Six weeks in Thailand or six days in Switzerland? How long £500 will last in 32 different countries

[meechai]

 

7 minutes ago, Goldbear said:

 

Are you sure that your example is a valid comparison? 

 

 

I am sure comparing Thailand to Switzerland for a vacation is no where near

a valid comparison & that is what I am saying.

 

Not everyone is searching the cheapest

Edited August 11, 2017 by meechai

[jaywalker]

It wouldn't last you 10 minutes if you rented a jet ski.

[chippendale]

5 hours ago, Thian said:

Switzerland is ridiculous expensive....we drove through it last week but lunch at a roadrestaurant costs double the price of the neighbouring countries.

It is very beautifull though and they built great tunnels.

Yeah, those tunnels are what make Switzerland so scenic.

[VocalNeal]

3 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

500 quid/21,500 baht for six weeks? What kind of holiday is that, at 511 baht a day?? You cannot even get 3 decent meals a day for that money, not to mention that you'd have to travel on the cheap buses, rather than taking a taxi.

My thoughts exactly where did these morons stays to make 500 pounds last six weeks?  Sure is one has dreadlocks and a beard and stays at the Wat? 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2017 by VocalNeal

[Goldbear]

11 minutes ago, meechai said:

 

 

 

I am sure comparing Thailand to Switzerland for a vacation is no where near

a valid comparison & that is what I am saying.

 

Not everyone is searching the cheapest

 

Well I've been to both and it frequently does not look like either of your two very specific scenarios. Have you ever heard of a false dichotomy? Many other possibilities exist in Switzerland and in Thailand. 

[VocalNeal]

22 minutes ago, meechai said:

Not everyone is searching the cheapest

Not been on TV long then 

[observer90210]

The major metropoles of Switzerland, Geneva or Zurich, are in the top list of the most expensive global cost of living....

 

Unfortunately, the 500 bucks will give you about 2 or 3 days  and that to on survival mode

 

A tourist will never make 6 days with 500 quid in Switzerland, so better switch to Thailand or even New York...

 

 

[WhizBang]

500 pounds for 6 weeks?  How exactly?

 

Eat only street food (no longer applies to Bangkok), sleep under the BTS stairs, panhandle?  Who comes up with this crap?

 

500 pounds is about 21600 baht.  That would equal about 500 baht a day.  That would make for lovely 6 week stay.

[fforest1]

9 minutes ago, WhizBang said:

500 pounds for 6 weeks?  How exactly?

 

Eat only street food (no longer applies to Bangkok), sleep under the BTS stairs, panhandle?  Who comes up with this crap?

 

500 pounds is about 21600 baht.  That would equal about 500 baht a day.  That would make for lovely 6 week stay.

500 baht a day can be done in Pattaya,but you you would have to cut out luxuries like western food,air-con,lady drinks,taxis...  

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, mfd101 said:

You can have a not-wonderful but perfectly healthy small cooked meal at any PTT stop about 18 hours a day for 50฿.

I'm sure you can also get 3 meals for the same money in Switzerland, if you buy sandwiches or at supermarkets. People can survive on little money, but would you call that a holiday, as a Brit (or other westerner): 3 such meals a day, every day,  for 3 weeks? Why bother spending a lot of money for the flight, etc.? Why not order Thai food and stay in old Blighty if you can only afford 500 baht. 

 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

14 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

500 baht a day can be done in Pattaya,but you you would have to cut out luxuries like western food,air-con,lady drinks,taxis...  

Just staying at the hotel, eating 50-baht meals at restaurants, and in the evening walking up and down walking street, without having (wanting to spend) the money for a beer or two... Yes, the Chinese tourists can do it, why not the Brits, but what kind of holiday is that?

[StayinThailand2much]

34 minutes ago, WhizBang said:

500 pounds for 6 weeks?  How exactly?

 

Eat only street food (no longer applies to Bangkok), sleep under the BTS stairs, panhandle?  Who comes up with this crap?

 

500 pounds is about 21600 baht.  That would equal about 500 baht a day.  That would make for lovely 6 week stay.

