How to Choose the Best Apartment or House for Rent in Bangkok

The residential leasing market in Bangkok is a complicated affair given the size of the city, the array of options available and rights of both tenants and owners. No matter if you’re looking for a condo, apartment or house for rent in Bangkok.

Depending on your budget and requirements, you may want a small inner-city bachelor pad, a large family-friendly house in the suburbs or perhaps a shared flat with friends near the river. 

To help you make the right decision, read on to discover our top three tips regarding location, amenities and lifestyle when it comes to renting a home in the City of Angels.

1. Location

There is a good reason real estate agents always claim that everything is about location, location, location. It is critical; especially when it comes to navigating a large city like Bangkok. When choosing your new home in Thailand, you have many factors to consider when it comes to location, let’s look at the two main ones:

Transportation – If getting in and out of your neighbourhood every day is vital, ensure you have pleasant streets that don’t get too clogged with traffic. And if getting to/from the airport regularly is essential, make you have easy access to the highway. Lastly, if you don’t have your own car and/or don’t want to rely on taxis and ordered vehicles (aka Grab), choose a place within easy walking or moto-taxi distance to a BTS Skytrain or MRT Underground station. 

Services – If you’re a family, you’re going to want to pick an area that has a decent school in the area, along with an international-standard hospital. You might also want to choose a location near a park. Everyone will want to consider what dining options are in the immediate area. Trust us; when the rainy season hits, you’ll want a good range of eateries within easy reach! So, check to see what supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and malls are nearby. 

2. Amenities & Facilities

Again, depending on your situation, your requirements will be vastly different. A family with young children might like a secure house in a compound with shared facilities, like a kids’ pool, play area, library, etc. An active 20-something might favour a condo with a co-working space, 24-hour gym and on-site convenience store. A retired person might prefer a serviced apartment with regular cleaning and access to a library, garden, sauna, etc. Other items that top the list for many foreigners are Western-style kitchen, walk-in wardrobe, bathtub, 24-hour security, complimentary tuk-tuk service, etc. The breadth of variety of amenities and facilities available in Bangkok is staggering, so don’t be shy in listing down everything and showing it to your agent. 

3. Lifestyle

And lastly, think about the live-work-play paradigm. Can you fit all three into your chosen area? If you work in Sathorn, does it make sense to live in Ekkamai? You may like the easy-going vibe of Ari, but is it wise to reside there when your kids go to Patana School across the city? Finding an area that ticks all the boxes might be tricky, so perhaps you should focus on just two. Do you prefer a slightly longer commute to/from the office every day but plenty of entertainment options on your doorstep when the weekend rocks around or an easy commute but a trek on the weekend to your favourite brunch spot or nightclub venue? Decide what is important to you in terms of lifestyle and work back from there.