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> Also, it's not that cheap to live in Thailand. That's an interesting perspective. My own perspective might be slightly skewed, since we moved from San Franci

> Also, it's not that cheap to live in Thailand. That's an interesting perspective. My own perspective might be slightly skewed, since we moved from San Francisco, where we were splitting $4,400 per month for a 2 bedroom apartment. I see what you mean about luxury items costing more, so it definitely depends on your lifestyle. We're renting a house for $200 per month, and we've found great meals for under a dollar at local restaurants. Going out to eat at western restaurants rarely costs more than $5 per person. About the visa details, I met someone in Chiang Mai who was here on a retirement visa. He said he had to leave the country every 90 days, but I think he mentioned that they had recently changed the rules.

geomark 11y ago
Well yes, that's a pretty hefty monthly rental. I just got back from Singapore which is even more absurdly priced. So you can definitely save a lot on housing in comparison to some places. On the other hand, if you want to buy then you find land prices are pretty high throughout the country, even in areas I wouldn't live if they paid me. I compare that to friends who bought ranch lands in the southwest U.S. - much cheaper and nicer. But a basic car is hardly a luxury item yet costs 2X to 3X the same car in the U.S. does due to high import tariffs. I eat at the local places for $2 (used to be $1) but when you want a pizza you pay $10 for a small one that is no bigger than one of those giant slices of Costco pizza in the U.S. Try a steak of local beef and break a tooth it's so tough, so if you want a decent steak you pay $30 at a restaurant for import. I suppose that is a bit of a luxury. The list goes on. Some things are cheaper, others more expensive. It's just not uniformly cheaper as many people think.