I think I’ll leave it to someone else to explain that particular abbreviation. Ain’t touchin’ it, no way!
And as a follow-up, Bangkok has been named the world’s second most affordable city in the world, behind Mumbai, India.
(Phuket is in southern Thailand.)
Dubai expat here… agreed on Bahrain and Doha too. I think Muscat and Kuwait City would be fine places to live but not sure how Bahrain made that list.
So, I tried to find the study that this information was based off of, the “Price Runners International Comparison Survey,” which brought me to this. It lists a city in angola as having the highest cost of living in the world :dubious:
And, according to the same survey, San Francisco is almost as cheap as Bangkok.
I’m not sure I’d rely on that survey, for which the best on-line description I can find is a list of the 26 products whose prices they surveyed. Hotels, restaurants, and taxis were not included; ten of the products were electronic toys. And of course Bangkok might be cheaper than implied in this list: They price McDonald’s BigMac, Absolut Vodka and Marlboro Lights. I’ll substitute Som Tam, Saeng Som and Thai-stick. 
The U.N. cost of living chart is considered more authoritative, I think, though there the cities are bunched together even closer.
This is actually completely true.
The combination of oil wealth and conflict drive up prices like no other. While you may be able to get a shack out of cardboard on the outskirts of town for cheap, anything approaching a place Westerners could live (walls for security, air conditioning, flush toilets. etc.) is going to be held at a premium. There is an extremely limited secure housing stock, and because of vast inequalities this is probably held by handful of people who can drive up the price at will when the streams of aid workers, oil company speculators, journalists and profiteers come to town. There was a time when run-down little places in Mogadishu were going for $10k a month.
The price for Western goods in African stores can be insane thanks to a mix of scarcity and tariffs. I’ve seen four packs of popsicles going for $20.00 USD, and bags of frozen french fries going for $15.00. Since the only foreigners living in many countries are diplomats and businesspeople, they can afford to pay pretty much anything for a taste of home.
See? So live in Bangkok, not Angola.
Never underestimate the power of the “Price Runners International Comparison Survey.” 
Hi,
Any suggestion where is the best place to live in Thailand? Where is the nice Apartment or Condo to stay for 6 months? My budget is less than $1,000. I like the place that is away from sex area.
Any help and suggestions is highly appreciated.
Thank you 
Via
Well, no matter where you live, chances are someone’s probably going to be having sex nearby at some point.
My advice is just to arrive and look around. It’s a huge place, and there is no one affordable area. Just depends on what you need. Want to be near mass transit? Or even want to be upcountry? You can’t really decide these things from afar. Your reason for coming here can influence your living location too.
The way you phrase this (“even … upcountry”) makes me think you’re a Bangkok lover. 
Mass-transit does sound nice though; my wife wastes over 2 hours taking me to bus station for a long tiring ride to “nearby” Bangkok.
I didn’t answer poster’s question because the goals are completely unstated. Bangkok could be either the best place or the worst place, depending on purpose.
If quietude, economy, sea-side, friendly small-town environment are attractive, Trat City (or nearby Chang Island) might be a good choice. Proximity to Cambodia (and Cambodia’s own booming beach resort(s)), allows the cross-border visits which eliminate the need for immigration paperwork.
ETA: I neglected to consider language barrier, which rules out many options. But there is an English-speaking community in Trat and, although I’ve not visited Chang Island for 25 years(!), apparently it has popular tourist resorts now.
I have two female friends who after their respective divorces, quit their jobs sold their homes and moved from Canada to Thailand. They love it there. From their Facebook updates and pics it looks fun and exotic. I can see why it’s an expat dream place to live.
Don’t worry. I did my time upcountry back in the 1980s and enjoyed it thoroughly, up in the North. But no, I doubt I would move out of Bangkok now. 
Yes, viaamor is short on details. I can’t really take him by the hand and say “Live here” etc. Perhaps if he could provide some specifics. Otherwise, there’s a good backpacker area centered on Khao San Road that he should stay in first while he looks around and gets a feel for the place.