The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

zippy

Just curious as to where current expats would move to if Thailand was too pricey to keep the current lifestyle they are used to. Or would you stay in Thailand at a lower level of living? I have many years before I can retire, but at one point Thailand was looking like a cheaper place than my current home country, now, not so sure, when factoring in medical etc.

This was brought on by something i read saying the pound is now about 45baht, down from 60baht a few years ago. I was also talking to a few Aussies on my trip to Thailand 2 years ago, who were bitching about how much prices had increased from 2009, these guys have been coming to Thailand since about 2000, but where now thinking of new places to holiday. For what its worth, they usually did 3, 2-3 week trips to Phuket every year. Maybe it is just Phuket that has seen these giant price increases, I dont know.

So where would your other country be, that would allow you to keep the same cost of living/lifestyle you are used to now?

Camel Toe

Panama is liberal and welcoming. They ask only a $500usd income to get a permavisa. About the same climate as Thailand. Easy language, good food.

superman

I'll stick with Thailand. Better the devil you know..................

Marmite the Dog

Malaysia... Cambodia in a few years time.

A South/Central American country sounds interesting, but being a Limey they're a little off our radar.

Davis Knowlton

Take the Philippines off your list - doubt you'd like it.

Marmite the Dog

I forgot about you lot. Very much like Thailand really.

zippy

Is that due to price? I have heard both good and bad things, from Phillipinos i have worked with here in Canada. This isnt really so much a thread about where I would retire to, I still have 20-25 years to go, unless I win a lottery, but then who cares about prices. I have heard Ecuador has pretty nice weather, reasonable prices, just dont know much about what visa would be required, and as I said, it will all have changed by the time I am ready to pack it in

the dogcatcher

Greece is dirt cheap for housing, but shops are expensive.

Davis Knowlton

Immigration crap much easier. Food much worse. Women about the same, but the ones here speak English - which isn't necessarily a plus. Better beaches here. Level of stupidity and corruption about the same. Dollar has decreased in value 20% over the last decade. But, very, very few tourists or expats here - and hope it stays that way. Almost forgot, rampant Catholicism.

zippy

I know alot of Greeks here, who go back to visit the old country every year, according to them, since Greece went to the Euro, its quite a bit more pricey than it was. I was there 20 years ago, back when it was the drachma, and i found it very cheap. Have also heard alot of good stuff about Turkey, and have a brother in law who is from there.

terry57

Actually the opinions of tourists that come to Phuket or similar places for 2-3 weeks a year are worth fuk all. They know nothing about Thailand except the usual tourist shit. Phuket ain't Thailand but simply a muppet factory for mass tourism same as Patters.

Get upcountry and you will find that the cost of living is still very reasonable especially if you have a few brains to stay away from the tourist areas.

But to answer your question for me its Bali and Malaysia but the best of the lot is to rotate through all 3 countries. Keeps life fresh and interesting.

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DrAndy

any latin-American country would be good, but they are becoming more expensive esp Brasil and Argentina; Peru, Bolivia? Ecuador is good
becoming pricey

Rupert Wanger

Laos - though again becoming more expensive

Marmite the Dog

I'd pass on Laos. It's like Thailand but with virtually nothing for western people and they're more stupid than Thais.

Marmite the Dog

A friend and former TD poster moved there last year. He reckons it's really nice.

Rupert Wanger

Don't know - its changed alot especially in Vientiane - starting to build more condos and shopping malls - alot of Chinese investment here at the moment

Neo

Everywhere is more expensive.. in 25 years..? Forget about it.

Boon Mee

I'd retire to Brazil in a heartbeat if I couldn't live in Thailand. More expensive but much better climate. Music and food are both excellent - not to mention the party atmosphere.

Fluke

Costs all depend on the exchange rate .
If the Pound rises, everything will be cheap , if the Pound falls, everything will be expensive .

Latindancer

Now that you mention it, I have never seen a Filipino restaurant in Australia.
Thai ones everywhere though.

Davis Knowlton

^You see them in the US sometimes, usually in conjunction with a Filipino store, but they generally only have a customer base from the local Filipino community who have a desire for fried pig fat and the like.

Rural Surin

If Thailand were out of the picture, I'd remain in Asia.

Cambodia
Vietnam [though, I know it's becoming expensive]
Southern or central China


Economics and cost of living would surely be factor as to choice of locale.
But, if said place is your premier spot and preference - you can manage and figure it out to make it work regardless.

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" Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology, it covers both the natural and the spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things......natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity."

Marmite the Dog

My FiL wanted buffalo skin. I thought he was going to use it as a blanket or a rug, but no, they eat it apparently.

TizMe

This is my thinking as well, including Loas, Cambodia & perhaps Burma in the future. Maybe one day I'll find somewhere that I think I'll like to stay, or be forced to for health reasons.

ShrewedPunter

It'd take a hell of a lot for some of you expats to move from SE Asia.. The primary pull factor being easy, tight promiscuous pussy