Chiang Mai == Noobie Heaven?

[MSTeacher]

Beef tenderloin is about $6/kg from my Halal brothas uptown. Slaughtered the same day you buy it, the stuff is practically still mooing on the way home.

Prawns are $3/kg, tiger prawns are $5/kg. Kingfish is $8/kg, tuna is $5/kg. Less if you hit up the boats on the dock and buy a whole fish.

I bought two kg of chicken this evening from the local chop shop. Dude picked up a chicken and plopped her on the scale. 2.02 kg. Dude knows his birds.

The guy wrung her neck, chopped her up and away I went. Was still warm on the cutting board when I got home to cook it.

 

[bluechinagroup]

Beef tenderloin is about $6/kg from my Halal brothas uptown. Slaughtered the same day you buy it, the stuff is practically still mooing on the way home.

Prawns are $3/kg, tiger prawns are $5/kg. Kingfish is $8/kg, tuna is $5/kg. Less if you hit up the boats on the dock and buy a whole fish.

I bought two kg of chicken this evening from the local chop shop. Dude picked up a chicken and plopped her on the scale. 2.02 kg. Dude knows his birds.

The guy wrung her neck, chopped her up and away I went. Was still warm on the cutting board when I got home to cook it.

Are you saying Kiopa Matt is a rube and paying expat prices when there are cheaper food options available at a higher quality? Are these price quotes for Thailand?

 

[absolute]

Where in Southern Europe would you recommend?

Anywhere but Greece at the moment.

I'm In Tenerife and it's an amazing place to live once you get away from the crowds and hit up some of the Spanish cities in the North of the island.

that's exactly how i'd describe southern europe lol

Well that depends on your likes/hobbies/a million other things.

What I meant to say it that I could never settle down in Thailand because I'm not Asian and I do not enjoy living in expat-only communities. I don't see myself learning Thai or sending my children to a local Thai school.

So you're in Tenerife now, eh? I'm curious, what's it like living there? Been there on vacation before, but never lived there. Is it actually worthwhile living there? How are supplies? For example, what's the range of food in grocery stores like? Can I get quality cuts of beef, good wine, sour cream, cheese whiz, and shit like that? If you need a new TV or some furniture, is it readily available, or does it have to be shipped from Morocco or Spain?

Is there many expats there, or is it more the weekend tourist from the UK looking to see how drunk they can get? How are the locals? Are they friendly towards expats, despise them, somewhere in the middle, or?

Yep, for now. I move every 2-6 months trying to get a feeling for lots of different places/cultures before I have to settle down somewhere for 10-20 years.

1. Worthwhile? Define "worthwhile"?

2. Grocery stores/supermarkets - more or less the same range as any large UK chain - Tescos, etc. Some UK-specific foods aren't readily available here but I prefer to eat fresh local produce so that's not a problem really.

Some great fruit vendors here - loads of seasonal fruit/veg (papayas, mangoes, dragon fruit, and many others).

3. ..."cuts of beef" - yep though it's quite expensive here - chicken and pork are more popular than beef. "good wine" - oh yea. "sour cream, cheese whiz" - not sure, don't eat those anymore though I can check if you want.

4. Yea man TV's, cameras, laptops, you name it - there are massive malls here that sell all kinds of shit cheaper than mainland Europe because VAT here is only 7% or something like that.

5. "Is there many expats there, or is it more the weekend tourist from the UK looking to see how drunk they can get?"

I'm in Santa Cruz - it's a very Spanish city... not many touristy types here tbh.

6. "How are the locals? Are they friendly towards expats, despise them, somewhere in the middle, or?"

Really friendly, helpful, and generally happy people lol! Much better than Maltese - no one has every tried to rip us off, etc.

It's also very safe here - I can walk anywhere at night without any worries here. Not all Spanish cities are like that though.

A lot of people do sports here. Like there are hundreds of joggers out after 6pm on weekdays! Plus there's an amazing beach 5 mins down the road packed with half-naked Spanish chicks lol.

 

[Kiopa_Matt]

Are you saying Kiopa Matt is a rube and paying expat prices when there are cheaper food options available at a higher quality? Are these price quotes for Thailand?

Well, I know where to get $5/kg beef here. Come on over, and chomp on that for a year, and we'll see how you feel afterwards.

heh.

 

[jryan54]

LOL at all the Thai experts that visit 2 weeks a year and never left Sukhumvit.

Matt...you have the patience of a saint.

 

[absolute]

Also, as far as Spain is concerned - if you're going to move here choose a place where people actually live, not just come for a quick vacation. A place where cafes open early, people have "office jobs", and all that... for example:

I can't stand any of the towns/cities in the South of Tenerife, but I love Santa Cruz because there are all kinds of people here - sportsmen, office workers, govt. workers, students, etc. There are maybe a hundred cafes open throughout the city and most of them are packed. People are chill and friendly. It's much safer here than the South.

I visited Las Palmas in Gran Canaria for a day and enjoyed it too. It's bigger than Santa Cruz but also very Spanish. Got a great beach/promenade that goes on and on forever.

