I’ve made a few key decisions in my life that have led to much of the success I now enjoy.
And relocating to Chiang, Mai Thailand as a dividend expat in late 2017 is clearly one of them.
It’s done wonders for my happiness, peace of mind, and quality of life.
And it’s turned me into an instant millionaire.
But a lot of the success I’ve experienced with this new lifestyle can be attributed to one simple and underrated thing.
I love the local cuisine.
If you have any designs on ever relocating overseas, I’m not sure it’s possible to emphasize how important this is. No matter where you decide to live, thoroughly enjoying the local cuisine is of paramount importance for a number of reasons.
Cost
This is obvious.
If you’re buying local cuisine on the regular, your costs are almost always going to be lower (sometimes much lower) than if you’re otherwise buying food that is not native to where you’re living.
For example, I can buy Thai food from a kitchen/market here in Chiang Mai for $1 a plate.
We’re talking delicious, fresh, highly-accessible food here. And the portion sizes are generous.
But if I didn’t enjoy Thai food, I’d be in a bit of trouble over here.
That’s because Western food (like pizza, cheeseburgers, sandwiches, etc.) is substantially more expensive than what Thai food costs at the local stalls. While I’ve found Western food to often actually be cheaper than what I was paying back in Southwest Florida, it’s still no contest between what Western food costs here and what local food costs here.
As such, I find it silly to eat Western food regularly.
This attitude has helped me become healthier and happier than ever (I’ve now lost over 10 pounds since relocating here four months ago), but it’s only been possible because I genuinely enjoy Thai food.
If I disliked Thai food to a great degree, I’m not sure I’d enjoy living here very much.
Quality/Taste
Imported food is hard to compete on quality, as the foods are naturally sometimes not as fresh. Plus, local cooks/chefs may not have a lot of experience with the necessary ingredients.
And so it’s a case where one might be paying more for less, which is, again, silly.
Now, I’ve occasionally indulged in some fine pizza and cheeseburgers over here.
The quality seemed to be pretty good. The taste wasn’t bad at all. And as I just noted, the cost was often competitive with or lower than what I’ve experienced in the States.
But a lot of it just can’t compete with the quality of local foods. When I eat Thai food here, the flavors almost dance across my taste buds. Conversely, eating, say, cheese over here can be a mixed bag.
Moreover, the variability of quality should be considered, too.
While almost all the Thai food I’ve eaten here could be described as fairly exceptional in terms of quality and taste, the quality and taste of Western food can vary quite a bit. Some places can be great. Some can be downright terrible.
I haven’t been bothered by this too much, as the quality and taste of food can vary even in the States. And at least I’m no longer paying exorbitant prices for the privilege of inconsistency. It’s one thing to be bummed out over a meal that costs $12. It’s quite another thing to be disappointed after paying $50.
But if one can have more consistency, increase quality/taste, and save money in the process, you’re crazy not to.
Accessibility
There’s plenty of restaurants spread out across Chiang Mai that cater to international foods, but the availability of these establishments depends on a lot of factors.
The trendier the area you’re in, the more likely it is that the area caters to Westerners. And so the availability of Western restaurants will likely also be greater.
But I can easily pass up ten Thai kitchens or restaurants before I see one Western restaurant – and I live in the trendiest part of town.
My favorite Thai kitchen for lunch is right across the street. They serve unbelievable plates for about a buck apiece. It’s literally a quick walk away.
And so why in the world would I go out of my way to find a Western restaurant that may suffer from the aforementioned quality and cost concerns?
I’ll repeat myself: it’s silly.
Conclusion
I can’t/don’t eat Thai food every single day, for every single meal. It’s just the same as not eating one type of food in the States for every single meal.
But I’d say I’m eating Thai food 90% of the time, including for every lunchtime meal.
It’s a situation where eating Thai food infrequently is silly and impractical.
Plus, this isn’t even to get into the health aspects, which I quickly cruised through earlier. It’s just far healthier for me to eat the local food, as my body’s response has shown. Spending more for less, all while probably worsening my health (something my health insurer wouldn’t appreciate), and going out of my way to do it, is not prudent.
