FlyerTalk Forums - Cheapest place in the World

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Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by bdschobel:
I've been in Bangkok but never had a real meal for only 40 cents. That's about 20 baht, right? Maybe you could eat for that at the Mah Boon Krong food court, but I can't think of any other place. Street vendors don't count!</font>

Yes, 20 baht is about right. OK, I assume that the 'rules' involve a roof over your head... if so, MBK, or places like the mezzanine-level food court in Pantip Plaza might come close, but shophouse 'restaurants' will definitely fit the bill. There are 1000's of those places on major streets, and deep in the sois. They are mostly open front, with perhaps a few overhead fans (maybe) and a bunch of plastic tables and chairs. I'm sure that you've seen many of these places, as they can be found everywhere, even adjacent to hotels like the Shangri-La. A bowl of rice, boiled local white fish, a few vegatables, and some nam pla prik for character, is nice and filling, takes about 12 seconds to prepare, and won't break the bank. (I'll be honest though, at most I eat at those places a couple of times a year for fun, so I really am no expert, but there is little that I will not try once.)

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by bdschobel:
I'm joining fallinasleep in voting for China. I was in Kunming (southwestern China) earlier this month and couldn't believe how cheap everything was. Dinner for 60 cents, for example!

Bruce</font>

I have to agree with you there, even Beijing and Shanghai is cheap if you know where to go.
BTW KunMing is awesome.

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Al

fallinasleep
Absolutely. If you are ever in Madras between April and June , the Mango season, you are welcome to spend time in my beach farm house and eat as many mangoes as your teeth can take http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

There's cheap, and there's cheap.... and while I agree eating Mangos in Madras (wonderful) and many parts of asia (add Cambodia to the list) are harmless to the pocketbook, the post suggesting Equador is right on top of the list for modern standards for pennys...

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Askworldtraveler, EXP,4 million AA miles+++

$2 at the MBK food court in Bangkok will feed two people like kings for lunch. You could get a honey-duck platter, a "beaten" salad, and two iced coffees.

The lone exception to the budget possibilities in Thailand is the adult beverages. A beer there is about the same price as a beer at an ordinary bar in the USA.

Zimbabwe is the cheapest place I've been. When I was there the currency had dropped from ZIM$12 per US$ to ZIM$38 per US$ in about three months and the prices hadn't really changed. Three course meal in a top restaurant with beer (wine was not good) for about US$2. Pity about the hotels all being priced in $US though. And to be honest I probably wouldn't go back to Zim right now !