Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

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Hotdigr
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by Hotdigr »

I don't know shit about America Richard, don't want to and couldn't give a shit tbh.America only for americans and all that shit you know? But for everyone else over here from Europe and Oz and Nz etc, your comment has absolutely no meaning whatsoever, other then your standard 'Murica - fuk yeah - shit. Simple fact is that except for California (so you say) this is far and away one of the cheapest places to live in the world. Why do you live in SEA yet keep defending 'murica? Truly, if it was so much better and you could afford to live the same lifestyle you have here over there, well... why tha fuk don't you move you and your family back there? Otherwise, seriously mate, you just come a cross as another bitter, cynical yank that would live in the us ( intentional small letters there) but can't afford to now.
Just sayn' ya know?
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phuketrichard
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by phuketrichard »

Because America is Boring ( and i did not say it was better, only not as expensive as everyone claims) and i prefer Thailand & SE Asia
cynical, not at all, America is america

PS; i can easily afford to live anywhere i would want too :-)
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
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phuketrichard
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by phuketrichard »

cant edit the above, little wheel spins an spins

here is what other countries advising when visiting America, some are quite good :-)

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/25 ... zM3#page=1
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
Samouth
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by Samouth »

prahkeitouj wrote:
Samouth wrote:
prahkeitouj wrote:I always see a young barang man beg for money under 7 Makara bridge. His is look drugged and his face is red. maybe he got hit.
I drove that way a few times this month, but i didn't see him. You should captured a picture of him and post them here so people might know him and give him a help.
I was thinking of it , but it was a busy crossing roads and I'm afraid of snatcher.
Haha ok. Don't do it then.
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If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by Samouth »

juansweetpotato wrote:
Samouth wrote: I don't think living in Cambodia is expensive comparing back home.
Hi, I know a lot won't agree with me, but apart from rent, and if a bicycle is your transport around the city, life back home is around about the same. Electricity and food can be a lot cheaper in the UK, if your eating imports or doing the shopping with a big nose in Cambodia. In the UK, lots of specials at the supermarkets and Indian shops are a boon for veg and canned tomatoes, chick peas etc.
I actually worked it out last time I was back. I worked on a minimum UK wage compared to $800 per month here. If your spending about $220 or so on accommodation, and tend to hang out outside a lot here ( drinking coca can be more expensive than drinking beer). Overall, I would be eating better in the UK (Mediterranean style cooking etc) but would be freezing my balls off most of the year and therefore wouldn't want to hang out outside anyway. Also, there is no smoking in the pubs and beer is probably 20 poond a pint by now. So, I'd have to make sure there was a decent job to go to when I got back. Climates not so good at the moment.
This is really completely different from what I heard from those British backpackers I met. All of them said that UK is really expensive and nothing comparable to Cambodia. Cambodia is cheap but not the cheapest in the region.
បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
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juansweetpotato
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by juansweetpotato »

Samouth wrote:
juansweetpotato wrote:
Samouth wrote: I don't think living in Cambodia is expensive comparing back home.
Hi, I know a lot won't agree with me, but apart from rent, and if a bicycle is your transport around the city, life back home is around about the same. Electricity and food can be a lot cheaper in the UK, if your eating imports or doing the shopping with a big nose in Cambodia. In the UK, lots of specials at the supermarkets and Indian shops are a boon for veg and canned tomatoes, chick peas etc.
I actually worked it out last time I was back. I worked on a minimum UK wage compared to $800 per month here. If your spending about $220 or so on accommodation, and tend to hang out outside a lot here ( drinking coca can be more expensive than drinking beer). Overall, I would be eating better in the UK (Mediterranean style cooking etc) but would be freezing my balls off most of the year and therefore wouldn't want to hang out outside anyway. Also, there is no smoking in the pubs and beer is probably 20 poond a pint by now. So, I'd have to make sure there was a decent job to go to when I got back. Climates not so good at the moment.
This is really completely different from what I heard from those British backpackers I met. All of them said that UK is really expensive and nothing comparable to Cambodia. Cambodia is cheap but not the cheapest in the region.
I suspect it is because they are young, and young people like to get fucked out of their heads every-night nowadays. Booze and drugs aren't cheap in the west. Nor is rent. A 3 bed roomed house will set you back about 8-900 pounds (x1.5 for dollars) per month. about the same as a lot of the wealthier expats are paying here though. Food is def cheaper there than for foreigners here on most items. Lets not mention hospitals and education.
Cold and alive? or warm and dead? Seems a contradiction.
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randompeeps
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by randompeeps »

