Food Costs

[nicko]

I am preparing our budget for retirement an need to compare a few estimates regarding food costs.

My wife is Thai and she eats Thai food almost exclusively. She was brought up poor in the country and doesn't have expensive tastes. I would think that buying supplies at the local Thai market and cooking at home, her food costs would come in under 100 baht a day, or around 3,000 B a month.

I, on the other hand prefer traditional food like meat and three veges, although I dont mind some Thai dishes and could quite happily live on a 50/50 Thai/ Western split. But I couldn't eat rice every night, -- got to have some good old spuds in my guts to feel satisfied. And I would want a tasty piece of beef steak to chew on at least once a week. I am not a big eater myself (70kg). Usually skip breakfast, Sandwich for lunch and a nice hot meal in the evening. Though I do enjoy a good feed of bacon and eggs for breaky occasionally.

We would be expecting to cook at home 85% of the time and eat out occasionally. But rather than make it complicated here lets just figure on the raw ingredients to cook at home. I envisage we would be doing most of our shopping at the local Thai markets and only going to the supermarkets for specialty western items for myself.

Haven't been back to Thailand for 3 years now (trying to save some money), so my costings could be out of whack?
I am hoping I can have a satisfying and well balanced diet on 200 Baht a day for myself? That would consist of, -- fresh local fish and chips with salad once a week; roast pork and baked veges once a week; fried or roasted chicken and veges or salad once a week; Thai meals a couple of times a week; AND a nice piece of beef steak once a week. Lunch would consist of a sandwich made from left over roast or perhaps a can of salmon or tuna, perhaps a Thai lunch now an again.

Here are my estimates, --

whole chicken (uncooked) 50B/kg
pork (Thai cuts) 60B/kg
pork (western cuts) 100B/kg
fresh local fish 50B/kg
local beef steak 300B/kg
imported beef steak 600B/kg
potatoes 60B/kg
eggs (1 Doz) 15B
tomatoes 30B/KG
green beans 20B/kg
cabbage ?
carrots ?
onions ?
peas ?
bread ?
butter ?
pumpkin ?

I am sure there will be lots of I will be missing when I finally retire over there, but I will be returning to Australia at least once a year, so hopefully I can pick up those things and ship them over.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[laphanphon]

yea, that should work, 200/100 you/wife. that's about right. especially in home dining, nice average, as some days more, some less, and allows for an occasional beer in there. chicken 65, pork 78, (loin 125), fish 50-70, sirloin steak 320, rib 310, tenderloin 295, go figure. potatoes 42, eggs 42 (#2), bread 10 for long sandwich roll, 25 for loaf of wheat at lotus, butter 36 for sm block allowrie, the rest are veggies and not sure, but 10-30 should be about right. dining out is about 30% (guestament) higher than couple years ago, both thai and western food. some more variety and venue choices from couple years ago, a nice mix and inexpensive. such as ribs at nong's ribs, price in market for 1/2 kilo, about 50 baht, why bother when she does it for 75 w/fries and tasty sauce. link below, same subject with some other items discussed.
http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/v ... ght=#59535

[Bob4you]

I think your estimates are a little low, also besides that you forgot beverates, wife probably like mine drinks water, I prefer a little hops/malt in my water.

[Bump]

Gentle hint, yuo can get serloin tip from Thai French beef at about 200 baht a kilo locally. In my humble opinnion as good as any imported beef. They are feed lot cattle not free range. At 2.2 pounds unless yuo are a huge eater, thats enough for two meals. As a matter of fact just had one for dinner.

We some times buy a large cut and make a pot roat. that goods for four meals LOL. Since I like Mexican food, usually have a second meal from the pot roast, then use the balance to make burritos. All of a sudden we have a microwave meal. Wife likes that it's hot cooking. Same thing applies when we make a meat loaf, but that requires an oven, so that might no be possible unles you know how microwave them I don't.

We budget 2000K a week, but that includes household items and personal care items. We have an oven so the is always pie. cakes cookies and the like around.

We don't really budget on food and a we like. Most Thai food is probably cheaper just to buy it then it is to make it in small qauntities.

Sounds like your figuring about 2100 a week, should be more then enough. But remember you will have a sit up time buying spices ect, during that tiem fram you will more then likely spend a bit more.

Personally I seem to eat about 40% Thai and 60% farrang, the wife enjoys both but it's primarily Thai foods.

[arjay]

Nicko, I think you need to consider whether you are eating at home, or eating out; or rather what balance between the two. There will be a significant difference, particularly if you are eating at restaurants which cater for farang food.

I would suggest that the figures you quote of 100 baht for her and 200 baht for you would work, if she is buying at the local/nearby food stall to eat at home and she is cooking at home for you, but not if you are eating out in restaurants.

[banpaeng]

This is just a thought but something that did hit in my case.

It appears you and your wife have lived outside of Thailand for quite a while. We lived in the US 30 years but visited evry year but basicallily gone for 30 years.

When I lived in Thailand wife would question why I would question the sanitary conditions of the open market. When we returned to stay in Thailand in 2005, guess who would not buy meat in the market. Wife would not buy it there. Fruits and vegetables are ok but no meat. This will add to your cost if this is a problem.

[Roy]

I like many others questioned the sanitary conditions at the market when I first arrived but once I became accustomed to the idea and knew it would not kill me, well it hasn't yet, I found I could use this to my advantage.
I informed the TW that the market conditions were some what lower than I was used to but I was happy to eat it if I didn't see where she buys it.
The old "what you don't know can't hurt you" ruse.
Hence I get to stay in bed while she goes on the morning shopping run.

[polehawk]

I'm not real crazy about buying meat at the open market, either. The sides of beef or pork hanging with flies attached reminds me of the fly strips they sell back in the states. On the other hand, no problem buying the fish. You can usually see them swimming on their sides in the troughs and watch while they knock them out and clean them.

Fresh fruits and vegetables at 5 or 10 baht a bunch? You betcha. We buy a lot of that stuff.

[Ricohoc]

I like many others questioned the sanitary conditions at the market when I first arrived but once I became accustomed to the idea and knew it would not kill me, well it hasn't yet, I found I could use this to my advantage.
I informed the TW that the market conditions were some what lower than I was used to but I was happy to eat it if I didn't see where she buys it.
The old "what you don't know can't hurt you" ruse.
Hence I get to stay in bed while she goes on the morning shopping run.

LA and I had this same conversation the other night.

[nicko]

Thankyou all for your advice.
It looks like 10,000 B a month should cover our food bill OK including dining out once a week.