I think you make a valid point here guys: It's not simply about how much the product costs to produce, but people also need to make profit - no one is going to run a business that simply pays for itself, how will they eat, put their kids through school, cover the unseen costs etc? People who are saying Thailand is expensive need to get a grip IMO, yes things are going up, but they are going up all over the world
Here in the US, at a semi-authentic Thai resturaunt, a plate of pad grapao can easily be $15-20USD. Granted a physical storefront/employees/gas/costs of doing business and some even are importing ingredients, the per plate ingredients cost would be about $4USD, and $5-7 per plate of overhead, so 15-17USD is NOT out of line either.... That said, I'd gladly pay 100THB for a plate and be thankful for a "home cooked" meal for under 3 bucks when just a cheeseburger (not the meal) from McDonalds is around $4USD by itself now! Not many people understand the cost of living anywhere has to be factored into products. It's one thing to make something to live on (create a job for yourself), it's another one to raise prices because some stockholder needs a dividend.
Unfortunately too many foreign tourists seem to believe that everything in Thailand is forever "cheap" or can be haggled down in price if they just moan about the price being "higher than before". It is so disrespectful and wrong. Happy to hear you two speaking up for the regular working food making folks simply trying to earn a decent living. I really like your videos. Thank you for making them.
@@Jamie-mt2vb Spot on, that's exactly it! Forgetting that every vendor is working to make a living, they're not doing it for tourists entertainment. Thank you for watching 😊🙏
One thing people are good at is to complain about how much things costs. But they will be happy to brag about how cheap things are . Me , I just enjoy my time and eat good food and visit nice places. Life is too short to complain
When you were talking about young people liking to attend the more expensive eateries. Back in the 90s I was lost in Bangkok saw a huge Macdonalds, cold cold milkshake was on my mind. Looking from the outside every single table was taken. I was hoping for a seat inside but was not confident. I entered and the whole place was empty apart from all the window seats. I chatted to a Thai friend about my visit and was told as a Thai person it's an expensive eaterie. So if you eat there you want people to see you eating there. Today's world you just take a video or photo while eating there. Enjoying your channel as ever
I am Really impressed with your recent uptick in video releases. I love the frequent uploads as your content is a lovely alternative to politics and society gossip. Additionally, I am guessing you are aware that channels that post daily for 3-9 months usually hit 50k+ subscribers, which would certainly allow your family to earn a very comfortable income. I am really excited to see your family pursue your dreams and goals. Good job!!!! I have been living in Thailand and Japan (6 months each) since 2004. The prices have barely changed since 2004. I mostly live in Chiang Mai and back in 2004 I would get phat phak ruam mit kap khao rat na khai dao for 50 baht with a coke. Now in 2024 at the exact same food stall near Chiang Mai University the exact same dish is 70 baht. I think 20 baht price increase over 20 years is not so bad. At various cafes I see this dish as high as 120 baht or maybe 180 in a popular place.
Not sure if you're aware but the Thai economy is in really bad shape and has been for sometime. Ask any Thai selling anything how the economy is and they'll be real quick saying how bad it is. Life is tough for the vast majority of Thais and they really struggle financially and quire often have to borrow money from loan sharks to survive. Often they forfit their land paper as collateral to borrow money and a lot of times loose it as they can't pay the money back. I've lived here for 38 years, speak Thai, love this country and it's friendly, lovely people. As for Thailand being more expensive, it certainly is. As you guys mentioned everywhere is these days. My rent, electricity and water is $100 US a month. One room, nice and quiet with a great view over the city. I can eat a western breakfast, have fruit for lunch, Thai food for dinner, a couple of coffees for 500 baht a day. Some days more if I feel like western meal. Thailand is still a very affordable, cheap place to live so stop complaining. I'm also single so that's a huge saving. Tom
@@user-ot1uc1nb3e Yup - I dont agree. My electricity bill has been $200+ a month for 15+ years. I eat small shops, cafes, street stalls and never spend more than 150 baht a meal. For example, a egg noodle soup is 40-50 baht. The price has not changed more than 10-20 baht in 30 years.
Don't follow the tourist trend, some not all of them will complain about everything and can't explain why in their country things are 1000% more expensive. Spoiled tourists are everywhere don't give them the attention they are seeking. Thank you for another great video and as always hugs to the family.
Well said guys 👏👏👏👏Went into a little place in Bangkok in January, Pad Kra Pow and khao man Gai cost 130 baht total….. gave them 200 baht as you appreciate they try to keep their prices low. You pay more for 2 bags of chips in UK. Everyone needs to make living and moaning over a meal that cost £2 is shocking. It’s the same for Taxi Bikes. Tourists moaning at cost of ride but the riders earn very little.
Thank you SO MUCH for making this video! You covered many important points, all spot on. When people say let's support local, I agree, but at the end of the day THEY are supporting US. We are in THEIR debt. Well done Mr. and Mrs. Robin Hood.
Nailed it !, food is very good value, fresh, artisan made. Much prefer street food / local cafe / restaurant rather than the Western chains serving crud. Keep the vlogs coming
I wish the Thais would come up with a local alternative to the delivery apps. From the sellers that I have talked to , they pay up to 30% to the delivery companies. That is absolute highway robbery and an awful lot of money that is sucked out of the local economy. It's the same with the taxis. Personally I don't support any of these apps but an awful lot of people do.
