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The iPod Nanos for the children cost 99 pounds apiece (about $204), compared with $149 in the United States. Keating's six-Diet Coke-a-day habit got shaved quickly to one, at $2 a can. They sit at the end of the day on their small balcony overlooking Great Portland Street, and her husband smiles (sort of) and says, "Here's your $12 glass of wine."
[boston.com...]
In Thailand a First Class VIP seat will cost about 700 Baht (around US$ 20 at the moment), depending on which cinema you go to.
How much is it in the US?
Opps here I found it:
Average U.S. Ticket Prices
Year Price
2006 $6.55
2005 6.41
2004 6.21
2003 6.03
2002 5.80
this is from the theater onwer's trade group.
Here in US I never saw ay "First Class Seat" options. I heard about a few theaters offering it, but I am not sure if it happened or not. Now you can sit anywhere you want--provided someone else didn't get there first.
Other options include, sofa seats (a sofa for two), and VIP seats (similar to First Class but in a regular cinema).
The First Class cinema's are pretty amazing, as they only have about 30-40 seats in the whole cinema. The seats receline (with leg rests etc) and come in two's with lots of space between you and your neighbour. They come complete with waitress service, blanket, and a pre and post movie lounge with snacks and free drinks. All that for between 700 - 1,000 Baht.
All with the latest sound systems etc.
In the UK I very much doubt you would get a seat for less than 5 pounds and somewhere like Leicester Square will be a load more.
(edit) added:
In Thailand, every seat is preassigned when you buy the ticket, that way you can sit where you want.
[edited by: Visit_Thailand at 2:34 am (utc) on Dec. 10, 2007]
You can get an 'Unlimited' cinema ticket in London for £15/$30 a month at any of the Cineworld Cinemas, meaning you can see as many films as you wish for close to the price quoted in the article for a single ticket, there is a downside in not being able to book in advance on such a ticket but the Edinburgh Cineworld (that's handily just a 5 minute walk from me - although my visits have been quite infrequent due to workload recently) does not seem to suffer from being full as I've never failed to get a ticket.
As for Coca Cola at $2, yes you could pay that but it would be far more sensible to buy multipacks at a supermarket where you are likely to pay a third of that price.
$12 for a glass of wine suggests they have not looked around either.
Housing, yes it is expensive. But how could thay have not done their homework (getting it so wrong that they thought the price was a quarter of the real rate).
The article also does not mention the free healthcare that they will enjoy in the UK, hence no need for health insurance. From what I understand, that's a considerable saving for a US family that would be used to paying quite a sum for it in the States.
Just like many articles, it's poorly researched and sensationalist. But it has done its job of getting attention.
You can spend as much as you want anywhere in US, especially in big cities. Wines, too vary from $5 a bottle to $100 a glas so...
At my local cinema it is around £7.50 for a ticket.
Amanda Owen, a 19-year-old international relations student from Seattle, said she holds herself to a Draconian budget: Dinner out only every other month...
Oh the hardship ;)
The halycon days for Americans when the dollar was king was a bubble that had to burst. But the US is not doing too badly. When I was a lad there were 4 dollars per GBP.
they never tell the whole story, not only that of course the price for a visitor or someone who doesn't know their way around is always much more than for a local.
some things.
1). the cinema multi ticket has already been mentioned, also i would add that the central london coinemas are the price quted but in the suburbs it is much cheaper.
2). housing. great portland street area is very central and is well know for expensive corporate and short term rentals to expats.
3). eating in london is better (or certainly only matched) by anywhere else in the world, if you know where to go there are loads of fantastic cheap restaurants, even the best do fantastic deals ... for instance i've been to one of Gordon Ramsey's (top and famous tv chef here) restaurants many times on a special promo price of 20 pounds ($40) for a 3 course meal (promo available occasionally from the top london restaurant site and also the evening standard (the london paper))
4). price of gas, yes it is expensive here compared to the states, however our cars are much more fuel efficient (on average) and the distances you have to drive much shorter.
5) someone has mentioned health insurance, but we also get other freebies - for instance most museums are free, including the british museum, which is a fantastic place
i could go on and on... but ultimately, in truth, it can be expensive here if you don't know your way around, but that is the price you pay for living or staying in one of the most desirable cities in the world.
Bearing in mind I can get 2-4-1 at my local for £4.60, 2 tickets cost me £27.50.
It's the truth. I wanted to go to that cinema just so I can say I had. Now I have I will never again! Afterwards I heard a report on the radio about cinema prices, and that one is the most expensive in the land!
...the Odeon where they hold the premiere's in this country. ...and that one is the most expensive in the land!
Now you know why it's so expensive...
As someone who's spent many years living in London, I can tell you that most 'local's' avoid the centre - the West End - when ever possible!
And anyone who lives in Great Portland Street has to have a lot of money to even consider it. At one end is the West End, and at the other is The Regent's Park. You are neighbours with the BBC, and the embassies of many a country; oh, and there's an awful lot of Middle Eastern money to be found hereabouts. It's a very expensive area in every way!
Syzygy
Or do you mean £17? That seems expensive?
I actually meant £27.50, or around $50!
I am not a US citizen, I am from Bolivia. I have lived for 8 months in London (Marne St. close to Queens Park tube station Post Code: W10 4JF). And I am living now in the US for almost 4 months; California and Seattle.
I can assure you that London is for several years in the TOP 5 most expensive cities of the world.
For INBOUND:
In the case of unlimited entrance to watch movies at CineWorld Cinemas, yes that's right, but you have to sign a contract for at least one year... You have to read the fine print. I worked there so I know how that works. And you can't bring food from outside so unless you break the rules you have to buy pop corn there and the smallest size it's 3 pounds. If you go and see the size of that pop corn bag you will laugh or your face will turn red of shame! I know because I worked there: Cineworld Cinema at Wandsworth
Then you mention Healthcare. I have been in the hospital twice and I found out why it's free, because they don't provide any minimal or decent health care service. I am talking again of average cases. Read the paper, check with people and you will see that if you can't afford private services you can't get a real solution for your illnes. I went to the doctor twice for a problem in my knee, in one case doctor said to me to take aspirins and in the other to rub my knee with a ointment, in both cases they told me that I had to wait around 4-6 months to get an order for an X-Ray exam or further studies... And once I get their order I may have to wait several weeks more for unavailability of space.
In the US I can say also that everybody gets a medical insurance whne they have a job. But we all know that's not true for an average worker of restaurants, retail stores or similar jobs.
For TOPR8:
Here where I live in the US in Bellevue, 20 minutes from Seattle I have my own room and bathroom for 300 pounds FOR ONE MONTH! with Internet connection and Cable TV. In London (Zone 2) I was paying 120 pounds PER WEEK for a small room and with SHARED bathroom. No internet, no TV.
Museums are free? Parks too free too and the air is free. And the LondonLight and the Metro paper is free. But is this any important in the list of things to count when talking about LIVING COSTS?
London it's a great city that's right but it's way too expensive!
London is in the WORLD TOP 5 for years:
[money.cnn.com...]
[citymayors.com...]
[mercer.com...]
[property.timesonline.co.uk...]
[edited by: lawman at 12:34 am (utc) on Jan. 10, 2008]
