What Size Condo Should you Rent or Buy in Thailand?

Someone emailed me the other day and asked what size condo they should be looking at in Bangkok. She’d never lived in a condo before and wanted to know what it was like. I’ve lived in condos ranging from 24sq meters through to 75sq meters as well as visiting a few friends in places over 100sq meters so have a fair bit of experience about this. I gave her some advice based on my opinions and thought it would be useful to make an article about it to help others.

Apartment / Condo

Firstly when looking for a place to rent or buy you will see there are apartments and condos. The major difference is that in Thailand apartments are only available for rent and all rooms are owned by the building. In a condo rooms are available to buy or rent and each room has an individual private owner.

Apartments tend to be cheaper and quality is not always as good. Personally I would choose a condo over an apartment 99% of the time.

Studio, one bedroom, two bedrooms….

There are many different types of condos. Studio rooms have a combined kitchen, bedroom and living area with a separate bathroom. Sometimes there is no sofa and occupants will have to use their beds for sitting on, sleeping, eating etc…

One bedroom condos have a separate bedroom from the other parts of the condo. Sometimes there is only a transparent sliding door which is used to let sunlight into the living area. There may also be a separate kitchen.

Two bedrooms condos have two separate bedrooms and normally a separate kitchen too. The second bedroom might only be big enough for a single bed. Some people use the second bedroom as an office space.

There are also a few condos with three, four or five bedrooms. These are harder to find but they do exist.

Under 30sq Meters

At under 30sq meters most places will be studios. Studios serve the purpose of having somewhere you can store your stuff and sleep. Think of them as hotel rooms. They aren’t places where you will spend a great deal of time as they don’t really have that “homely” feel to them. It’s awkward inviting someone to your place if its a studio as all your things are on display, there isn’t much privacy.

However, in recent years many developers have realized that most buyers want one bedroom condos so take their studio designs and put in a glass sliding door to create a “separate” bedroom. In all honesty almost all one bedroom condos under 30sq meters are pretty much studio rooms. My idea of having a one bedroom condo is that you can invite people around to your living room and they don’t have to see your bedroom. Most one bedroom condos under 30sq meters don’t offer this privacy. Again if you aren’t planning to invite people over then maybe this isn’t an issue for you.

Whatever the layout of your place a room under 30sq meters will be tight for space, even for a single person. I lived in a 24sq meter place when I first arrived and barely had enough space for my two suitcases worth of clothes, gadgets and other belongings. After being here for a while and  and gaining new possessions you’ll run out of room.

If you are on a tight budget then rooms under 30sq meters are cheap. In Bangkok rooms this size start at around 6,000 baht per month. As I said think of them as hotel rooms and if you feel you could live in one then a room this size is an option. I wouldn’t choose to live in a place this small and if you have the budget to spend a little more you should look at a larger room.

30-40sq Meters

In this size range you still get some studios. These studios will have a sofa and probably a mini kitchen area with a sink and cupboards. Think of it as a slight upgrade on the studios in the under 30sq meter section.

Most rooms in this size are one bedroom places. Some have the sliding glass door bedroom whereas many will have proper doors and walls which create privacy. Many of the bedrooms in condos this size can be tight for space. There is usually just about enough room for you to walk around the bed and a bit of space at the side for a small wardrobe. If you’re lucky there might be a TV on the wall and perhaps a couple of shelves in the bedroom. Your living room will have a small two person sofa and a coffee table. A lot of rooms this size have the sofa / TV right next to the front door so it can feel a bit cramped. Pretty much every one bedroom condo will have a kitchen area and most now have it separated from the living room either by a door or around a corner. 31 and 33sq meter are common sizes in newly-built condos.

In terms of space there is usually good storage for someone to have a fair amount of stuff. The bedroom will have a wardrobe and some places might also have a small desk in the bedroom too. In the living room you might get extra storage and almost certainly a small dining table and a couple of chairs. The Kitchen wont be too substantial but certainly enough to cook basic meals. Most condos in Thailand have very small kitchens so it is a struggle for two people to be in there at the same time.  Prices in this size range start at around 8,000 baht.

