Living in thailand

[moe666]

That post got screw up. On by the way don't get sick in the old USof A with out insurance sorry you will be bankrupt.

[SukhumvitRoad]

Over the years, we have carried on with life in both California and Thailand simultaneously. I wouldn't want to tell you how much it costs to maintain two residences at the same time and, trust me, you don't want to know. Anyway, we spend a few months in Thailand and then a few months in California, so I think I have a pretty up to date and ongoing basis of comparison.

On the whole, I think most of what has been said on this thread about the possibility of living in Thailand at lower cost is quite fair. All I'm adding is that, in practice, it seldom works out that way, particularly now that the baht is badly overvalued as a result of Thai capital controls and the prices of so many goods here are artificially inflated.

Our own experience, right now, living a few months in LA then a few months in Bangkok, is that we spend less month to month when we live in LA than we do when we live in Bangkok. That's just the fact of it for us. It may be different for you.

Still, my message here is simply this: assuming your daily life will always be cheaper in Thailand is an assumption fraught with peril.

[thaibound]

here's how living in BKK can cost me as much as living in LA:

in l.a. i live at home, just paying a long-term mortgage.
in bangkok, i live in a 4-star hotel.
in l.a. i do my own laundry, shop at giant discount markets, play golf on cheap municipal courses.
in bkk i send out the laundry, shop at the nearest foodmart or 7/11, pay guest fees when i golf.
in l.a. i cook at home, rarely eat out, infrequently hit the bars.
in bangkok, i never cook, i eat out every meal, and hit the bars nightly. and sometimes daily, too.
in l.a. i might indulge in p4p once a week. maybe less.
in bangkok i indulge once or twice every day. rarely less.

so, on an equal-time basis, i spend as much partying in bkk as i do sitting at home in l.a....but the value i get for my dollar in bkk i personally find to be far superior.

and after all this is said and done, what dollar price can be put on the lifestyle enhancement of knowing there are hundreds of beautiful ladyboys available 24/7/365? if there was a nana plaza in l.a. i might have to re-think all those calculations. but until then..."Life & Living in Thailand" seems clearly to be a more cost-effective utilization of whatever funds you might possess.

[SamplerDoc]

 Well Posted ThaiBound  

  Now I just need to Figure on where to stay and how long in LOS  

[moe666]

SP. If you are bringing your wife to be look around away from Bangkok, a friend rented a place in Trang for two years 2 bed room house great garden, with a stream running thru property 200 dollars a month.

Lots of options.

[Guest]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is hired hands.

Now, I know many will not care about that, but I do. I have 3 dogs. I travel a lot. I cannot leave them alone, so I have a full-time, 24 x 7 x 365 maid. The going price for a maid with some English is in the 5-8K baht / month range. Because of a variety of reasons, also coupled to the dogs somewhat, I have a driver. Drivers are 8-12K / month for the same 'any time I want you' service. He fixes my garden, takes care of odds and sods in the house, does errands for me.

In Canada I wouldn't even dream of hiring a maid, and a driver would simply be a ridiculous thought.

The quality of life improvement from a maid who costs $150-$200 / month cannot be measured. A driver is a bit of an unnecessary luxury, but my life quality is very high due to those low cost items.

A lot of the guys get a maid 1-2 times per week for pittance, and once again, quality of life improvement is enormous.

[katoeylover]

(ziggystardust @ Jun. 14 2007,18:06) In Canada I wouldn't even dream of hiring a maid

Why not?

I have a cleaner who comes in once a week in the Uk who does cleaning and laundry.

[divertwo]

(thaibound @ Jun. 13 2007,19:01) here's how living in BKK can cost me as much as living in LA:

...I was going to say about the same thing...........and as Ozzie mentioned earlier when he said his first month was living like he was on holiday....

Adding into the mix that once in Los the social expenditures may increase by 2 or 3 times, I can see how one could exceed one's original budget. Plus, if you are trying to duplicate western living styles, it could be an expensive relocation. Trying to find that 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3000 sq ft house with a back yard(western style home) I'm sure is expensive.

When I lived in Brussels, many of my expat colleagues chose to live in the suburbs(western ghetto as it was called) in homes that looked like they had been taken right off the streets of any midwest city....built specifically for the expat community. My colleagues' families felt comfortable with minimal housing culture shock. Me, I chose to live in the heart of the city, huge apartment by European standards, at 70% of the cost of a similar place in San Francisco. So much of one's costs(as SukhumvitRoad has said) comes down to how you want to live. Maintain a western lifestyle and it may cost you, live like locals, it may not....

[thaibound]

(ziggystardust @ Jun. 14 2007,12:06) One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is hired hands.
The quality of life improvement from a maid who costs $150-$200 / month cannot be measured.

absolutely, ziggy.
i didn't mention maid service because it's always been part and parcel of staying at 4star digs where they clean everything everyday, but if i ever do get it together to get a private place on a long-term basis in LOS, the figures you quote mean i can get a 24/7/365 housekeeper for *less* than it costs me now to have a maid come in for 4 hours, once a week, for minimal cleaning!

the greatly reduced labor costs ("hired hands"), including everything from maids to masseuses, must be by far the single greatest savings to be found in LOS v. LA. and it is just those cheaper personal services which encourage us westerners to regularly indulge in all the pleasures and extravagances (from tailored suits to blowjobs) which we would normally deny ourselves -- or at the least limit to 'special occasions' -- at home, in the costlier environs of the West.

[dummy_plug]

I guess "social" expenses can climb up substantially when you go to LOS, but I reckon most of us probably spend just as much at home as we would in LOS, and as some posters have said - get a far better value. Some of the items I enjoy cost an arm and a leg and I almost guarantee living in LOS and going out 3-4 times a week to indulge would be cheaper, especially if you're married or involved. A recent night out for me and my girl cost me over $200 (so roughly 7,000 baht).

- Dinner and drinks $110
- Parking $12
- Movie tickets (2) $24
- Parking (again) $6
- Desert $18
- Gas $6

Even just going out after work for pool, beers, and wings ain't cheap. My total tab for a quick night out with the guys set me back almost $40!

[stogie bear]

(ziggystardust @ Jun. 15 2007,01:06) One thing that hasn't been mentioned here is hired hands...

Yep... For 2,500 a month ($80US?) I have a lady who has been coming here for the last few years twice a week and who takes care of everything so I don't have to. From, laundry to cleaning... Terrific value which I couldn't afford back home.

[Guest]

Solution seems clear. Only go out with the guys!

[olekunde]

the biggest expenses are when your mates come to visit you. the babes will accept anything if they like you. the first months you will overpay, later you have already learned the terrain. not so difficult and the thais will help you. there are honest people about. also people from the board.