Hi Robin and Marion, great vlog as always. You've hit the nail on the head, there does seem to be an increase in the number of vlogs saying that Thailand is getting more expensive! That really annoys me as it does you. I have lived in Isaan for 13 years and have noticed only a slight increase of maybe only 5 baht in the prices of various dishes in all that time! At one time, my wife was thinking of opening a small business making local dishes, so we sat down to work out the running costs and costs of ingredients. What I found out shocked me! My wife only costed out the cost of ingredients and told me that Thais never include running costs like, time, fuel, premises etc. They then work out the cost of the ingredients and sauces, and decide on a price per dish based on that, possibly only making 5 or 10 baht per dish! Well I told her that it was entirely unviable to work all day for such small margins and in fact would technically be running at a loss when time, and fuel etc were added in! So we didn't go down that route again. The cost of living even in rural Isaan has increased and the minimum daily wage has not kept pace with that increase. 350 baht a day is ridiculous, and people who are desperate to fed a family will accept less than that. OK, so Vietnam and Cambodia might be slightly cheaper than Thailand, but their prices will increase too over time. 60 baht or £1.50 for a decent plate of tasty food or 50 baht for a coffee is still amazingly cheap by any standards, so all these whinging vloggers who complain about how expensive Thailand is getting must live in a different world from the Thailand I know! The only thing that I can think of is in places like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, things might be more expensive but it depends what you want out of life. Inflation has hit the whole world especially after Covid and an extra few baht on the price of a good meal is nothing when you compare it to how much profit the vendor is making! Thank you for promoting the plight of so many food vendors in Isaan and Thailand as a whole. God bless you and the family 😀❤🙏
Wow I’ve bought Pad Gra Prao in Rayong at the market for 40 baht in a plastic container. I try and give them a tip and they won’t take it. Here in Oregon USA you will pay $11-$14 plus tip
I live in Bangkok , I came from the UK over a year ago, Thailand is a wonderful place to live & fantastic value for money ❤ prices have risen but nowhere near the prices in the west . Keep up the good work 👏
A very educational video for many people Thailand is anything but expensive The prices of all meals are extremely cheap and people who complain have not been in the West for several years My wife has a restaurant and asks 50 B fora meal Patso Pauw, Noodles Fried Rice etc and I have done a costing on it and she is making 5 B profit after te cost of electricity ,labour etc is included I would not work for this. She does not even have rent or other costs as I built the restaurant for her on her property on the main road in the village She would earn a far bigger salary as a teacher which is her actual qualification These poor Thais undercut themselves
It's basic business. If the cost of raw materials increase then the price goes up. One thing I have seen in Bangkok is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find 'street food', I think a mixture of real estate development and the younger generation don't want to do that work.
I agree “expensive” is not the correct word to describe Thailand, but the cost of living has definitely gone up since 2020. Interest rates have jumped from 0.5% to 2.5%, and fuel costs have risen by 6 ฿ per litre. I moved here now over 13 years, so I’ve seen prices increase, but not as sharply as in the last 4-5 years. Life felt much wealthier before 2020! Love the accent from a fellow northerner (UK).
Every word you said is 100% correct. It's one of my most often ordered meals and I have had it from many different places coating as little as 40฿ which I was shocked they made any money from up to I think 150฿ at a resort. The portion size was the same but the cheaper ones are full of flavour and spice. The more fancy places seem to put hardly any chilli what so ever. I think a great deal of vendors don't work out the full cost and are making a loss or about 5 to 10bht I think the average price should be around 80 to 90฿. Cost of living has gone up around the world. Not every vendor owns or grows rice to use or sell. I used to think just about every family grows rice for themselves and sells on the surplus, which clearly isn't what happens. That said growing rice doesn't come cost free so it's still time and money to see returns and lots of effort especially for the small farmers that don't have the money for the machines to plant and harvest
I have watched some great street food vendors sharing "a day in their lives" and since then whenever I'm in Thailand and eating street food I always give them a generous tip. There's no way theses complainers would put in the hours that it takes to run a simple stall without demanding overtime and regular holidays.
Yeah, here in the States, a papaya salad with a side of rice is easily over 500 Baht. And it’s not even made correctly. They use shrimp paste instead of the salted field crab or actual prawns. And it’s never made as spicy as the vendors in Thailand.
Also one point that nobody seems to mention is the cost of money exchange. My first time in Thailand around 18 yrs ago i think i was getting around between 70 to 75฿ to the UK pound. So now you dont get as much when you change your home country to thai Bht.
Thailand is still very affordable. I first went there in 1987; Housing is still very cheap. I rented a very basic serviced apartment 3 blocks from the beach on the third floor with no aircon that cost me $130 / mo. You can still get the same equivalence for about $ 175 now 37 YEARS LATER !!! Back hen it was almost impossible to get any kind of good western style coffee, and you had to go to Bangkok just to find a drip coffee maker. In the 1990's the Thai government started a program to subsidize farmers to grow coffee instead of Opium up around the Golden Triangle. It was fabulously successful and why you can find great coffee drinks at a great price all over Thailand now. Steet vendor food is much safer to eat now for foreigners. I's about twice now what it was 37 years ago compared to the west where fast food has quintupled in 37 years. and its quality has gone down. Western style Baked products were a joke way back then. Now you can get delicious western style pastries and cakes etc., at half the cost of most of Europe, and the Thais have to import the wheat. Bangkok is the most touristed city in the entire world. the Thais must be doing something right. Thailand is a wonderful and very affordable place to visit with choices for all lifestyles and income levels.