40-50sq Meters

These days a lot of developers are managing to fit two bedrooms in a condo between 40-50sq meters. I recently looked at a two bedroom unit which was 44sq meters. Like most two bedroom units this size the second bedroom was only big enough for a single bed. The master bedroom was also very tight on space and in reality a two bedroom place of this size probably isn’t worth it, especially if moving with a family.

One bedroom places in this size are getting harder to find in brand new buildings. Developers know that getting as many units into a development is the way to make money so a one bedroom 45sq meter condo wont sell for as much as a two bedroom unit the same price.

However, I actually think that this size range is about perfect for a one bedroom condo. I previously lived in a 44sq meter condo in Ladprao and currently am in a 41sq meter condo near Bearing. I’ve put a few pictures of my new condo in this section for you to see what it’s like. It has enough storage, a decent amount of space in every room and is comfortable. Prices in this range for one -bedroom condos start at around 10,000 baht, two-bedroom condos from 12,000 baht.

50-60sq Meters

For newly built condos of this size 99% of units will have two bedrooms. There are some one bedroom options out there but they are usually in older buildings.

A two bedroom condo in this size range will normally have a reasonably sized master bedroom and a second room which is just about big enough for a double bed but perhaps a bit tight on space. A lot of the smaller bedrooms are suited for single beds or to be made into home-offices.

The nice thing about condos in this size range is that you will get a decent living room. There will be enough room for a big sofa so plenty of rooms to invite friends around. Often the kitchens are on the small size but that is the same for pretty much every condo in Thailand.

Condos in this size bracket rent from around 14,000 baht per month.

60- 80sq Meters

Most of the two bedroom rooms in this size bracket are considered premium condos as current trends show that most new two bedroom places are usually between 50-60 sq meters. This means that prices will be higher but then the quality of the place will be higher too. 

I recently looked at a two bedroom project with rooms in the 64-71sq meter range and they were great. They had walk in closets, two bathrooms (with a bath and shower in the the main bathroom), a spacious living area and kitchen. However, the second bedrooms were tight and getting a double bed in would be an effort. If you are looking for two full double bedrooms then you should look at places closer to 80sq meters.

In this size group there are a few one bedroom condos out there. They are hard to find and are usually in older buildings.

Expect to pay at least 18,000 baht for a two bedroom condo in this size range.

80sq Meters+

Relatively few new condos are buildings rooms this big. Developers know they can get more money by offering smaller rooms. However, some developments have a selection of premium rooms that are this size, especially on the top floor. These penthouse units can be very expensive but they offer the size some people want.

One of my friends lives in a 120sq meter penthouse in Ekkami and it is fantastic. Three bedrooms, a full western kitchen and a living room which is just over 45sq meters. She lucked out as the owner shares it with her but is away for around 10 months a year. This sort of place is perfect if you have a lot of stuff and plan to work from home. It obviously costs a lot with a lot of rooms this size over 40,000 baht a month.

What Size for 2 People?

Personally I would want to be in a room at least 50sq meters if I was living with someone else. Sure you might only technically need 35sq meters of “living area” but the rest will be needed for storage. If you are on a super tight budget then perhaps something in the high 30sq meter range could be suitable if you have minimal possessions.

In my experience two bedroom condos work well for couples as you get the extra room for storage. Clothes, suitcases and other bits and pieces take up a lot of room and having that spare bedroom will make a huge difference. Two bedroom condos start from around 14,000 baht away from the city center.

Is a Condo Suitable for a Family?

Condos are certainly suitable for families. Many condos have playgrounds, kids swimming pools and convenience stores. The issue comes when choosing a suitable size condo.

I would thoroughly recommend a two bedroom condo just as you will have so many extra possessions with a kid. In terms of size I would want at least 60sq meters. The small bedrooms in many two bedroom condos are really only suitable for a single bed so would be ideal for young children. To give an example one of my colleagues lives with his wife and young child in an 84sq meter condo and says it is just about right for them.

If you have any questions or thoughts about condos in Thailand feel free to comment below!