People usually see Thailand as a very cheap place, but actually it isnt.

Examples

Trollyey full of shopping (farang food)- Tesco Thailand 4,000 Baht. Coles Australia 4,000

Kilo Good (reasonable) Steak - 1000 Baht Thailand - $20 Australia 600 baht

Kilo Cheese Thailand - 700 Baht - Australia 800 Baht

Decent bread - Thailand 60 baht. Australia 80 baht

Beer in a foreign food type restaurant - 120 baht. Beer in a pub Australia 180 baht

Night is a cheap hotel in Bangkok - 1000 baht. Night in a cheap motel Sydney 1600 Baht

Female Entertainment Thailand for 2 hours 1000-2000 baht. Asiam Female entertainment for half an hour 3000 baht Australia

Rent condo in bangkok suburb 8000 baht a month. Rent condo in cheap sydney suburb 25,000 month (bit of a diffference here I admitn)


Car ownership in Australia - Much cheaper
Having a girlfriend in Australia - much cheaper (get a prenup!)
Cable TV - australia, cheaper than Thailand
Electricity cheaper in Australia
Fuel Cheaper in Australia


The only thing much cheaper in Thailand is if you live in the villiage, drink beer at the local Karaeoke, eat at Thai places or cook local (market) food at home. But then you run the risk of supporting a Thai family and have problems with all the people wanting to borrow money from you!

In Australia you can even find cheap places to stay near beautiful beaches (caravan parks, motels etc).

Thanks for your insightful analysis.

Just about everything you listed is imported, sans the companionship mate.

Ever have Thai food in Sydney? outrageously expensive.

I guess it is time for you to head back to Australia if you are not already there? Thailand is much cheaper to raise a family. You can get taken advantage of anywhere,not just Thailand. People that do get taken usually have poor judgment so they tend to screw themselves no matter where they live.

If you are buying mostly falang food then of course you are going to pay out the arse. I admit that to own a car is expensive here, but no more than my home country. At least I can tool around on a cheap motorbike to save putting gas into my car, and often times it is much more convenient.

This post has been edited by mizzi39: 2009-11-06 16:36:59

Im trying to compare Farang lifestyle in Thailand to farang lifestyle in farangland.

What is a "decent Hotel"?
Bangkok if you know where to look gets a single traveler a clean quiet room right in Nana for 600Baht
Chiang Mai 300 baht.

Canada, for a single backpacker 1200 baht will get you a room in a fleabag dive

So, I'm calling BS on this.
For western food, well some things most of Asia just doesn't do well..cheese and steak come to mind so yes
imports will be expensive..

This post has been edited by BugJackBaron: 2009-11-06 17:12:39

You forgot Pizza, much cheaper in Australia.

Thailand is cheap if you want to live like a Thai, but if you want to live like an Aussie you have to pay the premium price.

I like Sang Som, somebody recently gave me a bottle of Bundy Rum from Oz had one drink and it's in the back of the cupboard till someone else wants it.

How many Aussie women will sign a prenup?

Electricity cheaper in Oz I don't think so, fuel is cheaper in Thailand also.

If your pissed of with Thailand go home for a while you might think differently when you get back there or maybe not.

Thailand is not for everyone.

Sorry couldnt resist. Live like an Aussie? they sell shorts and flip flops here mate.

Thailand is so cheap it's ridiculous, I couldn't spend even close to what I did back home even if I tried. And I have to laugh, if a girlfriend is expensive for someone here it's going to be far more expensive for a similar one at home, if even possible.

Why would you do that, i take it you came to Thailand for a change.

I do eat farang food now and again but i accept its expensive because its imported. When i lived with my Thai wife in Holland thai food was outragous expensive because it had to be imported.

Here i live really cheap compared to Holland.

No flip flops in Australia

I find living in Thailand cheaper than the UK cos house rental is cheaper, no poll tax, no heating bill (and air-con just in the bedroom at night is cheaper), beer and spirits are cheaper and clothes are cheaper (but v difficult to find anything you would want to wear!).

These are the 'big' hits.

Food is no longer cheaper (generally) on Phuket, and often more expensive than the UK - unless you eat out, which is FAR cheaper. Obviously Western food is a ridiculous price. Its annoying 'cos lots of food (not to mention wine!) in the UK is imported, but a fraction of the price in Thailand!

I think the OP has a point.

"Female entertainment for half an hour 3000 baht Australia"

I thought you guys just drove around until you spotted some livestock.

