News Forum - Thailand ranks 9th in 10 Cheapest Places to Live list by Forbes

[Thaiger]

Thailand and Italy secured joint 9th place in Forbes magazine’s list “Quit Your Job and Move Abroad: 10 Cheapest Places to Live” list published on Monday. Forbes compiled a list of desirable locations to live aimed not only at retirees but anyone who wants to quit their job, pack up shop and start a new life for an affordable price… “This is the year to pursue the dream: Quit your job and move to one of the cheapest (and best) places to live in the world, a country where it costs so little you might be able to stop working.” […]

The story Thailand ranks 9th in 10 Cheapest Places to Live list by Forbes as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[KaptainRob]

Quote

“Rentals can be as cheap as US$180 per month if you need something small and quaint.”

6,000 baht = small, never quaint, and is bare-bones accommodation.  15,000 baht and up is more the bottom line for a small (quaint) 2 bedroom dwelling in say, Chiang Mai.

I could live in Portugal or Greece quite happily though I prefer Thailand.

[Wackamole]

Hopefully they are not ordered by cost of living but just a randomly arranged top 10 of places that the author(s) find very cheap. Well it would still be kind of hilarious.

Hey everyone do you want to live in paradise for dirt cheap?? Time to move to France!!

Edited January 5, 2023 by Wackamole

[Ev7]

Regarding the cost of housing, you get what you pay for.  The amount quoted will get a place in small town Thailand.  The question in Forbes should be, "Do you prefer lunatics with guns or dangerous animals full of poison and disease?"  No matter where you go, you will need to spend money to have a comfortable life.  Just like when people say you need to spend money to make money.  Moving to Thailand "because it's cheap cost of living" is the same as saying, "I'm going to be a millionaire if I just put my money into a common bank savings account."  It's a stupid belief.  Find a better reason to move to Thailand.  Luxury living IS cheaper than the west.  For example 400 usd might get a nice apartment in a building with a fitness center and pool.  Just not 180.  

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, Ev7 said:

  Find a better reason to move to Thailand.  Luxury living IS cheaper than the west.  For example 400 usd might get a nice apartment in a building with a fitness center and pool.  Just not 180.  

I wouldn't agree with that 100%

 

True "luxury" living really isn't that much cheaper and I would contend that it is more expensive, actually, if you are comparing like for like

I find that the fixtures even in a higher end apartment aren't anywhere close to as nice as western apartments

 

And I wouldn't say $400usd would get you a "luxury" apartment

 

Now what you can possibly get for $400usd would be way nicer than what you would get for $400 in a lot of Western countries..............but I wouldn't call those "luxury"

 

I would consider a lot of these rentals as "luxury" and the pricing is inline or even more expensive than a lot of major cities in the US/Canada

 

https://www.elitehomes.co.th/luxury-condo-for-rent-bangkok/

[Soidog]

Forbes is an American magazine yeah?  It may well be with 36 baht to the Dollar. Not so cheap if you are from Europe and especially the U.K.  I find Thailand cheapish but not cheap as it was 12-15 years ago. 

[Marc26]

4 hours ago, Soidog said:

Forbes is an American magazine yeah?  It may well be with 36 baht to the Dollar. Not so cheap if you are from Europe and especially the U.K.  I find Thailand cheapish but not cheap as it was 12-15 years ago. 

I think if you are on a budget and watching your money you can still have a much more active social life and better living conditions in Thailand 

 

I know a few of my expat friends that live in totally suitable houses/apartments for 15k baht/mo

 

I'm sort of conscious of prices here in Vancouver and try and hit happy hours for $5.00 beers

 

In Kamala on the beach I was drinking beers at Happy Hour for $2.00

 

You can go have a great Thai meal for $4.00 and hit up a local expat bar for some western food and a couple beers for less $20.00

 

And in all that you wouldn't be just getting by

 

You'd live an enjoyable life

 

Thailand can be as expensive as home

But can still be cheap as well

[Cabra]

21 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Thailand ranks 9th in 10 Cheapest Places to Live list by Forbes as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

I stopped reading when the article claimed you can buy a 2 bedroom condo in THA for $30,000 USD. Ridiculous.