I’m not entirely sure what to think but in general I’d like to think business people know exactly or there about what to charge to keep themselves afloat but perhaps it’s more the fact they don’t have enough customers this may be the primary cause of them going out of business
It's no one's business how you afford anything and which cafes you go or don't go to...some people need to mind their own business...thank you for the video...well done ; )
In reality, in life, you have the choice to pay or not pay the prices that go anywhere for in the world. Thailand is still less expensive cost of living than say United Kingdom or Untited States. Obvisouly as you stated Natt/Camila the average wage per day for a Thai person is way less than say U.K. etc. The small vendor is in a situation where they have to compete with other vendors and they are operating at a loss just to stay in business but they provide a service to local & tourists alike. You guys know the cost of things back in the uk which is frightening, but you get better value for your momey in Thailand on a whole. I have a friend moved to Thailand Phuket, she told me in certain areas things have gone up like rents, food, services etc and her reason was because the expolosion of Russian influx of people moving to Thailand from Russia and with there money they bring to the Thai ecconomy, landlords have dramotically increased prices for leases on housing, appartments..Its the same old story worldwide supply and demand if people are willing to pay and there will be no shortage of takers. That principal can be equated to anywhere in the world. For example lets say the average £ for a house in U.K. is around £270k, and thats if you can get a mortgage in the uk as lot of young people/familes cant get on the property ladder. Intersting subject Natt/Camila. Wish you guys all the luck for further ventures that come your way. You are a beautiful family and i like how you take things in your stride . You are well rounded and have your feet on the ground senible, caring loving parents to those beautiful girls Mallory/Kaya. My wife Kseniya likes to watch you with intrest to but she adores your cute girls, she says they are so cute. Take care guys and live your lives to the best of your ability but main thing is to be happy 😊. Always good content and we both appreciate your efforts. Have a good Eve. 🥰💛🤍👍🌟
The restaurant where I eat 5 days a week pad is paw I 55 baht stewed pork is 70 baht I’ve been eating there for 2 years and they look after me and give me lots of pork 😊
Wow, that is SO expensive! Good thing that I can survive on a packet of Mama noodles... 5555. :) I think that the confusion/deception comes from idiots talking percent increases vs. absolute increases. In terms of percentages, yes, prices have increased significantly from 10, or 20, years ago - but, in absolute terms, not really all that much, esp. compared to Western countries. For example, a 30 THB increase on a 30 THB dish/item is a 100% increase, but, in absolute terms, less than 1 USD - and thus less than a mere 10% increase in the price of a 10 USD dish/item, of equivalent quality/quantity, in the US. Great vlog - I had been wondering what the actual cost, per dish, was to the food vendors. Thanks for vlogging on this topic!
I think what some people mean by the time you pay for flights which have gone up 300 euro to 850, it is definitely not as good value as years ago, your not gonna eat local food on holiday the whole time
You don’t have to justify going out to eat it’s nobody’s business but yours, keep doing what your doing,how you afford has nothing to do with anyone else stuff em x
Yep. They need to charge more. 2 nights ago we went to a local place. Crispy pork with chilis, garlic and kale, rice and a fried egg. A LARGE portion just 70 baht. It would have probably cost us about 50 baht to make at home.
Sit down and think about that Mr.Paul. The pork would cost a 100 baht for starters. I've done the maths before. My local vendor does a Pad Thai for 60 Baht, with for yummy prawns and an egg on top. Vendors V Restaurant or tourist or locals area. Shop with the locals. You need them, they need you. Have a great day Mr Paul
I just watched the other channel ,an english lady Emily who has a thai boyfriend ,she took her thai boy friend to edinborough Scotland and Pad Krapao moo krob cost them 13.50 pound.OMG that 540 bahts.I really wanna faint LOL 😂😂😂
Inflation and the cost of living has risen over the last few years but so has the exchange rate, When I finally moved back to Thailand this last time (3rd and final), it was 39.88/£, now it's 46.54/£, that's a 16% rise in my spending power, so a 5-8% rise in the cost of living over the same time is not even a consideration. I could go on, but let's face it, people will always moan, it's inbuilt in them.
well said i still think the prices are good there, there must be some stingy bleeders around oh and keep up the great vids you two loved the turtle one lol you cracked me up nat
It still baffles me Natt why coffee is more expensive than food in Thailand Even back here in Sunny Manchester A costa coffee cost more than Greggs meal deal that includes a coffee 😂 every time we come home to Thailand we also think it’s cheaper to eat out rather than going to the Market and cooking at Home
Totally agree. It’s not just Thailand most of south east Asia. Brits and Australians seem to be the worst and the way they barter over food is insulting. Try getting any Thai food in Australia for under $20. Love your channel really hope it does well
Ha ha, love how your are giving the moaners it back. I once stayed at the Dusit in Pattaya and a beer was 300 baht and pad krapow 500 baht. There is a little beach bar down from the Dusit owned by an old Thai guy and his wife. Beer was 30 baht and pad krapow 50 baht. Guess where I ate and drank? Thai people have to make a living and a profit, that's how the world works. £15 for pad krapow in the UK, 70 baht in Thailand. Are these people who complain crazy!
Those vloggers are often "banana" vloggers are often living in the few redlight areas that are really dying nowdays..or pure touristplaces like phuket Thailand isn't a cheap place for "bars and girls "anymore 555 Food and l iving cost for a foreigner is still VERY cheap thou, i hardly spend even 300 baht a day on food and drink(smoothies icecoffee etc) living and working here in krung thep +15 years and take the mrt to work=)
@@NativeFarang and about higher prices.. My favorite lady that serves about 10 different dishes everyday (she almost adopted me and spoils me alot and makes a Pad Kra Pao Moo to die for) takes 80 baht for a BIG plate dinner with rice or nudels..i remember she took 60 baht before the big sickness.that's pretty normal inflation rise there.
We never cook home. Restaurants and grab. That is how cheap it is. Isn't worth the time and effort to cook yourself. People complaining about how expensive it become... ridiculous. And they pay 10 euro+ for a lunch back home..
what are the general thoughts on tipping in Thailand? I think I would be so tempted to tip if I thought it was cheap, especially if it was a street vendor or if the food was very good! Or do the Thai's view that as an insult? x
I think it depends, for some it's greatly appreciated and goes a long way, but most don't want to accept it. I would always offer a tip if it felt right to do so in the situation 😊🙏
I hate when people like to tell you how you're spending YOUR money and that you're overpaying as if EVERYONE needs to follow their guidelines. I wouldn't have a problem paying 100 baht for the same dish that someone is charging 40 baht for. My money, my choice. They need to stop watching other people's pockets!
