Survey highlights the rising cost of living for expats in Bangkok and Chiang Mai

[rooster59]

Survey highlights the rising cost of living for expats in Bangkok and Chiang Mai

 

 

A new survey has highlighted the increasing cost of living in two of Thailand’s most popular expat destinations.

 

According to a cost of living survey published this week, Bangkok and Chiang Mai have made significant jumps when it comes to costly locations for expats to live. 

 

According to the survey, Bangkok has left behind its status as an affordable destination for expats and for the first time, is now among the top 50 most expensive cities in the world.

 

Bangkok leapt 43 places in the last year, and a total of 75 places in the last two years, to rank 47th overall in the 2019 survey. 

 

It was a similar story for Chiang Mai, which has moved up 56 places since 2017.

 

“Bangkok, long seen as a cheap destination for holidaymakers and expatriates alike, has seen a huge jump in its rankings, moving the most out of all Asian cities surveyed. This is largely the consequence of a strong Thai baht” said Lee Quane, regional director – Asia for ECA International.

 

“We have seen Thai cities moving significantly up the rankings over the past few years; Bangkok has moved up 75 places in the last two years alone and Chiang Mai has moved up 56 places in the same period,” he added 

ECA’s Cost of Living survey looks into the varying levels of household expenses in cities around the globe.

 

It does so by comparing a basket of like-for-like consumer goods and services in 475 worldwide locations. Living costs such as rental accommodation, school fees and car purchases are not factored into the survey.

 

The data is then used by companies to help calculate cost of living allowances for their employees so that their spending power is protected while working overseas. 

 

ECA, which has been running the survey for the past 45 years, said that the strong baht was the main reason for the rise in the list for both Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

 

Source: ECA International

 

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[canuckamuck]

Bamboo huts have tripled in value since our purchase in 2011. 

[harada]

Ironically I was only discussing this situation in Chiang Mai last night, the guest house that we have stayed in when flying in and out of Thailand over the last twenty years has charger 600-650 baht for the last 10 years when the Aus dollar was at 25-30 baht,it's now 900 baht and the Aus dollar is at 21-23 Baht and sadly the owners are trying to sell because of the low occupancy rates, but I guess as long as the elite are benefiting from the strong baht nothing will change.

[Chazar]

good  time  to  increase  the  800-400k  requirements  then.............coming  soon  from  a dicktator  near u

[GeorgeCross]

2 hours ago, harada said:

Ironically I was only discussing this situation in Chiang Mai last night, the guest house that we have stayed in when flying in and out of Thailand over the last twenty years has charger 600-650 baht for the last 10 years when the Aus dollar was at 25-30 baht,it's now 900 baht and the Aus dollar is at 21-23 Baht and sadly the owners are trying to sell because of the low occupancy rates, but I guess as long as the elite are benefiting from the strong baht nothing will change.

 

no need to sell just up price to 1200 per night. won't need as many cleaners either. win win!

 

Thailand for the few not the many!!

 

 

 

[Yadon Toploy]

The Government's 20 year plan is enshrined in the current constitution.

 

One of the requirements for it to succeed is massive domestic and foreign investment over a number of years in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

 

These constitutional clauses will keep the Baht strong unless one of two things happens:

A complete economic collapse similar to '97 (highly unlikely given fiscal controls are better now and more refined).

A revolution that overthrows the military and other institutions, rips up the constitution and starts again (highly unlikely yet again).

 

Changing government will not be enough as the 20-year plan must be followed and the military will step in again if there's any attempt to thwart it.

 

Thailand is still developing and is still an attractive place due to its location, infrastructure and workforce.

[Thian]

This all caused by the importtax from Trump....now the chinese see their crisis coming and brought their cash to thailand...baht rose to this height, tourists and exports suffer, Thai rise the prices more....and now we are here. Bangkok a very expensive city with very low quality.

[silver sea]

3 hours ago, Chazar said:

good  time  to  increase  the  800-400k  requirements  then.............coming  soon  from  a dicktator  near u

 They don’t need to, do they? The financial markets are doing it for them with the strong baht.

 

when I first came to Thailand I got 50 baht to the pound so 800,000 was worth £16,000

 

Last Friday night, 800,000 would cost you around £20,000.

[legend49]

with tourist visits dead, expats quitting Thailand for other inexpensive SE Asian countries, they will have to figure out what to do with the high mark ups as no one is buying goods. Again money greed is there driver.

[zydeco]

4 hours ago, Thian said:

Bangkok a very expensive city with very low quality.

And that's the truth. You sure as heck don't get what you pay for. 

[Scot123]

5 hours ago, Thian said:

This all caused by the importtax from Trump....now the chinese see their crisis coming and brought their cash to thailand...baht rose to this height, tourists and exports suffer, Thai rise the prices more....and now we are here. Bangkok a very expensive city with very low quality.