LOL. Sleep rough under the BTS stairs, eat thrice a day khao niaw with a morsel of pork/fish, and a bottle of water for 7 baht: wow, at 60 baht a day, one can spend a one-year holiday (360 days anyway) in Bangkok - great! 

[PeCeDe]

6 hours ago, steven100 said:

one year in Ethiopia  ....

500 GBP allows you 30 years in NK.

[HHTel]

And they didn't factor in the thousand pounds for the air fare.

 

I don't know anyone living here, never mind on holiday, who can survive on that budget.

[fforest1]

12 minutes ago, HHTel said:

And they didn't factor in the thousand pounds for the air fare.

 

I don't know anyone living here, never mind on holiday, who can survive on that budget.

You must be hanging out with the Hi-so 1,000 Baht a day crowd....  

[fforest1]

5 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

One night in New York...

This is about right....

[Baerboxer]

10 hours ago, BasalBanality said:

Besides giving the Pound a better stretch, what exactly draws the average British tourist to Thailand?

 

Depends. But quite a lot come for the beaches and scenery, some like the elephant trekking and sporty activities, some like the food and shopping, others like to try different countries and enjoy the exotic orient; and some like the museums, war history, and cultural activities. Then there are the "lads" of all ages who come for a boys holiday of booze and whores. 

 

If you've been on a connecting flight from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain or Qatar and been in economy, you've probably sat with a lot of tourists from all over Europe who use those connecting hubs. If so, you've probably met a real cross section of tourists. I've met pensioners here for extended holidays (Germans), young married couples here for romantic holidays (French, British, German), small groups looking to explore the country (Dutch, German), back-packers (French, British, German), scuba divers and martial artists coming for Muay Thai training. Also met a couple of Irish guys and several Arabs who were off to Pattaya!

 

Varied mate.

[4MyEgo]

10 hours ago, steven100 said:

correct ...  at the markets in Brisbane mall every thursday .....  one cup cake $5 ,  a bagel and a coffee is $10.

Australia has lost the plot with electricity, food, rent and general cost of living has gone through the roof and the Government does absolutely nothing about it.

Australia made their bed ... they can lay in it.

When Australia comes back to earth and is affordable like Thailand, I will consider moving back then, maybe 555

[Mansell]

Like most big cities Sydney sounds very expensive.....I just crossed Oz off my places to visit. Spending two weeks in Korat, and got an American breakfast in a hotel for 60 baht today....pretty good. As for New York, was having lunch with a friend in a moderate restaurant and he had a glass of wine....it was 40 dollars. I couldn't believe it. Also London is off the charts for restaurants. Thailand looks pretty good from here.

[observer90210]

Ok, here are some figures for Switzerland (Geneva)

 

1 hour bus ticket round trip for the town area US$ 3,50

Budget Thai Meal for 1 person in a food court US$ 22.-- (small portion of rice, small portion of penang beef curry, 2 spring rools and a  soft drink)

1 movie ticket US$ 18,--

ST  with a hooker US$ 150,-- to US$ 200,--

1 coke in a street café - US$ 4,- to US$ 8.--

1 bedroom, 1 living, 1 kitchen appartment monthly rent (in a cheap, not so safe area) US$ 1'700,--

Modest Meal for 2 in a simple restaurant with 3 dl wine - US$ 80,-- minimum...

 

your choice ...

 

[dfdgfdfdgs]

11 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

What kind of holiday is that, at 511 baht a day?? You cannot even get 3 decent meals a day for that money, not to mention that you'd have to travel on the cheap buses, rather than taking a taxi.

Not sure where you're eating.  At any local market or food court the average rice dish is 30 baht and the average seafood rice dish is 50 baht.   The portions are generally large as well.

[tryasimight]

11 hours ago, mfd101 said:

No. It's earnings. But of course a very large proportion of personal taxes in Oz are paid by people on over $200,000 a year. I don't have the figures here, but OECD stats regularly show that Oz is around 2nd of OECD countries in the most-redistribution-of-wealth stakes.

 

That's socialism for you, actually working quite well in a reasonably well-run capitalist society.