If you live in Thailand you don't compare prices to back in the west ! When you live in Thailand you must think in baht and is the price a fair deal in Thailand. The prices in the west don't even come in to it. If you are a tourist OK compare prices to the west! If a dish cost 35 baht 2 years ago and now it's gone up to 50 , if you think in % the dish has gone up almost 40% which is a lot. It doesn't cost 5 baht for oil to fry 1 egg, I'm a chef by trade, sorry you are just wrong. Most places fry 6 to 10 eggs in one go. most don't fry each egg to order. There is also the thing at many stalls tourist often don't get the local price either if there is no menu.
Firstly prices have gone up all over the world, the price of a freddo chocolate bar in the UK in 2005 was 10p now in 2024 it's 49p so don't talk about percentage increase... That's almost a 400% increase. Sorry your pad grapow has gone up 40%. A chef by trade.. well you think these local vendors out here in Isaan cook huge batches of eggs using the same oil? And have the eggs sat there all day while they wait for customers? Also, I didn't make the numbers up. It's on Thai news, and the 'experts' are the ones who came up with those figures. You also didn't factor in other overhead costs like we mentioned in the video, gas, electric, water, labour packaging ect.. I also mentioned in the video that it's varied, some vendors might be able to get meat cheaper or grow their own vegetables ect... But this is purely a price per plate. How much it costs for 'ONE' plate of pad Grapow. If you live in Thailand on a western pension, you shouldn't moan about a plate of pad grapow that's 60 Baht. The ones to complain are the hard workers that are earning less than 400 Baht a day.
@@NativeFarang Even in isan it doesn't cost 5 baht for oil to fry one egg , even if they do it to order. They recycle the oil that's left over, use it again. If you live in Thailand you can't compare prices to the west where every thing is just way more expensive. If you live in Thailand you need to think in Baht and is it value for the place your in. Your example of prices going up is over 10 years where the prices have risen in Thailand in just2 to 5 years by higher % rate. I have lived in Thailand for over 40 years so I understand how pricing works here. Every restaurant should be thinking the whole price of a dish condiments, packaging when they sell a item. If they don't it's their problem. I'm not complaining about the price of ผัดกะเพรา just pointing out facts and wholes in your point of view.
Ok, so if you're a chef by trade. Can you give me what you think is the 'accurate' price to make one plate of pad Grapow? You still haven't factored in the rest of the costs like I mentioned. The inflation rate in the past 2-5 years has gone up massively due to the global crisis. It still applies everywhere around the world. By your logic, a pad grapow cost 10 Baht back in 2005? I don't think so. You're also missing the point, if you're here on western currency you can't complain that it's 'expensive' The average wage/pension is over £1000 which is 45000 Baht, so you're earning 3 times the average salary here. Answer me this, do you think that 40 Baht a plate of pad Grapow is a fair price for the vendors? Totalling in all the costs? How much profit would they make per dish? And how many would they have to sell to reach minimum salary of under 400 Baht?
If people complain at a main meal being under 100baht want to think how much uk/us etc would be Honestly people like to moan for moaning sake these days 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
@@NativeFarang Glad you saw the fun in my comment. Thailand can be expensive (for Thailand) if you choose to eat and drink in places like mega bangna or want to hang at the tourist hotspots, but even in the hotspots the locals have to live and if you get off your arse and look around it ain't expensive. Wishing you and your family happiness and health now and in the future 👍
@@kellgiggs6593 Oh of course, it's all down to the individual and their lifestyle. But on the whole Thailand is much more affordable than where these foreigners have come from. Thank you for the kind words 😊🙏
People love to complain. Inflation is up everywhere. But compared to USSA. Thailand is alot cheaper as long as the Baht/USD stays above 35/1. Mericans and Brits seem to have a colonizer attitude, where the world needs to cater to them. Like anything in the world, if you cannot make a profit, then you out of business.
I think you make a valid point here guys: It's not simply about how much the product costs to produce, but people also need to make profit - no one is going to run a business that simply pays for itself, how will they eat, put their kids through school, cover the unseen costs etc? People who are saying Thailand is expensive need to get a grip IMO, yes things are going up, but they are going up all over the world
Here in the US, at a semi-authentic Thai resturaunt, a plate of pad grapao can easily be $15-20USD. Granted a physical storefront/employees/gas/costs of doing business and some even are importing ingredients, the per plate ingredients cost would be about $4USD, and $5-7 per plate of overhead, so 15-17USD is NOT out of line either.... That said, I'd gladly pay 100THB for a plate and be thankful for a "home cooked" meal for under 3 bucks when just a cheeseburger (not the meal) from McDonalds is around $4USD by itself now! Not many people understand the cost of living anywhere has to be factored into products. It's one thing to make something to live on (create a job for yourself), it's another one to raise prices because some stockholder needs a dividend.
Unfortunately too many foreign tourists seem to believe that everything in Thailand is forever "cheap" or can be haggled down in price if they just moan about the price being "higher than before". It is so disrespectful and wrong. Happy to hear you two speaking up for the regular working food making folks simply trying to earn a decent living. I really like your videos. Thank you for making them.
@@Jamie-mt2vb Spot on, that's exactly it! Forgetting that every vendor is working to make a living, they're not doing it for tourists entertainment. Thank you for watching 😊🙏
Many times I figure that Thai vendors sometimes just break even rather than quit, they still have to eat and continue.
One thing people are good at is to complain about how much things costs. But they will be happy to brag about how cheap things are . Me , I just enjoy my time and eat good food and visit nice places. Life is too short to complain
You’re so right Bruce, to much talk about money.
