Sukhumvit, Sathorn, Silom and Ari compared: price per m² and rents near BTS and MRT, the 49% foreign quota, new launches against resale, and the costs of closing.
Bangkok is the only Thai market that is a real city market: deep rental demand from office workers, students and expatriates, the most listings, and a mass-transit network that decides the price of a flat more than the view does. It is also the market with a lot of unsold stock. This guide covers the districts foreign buyers search most, Sukhumvit, Sathorn, Silom and Ari, and the choices that matter: foreign quota or Thai-owned unit, new launch or resale. Prices are asking and agency figures from 2026, not registered prices, and indicative only.
Price levels
A property-portal and agency review from early 2026 puts the Bangkok median condo price at about 125,000 baht per m² and the mean at about 150,000. Prime central stock along Sukhumvit, Silom and Sathorn runs from about 200,000 to 350,000 baht per m², and branded super-luxury product goes above that. The same sources note that Bangkok has more unsold condo inventory than any other Thai market, which, if accurate for the segment you are looking at, strengthens your hand in negotiation. We did not find an official REIC or AREA table to confirm the inventory claim, so treat it as reported.
We found no reliable purchase price per m² for Ari, so none is given. Ari is generally a step below the central business district in price and is popular with young professionals; compare live listings in the same soi and the same building age.
Districts compared
Rent per m² per month from the same April 2026 review, in baht, shows how the districts differ for a tenant. These are asking rents, and they are a guide to demand, not to your return.
- Sukhumvit core (Asok to Thong Lo): about 750 to 1,000. Highest rents, newer buildings, many expatriates and good BTS and MRT access. The most expensive area to buy and the most competitive to let.
- Silom and Sathorn: about 650 to 900. The business district, near BTS Chong Nonsi and MRT Lumphini, with offices, hospitals and embassies. Older buildings in Sathorn go as low as about 400 to 500.
- Ari: about 550 to 700. A residential area on the BTS line with cafes and newer condos, aimed at young professionals and families.
- For comparison, Sukhumvit from Ekkamai to Phra Khanong is about 550 to 700, Rama 9 and Ratchada about 450 to 650, and Ratchadaphisek budget stock about 300 to 400 per m² per month.
A rough yield check: Bangkok long-term lets are reported at 4% to 6% gross. Net of common fees, vacancy, management and tax it is lower. Use the calculators to test your own purchase price against the rents above.
BTS and MRT proximity
In Bangkok the walking distance to a BTS (Skytrain) or MRT (metro) station is the main price factor after the district. A flat a few minutes' walk from a station is easier to let and to resell than the same flat ten minutes away in a traffic-choked soi. We could not find a measured price premium, so we give none; check it by comparing two buildings on the same line. Also check where planned lines will open, because new stations can lift a district, and a delayed one will not.
Foreign quota or Thai-owned unit
A foreigner can own a condo unit freehold in their own name if foreign-owned area in the building does not exceed 49% of the total saleable area. Units counted in this quota are often called foreign-quota units; the rest are Thai-owned. Check three things:
- Quota: ask the building's juristic person for the current quota certificate and confirm at the Land Office before you pay a deposit.
- Pricing: some sellers and developers price foreign-quota units differently from Thai-owned ones, and some buildings have none left. We found no figure for a difference, so ask.
- Resale: when you sell, you will need a buyer who qualifies for the same quota, or a Thai buyer; a building with its quota used up has a thinner resale market.
Money has to come into Thailand in foreign currency, with a bank form (the Foreign Exchange Transaction Form, often called Thor Tor 3) for the Land Office. A purchase with Thai-baht cash or through a Thai nominee cannot be registered as foreign freehold, and nominee structures are the target of the 2026 enforcement drive; see Thailand tightens enforcement against nominee land ownership.
New launch or resale
New launch (off-plan). Often sold in instalments to the completion date, with a fixed unit price and sometimes a developer's incentives. Risks: construction delay, a developer's financial weakness, and the finished unit not matching the model. Check the developer's earlier projects, the environmental approval for the building, and that your deposit is paid to the developer's company account against a receipt. The foreign-quota certificate for the building has to be confirmed again at transfer.
Resale. You see the actual flat, the actual common areas and the actual maintenance record, and you can negotiate on price, particularly in a market with a lot of unsold stock. Risks: ageing buildings with expensive repairs, unpaid common fees attached to the unit, and a seller who is not the registered owner. Check the title deed (the condominium title, Or Chor 2), arrears and the building's accounts.
Costs and taxes
As commonly quoted by law-firm and portal summaries; confirm them for your deal.
- Transfer fee: 2% of the government-appraised value.
- Specific business tax of 3.3% if the seller held the property under five years or is a company, or stamp duty of 0.5% instead (never both), plus the seller's withholding tax on gain. Who bears them is negotiated, and developers usually quote their own terms.
- Common fees and sinking fund: no reliable figure; ask the juristic person for the exact amounts and the last accounts.
- Rental income of a non-resident: generally 15% withholding at source; verify with a Thai tax adviser. Short lets under 30 days generally need a hotel licence and most buildings forbid them.
Visas
Owning a condo does not give you a right to live in Thailand. See visa options for property buyers. For price levels in the other big markets see Thailand: prices, yield and rules.
Risks
- Oversupply in some segments and slow resale.
- Foreign quota exhausted or documents that do not match.
- Off-plan delay and developer risk.
- Rent below the headline, and long tenant turnover.
- Currency movements against the euro or zloty.
Use our due diligence checklist.
For Russian-speaking buyers
Bangkok has Russian-speaking agents and lawyers, but quality varies, and the contract and Land Office documents are in Thai and English. Ask for an official translation and have an independent lawyer, not one introduced by the seller or developer, read the contract. Prepare your passport, proof of the source of funds and the transfer form. EU banks may ask for the contract and an invoice for an international transfer; pay from an account in your own name. Whether you can open a Thai bank account depends on the bank and the visa. These are ordinary compliance steps and we work only within them.
FAQ
Can a foreigner buy a condo in Bangkok? Yes, freehold, in their own name, within the 49% foreign quota of the building's saleable area and with funds sent in from abroad.
Which area is best, Sukhumvit, Sathorn or Ari? Sukhumvit has the strongest expatriate rental demand and the highest prices, Sathorn and Silom suit office workers, and Ari is a residential step below. Compare rents per m² against purchase price.
Is a new launch better than resale? Neither is always better. A new launch offers instalments and new stock but carries delay and developer risk, resale shows you the actual flat and the building's record.
How much rent per m² can I expect? Asking rents in April 2026 were roughly 750 to 1,000 baht per m² per month in the Sukhumvit core and 650 to 900 in Silom and Sathorn, according to one agency review. They are asking rents.
Does buying a condo give me a visa? No. Visas are separate; see our visa article.
How we help
D.H. Realting is a trilingual platform in Russian, Polish and English. We find properties and coordinate independent local lawyers and tax advisers, and we do not give legal, tax or investment advice. This text is informational; verify the current rules before you decide. You can browse listings in Thailand and try the calculators. Official sources: Department of Lands and Revenue Department.