Thread: Living in Bangkok 75% the cost of New York

Unless you want to live more like a Thai than a New Yorker

http://www.bangkokpost.com/250708_Business/25Jul2008_biz40.php

Poll: Bangkok still cheap place for expatriates to live

Bangkok has dropped 10 spots to 105th place in a 2008 worldwide cost of living survey, according to consultancy Mercer. Moscow is the world's most expensive city for expatriates for the third consecutive year.

Mercer's survey covers 143 cities across six continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

The survey, conducted in March this year, is based on a similar survey done in March 2007.

New York is the base city at 100 points, Moscow scores 142.4 and is close to three times costlier than the cheapest city, Asuncio{aac}n in Paraguay, which has an index of 52.5.

Contrary to the trend seen in 2007, the gap between the world's most and least expensive cities now seems to be widening.

Bangkok, at 105th position, saw little change in its cost of living index (against New York City), rising from 74.9 in 2007 to 75.1 this year.

''Though more expensive than neighbouring Kuala Lumpur and Manila, Bangkok still maintains its competitive edge over Asean cities like Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta as a less expensive place to live and work,'' according to Nichanant Dulsari, business leader of information product solutions at Mercer (Thailand).

Yvonne Traber, a principal and research manager at Mercer, said that current market conditions have led to the further weakening of the US dollar which, coupled with the strengthening of the euro and many other currencies, had caused significant changes in this year's rankings.

In some cases, cost-of-living increases may be correlated to countries with high rates of economic growth. Firms may assign high priority to expansion in these economies, but may have to deal with inflationary pressures due to competition for expatriate-level housing and other services, according to Ms Traber.A full list can be found at
www.mercer.com/costoflivin

Originally Posted by DrAndy

those figures may be correct, but only for expats living at company expense

Is that based on any evidence, or merely one of your usual guesses dressed up as a fact?

This is a survey of prices, not people. As far as I know the survey is based on the cost of 200 like for like products and services that would be typically bought by an average expat in all of the surveyed cities, including renting an international quality family apartment within easy reach of the CBD, running a vehicle, taking a couple of foreign holidays per year etc.

It has nothing to do with individual people and how they are paid and expensed.

Originally Posted by DrAndy

those figures may be correct, but only for expats living at company expense

those are the guys who get their apartments paid for, their meals paid for and also get a living allowance etc etc, so renting a big, posh pad is normal

for other expats, living their comfortable life, I would expect the cost of living to be much lower

Absolutely right there !

I was living in Taipei on an "all singing all dancing" expat package from a UK company and then changed employer to a local company and no expat package.

My STANDARD of living remained about the same but the COST of living was reduced dramatically !

^ Yes but were you living in that Porta Rican condo that was put up by Dr. Andy??

Originally Posted by Smeg

Originally Posted by DrAndy

those figures may be correct, but only for expats living at company expense

Is that based on any evidence, or merely one of your usual guesses dressed up as a fact?

Here are facts for you Smeggers.

You can't rent a studio apartment in New York or Chicago for $250 US. I know plenty of expats that have studios they rent for 7000 to 8000 baht in On Nut and more closer to the center of town.

A one bedroom in the Loop in Chicago is $3000 a month and that is like living in the Silom area. I know some guys that have nice condos there for 20,000 baht.

Originally Posted by Smeg

CBD

Middle class c**t.