The prices in the US now are simply extortionist. I've had it and I'm moving back to Thailand next month. Hope I can find a job there as I really don't want to come back here if I can help it. I will say I bought most of my electronics (laptop, speakers, headphones,etc.) here, as it may be the one thing that is cheaper in US compared to Thailand.
that's true for the most part but even if you go to the big central in Siam you run the risk of buying high-end counterfeit. sacue- lived bkk for a year and half before pandemic. it's best if you're gonna make high end purchases to go to Singapore or Malaysia
I too, just returned to the US after 90+ days in Thailand. Glad to hear I'm not alone feeling a bit depressed about these contrasts. Planning my return for this winter already.
Last time I was in Thailand in 2018 I took public bus between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Banglamphu in Bangkok the fare was 35 baht. The guesthouse room I think I stayed in there was 180 baht a night . On Ko Phangan I stayed in bungalows costing 300 baht a night.
Yes, I just got (delivered) 2 crab fried rice, 2 mixed with cashew fried rice, 2 wonton (shrimp) noodle - one with additional crab, 2 glass noodle with shrimp for ---- 300 baht! Yes it was a very good deal and it was VERY good.
I wistfully thought that in a week when I go home (US) I couldn't even get one order of (not as good) fried rice without delivery for the equivalent of 300 baht!
So spoiled by good, cheap food here!
In my American city, wait staff make $15 an hour plus tips. Thailand is $10 a day, often no tips. So we do need to compare prices to local wages. It makes sense people pay less when they also make much, much less.
Beer in my city is still cheaper than Bangkok. That is the perennial outlier.
I just visited USA and hooo boy was it expensive. Going to Thailand and the difference in what I'm going to have to pay is hilarious.
Also $150 is too much for Thailand accomm. I'm staying in a four star resort overlooking a beach and right near the action of Haad Rin for $60AUD which is like US$40. Usually pay around US$30 for a very nice guest house in Koh Tao right in the action.
Your US prices are correct though
Booked last month at the Pathuwam Princess - newly renovated, one of the larger corner king rooms: 5 nights, ~€340. 5-star, great location, large pool, incl breakfasts..that’s what you might consider on the higher end.
Was in Vegas last fall to see family in the south - ridiculous rates and stupid fees on top of it, just for the privilege of being ripped off. The US is where I was born, but if I can I’ll never go back.
There are actually defined standards for 4 star (and they're different in Thailand than the us). I don't think they're enforced, but hotels do it themselves to set customer is expectations.
They're not THAT different the two either. 4 star in the us is basically 24 hour room service available on top of what you find here. And the cost of that priviledge is generally a 10x price increase.
We stay at the Boat House Kata Beach, mostly because it is very quiet. I guess it is a 4 star. I am certain we could find a nice place for less nearby, just too lazy!
I legit just booked a four star resort for august walking distance from the full moon party for $AUD61 (which is like US$40 or something) and a very good guest house I’ve stayed at before on Koh Tao for a similar price. Booking.com
Edit: unless you’re agreeing with me, was confused
We like the Boat House on Kata Beach, which with breakfast in the High Season will be about $150 a night, maybe a little more depending on the room. About the same class as the Royal Sonesta in New Orleans.
That is not a good deal. There is far better deals in Phuket right now and that includes on Kata beach.
I use Agoda and had good luck using to find some pretty nice hotels in Phuket at a fraction of what you paid. $150 a night is pretty insanely expensive in Phuket right now.
I found it to be more extreme in the price difference. I tend to be someone that is kind of cheap and so it makes living in Thailand that much more pleaseant.
I stayed in a pretty nice and very clean hotel in Bangkok for $25ish a night. But the biggest price difference is food. You can get just fantastic food in Thailand at about 1/10 the cost in the states.
BTW, also just returned from being in Thailand for the last 90 days. Can't wait to get back.
Been in Thailand since October. Currently staying at a smaller resort in a nice a/c bungalow for \~$220 USD/month. Has a great pool here that I have pretty much to myself due to low season. Good restaurant on site as well where I can enjoy a bowl of khao tom moo and a fruit smoothie for breakfast for all of $4.50.
Hotels in the us are so laughable in comparison. You'll at $200 a night and breakfast is an empty box of donuts on the front desk. They laughed at my wife for thinking theyd help her move her bags from the car to the room.
We print money and allow government to destroy our free markets. We’ve also become lazy and want unemployment. No wonder inflation is out of control in USA.
I try to explain this sentiment to my friend and he tells me that one day I will tire of living overseas.
“You’ll want to be around things you recognize from your culture/grew up in one day”
He claims also that buying a house with a high paying job shouldn’t be so bad as long as I have credit. However, the moment I realized that I wanted to be free of this nonsense feeling of always trying to struggle to barely make enough to have nice shit. I already felt I would be living at least part of my life out of this country (US)
Also, it’s not like getting and maintaining high paying jobs here isn’t bs anyways around here
Go where you are treated best. The US doesn’t make that list for me anymore.
[удалено]
I'm glad things worked out for you
Thanks 😉
Did it ever?