And so I think enjoying the local cuisine is absolutely critical if you ever want/need to relocate to a foreign country.
In fact, this was one of the primary concerns I had in mind before I came here. Already knowing that I enjoyed Thai food gave me great comfort, as I knew I’d be eating it regularly. And this is just one reason I’m not living in, say, the Philippines (but to each their own on individual tastes/preferences).
I would go so far as to say that one would probably be unhappy if they relocated to a place that had undesirable local cuisine, because food is one of the great, simple, and highly repeatable pleasures in life.
Thus, my ability to eat and enjoy high-quality, healthy, accessible, and delicious local cuisine for very little money is easily one of the biggest benefits (and one of the major factors behind my high quality of life) of living here in Thailand.
What do you think? Do you believe enjoying local cuisine is vital if you were ever to relocate to a foreign country?
Thanks for reading.
Image courtesy of: rakratchada torsap at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
P.S. If you’re interested in becoming financially independent, which could open up location independence, check out the resources I’ve compiled. These resources helped me become financially independent in my early 30s!
I get that…I guess in the States we have such a variety you take it for granted, the food choices. I imagine, shopping wise you’d get most of the same type of groceries? Thinking about it, it’d be a good idea to list all your favorite foods before becoming a ex-pat! I always tell my wife, we need good medical, if there’s no good medical in the area we’re not moving to that area but I never thought about the food; however, I eat almost everything but grubs.
Raymond,
Well, you’re not lacking in choice over here. As I noted, you can go out and get American food all day long. You can have your burgers, pizza, burritos, etc. But if you wanted to take on that cost, as well as make those poor health choices, you may as well just stay in the States. A significant portion of the of the benefits (better health and lower expenses) of geographic arbitrage involves eating and enjoying the local food. It’s a holistic approach that certainly can be ignored, but one would naturally suffer in terms of quality of life as a result. It would make living abroad much less appealing.
Fortunately, Thai food is a world-class cuisine that I thoroughly enjoy. The fact that my waistline and wallet are healthier than ever is really just icing on the cake. 🙂
Cheers!
HI Jason
you make a great point on making sure if you are moving over seas that you like the type of food that is going to be served. I am glad to here they have a great choice of other types of meals. I enjoy Thai food but my wife doesn’t. I would love to visit Thailand, who knows maybe one day.
Glad to see it looks like you are prospering so in so well over in Chiang, Mai Thailand. Getting healthier, losing weight, saving money. all I can say is 2 thumbs up way up. Congrats on decisions you have made that may all this possible. I have told several young people I know and meet when working for EMS, to read your story and they too can make their dreams a reality.
I tell them, you just need to make good financial decisions.
Cheers
Michael,
Thanks for all the support! 🙂
I’ve worked incredibly hard to get here, but I’ve also been fortunate. Living my dreams out. I can only hope for so much good fortune for everyone else out there working hard to make their dreams come true.
Best wishes.
Jason, We all gotta eat, so it’s good to be happy with the food. The pictures you share of it always look great and I think I would like it too. I know I would still crave pizza once in a while. Tom
Tom,
I crave pizza once in a while. There’s actually an excellent Italian joint just up the road to fulfill that occasional craving. And then you have the chains around, too. 🙂
Cheers!
Hi Jason!
I love your blog!
From what I understand, America ranked 120th on a scale of 129 countries for food quality and health issues. I have noticed a decline in food quality as well. Would you say the food in Chiang Mai is more locally grown and non GMO, with less preservatives and taste enhancer’s such as MSG?
weeklyinvestment,
Hmm. That’s a good question. But I honestly have no idea. I can tell you the food is delicious, fresh, very cheap, and much healthier than the States. That’s enough upside for me. 🙂
Best regards.
Hello Jason,
What a great blog! I am so happy I found it. I have been going back through the years reding about your journey and what an inspiration. I recognize a lot in what you write, like for example when you moved back to your hometown again from Florida, just to discover many things. (I am too from a small town and moved back home in 2015 from Coronado in San Diego, my paradise on earth, for the same reasons as you did and just to face similar things that you did). Now I am working to become free, and the future me and my future life already exists, and I am working myself towards it. I agree with you, life is about owning your own time and about personal freedom and happiness.