[Soidog]

5 hours ago, Cabra said:

I stopped reading when the article claimed you can buy a 2 bedroom condo in THA for $30,000 USD. Ridiculous.

What would you say is the average price of a 2 bedroom condo outside of central Bangkok and large tourist areas? 2 Million baht ($50-60,000)?

[Marc26]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

What would you say is the average price of a 2 bedroom condo outside of central Bangkok and large tourist areas? 2 Million baht ($50-60,000)?

We bought a small(but decent room) 3 bdrm detached house for 2.7mil in Nonthaburi, sort of the new up and coming suburb

 

2bd condo's for 2mil(smallish) is about right

 

 

[Soidog]

17 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

We bought a small(but decent room) 3 bdrm detached house for 2.7mil in Nonthaburi, sort of the new up and coming suburb

2bd condo's for 2mil(smallish) is about right

Yes look nice. I went to look at a couple of Condos in Rayong with a friend before Covid and they were around 2-3 million. Small but decent places. 

[Cabra]

22 hours ago, Soidog said:

What would you say is the average price of a 2 bedroom condo outside of central Bangkok and large tourist areas? 2 Million baht ($50-60,000)?

Go to DDproperty or Faz and do a search for a current snapshot of the market. Obviously, the answer to your question is "it depends" (location, year built, etc., etc.). Not saying there isn't a 1 million, 2br condo out there, question is would you (as a Westerner) want to live in it. Outside of central Bangkok, I'd say 1-2 million per bedroom, for a previously owned (small) condo.

[Soidog]

3 hours ago, Cabra said:

Go to DDproperty or Faz and do a search for a current snapshot of the market. Obviously, the answer to your question is "it depends" (location, year built, etc., etc.). Not saying there isn't a 1 million, 2br condo out there, question is would you (as a Westerner) want to live in it. Outside of central Bangkok, I'd say 1-2 million per bedroom, for a previously owned (small) condo.

Thanks @Cabra  I wasn’t asking for the purposes of looking to buy myself. I was asking to get the views of forum members to see if they thought the pricing in the article was correct. I personally feel it underestimated the average house price. 
 

Thanks again

[Ev7]

On 1/5/2023 at 10:31 PM, Marc26 said:

I wouldn't agree with that 100%

True "luxury" living really isn't that much cheaper and I would contend that it is more expensive, actually, if you are comparing like for like

I find that the fixtures even in a higher end apartment aren't anywhere close to as nice as western apartments

And I wouldn't say $400usd would get you a "luxury" apartment

Now what you can possibly get for $400usd would be way nicer than what you would get for $400 in a lot of Western countries..............but I wouldn't call those "luxury"

I would consider a lot of these rentals as "luxury" and the pricing is inline or even more expensive than a lot of major cities in the US/Canada

https://www.elitehomes.co.th/luxury-condo-for-rent-bangkok/

Haven't yet lived in a nice place in Thailand (or anywhere) so when I see the apartments on YouTube with a rooftop infinity pool and fitness center to me that looks like luxury.  Back home in Midwest usa we don't have anything like that.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Ev7 said:

Haven't yet lived in a nice place in Thailand (or anywhere) so when I see the apartments on YouTube with a rooftop infinity pool and fitness center to me that looks like luxury.  Back home in Midwest usa we don't have anything like that.

Oh believe me, you can get a decent apartment with amenities for a good price, all over Thailand

 

It might be a bit small(they tend to be smaller, especially newer builds) but if that isn't an issue, affordable accomodation is one the best aspects of Thailand

 

If you ever need any advice if you plan on coming, ask me and I could provide recommendations

 

 

PS.......I love the Midwest!