How Cheap Can it be

It used to be a lot cheaper as food and the cost of living has risen faster in Thailand than in many developed countries, but it’s still possible to get by on $250 a month, all in, for the experienced expert in parsimony.

However, we recommend allocating a minimum of $400 for the newcomer who doesn’t know how to get by on vapors.

To do this the resident needs to live close to a wet market and know how to cook everything in a rice cooker as well as be happy with just internet or reading books plus physical exercise for a social life.

What Are the Rental Ranges?

3000 – 4000 Baht

This is a basic studio room with a bathroom. Any cheaper and you might have to consider sharing a bathroom which is not a relaxing experience in the long term. You’ll get a clothes closet and a bed usually but even these are optional for bare room lets.

5000 – 9000 Baht

This is starting to look like a nicer studio apartment in a better location, there may even be some amenities such as a pool or a fitness room. Location is the key thing in this rental range. You can’t get a fabulous location and the extras though for many long-time residents the thrill of living in a solidly Thai area is more interesting than being close to metropolitan areas such as Sukhumvit Road where international residents are more evident.

10000 – 20000 Baht

This is starting to look a bit fancy. A person used to living in a civilized manner can find an apartment in this price range quite easily with all the mod cons and even a separate kitchen is guaranteed at this level. Some of the buildings can be quite high so there’s an added bonus of getting a spectacular Bangkok skyline view.

21000 and Upwards

At this level you’re basically getting more rooms for your dollar and lots more space to live and relax in. Top end apartments go for quite steep prices so the sky is the limit but anything above 21 000 Baht is going to give you the flexibility of choosing your location for convenience to either work or play, as well as a good-condition dwelling along with full amenities.

How to Find an Apartment

There are lots of online places to seek out an apartment including the classified sections of ThaiVisa.com and BahtSold.com but the best way to find a place is to invest the time in either walking around over a few days or even better getting a bicycle to find a place. The advantage of a bicycle is that you’ll pick up on the energetic expression of different locations, or the pick up on vibe to use hippy talk.

Any time invested in cycling around neighborhoods is well worth it, as there really are the most awesome discoveries to be made in little Sois and alleys close to major Bangkok thoroughfares.

If time is not a luxury for the apartment seeking resident then renting a motorbike for a day will cover more ground than by pedal power, but that elusive vibe is not so easy to pick up on wearing a helmet, and there’s nothing better than a neighborhood with a brilliant Thai jostle.