When I first moved to Bangkok,Rent a house in Bangkok Articles I rented an apartment like most newcomers to Bangkok do, but as I became more familiar with my new home town, I decided to be a little more adventurous and rented a house. Having lived in houses over the past five years now, I’ve found that renting a house in Bangkok not only offers more space and top Maine architects, often it is also much better value compared to apartment living. More often than not, it is also a cheaper option (per square metre) compared to renting an apartment or condo, which are getting smaller in size these days! If you enjoy wide open spaces, appreciate some green in your life – a garden perhaps, have pets, a large family or simply want to maximize your budget, consider renting a house instead.
Another advantage in renting a house is, apartments tend to put a high surcharge on your electricity and water bills. Many apartments have a minimum charge of 1000 bht for water alone. That is a significant amount considering my water bill never cost me over 500 bht living in a house with a family of 5, and we do A LOT of washing! Electricity can be anything between 5 – 7 baht per unit compared to the actual 3.75 baht charged by the MEA. Living in a house can save you up to half your utility bills compared to living in an apartment, and believe me it is A LOT of difference!
Thailand is cheap!
As you may already know, Thailand (more accurately, “Bangkok”) is not the cheap haven many foreigners once thought it to be, especially when it comes to housing. Property prices and rental have gone up considerably and that’s the way it goes everywhere around the world. The very same 2 bedroom unit I rented 5 years ago (in Silom) has gone up by 30% in rental and hardly any refurbishment has been done to it since! “That’s ridiculous” you say and believe it or not, I agree! But hey, I don’t make the prices and if you think agents benefit from that higher commission, that’s only true when clients actually think these houses are worth the price and that isn’t always the case.
Renting a house in Sukhumvit, Silom or Sathorn.
If you are looking to rent a house in the the Sukhumvit, Silom or Sathorn area, then the very minimum rental you are looking at is 30,000 bht for a BASIC 3 bedroom house. Even then, they are few and far between in that range, and more often than not are above 15 years old, with dark parquet flooring and lots of wooden built-ins which many people find dark and depressing.
Most people prefer something a little brighter and contemporary. That would mean newer houses between 1 – 5 years old and these start around 45,000 bht. Depending on the location, size, décor, facilities etc. these can go up to anything from 150,000 – 250,000 baht per month. For that price, please do not accept anything less than a spectacular, resort-like villa with a private pool!
No, but seriously, you do get what you pay for so be realistic when it comes to expectations and budget. If you want something new and modern but lack the budget, then move further away from the city centre. Which also means further away from the BTS line. Unfortunately, we cannot have it all and something’s gotta give.
Generally, if you go further towards the end of the BTS line and beyond i.e. Mo Chit, Phayathai, Phrakanong, On Nut, Bangna, Srinakarin, Rangsit etc. prices drop significantly and you get much better deals which are sometimes worth the extra time commuting.