 

[kumansk]

It's also very safe here - I can walk anywhere at night without any worries here. Not all Spanish cities are like that though.

A lot of people do sports here. Like there are hundreds of joggers out after 6pm on weekdays! Plus there's an amazing beach 5 mins down the road packed with half-naked Spanish chicks lol.

Well fuck you and have a nice day. lol

*jelly vibez*

 

[absolute]

Well fuck you and have a nice day. lol

*jelly vibez*

Hahaha!

Scene on the Beach: Playa de Las Teresitas | Tenerife Magazine - featuring news, events, restaurants, hotels and life in Tenerife

 

[MSTeacher]

Are you saying Kiopa Matt is a rube and paying expat prices when there are cheaper food options available at a higher quality? Are these price quotes for Thailand?

Was referring to Goa India. It's a very Christian part of the country and that combined with so much Western tourism throws the whole sacred cow in India thing out the window.

Well, I know where to get $5/kg beef here. Come on over, and chomp on that for a year, and we'll see how you feel afterwards.

Yeah the stuff I get is the quality of beef you're inquiring about. It's fresh, awesome, melt-in-your-mouth cuts.

 

[jonbird]

This is a pretty cool site for comparing cost of living: Cost of Living

I hadn't realised how cheap the Canary Islands were! Seriously contemplating fucking off winter altogether next year.

 

[absolute]

This is a pretty cool site for comparing cost of living: Cost of Living

I hadn't realised how cheap the Canary Islands were! Seriously contemplating fucking off winter altogether next year.

Yep I can confirm that cost of living here is about /2 London which is awesome. Also (arguably) quality of life here is far better (at least in my situation - work for myself, do sports, hate commuting, blah blah).

Cost of Living Comparison Between London, United Kingdom And Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain

But again I would not recommend staying in the south - los Cristianos, las Americas and thereabouts. There are some decent villages on the southern coast but they're a bit too small/touristy...

Also for a slightly warmer climate and a nice non-touristy city check out Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It's not as green as Tenerife but still pretty cool.

 

[southbound]

Yep I can confirm that cost of living here is about /2 London which is awesome. Also (arguably) quality of life here is far better (at least in my situation - work for myself, do sports, hate commuting, blah blah).

Cost of Living Comparison Between London, United Kingdom And Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain

But again I would not recommend staying in the south - los Cristianos, las Americas and thereabouts. There are some decent villages on the southern coast but they're a bit too small/touristy...

Also for a slightly warmer climate and a nice non-touristy city check out Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It's not as green as Tenerife but still pretty cool.

Perfect timing since we're looking at moving for a change of pace in a couple months. I hadn't really looked into the Canary Islands much either, but they look pretty nice. One of my main concerns is safety for the wife, especially if she wants to take the dog out for a walk - especially at night. Any thoughts there?

Thanks!

 

[jonbird]

Yep I can confirm that cost of living here is about /2 London which is awesome. Also (arguably) quality of life here is far better (at least in my situation - work for myself, do sports, hate commuting, blah blah).

Cost of Living Comparison Between London, United Kingdom And Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain

But again I would not recommend staying in the south - los Cristianos, las Americas and thereabouts. There are some decent villages on the southern coast but they're a bit too small/touristy...

Also for a slightly warmer climate and a nice non-touristy city check out Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It's not as green as Tenerife but still pretty cool.

Yeah I went to Gran Canaria over Christmas last year actually. Stayed in the South but ended up driving all over the island because I couldn't just bum by the pool and drink all day as I was recovering from a broken back at the time, lol. Surprisingly varied and beautiful. I imagine Tenerife is similar, but will have to check it out.

Tbh it's the quality of life aspect that intrigues me as much as the financials. The food and climate is right up my street. Plus, cheap flights back home and operating on GMT are clear advantages. Looking around seems flats of my standard (read: poverty) go for around €400 per month.. Time to start brushing up on my Spanish

 

[absolute]

Perfect timing since we're looking at moving for a change of pace in a couple months. I hadn't really looked into the Canary Islands much either, but they look pretty nice. One of my main concerns is safety for the wife, especially if she wants to take the dog out for a walk - especially at night. Any thoughts there?

Thanks!

It's very safe here, though probably not as safe as somewhere like Malta (the place seems to be going downhill fast ;/ Gozo is still super chill but a little boring) or Menorca.

From what I have seen/heard physical assault is extremely rare here (North Tenerife). We do a lot of hiking and often meet single female hikers on really isolated mountain/village trails.

Locals say that Santa Cruz is "a place where nothing bad ever happens" or something like that. Obviously that can't be 100% true heh.

People do get break-ins and stuff stolen from time to time. Not much violent crime though.

We'll be travelling to Menorca next (very soon) for a few months to check out Mahon/Es Castell and compare it to Santa Cruz/Tenerife. We do like Tenerife though.

If you do come to Tenerife time it so you're here during the carnival! Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yeah I went to Gran Canaria over Christmas last year actually. Stayed in the South but ended up driving all over the island because I couldn't just bum by the pool and drink all day as I was recovering from a broken back at the time, lol. Surprisingly varied and beautiful. I imagine Tenerife is similar, but will have to check it out.