Spot on Bruce! If only people were a bit more like you 😄
@@NativeFarang 😁
@@NativeFarang 💓😁
Hi, guys
Thank you for such an informed video. It was very much appreciated 😊😊😊😊
When you were talking about young people liking to attend the more expensive eateries. Back in the 90s I was lost in Bangkok saw a huge Macdonalds, cold cold milkshake was on my mind. Looking from the outside every single table was taken. I was hoping for a seat inside but was not confident. I entered and the whole place was empty apart from all the window seats. I chatted to a Thai friend about my visit and was told as a Thai person it's an expensive eaterie. So if you eat there you want people to see you eating there. Today's world you just take a video or photo while eating there. Enjoying your channel as ever
Explained beautifully Natt and Camila 😊
A great video for people to understand a bit more and for complainers to be more respectful 👏
I am Really impressed with your recent uptick in video releases. I love the frequent uploads as your content is a lovely alternative to politics and society gossip. Additionally, I am guessing you are aware that channels that post daily for 3-9 months usually hit 50k+ subscribers, which would certainly allow your family to earn a very comfortable income. I am really excited to see your family pursue your dreams and goals. Good job!!!!
I have been living in Thailand and Japan (6 months each) since 2004. The prices have barely changed since 2004. I mostly live in Chiang Mai and back in 2004 I would get phat phak ruam mit kap khao rat na khai dao for 50 baht with a coke. Now in 2024 at the exact same food stall near Chiang Mai University the exact same dish is 70 baht. I think 20 baht price increase over 20 years is not so bad. At various cafes I see this dish as high as 120 baht or maybe 180 in a popular place.
Not sure if you're aware but the Thai economy is in really bad shape and has been for sometime.
Ask any Thai selling anything how the economy is and they'll be real quick saying how bad it is.
Life is tough for the vast majority of Thais and they really struggle financially and quire often have to borrow money from loan sharks to survive.
Often they forfit their land paper as collateral to borrow money and a lot of times loose it as they can't pay the money back.
I've lived here for 38 years, speak Thai, love this country and it's friendly, lovely people.
As for Thailand being more expensive, it certainly is. As you guys mentioned everywhere is these days.
My rent, electricity and water is $100 US a month. One room, nice and quiet with a great view over the city.
I can eat a western breakfast, have fruit for lunch, Thai food for dinner, a couple of coffees for 500 baht a day.
Some days more if I feel like western meal.
Thailand is still a very affordable, cheap place to live so stop complaining.
I'm also single so that's a huge saving.
Tom
@@user-ot1uc1nb3e Yup - I dont agree. My electricity bill has been $200+ a month for 15+ years. I eat small shops, cafes, street stalls and never spend more than 150 baht a meal. For example, a egg noodle soup is 40-50 baht. The price has not changed more than 10-20 baht in 30 years.
Don't follow the tourist trend, some not all of them will complain about everything and can't explain why in their country things are 1000% more expensive. Spoiled tourists are everywhere don't give them the attention they are seeking. Thank you for another great video and as always hugs to the family.
In Australia, my local Thai restaurant cost me $17.99
here in bangkok in my pretty local only area it cost me 80 baht
Well said guys 👏👏👏👏Went into a little place in Bangkok in January, Pad Kra Pow and khao man Gai cost 130 baht total….. gave them 200 baht as you appreciate they try to keep their prices low. You pay more for 2 bags of chips in UK. Everyone needs to make living and moaning over a meal that cost £2 is shocking. It’s the same for Taxi Bikes. Tourists moaning at cost of ride but the riders earn very little.
Thais are always generous about food. No complaint! Love Thailand 🇹🇭!
Thank you SO MUCH for making this video! You covered many important points, all spot on. When people say let's support local, I agree, but at the end of the day THEY are supporting US. We are in THEIR debt. Well done Mr. and Mrs. Robin Hood.
Nailed it !, food is very good value, fresh, artisan made. Much prefer street food / local cafe / restaurant rather than the Western chains serving crud. Keep the vlogs coming
I wish the Thais would come up with a local alternative to the delivery apps. From the sellers that I have talked to , they pay up to 30% to the delivery companies. That is absolute highway robbery and an awful lot of money that is sucked out of the local economy. It's the same with the taxis. Personally I don't support any of these apps but an awful lot of people do.
Hi Robin and Marion, great vlog as always. You've hit the nail on the head, there does seem to be an increase in the number of vlogs saying that Thailand is getting more expensive! That really annoys me as it does you. I have lived in Isaan for 13 years and have noticed only a slight increase of maybe only 5 baht in the prices of various dishes in all that time! At one time, my wife was thinking of opening a small business making local dishes, so we sat down to work out the running costs and costs of ingredients. What I found out shocked me! My wife only costed out the cost of ingredients and told me that Thais never include running costs like, time, fuel, premises etc. They then work out the cost of the ingredients and sauces, and decide on a price per dish based on that, possibly only making 5 or 10 baht per dish! Well I told her that it was entirely unviable to work all day for such small margins and in fact would technically be running at a loss when time, and fuel etc were added in! So we didn't go down that route again. The cost of living even in rural Isaan has increased and the minimum daily wage has not kept pace with that increase. 350 baht a day is ridiculous, and people who are desperate to fed a family will accept less than that. OK, so Vietnam and Cambodia might be slightly cheaper than Thailand, but their prices will increase too over time. 60 baht or £1.50 for a decent plate of tasty food or 50 baht for a coffee is still amazingly cheap by any standards, so all these whinging vloggers who complain about how expensive Thailand is getting must live in a different world from the Thailand I know! The only thing that I can think of is in places like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, things might be more expensive but it depends what you want out of life. Inflation has hit the whole world especially after Covid and an extra few baht on the price of a good meal is nothing when you compare it to how much profit the vendor is making! Thank you for promoting the plight of so many food vendors in Isaan and Thailand as a whole. God bless you and the family 😀❤🙏
Wow I’ve bought Pad Gra Prao in Rayong at the market for 40 baht in a plastic container. I try and give them a tip and they won’t take it.