Again many thanks for a great blog filled with excellent and personal writing. It is much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Anneli in Sweden
Anneli,
Thanks for stopping by. So glad you found the blog and enjoy the content. I write from the heart.
Sorry to hear about you going through a similar experience under similar circumstances. Not fun at all. But I think it makes us stronger in the end. I’d rather know exactly and honestly how people feel, which allows me to make better decisions.
That future you already exists. You just haven’t met them yet. I can definitely now say it feels wonderful when the connection finally occurs. There’s a lot to look forward to! 🙂
Best wishes.
I think it helps a lot that Chiangmai is a big city. There are a lot of options. There are good Japanese, Chinese, American, and many others. I imagine there would be much fewer options in a small town. It’s great that you enjoy Thai food, though. I could eat Thai food 365 days per year too. 😉
Joe,
Definitely a lot of options here. It’s nice to know that you can grab that occasional burger or whatever when the craving really hits, but eating that stuff regularly is a terrible call. May as well just stay in the States if you strongly dislike Thai food. I’ve met a few Westerners over here who almost completely avoid Thai food. Not surprisingly, they don’t like being here. Go figure.
This experience has been awesome. I just never ate all that much Thai food in America. Wasn’t aware of how amazing the food is. But I am now! 🙂
Thanks for dropping by.
Best regards.
Jason,
Congrats on the move to Thailand. I see the transition is working well with your lifestyle. If I didn’t have a family I’d consider doing something similar. I spent a week in Thailand a few years ago traveling through Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. I actually have an old roommate that is a programmer and he relocated to Bangkok so I was able to visit him and get the full tour. He loves it there and I can see why.
The scenery is beautiful and as you mention, the cost of living compared to the western lifestyle is significantly lower. I honestly wasn’t a big fan of the food myself but I also didn’t know what I was ordering because of the language barrier. I did have a good time in Chiang Mai and thought it was a nice city. In fact I had looked into buying a condo there to lease but ultimately decided with the language barrier and time difference it would be too difficult to manage.
Anyways, you are living the dream. Keep it up.
Brent,
Thanks so much, man!
Yeah, this idea isn’t for everyone. And I’m very happy about that. The last thing I want is a bunch of people moving over here and ruining my good time. Haha! 🙂
If you ever find yourself back through here, definitely send a note. It’d be great to meet up over a coffee or something.
Cheers!
Yes, Philippines has bad food. That is a major drawback to living here. I get sick about half of the time if I eat out from food poisoning. Most of it is unhealthy.. Think pork, fried and msg. My workaround has been cooking my own food from the local farmer’s market. I cook fresh fish, chicken, fresh vegetables, salads and fruits. Have found a foreign owned restaurant nearby that serves 3 course meal for $5 but options are limited. Thailand had much better food, they are good with the spices.
Frank,
Indeed. You don’t exactly see Filipino food/restaurants all over the world. Meanwhile, Thai food is a world-class cuisine.
The Philippines doesn’t appeal to me for a variety of reasons, but the food is enough to keep me away almost all by itself.
Glad you’ve found some workarounds. 🙂
Cheers!
Absolutely Jason, couldn’t agree more on all your points. I love Thai food too… which reminds me of an important point: Eating Food you love is an important ingredient for finding happiness in life.
We *have to* eat every day. It’s far easier to be happy in life when you love the food!
Mr. Tako,
Absolutely. Food is one of the simple and undeniable pleasures in life. Plus, our survival hinges on eating. The cuisine here has greatly improved my quality of life. I could never live somewhere if I hated the local food.
Thanks for dropping by!
Best regards.
Good post Jason. Food is a very important part of a successful retirement abroad. For a vegetarian like me, this is even more critical. I cover this point in support of our “big decision”.
TFR,
I’m with you 100%. If you don’t enjoy the local cuisine, you’re in for a very tough go of it.
Hope all is well with the food (and everything else) over in India! 🙂
Best regards.