Yes I'm sure all the bludgers agree with you. Not so sure the working poor agree so much.

[tryasimight]

13 hours ago, BasalBanality said:

 

John Howard lost his plot when he privatised electricity in 1998.  

Howard did not and could not  have done that. Electricity assets are a state concern not a federal concern. Same as schools and hospitals. The feds just collect the tax and distribute to the states

Edited August 11, 2017 by tryasimight

[Bullie]

11 hours ago, baansgr said:

 Yes 500 baht a day would get you 3 street meals, I doubt you would get that in Norway etc, so like for like, 3 Western meals in Thailand you could x by 5 the amount required, bit of an ill thought survey

150 baht would get you three streetmeals in the Netherlands too, we call it "eating from the wall".

You insert a euro , and out comes a small hamburger - with lettuce. More nourishing than the avirage pad thai in the streets, for sure.

It's a ridiculous survey. Softdrinks in Thailand happen to be expremely cheap, bear on the other hand very expensive.

All in all, speaking from experience, I find living in Portugal is as cheap as living in Thailand, the main difference being the quality, volume and availability of many favorite foods. Portugal wins, hands down, plus the beer and wine are way, way cheaper than Thailand.

[dfdgfdfdgs]

A 'small hamburger with lettuce' is clearly not the same as a full plate of rice with fresh seafood, is it?

[HHTel]

11 hours ago, fforest1 said:

You must be hanging out with the Hi-so 1,000 Baht a day crowd....  

Sorry, I don't get it.  I mentioned the thousand pounds that a tourist would have to pay for their flight over and above expenses here.

I don't know anyone living here that could survive on 500 pounds (22,000 baht) for 6 weeks (the suggested budget) - accommodation, utilities, food etc. 

[Thian]

6 hours ago, Bullie said:

150 baht would get you three streetmeals in the Netherlands too, we call it "eating from the wall".

You insert a euro , and out comes a small hamburger - with lettuce. More nourishing than the avirage pad thai in the streets, for sure.

It's a ridiculous survey. Softdrinks in Thailand happen to be expremely cheap, bear on the other hand very expensive.

All in all, speaking from experience, I find living in Portugal is as cheap as living in Thailand, the main difference being the quality, volume and availability of many favorite foods. Portugal wins, hands down, plus the beer and wine are way, way cheaper than Thailand.

You haven't been in Holland for a long time i guess.

 

A small burger from Febo out of the wall costs 2.5 euro these days. And did i say they were small?

[Ulic]

3 hours ago, HHTel said:

Sorry, I don't get it.  I mentioned the thousand pounds that a tourist would have to pay for their flight over and above expenses here.

I don't know anyone living here that could survive on 500 pounds (22,000 baht) for 6 weeks (the suggested budget) - accommodation, utilities, food etc. 

People are not reading the article and survey correctly. Accommodation, utilities and entertainment

are not included in the survey.

 

Three meals a day, four soft drinks, 2 beers, coffee, two journeys on public transport.

Beer, 45 baht at many drinking establishments. 90 baht

Public transport, baht bus, 20 baht

Full English breakfast with coffee at Retox 98 baht

Soft drinks, 30 baht each at restaurant, 17 baht at ubiquitous 7-11

Really not so hard to cover the included budget on 511 baht a day.

Of course entertainment is extra. Movies on cheap night 80 baht,

companionship 1,500 baht,  etc, etc.  

[BasalBanality]

9 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Howard did not and could not  have done that. Electricity assets are a state concern not a federal concern. Same as schools and hospitals. The feds just collect the tax and distribute to the states

If memory serves me, it was during John Howard's abysmal term in office when the privatisation of electricity began and in 1998 the National Electricity Market was institutionalised?

 

Why would the Federal government be of much concerned as long as the tax regime continues to fill the coffers? 

[HHTel]

On 8/11/2017 at 5:55 AM, webfact said:

The study by Travelex, the foreign exchange company, looked at the average cost of living as of June 29 this year (measured by Numbeo, which takes into account the price of 50 items, ranging from accommodation, food and drink to clothing, leisure activities and bills)

I think I read that correctly, Ulic.