Here in Oregon USA you will pay $11-$14 plus tip
I live in Bangkok , I came from the UK over a year ago, Thailand is a wonderful place to live & fantastic value for money ❤ prices have risen but nowhere near the prices in the west . Keep up the good work 👏
Agreed 💯 %. I been here 18 months now. So cheap in many places & compared to the uk 🇬🇧 & other countries crazy prices
Inexpensive compared to most countries even though exchange rates are terrible and have been for last 8 years. Best time for me was in the 90s
A very educational video for many people
Thailand is anything but expensive
The prices of all meals are extremely cheap and people who complain have not been in the West for several years
My wife has a restaurant and asks 50 B fora meal Patso Pauw, Noodles Fried Rice etc and I have done a costing on it and she is making 5 B profit after te cost of electricity ,labour etc is included
I would not work for this. She does not even have rent or other costs as I built the restaurant for her on her property on the main road in the village
She would earn a far bigger salary as a teacher which is her actual qualification
These poor Thais undercut themselves
It's basic business. If the cost of raw materials increase then the price goes up.
One thing I have seen in Bangkok is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find 'street food', I think a mixture of real estate development and the younger generation don't want to do that work.
I agree “expensive” is not the correct word to describe Thailand, but the cost of living has definitely gone up since 2020. Interest rates have jumped from 0.5% to 2.5%, and fuel costs have risen by 6 ฿ per litre. I moved here now over 13 years, so I’ve seen prices increase, but not as sharply as in the last 4-5 years. Life felt much wealthier before 2020! Love the accent from a fellow northerner (UK).
Every word you said is 100% correct. It's one of my most often ordered meals and I have had it from many different places coating as little as 40฿ which I was shocked they made any money from up to I think 150฿ at a resort. The portion size was the same but the cheaper ones are full of flavour and spice. The more fancy places seem to put hardly any chilli what so ever. I think a great deal of vendors don't work out the full cost and are making a loss or about 5 to 10bht I think the average price should be around 80 to 90฿. Cost of living has gone up around the world. Not every vendor owns or grows rice to use or sell. I used to think just about every family grows rice for themselves and sells on the surplus, which clearly isn't what happens. That said growing rice doesn't come cost free so it's still time and money to see returns and lots of effort especially for the small farmers that don't have the money for the machines to plant and harvest
God help you guys if your vendors put 120ml (equivalent of 5 baht) worth of oil in your portion guys 😅
Thumbs up 👍 Nat & Camila
Prices rise in the U.S. now. Even a fast food eatery is luxurious now.
I can’t believe how cheap food at those places are I never complain at Thai food costs are
Nice video most Thai dishes cost between $12 and $17 usd in America. Thailand is still a they’ll compared to USA
I have watched some great street food vendors sharing "a day in their lives" and since then whenever I'm in Thailand and eating street food I always give them a generous tip. There's no way theses complainers would put in the hours that it takes to run a simple stall without demanding overtime and regular holidays.
Spot on!
Yeah, here in the States, a papaya salad with a side of rice is easily over 500 Baht. And it’s not even made correctly. They use shrimp paste instead of the salted field crab or actual prawns. And it’s never made as spicy as the vendors in Thailand.
Also one point that nobody seems to mention is the cost of money exchange. My first time in Thailand around 18 yrs ago i think i was getting around between 70 to 75฿ to the UK pound. So now you dont get as much when you change your home country to thai Bht.
Thailand is still very affordable.
I first went there in 1987;
Housing is still very cheap. I rented a very basic serviced apartment 3 blocks from the beach on the third floor with no aircon that cost me $130 / mo. You can still get the same equivalence for about $ 175 now 37 YEARS LATER !!!
Back hen it was almost impossible to get any kind of good western style coffee, and you had to go to Bangkok just to find a drip coffee maker.
In the 1990's the Thai government started a program to subsidize farmers to grow coffee instead of Opium up around the Golden Triangle. It was fabulously successful and why you can find great coffee drinks at a great price all over Thailand now.
Steet vendor food is much safer to eat now for foreigners. I's about twice now what it was 37 years ago compared to the west where fast food has quintupled in 37 years. and its quality has gone down.
Western style Baked products were a joke way back then. Now you can get delicious western style pastries and cakes etc., at half the cost of most of Europe, and the Thais have to import the wheat.
Bangkok is the most touristed city in the entire world. the Thais must be doing something right.
Thailand is a wonderful and very affordable place to visit with choices for all lifestyles and income levels.
Compared to the west it’s a big difference internet electricity water food people in the west give more than half off their paycheck on these things
I’m not entirely sure what to think but in general I’d like to think business people know exactly or there about what to charge to keep themselves afloat but perhaps it’s more the fact they don’t have enough customers this may be the primary cause of them going out of business
It's no one's business how you afford anything and which cafes you go or don't go to...some people need to mind their own business...thank you for the video...well done ; )
This is really interesting guys. I would happily pay 50 to 75 baht for a good Pad Krapow. Mind you the cost of champagne has shot up in Bangkok
You can not get a Pad Grapow, for less than a tenner,here in Manchester England,so i do not moan about the prices in Thailand.
In reality, in life, you have the choice to pay or not pay the prices that go anywhere for in the world. Thailand is still less expensive cost of living than say United Kingdom or Untited States. Obvisouly as you stated Natt/Camila the average wage per day for a Thai person is way less than say U.K. etc. The small vendor is in a situation where they have to compete with other vendors and they are operating at a loss just to stay in business but they provide a service to local & tourists alike. You guys know the cost of things back in the uk which is frightening, but you get better value for your momey in Thailand on a whole. I have a friend moved to Thailand Phuket, she told me in certain areas things have gone up like rents, food, services etc and her reason was because the expolosion of Russian influx of people moving to Thailand from Russia and with there money they bring to the Thai ecconomy, landlords have dramotically increased prices for leases on housing, appartments..Its the same old story worldwide supply and demand if people are willing to pay and there will be no shortage of takers. That principal can be equated to anywhere in the world. For example lets say the average £ for a house in U.K. is around £270k, and thats if you can get a mortgage in the uk as lot of young people/familes cant get on the property ladder. Intersting subject Natt/Camila. Wish you guys all the luck for further ventures that come your way. You are a beautiful family and i like how you take things in your stride . You are well rounded and have your feet on the ground senible, caring loving parents to those beautiful girls Mallory/Kaya. My wife Kseniya likes to watch you with intrest to but she adores your cute girls, she says they are so cute. Take care guys and live your lives to the best of your ability but main thing is to be happy 😊. Always good content and we both appreciate your efforts. Have a good Eve. 🥰💛🤍👍🌟
It is getting expensive Thailand Vietnam cheaper even the Philippines
The restaurant where I eat 5 days a week pad is paw I 55 baht stewed pork is 70 baht I’ve been eating there for 2 years and they look after me and give me lots of pork 😊
Amazing deal!