Jamie_Lambo wrote:if you take wages out the equation and focus on cost of living,
Cambodia is far cheaper on all accounts
I completely disagree. I recently went home for a visit for the first time in over 10 years, and it convinced me to sell up and move back there permanently, which I'll be doing in the next couple of weeks. The only thing (at least in terms of what's relevant to my lifestyle) that is cheaper here is rent, and even then its not by much. I honestly think I'll have a better quality of life there for the same money, and I'll be putting it to the test as my boss is letting me keep my current job and do my work online for the first few months while I look for work over there. Another thing that influenced my decision is in the point of this thread; many people become destitute here because they don't leave until they run out of options, and by then its too late. I feel like going back while I still can is in my best interests. I've had some serious ups and serious downs during my time here, I feel like it's best to just quit while I'm ahead (or at least not too far behind).
This is really completely different from what I heard from those British backpackers I met. All of them said that UK is really expensive and nothing comparable to Cambodia. Cambodia is cheap but not the cheapest in the region.
They are talking about drugs, women, alcohol, and street food. If they actually live here for a while and decide to buy a car, go shopping in supermarkets, pay for electricity, health insurance, and all that stuff you have to do when you actually live somewhere long term, they would discover a different reality. Supermarkets are the most notable for me, I was shocked walking around a British supermarket for the first time after spending 12 years in Lucky supermarket. The prices there are literally half what they are here for most things, and it's often better quality too.
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phuketrichard
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by phuketrichard »

end of the day, those that become destitute
move to Cambodia thinking life is better, cheaper, easier, but if you cant make it back home, there is a 90% chance u cant make it in Cambodia either. They get caught up in drinking .50 beers and smoking cigs and lose all sense of reality

Many here have stated its only drugs, drink and women that is cheaper

Even street food is not cheaper compared to fast food
I can go into Taco bell an get a burrito, coke and chips for under $2.00
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
TheGrinchSR
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by TheGrinchSR »

A lot depends on how you run your cost of living calculations...

On a like-for-like basis, compared to nearly everywhere - Cambodia is more expensive (including on rent - I am yet to see a single property in Cambodia which is Western quality outside of a 5 star hotel... and even there, it's not quite equivalent).

On a local-for-local basis, on the other hand, Cambodia wins across the board. You could not rent so much as a cardboard box for $60 a month in England. Yet, many expats here live in ultra-cheap accommodation (and fair play to them, I couldn't - I'd rather live in a cardboard box in England).
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Kuroneko
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Re: Why do expats end up destitute in Cambodia ?

Post by Kuroneko »

Living in Phnom Penh costed me half as much per month as living in Australia. Of course with the collapsing Australia dollar it is now costing me more, but it is still much cheaper here. I could not get a serviced waterfront apartment with gym and pool in Brisbane for anywhere near $600 a month. There are some nice properties in Chroy Changvar between $500 and $1500 offering really nice living at an affordable price.

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I like Australia, especially the "top end" great climate but really expensive and over regulated. Phnom Penh is a much easier city for me to live and a hell of a lot more fun. It has a good collection of quality restaurants with good prices, that are far cheaper than Aus. A great plus here is the low price of good quality French wine, which is not that cheap in Aus, or easily available once you are away from say, Melbourne or Sydney.
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