You just can't help it can you? Nasty, twisted hater. You are either seriously under educated or blinded by hate for a man doing great things for his country. The Baht over value has nothing to do with America or China. Try doing some real research and open your eyes to exactly what is going on. 

[Thian]

2 hours ago, Scot123 said:

You just can't help it can you? Nasty, twisted hater. You are either seriously under educated or blinded by hate for a man doing great things for his country. The Baht over value has nothing to do with America or China. Try doing some real research and open your eyes to exactly what is going on. 

I even support Trump matey! But it is what it is, because of his tradewar the chinese can see their crisis coming and started parking their money overseas....Or how would you explain this rise of the baht???

 

It seems you know a lot about it, so please enlighten me/us...what caused the high rise of the thai baht?? Who bought them?

 

 

[BobbyL]

Well, apart from boozing I would say Bangkok is still very affordable providing you earn a reasonable salary.

 

We went out for dinner and to the cinema last night and it was about 1300THB. That would have cost around 2500THB in England. At the supermarket today we spent 1700THB for this week's food. Again, that would have been easily more in England. On an average Mon - Fri going to work and home I spend 500THB for the week. You would never be able to spend just over a tenner for a weekly commute unless you lived next to your work. 

 

The only reason a lot of people are moaning nowadays is because their pensions aren't going as far as they used to due to the currency rates. If you're here as an expat that is living and working with a good income it still provides an excellent lifestyle and is by no means expensive. 

[dcnx]

Prices are increasing but the quality of life is not. It’s actually getting worse with more traffic and more pollution. 

[shenanigans997]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

I even support Trump matey! But it is what it is, because of his tradewar the chinese can see their crisis coming and started parking their money overseas....Or how would you explain this rise of the baht???

 

It seems you know a lot about it, so please enlighten me/us...what caused the high rise of the thai baht?? Who bought them?

As Scot123 said, do some research before you make a statement unless of course it’s just for our entertainment purposes. There are countless financial articles on the reasons behind the baht’s rise and it will continue to do so regardless of trade. 

1 hour ago, Thian said:

 

 

 

[daveAustin]

29 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

Well, apart from boozing I would say Bangkok is still very affordable providing you earn a reasonable salary.

 

We went out for dinner and to the cinema last night and it was about 1300THB. That would have cost around 2500THB in England. At the supermarket today we spent 1700THB for this week's food. Again, that would have been easily more in England. On an average Mon - Fri going to work and home I spend 500THB for the week. You would never be able to spend just over a tenner for a weekly commute unless you lived next to your work. 

 

The only reason a lot of people are moaning nowadays is because their pensions aren't going as far as they used to due to the currency rates. If you're here as an expat that is living and working with a good income it still provides an excellent lifestyle and is by no means expensive. 

Noodles, Coke and pesticide-laden veg probably, but other than the nasty tat, you can't hold a candle to the quality and choice you get in a UK supermarket. It is still, relatively, one of the cheapest places in the world to shop for groceries; certainly in Europe. Cinemas might be cheaper there, but how does the minimum wage compare in Muang Thai? It can't be weighed up like that. Bottom line, it is at least double the cost of what it was to live there just 10 years ago.

[Chazar]

9 hours ago, silver sea said:

They don’t need to, do they? The financial markets are doing it for them with the strong baht.

the final solution without  the  killing................farang  has  difficulty  staying in Thailand now so increase the price and wave them bye  bye..............well that's if they really do want us  out?

[bkk6060]

What a dumb survey.

It only includes food, household goods, and clothes.

 

In CM you can rent a house 20 minutes outside the city for 10,000 b or less. Oh sorry, that does not count.

 

I have the same clothes I bought a few years ago.  Maybe some new underpants.

My toilet paper is more expensive?  Wow, break the bank.

Plenty of 40 to 50 b places to eat even in BKK.

 

Ridiculous waste survey.

 

[Thian]

1 hour ago, shenanigans997 said:

As Scot123 said, do some research before you make a statement unless of course it’s just for our entertainment purposes. There are countless financial articles on the reasons behind the baht’s rise and it will continue to do so regardless of trade. 

 

I did my research and what i wrote is my conclusion.

 

So shenanigang and Scott, gimme your explanation please on how the baht could rise so high...don't be shy, just type it.

[Thian]

43 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Plenty of 40 to 50 b places to eat even in BKK.

 

Expats don't eat from the street...that's for taxidrivers.

[BobbyL]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Noodles, Coke and pesticide-laden veg probably, but other than the nasty tat, you can't hold a candle to the quality and choice you get in a UK supermarket. It is still, relatively, one of the cheapest places in the world to shop for groceries; certainly in Europe. Cinemas might be cheaper there, but how does the minimum wage compare in Muang Thai? It can't be weighed up like that. Bottom line, it is at least double the cost of what it was to live there just 10 years ago.

No, a decent Japanese place downstairs in T21. 

 

The supermarkets are by no means as good, but places like Foodland and Villa are fine for your day to day cooking. 