Wow, that is SO expensive! Good thing that I can survive on a packet of Mama noodles... 5555. :)
I think that the confusion/deception comes from idiots talking percent increases vs. absolute increases. In terms of percentages, yes, prices have increased significantly from 10, or 20, years ago - but, in absolute terms, not really all that much, esp. compared to Western countries. For example, a 30 THB increase on a 30 THB dish/item is a 100% increase, but, in absolute terms, less than 1 USD - and thus less than a mere 10% increase in the price of a 10 USD dish/item, of equivalent quality/quantity, in the US.
Great vlog - I had been wondering what the actual cost, per dish, was to the food vendors. Thanks for vlogging on this topic!
Some people should try to make it yourself it would cost a lot more
I think what some people mean by the time you pay for flights which have gone up 300 euro to 850, it is definitely not as good value as years ago, your not gonna eat local food on holiday the whole time
Locals sell food very low. That’s why lot close now too. But if they increase to much most Thai cannot effort so now it’s like they in a “catch-22”
You don’t have to justify going out to eat it’s nobody’s business but yours, keep doing what your doing,how you afford has nothing to do with anyone else stuff em x
Yep. They need to charge more. 2 nights ago we went to a local place. Crispy pork with chilis, garlic and kale, rice and a fried egg. A LARGE portion just 70 baht. It would have probably cost us about 50 baht to make at home.
Sit down and think about that Mr.Paul. The pork would cost a 100 baht for starters. I've done the maths before. My local vendor does a Pad Thai for 60 Baht, with for yummy prawns and an egg on top. Vendors V Restaurant or tourist or locals area. Shop with the locals. You need them, they need you. Have a great day Mr Paul
@@colingoodfellow6116what do you mean? We do shop local.
@@colingoodfellow6116UP THE PIES
I just watched the other channel ,an english lady Emily who has a thai boyfriend ,she took her thai boy friend to edinborough Scotland and Pad Krapao moo krob cost them 13.50 pound.OMG that 540 bahts.I really wanna faint LOL 😂😂😂
Ahh we know them well! Yes exactly that, some of these people need to visit the UK so that they can appreciate Thailand a bit more 😅
O. 51 pence for 6 eggs how cheap is that comparison to the uk
❤❤❤❤❤👍
Great PSA, Thailand is still much cheaper than back home.
Hi NativeFarang and family ❤❤❤❤
Well done
Inflation and the cost of living has risen over the last few years but so has the exchange rate, When I finally moved back to Thailand this last time (3rd and final), it was 39.88/£, now it's 46.54/£, that's a 16% rise in my spending power, so a 5-8% rise in the cost of living over the same time is not even a consideration. I could go on, but let's face it, people will always moan, it's inbuilt in them.
well said i still think the prices are good there, there must be some stingy bleeders around oh and keep up the great vids you two loved the turtle one lol you cracked me up nat
s/o to the Pad Grapow guy at Thammassat Uni selling packs for 20THB
It still baffles me Natt why coffee is more expensive than food in Thailand Even back here in Sunny Manchester A costa coffee cost more than Greggs meal deal that includes a coffee 😂 every time we come home to Thailand we also think it’s cheaper to eat out rather than going to the Market and cooking at Home
all i care about is the beer and smoke price! food still cheap smoke have double in the last 3 year beer shell i say is not coming down.
Thailand is expensive in certain areas but definitely not in issan
Spot on m8
Yep they struggle ,,that’s why I tip .
tipping custom is weJ
@@jackmercer4244 only to miserable people like you
Isaan still cheap as chips, like you say how do they manage to make a profit in some places ?
Totally agree. It’s not just Thailand most of south east Asia. Brits and Australians seem to be the worst and the way they barter over food is insulting. Try getting any Thai food in Australia for under $20. Love your channel really hope it does well
@@waynemiddleton4577 Absolutely! Bartering over food is just wrong on so many levels! Ahh thank you, appreciate it 😊🙏
Ha ha, love how your are giving the moaners it back. I once stayed at the Dusit in Pattaya and a beer was 300 baht and pad krapow 500 baht. There is a little beach bar down from the Dusit owned by an old Thai guy and his wife. Beer was 30 baht and pad krapow 50 baht. Guess where I ate and drank? Thai people have to make a living and a profit, that's how the world works. £15 for pad krapow in the UK, 70 baht in Thailand. Are these people who complain crazy!
Hahaha sometimes you've gotta put these people in their place 🤣
Those vloggers are often "banana" vloggers are often living in the few redlight areas that are really dying nowdays..or pure touristplaces like phuket
Thailand isn't a cheap place for "bars and girls "anymore 555
Food and l iving cost for a foreigner is still VERY cheap thou, i hardly spend even 300 baht a day on food and drink(smoothies icecoffee etc) living and working here in krung thep +15 years and take the mrt to work=)
Spot on!
@@NativeFarang and about higher prices..
My favorite lady that serves about 10 different dishes everyday (she almost adopted me and spoils me alot and makes a Pad Kra Pao Moo to die for) takes 80 baht for a BIG plate dinner with rice or nudels..i remember she took 60 baht before the big sickness.that's pretty normal inflation rise there.
We never cook home. Restaurants and grab. That is how cheap it is. Isn't worth the time and effort to cook yourself. People complaining about how expensive it become... ridiculous. And they pay 10 euro+ for a lunch back home..
