Property prices in Thailand: studios from AED 200,000 and residences from AED 17 million — four examples
A studio in Pattaya started from AED 216,000 at launch, a flat near Bang Tao beach in Phuket from AED 620,000, branded residences in Laguna from AED 17 million. Four projects and how their prices have moved.
Entry to Thai property starts at around AED 200,000 for a studio in Pattaya; a one-bedroom flat near the beach in Phuket costs from AED 620,000, and branded residences from AED 17 million. Below are the four projects discussed at our closed session for brokers, and how their prices have changed.
How much does a studio in Pattaya cost?
The example is a high-rise in Pattaya: a single 46-storey tower built between 2015 and 2018. Studios of 237–291 sq ft, that is 22–27 sq m, started from AED 216,000 at launch.
Today such studios resell for AED 300,000–600,000 depending on floor and view; upper floors with a sea view fetch about AED 600,000. The price has risen 39–46% over 10–11 years.
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The beach is about a five-minute walk from the building. The flats were handed over fully furnished.
How much does a flat near the beach in Phuket cost?
A small project in the Bang Tao beach area: a one-bedroom flat of 557 sq ft, about 52 sq m, costs from AED 620,000. The sea is 8–10 minutes away.
A project of this size comes with a 45-metre pool, a children's pool, a gym, a sauna, a co-working space, a kids' club and a rooftop garden.
How much do branded residences cost?
The top segment is residences run by a hotel brand in the Laguna complex in Phuket. There are four buildings of four storeys, each with just four apartments from 416 sq m.
The leasehold price starts from AED 17 million and freehold from AED 20 million. Handover is scheduled for 2028. The AED 3 million difference is the price of scarce foreign quota.
How have prices grown in Bangkok?
The example is branded residences in a high-rise in Bangkok's central business district. Sales opened in 2009 and construction began in 2011. Early entry cost about AED 2.7 million.
Two-bedroom apartments now resell for AED 4.65–7.2 million depending on floor and view. Growth over 17 years is 83%.
Four projects in one table
| Project | Format | Entry price, AED | What is known about growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-rise, Pattaya | studio, 22–27 sq m | from 216,000 | +39–46% over 10–11 years |
| Low-rise project, Bang Tao | 1 bedroom, 52 sq m | from 620,000 | new project |
| Residences in Laguna, Phuket | from 416 sq m | from 17 million (leasehold), from 20 million (freehold) | handover in 2028 |
| Residences in central Bangkok | 2 bedrooms | about 2.7 million at launch | +83% over 17 years |
What these figures tell a buyer
Prices in Thailand rise slowly: 40–80% over 10–17 years works out at a few per cent a year. The quick, profitable resale familiar from Dubai is not something to expect here.
What a modest budget does buy is a building with well-developed amenities. On letting, see our piece on 4–6% yields; on how the markets differ, see the comparison of Pattaya and Samui.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum budget for a flat in Thailand?
Around AED 200,000: that is the price of a 22–27 sq m studio in a high-rise in Pattaya.
How fast does property in Thailand appreciate?
In the examples from the session, by 39–46% over 10–11 years in Pattaya and by 83% over 17 years in central Bangkok.
Why does the same apartment cost one price leasehold and another freehold?
Foreign quota is capped at 49% of a building's floor area. Freehold within the quota is scarce, so developers price it above leasehold: by AED 3 million in the Phuket example.
In the news
Other write-ups on the site about the same thing.
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Phuket and Bangkok: two different property markets in Thailand
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Leasehold in Thailand: Thirty Years, and What Happens After
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In Thailand people buy a way of life, not square metres: a studio from AED 200,000, inspection before the final payment, an open contract. Against it: a 4–6% yield, no escrow and a slow resale.