious accident here it can be expensive if you don't have insurance, but over 60 you can't get any.

I see your point but the major expense has to be heating, power and housing (rent and poll tax), which makes the rest insignificant in the equation.

The UK might be a good deal for visitors now, thanks to the drop in the pound, but I still save a hell of a lot of money living here without the massive heating bills etc.

I do still have a house there which pays for itself though.

 

Where would you rather be, sunshine or grey sky, cold, wet and windy?

 

[sanukjim]

BS the Pound is still equal to 1.25 US dollar and 1.16 Euro and 43.26 Thai Baht. Tell me what can you buy in Manchester that is cheaper then in Bangkok ? This is crap reporting

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

8 hours ago, sanukjim said:

BS the Pound is still equal to 1.25 US dollar and 1.16 Euro and 43.26 Thai Baht. Tell me what can you buy in Manchester that is cheaper then in Bangkok ? This is crap reporting

It is about 20% lower against the Baht, so it makes a difference if you live here and get paid in pound notes.

As I said above in ID:22, there is very little that is cheaper, but one thing that does cost more is peanut butter, it's about three times the price (it didn't used to be).

[mommysboy]

3 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

It is about 20% lower against the Baht, so it makes a difference if you live here and get paid in pound notes.

As I said above in ID:22, there is very little that is cheaper, but one thing that does cost more is peanut butter, it's about three times the price (it didn't used to be).

 

Quite a few things cheaper in UK.  But as you say there other factors involved: not the least of which is whether you're earning in pounds or baht.  When I settled here over a decade ago the pound at one point reached 75 baht- incredible as it may seem. It's just been misery on misery the last few years.  So if you've been here a while, the chances are you will be thinking Bangkok is ever more expensive possibly.  Whereas I can imagine a new arrival still thinking he's arrived in paradise.

 

And it depends how well off you are or what sort of lifestyle you lead.  For someone like me that gets a kick out of living cheap and travelling, Thailand is still great value: the restaurants, hotel rooms, and travel costs.  And of course you can put down roots cheaply.  Condos are great value.  Even a teacher on say 40,000 baht a month can get a half decent bedsit and cover his costs for about 25% of his wage.  Try that in Blighty!

 

But when you start to hanker after western standards, get married and the children come, I reckon there isn't much difference between Bangkok and Manchester. Take a health policy for instance.  In middle age a decent one might cost at least 50, 000, quite probably much more.  And still you won't get the unlimited coverage you get in UK.  And then there's school fees, and a whole host of other costs.

 

 

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

1 hour ago, mommysboy said:

 

Quite a few things cheaper in UK.  But as you say there other factors involved: not the least of which is whether you're earning in pounds or baht.  When I settled here over a decade ago the pound at one point reached 75 baht- incredible as it may seem. It's just been misery on misery the last few years.  So if you've been here a while, the chances are you will be thinking Bangkok is ever more expensive possibly.  Whereas I can imagine a new arrival still thinking he's arrived in paradise.

 

And it depends how well off you are or what sort of lifestyle you lead.  For someone like me that gets a kick out of living cheap and travelling, Thailand is still great value: the restaurants, hotel rooms, and travel costs.  And of course you can put down roots cheaply.  Condos are great value.  Even a teacher on say 40,000 baht a month can get a half decent bedsit and cover his costs for about 25% of his wage.  Try that in Blighty!

 

But when you start to hanker after western standards, get married and the children come, I reckon there isn't much difference between Bangkok and Manchester. Take a health policy for instance.  In middle age a decent one might cost at least 50, 000, quite probably much more.  And still you won't get the unlimited coverage you get in UK.  And then there's school fees, and a whole host of other costs.

 

 

 

Yep, you are right. I've lived and worked (not teaching) here on and off after coming on holiday in '85. Swings and roundabouts on the exchange rate over the years. Done the wife and kid thing (grown up and working in the UK). I just retired on a fixed income now, so 20% drop hurts a bit, but I have wanted the UK out of the EU for 25+ years so I try not to complain.

I can't stand the cold weather in the UK any more, among many other things. I've had nice cars and stuff so I don't really care about that sort of thing, and still have a house on the coast in the UK if I change my mind.

You sound clued in enough and seems like you are enjoying it here.

Chock dee!

Cheers

 

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

Sure:

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/average-rental-prices-greater-manchester-10269942

[thaibeachlovers]

I just checked the TVF exchange rate and Sterling is 42.86 baht. That's not better than before Brexit.

[anotheruser]

On 3/23/2017 at 10:13 AM, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

I'm not sure where you shop but food is most certainly cheaper in Bangkok (6 tomatoes for 25p at BigC), even eating out if you compare like for like. Santa Fe Steak restaurants, rib eye for £6.50, you'd be lucky to get one at the butchers for that in the UK. Shoes are not expensive unless you are buying imported Italian, same thing for whine. How about fuel costs, electricity, gas, petrol not to mention housing, where in London can you rent a 1 bed fully furnished apartment with swimming pool, gym and a parking space for £350 a month?

 

 

You lost me whea n you claimed wine isn't expensive in Thailand. Not sure how you reached that conclusion. There are few places on the planet when is more expensive than it is in Thailand.

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I just checked the TVF exchange rate and Sterling is 42.86 baht. That's not better than before Brexit.

It is still before Brexit as it has not happened yet