Thai food is still cheap i think. Maybe farangs talking about foreign imported food. Like cheese, wine etc. Good i love thai food better . ❤
“” MODERN DAY ROBIN HOOD”””” LMFAO🤣🤣😜👏👏👏👌👍 EVERYTHING HAS INCREASED IN PRICE , SOME WAY OR ANOTHER 🥴 COLD HARD FACT 👍🙄
what are the general thoughts on tipping in Thailand? I think I would be so tempted to tip if I thought it was cheap, especially if it was a street vendor or if the food was very good! Or do the Thai's view that as an insult? x
I think it depends, for some it's greatly appreciated and goes a long way, but most don't want to accept it. I would always offer a tip if it felt right to do so in the situation 😊🙏
Locals need Farang. Farang need the locals. Go Pad Thai. Cheers
I hate when people like to tell you how you're spending YOUR money and that you're overpaying as if EVERYONE needs to follow their guidelines. I wouldn't have a problem paying 100 baht for the same dish that someone is charging 40 baht for. My money, my choice. They need to stop watching other people's pockets!
If you live in Thailand you don't compare prices to back in the west ! When you live in Thailand you must think in baht and is the price a fair deal in Thailand. The prices in the west don't even come in to it. If you are a tourist OK compare prices to the west! If a dish cost 35 baht 2 years ago and now it's gone up to 50 , if you think in % the dish has gone up almost 40% which is a lot. It doesn't cost 5 baht for oil to fry 1 egg, I'm a chef by trade, sorry you are just wrong. Most places fry 6 to 10 eggs in one go. most don't fry each egg to order. There is also the thing at many stalls tourist often don't get the local price either if there is no menu.
Firstly prices have gone up all over the world, the price of a freddo chocolate bar in the UK in 2005 was 10p now in 2024 it's 49p so don't talk about percentage increase... That's almost a 400% increase. Sorry your pad grapow has gone up 40%. A chef by trade.. well you think these local vendors out here in Isaan cook huge batches of eggs using the same oil? And have the eggs sat there all day while they wait for customers? Also, I didn't make the numbers up. It's on Thai news, and the 'experts' are the ones who came up with those figures. You also didn't factor in other overhead costs like we mentioned in the video, gas, electric, water, labour packaging ect..
I also mentioned in the video that it's varied, some vendors might be able to get meat cheaper or grow their own vegetables ect... But this is purely a price per plate. How much it costs for 'ONE' plate of pad Grapow.
If you live in Thailand on a western pension, you shouldn't moan about a plate of pad grapow that's 60 Baht. The ones to complain are the hard workers that are earning less than 400 Baht a day.
@@NativeFarang Even in isan it doesn't cost 5 baht for oil to fry one egg , even if they do it to order. They recycle the oil that's left over, use it again. If you live in Thailand you can't compare prices to the west where every thing is just way more expensive. If you live in Thailand you need to think in Baht and is it value for the place your in. Your example of prices going up is over 10 years where the prices have risen in Thailand in just2 to 5 years by higher % rate. I have lived in Thailand for over 40 years so I understand how pricing works here. Every restaurant should be thinking the whole price of a dish condiments, packaging when they sell a item. If they don't it's their problem. I'm not complaining about the price of ผัดกะเพรา just pointing out facts and wholes in your point of view.
Ok, so if you're a chef by trade. Can you give me what you think is the 'accurate' price to make one plate of pad Grapow?
You still haven't factored in the rest of the costs like I mentioned. The inflation rate in the past 2-5 years has gone up massively due to the global crisis. It still applies everywhere around the world. By your logic, a pad grapow cost 10 Baht back in 2005? I don't think so.
You're also missing the point, if you're here on western currency you can't complain that it's 'expensive' The average wage/pension is over £1000 which is 45000 Baht, so you're earning 3 times the average salary here.
Answer me this, do you think that 40 Baht a plate of pad Grapow is a fair price for the vendors? Totalling in all the costs? How much profit would they make per dish? And how many would they have to sell to reach minimum salary of under 400 Baht?
Try Phed Mark Pad Grapao lol. That guy is a weJ
Serport the locals. And tip at times 🎉 great food
Some people want things for free
Garrison Keillor
State Bird = MOSQUITO
wher in Thailand are you living isaan what is the village name . thanks for creating and sharing of your vlogs
We're currently doing a farmstay in Buriram at the moment. Will be moving to the outskirts of Surin City in August 😊
Bear in mind that vendors buy in bulk, so dishes will be cheaper than you described.
If people complain at a main meal being under 100baht want to think how much uk/us etc would be Honestly people like to moan for moaning sake these days 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Thailand is expensive...
Delusional
Hi!Nat.How much money farang tourist want to pay off for it?20,30B. R they seriously to pay for this price?😂😂😂
They still wouldn't be happy! They love to moan too much 🤣
@@NativeFarang 😂😂😂
Maybe Nat at 40baht you received pad kakat!!! 555
@@kellgiggs6593 🤣🤣🤣
@@NativeFarang Glad you saw the fun in my comment. Thailand can be expensive (for Thailand) if you choose to eat and drink in places like mega bangna or want to hang at the tourist hotspots, but even in the hotspots the locals have to live and if you get off your arse and look around it ain't expensive.
Wishing you and your family happiness and health now and in the future 👍
@@kellgiggs6593 Oh of course, it's all down to the individual and their lifestyle. But on the whole Thailand is much more affordable than where these foreigners have come from. Thank you for the kind words 😊🙏
Pattaya is the same price as Birmingham. FACT.
Might aswell stay in Birmingham then 👍
People love to complain. Inflation is up everywhere. But compared to USSA. Thailand is alot cheaper as long as the Baht/USD stays above 35/1. Mericans and Brits seem to have a colonizer attitude, where the world needs to cater to them. Like anything in the world, if you cannot make a profit, then you out of business.
Completely agree!