Cost of living in Hua Hin

[richard]

HHF ----my sentiments entirely

Lomu ---spot on. I much prefer living in a Thai area rather than an enclave of Brits, Swedes, Germans or Norwegians

I came to Thailand to retire but wanted to integrate into their culture. Seems many do not share my view

[STEVE G]

Of course it also depends a lot on how much you're spending in the West; I get through considerably less than some of the figures stated above when I'm living in one of the most expensive countries in Europe so I'm hardly going to start spending more when I'm in Thailand.
When I was younger I could have spent more but now I'm just not interested in all this materialistic type of lifestyle and am happy to live a simple life. I enjoy things like cycling, swimming and walking which cost practically nothing, eating simple wholesome food and going to a normal bar for a few beers in the evening.

[Korkenzieher]

I certainly could spend more. I just don't need to.

[Siani]

[quote="richard"]HHF ----my sentiments entirely

Lomu ---spot on. I much prefer living in a Thai area rather than an enclave of Brits, Swedes, Germans or Norwegians

I would not want to live in an expat "village/community" either, with rows of "safe" houses and souless streets, gated and guarded. However, when you ar 60+ it is difficult to drop all the creature comforts. Also I am married and like a life that I have been used to before retirement. We enjoy life in Thailand, but could not live as the thai's do, it would not be possible 100% for us. Probably if you are 25- 50 you could live like the thai's, but probably most don't, even if they say they do

[Korkenzieher]

Siani:

Probably if you are 25- 50 you could live like the thai's, but probably most don't, even if they say they do

No one is saying 'living like Thais' as such, but there is a world of difference between the gated expat community style of life including the golf, restauranting and so on; and living in a local neighbourhood and buying food in a local market.

We aren't talking about a race to the bottom! (At least, I'm not)

One of the 'kicks' I get in life is doing my own shopping in local markets trying to do the whole deal in Thai. It entertains me, both to do the shopping side and the cooking side. Yes, I buy stuff at Tesco's too, but largely consumer staples. I see no advantage to - for example - buying a pizza from 1122 or similar for $20, when off a Thai market, that covers me for most of the month and the food will be better.

I honestly don't see the point in flying half way around the world to eat (bad) pizza! I would rather have a girl teach me how to make Kiaw-Waan paste from scratch than pay through the nose for wine, cheese, poor imitations of western dishes and suspect imported comfort foods. Not everybody wants to live my way - I can handle that - but it does make life cheaper in LOS, without necessarily trying very hard to do it!

[Johanna]

One of the 'kicks' I get in life is doing my own shopping in local markets trying to do the whole deal in Thai. It entertains me, both to do the shopping side and the cooking side.

May I ask where this local market is ? The only place I know to get fresh meat is tesco/lotus or Villa Market.
And I know a butcher shop on soi 41 who has some frozen stuff.

I know the day/morning market, near the night market, ( chatchai ? ) and have seen there people selling pork and chicken, but (IMO) not very inviting for me to buy.

[hhfarang]

I know the day/morning market, near the night market, ( chatchai ? ) and have seen there people selling pork and chicken, but (IMO) not very inviting for me to buy.

Exactly, I was an apprentice butcher for several months in my youth and before Tesco and Villa opened we tried to buy fresh meat at Chat Chai and I could not even recognize the cuts... there were "clods" of meat for sale and I couldn't even tell which part of the cow or pig they came from (or in some cases what animal they were from). I prefer to buy cuts of meat I have seen before and can recognize!

[Johan]

If you want to get sick and die early then buy your food at chaitchai market

[Korkenzieher]

Fresh meat I buy at Tesco. Fish varies, but also frequently from Tesco just on a hyhiene and refrigeration basis. I have bought fish, crab, shells etc at Takiab and other places. But fruit, veg, eggs, herbs, spices, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, flour, cooked fish etc etc etc I buy in a market. Generally I use either Bonkai or the one at soi 114. I get a lot of fruit at the stall alongside the railway close to the top of Soi 80. I occasionally also go to the small market just up from the Railway Tavern, because it is open when the others are not.

Edit: I have shopped at Chatchai and generally pretty much agree with Johan - it is a hygiene risk too far for me.

[Johanna]

Thanks for you quick reply Korkenzieher.
As I have been a qualified butcher by myself ( ages ago ! ) I do should recognice meat parts too. But I didn't in that chatchai market.
They smash with an axe on the meat, oh dear. Really terrible.
Haven't cooked much at home yet because I can't find my way in the kichen and shops yet.
Soi 114 is a bit out of my way. Live now near soi 70.

[STEVE G]

When I'm in Thailand 100% of the food we eat at home comes from local markets, either on the outskirts of Hua Hin or up in Issan but I only eat fish, seafood and vegetarian food.
My partner buys chicken for herself and friends but I generally don't eat it as I'm just not much of a meat-eater.

[Johanna]

Well Steven, then I don't think we will go tot a restaurant together.
I don't like fish, I am a real meat eater. Especilally huge steaks. yummie.

[Korkenzieher]

Well, we're a bit off topic but the main thing with meat in Thailand (and much of asia) is that it is consumed in small chunks, not prepared like a roast, say. So there really isn't the same concept of buying a given cut - with perhaps the noble exception of belly pork. Most of what is on display in the markets is very fresh - my main concern really would be the hygiene standards of the sellers. In the main though, unless you have a penchant for steak tartar, any cooking you do will be enough - rinse / wash the meat first just in case. I regularly buy a kilo of small fish filets at 114 market and tempura them. Rice-bran oil at 200°C or more is going to kick the cr*p out of any bacterium impertinent enough to have decided to live there.

[Johan]

When i want a real steak i go to sizzler or to the villa market or to another good restaurant (not any in the bintabaht area). Go at 4 am at chatchai market, then stay there for 5-6 hours and you will never buy again any meat in this place. They hang the meat on the ground to move it when it's too big. Most of the meat is not refrigerated. When the meat falls to the ground they do not care. They touch the meat with their hands. And i can continue like this all night.

[Homer]

Life is boring if you don't get what you want.

Other viewpoints include:

Happiness is not having what you want, it's wanting what you have.

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you might find
You get what you need