Tenerife is more mountainous/varied than Gran Canaria. Both very beautiful islands. Gran Canaria is more Spanish/untouched but North Tenerife is also very nice.

Tbh it's the quality of life aspect that intrigues me as much as the financials. The food and climate is right up my street. Plus, cheap flights back home and operating on GMT are clear advantages. Looking around seems flats of my standard (read: poverty) go for around €400 per month.. Time to start brushing up on my Spanish

Yea I forgot food - food is great here! And eating out can be very cheap too. Three course freshly grilled fish, water/wine and dessert lunch menus are anywhere from €7 to €12 in countless family-fun restaurants found everywhere around here...

I pay €1 for really good fresh coffee and another €1 for a amazing light breakfast/snack (freshly blended tomatoes, olive oil, toast, etc) every morning. I mean really???

Accommodation prices vary a lot. In the end it comes down to making some local friends (airbnb is a great place to start - rent short term from local landlords and don't be afraid to email them for a deal if you're booking 3 weeks+).

We pay €600 for a nice seafront apartment all in. No other costs except for broadband. I think that it's possible to get something similar for around €500/month if you were to stay 6-12 months or longer.

..going to stop now, got a little carried away heh.

 

[qualo]

I am quite liking the look of the climate in Tenerife:

Does it ever get too cold in winter? (like need heater and jackets)


Looks much better than Malta which used to be mentioned here a bit:

 

[absolute]

I am quite liking the look of the climate in Tenerife:

Does it ever get too cold in winter? (like need heater and jackets)

It depends on your exact location as there are lots of very different micro climates here.

Heating - maybe a few weeks a year but a simple electric oil radiator/heater should be enough.

Jackets - a lot of locals wear jackets here for no other reason than it being "autumn"... personally I'm in a jumper + shorts NOV-MARCH. Jeans + light jacket on windy/rainy days. Tourists seem to be enjoying the weather in shorts and tshirts...

Looks much better than Malta which used to be mentioned here a bit:

Yea Malta gets crazy damp/humid and windy NOV-MARCH. Definitely need a good dehumidifier, double-glazing (soooo rare in Malta it's unbelievable) and multiple heaters (really expensive unless you use shitty open fire gas heaters).

Also summers in Malta are crazy hot + humid ("sticky heat"). Not a big fan tbh.

Another problem with Malta is that practically everything's built using locally mined limestone which makes apartments/houses feel very damp and cold in winter. It "absorbs" heat so fucking fast that you wouldn't believe it...

 

[harrymouni]

who's 'we' absolute? your GF?

biggest issue i have moving away is missing all my friends and crew lol. it's NEVER mentioned in threads like this. it's like nobody has a base of lifelong friends and family they got on with.

is there a big English speaking expat community in Tenerife? i've no intentions of learning a new language. the only draw for me is hot weather through the shitty Irish winter. i'll be straight back to Ireland come Spring, I've no interest in ever living somewhere else permanently

 

[bluechinagroup]

biggest issue i have moving away is missing all my friends and crew lol. it's NEVER mentioned in threads like this. it's like nobody has a base of lifelong friends and family they got on with.

I keep in touch with my lifelong friends and they visit me in HK regularly. My family always lived in another country, aside from my parents, so I've been used to long distance relationships with friends and family. My parents are immigrants themselves so immigrating to another country always seemed normal to me.

Also I made new life long friends here in Hong Kong; both locals and expats. I settled in HK permanently.

 

[ayzo]

who's 'we' absolute? your GF?

biggest issue i have moving away is missing all my friends and crew lol. it's NEVER mentioned in threads like this. it's like nobody has a base of lifelong friends and family they got on with.

 

[absolute]

who's 'we' absolute? your GF?

Yep.

biggest issue i have moving away is missing all my friends and crew lol. it's NEVER mentioned in threads like this. it's like nobody has a base of lifelong friends and family they got on with.

This is a very good point actually.

I did start to feel a little "isolated" when living in Gozo for eight months. Malta isn't as bad cause you get to meet a lot of interesting people from all over the world...

As for lifelong friends - I have a couple and honestly we meet about 5-8 times a year no matter where I/they live. I fly home at least 2-3 times a year and they come to visit often. It's quite nice actually.

Family - I'm OK with seeing them for 2-3 months in a year. I do property renovations with my dad from time to time (like 2-3 months a year), go to see my mum 2-3 times a year + my family visits often on vacation. Somehow... it's not that bad.

is there a big English speaking expat community in Tenerife? i've no intentions of learning a new language. the only draw for me is hot weather through the shitty Irish winter. i'll be straight back to Ireland come Spring, I've no interest in ever living somewhere else permanently

Everyone's different! I speak/read/write three languages and seem to pick up new languages without too much trouble (2-3 years).

I avoid expat communities as I find them to be boring.

That said, I do see where you are coming from. I know a lot of people who would never consider moving to a foreign country, learning a new language and trying to fit into a new culture. Everyone's different.