 

I first came here 8 years ago, no way in hell is it double the cost now. Utter nonsense. 

[Isaan sailor]

Chan O Cha regime has aligned with ChiComs.  ChiComs park hot money into Bank of Thailand.  Economy falters. Vietnam with no such problems—thrives.

Any questions?

[chama]

13 hours ago, Yadon Toploy said:

The Government's 20 year plan is enshrined in the current constitution.

 

One of the requirements for it to succeed is massive domestic and foreign investment over a number of years in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

 

These constitutional clauses will keep the Baht strong unless one of two things happens:

A complete economic collapse similar to '97 (highly unlikely given fiscal controls are better now and more refined).

A revolution that overthrows the military and other institutions, rips up the constitution and starts again (highly unlikely yet again).

 

Changing government will not be enough as the 20-year plan must be followed and the military will step in again if there's any attempt to thwart it.

 

Thailand is still developing and is still an attractive place due to its location, infrastructure and workforce.

Ouch!

[Thian]

3 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Noodles, Coke and pesticide-laden veg probably, but other than the nasty tat, you can't hold a candle to the quality and choice you get in a UK supermarket. It is still, relatively, one of the cheapest places in the world to shop for groceries; certainly in Europe. Cinemas might be cheaper there, but how does the minimum wage compare in Muang Thai? It can't be weighed up like that. Bottom line, it is at least double the cost of what it was to live there just 10 years ago.

Exactlt, the European food is expensive for the quality meat/products...but if you want the same quality in thailand you'll pay a lot more...nothing is tested or checked here, no standards...the meat can be full of medicines/hormones and nobody will notice...the oil used is palmoil, no real milk butter or good oil...

 

The cinema might not have proper fire escape routs which are tested...many times i see a nailstudio or so in the runway for the fire escape route...it's things like that why the West costs more...i can't speak for the UK though, haven't been there for 30 years.

 

Thai standards are very low...just look in the malls, open food everywhere..if you sneeze it's all contaminated....oh and they all pick their noses....grab food/money with their gloves (even saw that today in Breadtalk)...don't show the productiondate in bakeries, only expiry date...the bread never starts molding....and so on..

 

I don't say it's all bad in Thailand but there are no standards or rules. Even not in very expensive places like Breadtalk.

 

Then we have the crappy roads, bad educated staff everywhere, bad manners everywhere and so on.....yesterday we had protestors on schiphol airport, within an hour there were hundreds of millitairy police, no thin unmannered old men but highly trained, very high equiped strong young men, very well mannered and of course heavy armed. It's also the things that you don't see which make the West expensive...but it's cheaper than Bangkok these days.

 

Or what about the rescue teams who steal money from victims..or even fight in public for a corps...or the hospitals, have you ever been in one? Terrible there, i won't mention the details but i sure hope i never have to be in them. 

Or the quality of buildings, roads, public transport, air, water, it's all poor...no standards at all.

 

It was funny, this summer we were in Italy and ordered 8 capuchino's at a midget golf park...they came cold...i couldn't resist and told it to the barkeeper....in 1 second he agreed and said he would make new ones or refund me...we had no time so we took the refund, no problem and he even offered his excuses. Have you ever gotten meant excuses in Thailand? I don't and sure not a refund.

[Ron jeremy]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

Expats don't eat from the street...that's for taxidrivers.

The sad thing is many expats eat this <deleted>, 40 baht meals are for hookers, etc.

<deleted> food period. Time will tell, but I surely hope my retirement doesn't amount to this!

[Thian]

8 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

2 hours ago, Thian said:

Expats don't eat from the street...that's for taxidrivers.

The sad thing is many expats eat this <deleted>, 40 baht meals are for hookers, etc.

<deleted> food period. Time will tell, but I surely hope my retirement doesn't amount to this!

Well that's up to them....i cook myself almost every day..and i buy the most expensive vegetables/meat/oil and so on for that..

 

40 baht a meal? I can't even buy my meat/chicken for that. Also the vegy cost more than 40 baht a person every day..i also eat more than 40 baht bread every day...(plain bread without anything)...

 

This weekend i bought deep fried banana's and deep fried chicken on a market...the oil tasted off...that's old cheap oil which they buy from restaurants...and from that chicken a man gets titties, my neighbours' son has them as well...he's on diet so his mum feeds him chicken, now he has boobies and is still fat hahaha..

[WinnieTheKhwai]

 

On 12/15/2019 at 9:15 PM, bkk6060 said:

What a dumb survey.

 

It only includes food, household goods, and clothes.

 

In CM you can rent a house 20 minutes outside the city for 10,000 b or less. Oh sorry, that does not count.

 

Plenty of 40 to 50 b places to eat even in BKK.

 

It's a survey by an organization that does research in the global expatriate job market.   It doesn't have much to do with life on the ground by either locals or expats who aren't employed by government or multinational corporations.

 

Most people don't look at the background of any survey.   It is what it is.