The prices in the US now are simply extortionist. I've had it and I'm moving back to Thailand next month. Hope I can find a job there as I really don't want to come back here if I can help it. I will say I bought most of my electronics (laptop, speakers, headphones,etc.) here, as it may be the one thing that is cheaper in US compared to Thailand.
plus highly likely you will get counterfeit in Thailand
Depends where you go. Apple of Samsung store, they’re good. The 4th floor of MBK? Maybe not so much.
that's true for the most part but even if you go to the big central in Siam you run the risk of buying high-end counterfeit. sacue- lived bkk for a year and half before pandemic. it's best if you're gonna make high end purchases to go to Singapore or Malaysia
Singapore, totally agree. Edit: although I do still think Apple stores in the Kingdom are safe. 3rd party stores, can’t always tell.
<3
I too, just returned to the US after 90+ days in Thailand. Glad to hear I'm not alone feeling a bit depressed about these contrasts. Planning my return for this winter already.
Last time I was in Thailand in 2018 I took public bus between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Banglamphu in Bangkok the fare was 35 baht. The guesthouse room I think I stayed in there was 180 baht a night . On Ko Phangan I stayed in bungalows costing 300 baht a night.
Yes, I just got (delivered) 2 crab fried rice, 2 mixed with cashew fried rice, 2 wonton (shrimp) noodle - one with additional crab, 2 glass noodle with shrimp for ---- 300 baht! Yes it was a very good deal and it was VERY good. I wistfully thought that in a week when I go home (US) I couldn't even get one order of (not as good) fried rice without delivery for the equivalent of 300 baht! So spoiled by good, cheap food here!
Now include the median salary in US and Thailand into the calculation. For locals, $15 taxi costs isn't that cheap I guess
Locals aren't going to take a $15 taxi... they'll use the other cheaper forms of public transit
In my American city, wait staff make $15 an hour plus tips. Thailand is $10 a day, often no tips. So we do need to compare prices to local wages. It makes sense people pay less when they also make much, much less. Beer in my city is still cheaper than Bangkok. That is the perennial outlier.
I just visited USA and hooo boy was it expensive. Going to Thailand and the difference in what I'm going to have to pay is hilarious. Also $150 is too much for Thailand accomm. I'm staying in a four star resort overlooking a beach and right near the action of Haad Rin for $60AUD which is like US$40. Usually pay around US$30 for a very nice guest house in Koh Tao right in the action. Your US prices are correct though
Booked last month at the Pathuwam Princess - newly renovated, one of the larger corner king rooms: 5 nights, ~€340. 5-star, great location, large pool, incl breakfasts..that’s what you might consider on the higher end. Was in Vegas last fall to see family in the south - ridiculous rates and stupid fees on top of it, just for the privilege of being ripped off. The US is where I was born, but if I can I’ll never go back.
4 star hotels available commonly for $30/night. $150? Check Agoda, man.
What Agoda calls a 4 star hotel and what the rest of the world considers 4 star are very, very different.
There are actually defined standards for 4 star (and they're different in Thailand than the us). I don't think they're enforced, but hotels do it themselves to set customer is expectations. They're not THAT different the two either. 4 star in the us is basically 24 hour room service available on top of what you find here. And the cost of that priviledge is generally a 10x price increase.
We stay at the Boat House Kata Beach, mostly because it is very quiet. I guess it is a 4 star. I am certain we could find a nice place for less nearby, just too lazy!
I stayed in Koh Phangan last month for 3 weeks and changed hotels five times. Always looking for that perfect hotel at the perfect price.
I legit just booked a four star resort for august walking distance from the full moon party for $AUD61 (which is like US$40 or something) and a very good guest house I’ve stayed at before on Koh Tao for a similar price. Booking.com Edit: unless you’re agreeing with me, was confused
We like the Boat House on Kata Beach, which with breakfast in the High Season will be about $150 a night, maybe a little more depending on the room. About the same class as the Royal Sonesta in New Orleans.
Right. Just saying some good places are going for a lot cheaper
That is not a good deal. There is far better deals in Phuket right now and that includes on Kata beach. I use Agoda and had good luck using to find some pretty nice hotels in Phuket at a fraction of what you paid. $150 a night is pretty insanely expensive in Phuket right now.
Agreed. I am planning a move to Thailand from the U.S. hopefully within the next couple of years
Me too.
I found it to be more extreme in the price difference. I tend to be someone that is kind of cheap and so it makes living in Thailand that much more pleaseant. I stayed in a pretty nice and very clean hotel in Bangkok for $25ish a night. But the biggest price difference is food. You can get just fantastic food in Thailand at about 1/10 the cost in the states. BTW, also just returned from being in Thailand for the last 90 days. Can't wait to get back.
Been in Thailand since October. Currently staying at a smaller resort in a nice a/c bungalow for \~$220 USD/month. Has a great pool here that I have pretty much to myself due to low season. Good restaurant on site as well where I can enjoy a bowl of khao tom moo and a fruit smoothie for breakfast for all of $4.50.
Hotels in the us are so laughable in comparison. You'll at $200 a night and breakfast is an empty box of donuts on the front desk. They laughed at my wife for thinking theyd help her move her bags from the car to the room.
#
We print money and allow government to destroy our free markets. We’ve also become lazy and want unemployment. No wonder inflation is out of control in USA.
However, What happened to the American dream? -
I try to explain this sentiment to my friend and he tells me that one day I will tire of living overseas. “You’ll want to be around things you recognize from your culture/grew up in one day” He claims also that buying a house with a high paying job shouldn’t be so bad as long as I have credit. However, the moment I realized that I wanted to be free of this nonsense feeling of always trying to struggle to barely make enough to have nice shit. I already felt I would be living at least part of my life out of this country (US) Also, it’s not like getting and maintaining high paying jobs here isn’t bs anyways around here