Has Your Food Shopping Increased?

[buksida]

Groceries in the UK have always been cheaper than in Thailand where, apparently, "there is no inflation," yet food, utility bills, fuel, etc, keeps getting hiked. (And yes, I know some smartarse will probably tell me pork is 11 baht cheaper than it was in 2022.)

[Dannie Boy]

Groceries in the UK have always been cheaper than in Thailand where, apparently, "there is no inflation,"

That’s a bit of a sweeping statement. I’m not talking about inflation but groceries are definitely a case of, some are cheaper some are more expensive. If you’re looking for exactly the same item here as in the UK, sure it’s going to be more expensive, but in a mixed bag of local and imports I don’t think you’d pay more in Thailand for the total, at least that’s what I’ve found.

[buksida]

For sure, you want to eat chickens feet and somtam or anything that isn't considered a "luxury item", its going to be cheaper in Thailand.

[Dannie Boy]

I eat neither but am not complaining!!

[buksida]

Good for you.

[Dannie Boy]

Last week we ate out at a local restaurant and I had a Thai Green curry, my wife had a vermicelli salad - we had a takeaway Green Curry for my stepson, a small bottle of water and a large Leo for 310 Baht - in the UK you’d pay that for just the beer.

[buksida]

You can't compare restaurants to grocery shopping, its apples and oranges. This thread is about food shopping.

Our Makro shop is always over 5,000 baht and we get very little here for that. In Aldi or Lidl in the UK, you'd get two trolley's worth of food for a hundred plus quid.

[londongeorge]

I usually have Mcgarrett oats for breakfast and was surprised to find that the price had gone up from about B42 to B55 in Villa for 400g packet. The price has been about B40-B42 for years. Does anyone know why there is such a large price increase?

[HHTel]

In general the 'cost of living' is much cheaper in Thailand even for 'farang' food. Tell me anywhere in the UK where you can get a full English for the same price as here.
I have no complaints.

[STEVE G]

In general the 'cost of living' is much cheaper in Thailand even for 'farang' food. Tell me anywhere in the UK where you can get a full English for the same price as here.
I have no complaints.

That's the biggest difference to me, when I'm in Europe, I eat out in restaurants two or three times a month because it's so expensive, in Thailand I eat out two or three times a day!

[Dannie Boy]

I usually have Mcgarrett oats for breakfast and was surprised to find that the price had gone up from about B42 to B55 in Villa for 400g packet. The price has been about B40-B42 for years. Does anyone know why there is such a large price increase?

I don’t know why they have increased so much, but I used to buy 1kg bags in Makro and their prices increased significantly about a year go - I now buy Makro own make oats (ARO -which taste the same) but are significantly cheaper.

[Lost]

Has been mentioned a few times about the cost of eating out. Obviously it doesn't compare at all, Thailand wins that contest hands down. I barely ever eat out in the UK, it's simply too expensive.

Also been mentioned is the title of the thread. (Edit: I've been guilty too )

[Dannie Boy]

I do eat differently in Thailand than I do when in the UK so I can’t make exact comparisons, but I’m fairly certain that overall, my buying costs in the UK are more than they are in Thailand - probably not much in it, but almost definitely they are not cheaper than Thailand.

That’s based on my shopping habits - I’m aware that most if not all UK supermarkets have a “value” label where items are considerably cheaper than the main brands, but often with a quality/taste difference.


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[buksida]

this thread is about FOOD SHOPPING - not restaurants which we know are cheaper in Thailand because they don't have the high rents/overheads/taxes/regulations/hygiene standards/staff wages/etc.

We all have different experiences, but I know for a fact we get much more groceries for the same money in the UK than we do in Thailand, and the selection is way better. Additionally, there is a lot more supermarket competition in the UK, which leads to better price competition, product diversity, and special deals. In Thailand, one food cartel monopolizes and controls everything. Grocery/food shopping in Japan was even cheaper than in Thailand for many items, especially in those huge Don Qui stores.

If you live on Mama noodles and rice, your grocery bills will be cheaper in Thailand. If you want a bit of a balance of everything (and we don't eat a lot of western food) they certainly won't be in my experience.

[STEVE G]

this thread is about FOOD SHOPPING - not restaurants which we know are cheaper in Thailand because they don't have the high rents/overheads/taxes/regulations/hygiene standards/staff wages/etc.....

Yes but because restaurants are so cheap in Thailand, I hardly do any food shopping compared with Europe, so it is relevant.
Any eating I do at home comes from my partners visits to local markets and about the only things I buy in supermarkets are tea, coffee, biscuits, snacks and pet food.