As a Canadian on the west coast, where I own my home and don't have to pay rent, it is cheaper for me to turn off the heat and and water, and stay in a hotel room in Chiang Mai then stay at home and pay for oil heating. I'm very careful with my budget and know exactly how much I spend each month. I am a good cook, and eat well. I buy my veggies, cheese and milk etc, but supply most of my own meat (venison and fish). I have compared budgets and it is almost the same to eat at home in Canada as it is to eat out at cafes in Thailand. As far as entertainment is concerned there is no comparison. There is NOTHING like Thailand's nightlife that is even remotely similar in Canada. Beer is a bit cheaper in Thailand and hard liquor is much cheaper if you don't drink the imported stuff. If I could somehow transport a Thai bar with all its lovely ladies to Canada I'd be a millionare in 6 months. Unfortunately, it wouldn't work. Either the authorities would shut me down in a week or all my ladies would run off and get married.

thai me kangaroo down sport

Do not agree with you for most
Cheese & wine are heavy tax in Thailand !
For 150$ you do not get a lot in Coles, perhaps the Saturday when they sell the left over for half price.
Take away chicken in Australia 12 dollars / here 100 – 120 baht
Fish Thailand 120 baht to 230 baht a kilo
Ok, Decent bread - Thailand 60 baht. Australia 80 baht
Vet 1 appointment for a shoot 220 baht, will I presume be 50 dollar in Australia, dog shower 150 baht.
Kilo chicken at the market 75 baht / pork 80 baht
Night in hotel centre town Bangkok 1500 baht and it will be much better as a suburb cheap hotel in Sydney or Melbourne for the same price
Taxi price are 4 time higher in Australia / maid / dental / Land line rental cost / mobile phone & I am forgetting so many items / service
Car ownership for maintenance is cheaper here as well insurance / petrol, purchases more expensive, car park are 15 $ one hour in Melbourne, 30 baht here, traffic fine 150 baht compare to $ 150
Cable here 1800 baht, not sure in australia
Fuel cheaper here as I know
I am paying 60 baht for three month rubbish collection, can i ask you how much are the city rates in sydney ?
Sorry i come back with a edit, i forgot
internet i am paying 590 baht for a decent connection, ass much of download i want

This post has been edited by simcity: 2009-11-06 17:55:43

So why don't you go back to Australia?

Personally i don't know Australia but i know Europe and USA and there is NO WAY for a 70 year old man to have a 20 year young Girlfriend. BTW, what is a Prenup?
Cars in Europe are cheaper you are right, but the insurance and tax and maintnance (labour and parts) on a car will bankrupt you. Food? In USA cheaper, but most of European Countries much more expensive.
Fuel in Europa at least twice the price as in LOS
Electricity at least twice the price as in LOS.
Where in Europe or US can you rent a condo for 5'000 Baht?
I rent here a nice single house (not a dam muban house) for only 10'000 Baht per month. In Hawaii i payd for a similar House 1'900 USD per month

So i recomment you travel around a little bit, go to Switzerland, South France, Hawaii, US, espsially NY and LA.

This post has been edited by stingray: 2009-11-06 17:56:49

thailand has a greater proportion of western whingers than any other country i know that's for sure

Whos whinging? Im just making a comparison. You must be a pommie!
Im not complaining, just saying that people see Thailand as cheap place. But I am saying its not that cheap for things that we spend money on every day. I accept luxury items may be better value in Thailand (such as holidays and 5 star hotels), but for those who stay in Thailand for the reason of being that cheap.. well it isnt.

If you want to drink samsung with the locals, you can compare that to drinking rum in the park with the locals in Australia. Im not a drinker anyway!

Personally i splash out and live well in Thailand since the more expensive things offer better value (nice hotels, nice house, nice restaurants etc etc.... forget about the nice car though ill drive a second hand honda).

Food in the UK is generally cheaper than it is here (except for eating out). Three years ago I used to spend about 110 a week on groceries (for 2), now I spend more. Its not just Western food, many other things are the same price or more expensive here.

Petrol/gas is cheaper here, and fortunately, we need to spend less on heating bills (air-con is not used as extensively as it is too expensive for us folk who are not mega-wealthy). Electricity is probably about the same price in the UK (I've lost track), its certainly not "twice the price".

Vet bills are a LOT cheaper!

Agree that rent is cheaper and there is no way a 70 year old man will find even a 40 year old woman in Europe!

CrossBones, you are 100% correct . . . I have now moved back to Oz after living in Thailand and now realise that LOS is not as cheap to live as it was 10 years ago.

I do not understand the "go back to Australia" brigade. The OP was just making an observation on the prices of some goods and services which, I think, does not need the go home comments.



TheWalkingMan

I often have friends from back home ask me "it's cheap out there isn't it??" and my answer to them is always that living in Thailand is as cheap or expensive as what you, as an indivivdual, want it to be. Basically, the essentials (rent, transport, food, electric) are much cheaper than back in Farangland. But of course it depends on the type of lifestyle you choose to live.

This post has been edited by thecatman: 2009-11-06 18:41:10

yeap is not chip for farang to live here or that matter anywhere like farang. But using local stuff and living somewhat like a Thai i pretty reasonable. Just remember import goods are taxed 200% over here

"Personally i splash out and live well in Thailand"

No wonder it is not cheap for you, do the same in Australia and you won't get much bang for your buck, probably quite a few less bangs.