Accommodation to suit a teacher’s budget

Three good deals on affordable apartment living

Updated: 20th March 2010

Hi my name is Neil and I have been generously invited by Phil to write a regular Blog for Ajarn.com. I am the MD of a real estate agency here in Bangkok called EasyHomes, and I hope the help and advice contained in these blogs will assist in your property searches.

Coming to Thailand for the time and looking for a job and a property can be really daunting for even the most confident of people. A new language, a new culture, a new city and new people all thrown at you at once! Where do you start?

Well of course getting a job is a major priority, assuming you have not arranged employment before you arrive. However second on the list must be......accommodation! Let's face it no one likes living out of a suitcase and no one wants to pay hotel bills each day at approx. THB 1 000/night, when they could be renting an equally nice, if not better place for a third of that price.

Looking for accommodation in a new city can be a time consuming and confusing task. Trying to work out the geography of city you are not familiar with is difficult enough, but then a whole array of other questions crop up, such as:

1. Is this a safe neighbourhood?
2. Is this property value for money?
3. Is the landlord trying to rip me off?
4. Will I get my deposit back when I eventually leave?

In time we will look into all these questions and more in the new blog column, but today let's just start by looking at a few properties that have answered positively for the above questions, so that anyone who wants to find a place to stay that has been vetted already, can do so.

I will highlight three properties that we have found to be very popular with teachers in Bangkok, to give a quick glimpse of what is available, in various parts of town.

The first one is in a district that is not as popular as those of Sukhumvit or Silom, and yet offers residents a great deal for a low-price. Not only that, but the property is just over 2 years old and offers a luxurious escape from the hustle and bustle of the built up areas of Bangkok.

Located in Thonburi, this property is within easy reach of Salaya and Pinklao, but at the same time allows residents to be back in Siam square in less than 30 minutes, due to the recent extension of the Silom BTS line over the river, which now extends to Wong Wian Yai BTS station.

Metro Park Sathorn has great value studios starting at THB 7 500, for 30 sqm. The building itself features a large swimming pool, garden areas and the development even has its own 7-Eleven, coffee-shop and restaurant with further retail outlets coming soon.

There are also one-bedroom condos priced from THB 9 000 per month with 42sqm and separate kitchens. These units have some of the best lay-outs in a modern Bangkok condo.

Finally Metro Park Sathorn also has 2 Bedroom units for teachers who have perhaps come over to Thailand with a small family. With units starting at THB 14 000 per month, these 58sqm condos my sound small, but with large windows, modern furniture and kitchens, they feel a lot bigger than the size suggests.

Of course not everyone can live across the river, as most schools, universities and language schools are based on the Siam Square side. So let's look at one or two properties on this side of the river and yet close to the MRT or BTS.

In near the central Sukhumvit area of Asoke, there is a great apartment offering large extremely well maintained studios adequately sized at 40sqm. These studios also come with UBC and ADSL for free once a 12 month contract is signed. And starting at just THB 10 400 per month offers great value to live close to the center of town.

With easy access to the MRT at Rama 9 and many local shops including The Esplanade, the building features 24 hour security and car parking, as well as a gymnasium.

With a great landlord and a high level of cleanliness, we have found this property is very popular with teachers over the years, who are working in both Sukhumvit and Ratchadaphisek.

Finally something for those wanting to live in a more northern area of the city with Lat Prao and Viphavidee within easy access. The Greeny Place Apartment offers a more traditional feel, but has plenty of space. Studios start at THB 8 000 and one bedroom units are even better value at THB 10 000 per month and a spacious 60sqm. The apartment offers good value for money. Plus there is car parking, 24 hour security and gymnasium.

Within a 5-minute motorbike ride of Ratchadaphisek MRT station, once you are on the Metro system then you can be anywhere in the city center within 30 minutes.

In the coming weeks I will be writing more blogs, which will cover subjects from getting back commissions, to buying condos, to looking at the Bangkok Property market as a whole, its health, development and where it looks like it is going.

Comments

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By Eilidh, hyderabad (17th June 2016)

Christian,
Why don't you just contact Neil's office? I doubt whether he wants to conduct buisness on-line in a blog comment section to be honest.

By philip, (19th September 2011)

Can you recommend me something below 6000 per month?
Also i am interested in locations in Pataya i want to visit.

Cristian

By VALERIU LAZAR, Canada (19th September 2011)

I used to live in Rangsit which is a little far outside of Bangkok but once you have got used to the buses and get yourself a bus map then you can start to catch the buses. I catch them all the time now. I paid something like 2800 Baht a month which included a bed, hot water, and a bed. They threw in a TV but I had to pay 300 Baht a month for this. They also had Internet which I think I paid 100 Baht a month for. In total, the monthly cost for the Apartment came to around 4000 Baht. If you are prepared to look around there are loads of apartments in bangkok. Remember most Thais pay around 2000 Baht for their Apartments but it does not come with much. Normally just a room and you have to buy everything yourself and will have no aircon. You often need it to sleep. I do. The more facilities you have then the more you will pay, but if you are prepared to live a little off the centre you will pay much less. Also if you look around. I would not even consider paying more than 5000 Baht for an Apartment or condo. I now live in a condo for 4200 Baht a month, and then pay 7 Baht a unit for Electricity and 20 Baht a unit for water. The minimum charge for water is 100 Baht a month and I usually use less than that because I am trying to save it because of water shortages in Thailand. But it has everything. A Fridge, a TV, cupboard, aircon, security card, gym if I want it (small one) and would have to pay extra for it.It has hot water and security even if they are not always that good but at least they are there. They also have CCTV security cameras and underground parking if your friends visit you.

Finding accomodation for less than 5000 Baht is not that hard. Find some Thai friends and see if they can recommend you. Also if you are the only farang in the building they are going to talk about you. It is just the way Thais are. Make sure they can't see you from the road and who you are bringing to your apartment. If someone comes to your condo they think you are bonking them. You might or might not be, but it is just the way Thais are. They are addicted to gossip. They can't help themselves. My last Apartment in Rangsit I was a constant source of gossip because they could see my room from the road. It irritated the hell out of me and I eventually stopped buying from the corner shop because they would not and could not stop talking about me. But you should be able to find an apartment or condo for less than 5000 Baht. I now pay less than 6000 Baht a month with everything included and would not consider paying much more. In Rangsit I never got my deposit back. That is the way Thais are also. Most of the time they think you are richer or they are just being cheats and refuse to give your deposit back. You would be hard pressed sometimes to get your deposit back and they often insist upon a 6 month contract. But anything even close to the 10000 Baht a month mark would be way out of my league.

By Martin, Bangkok (26th March 2010)

good article, thanks for the information

By Jules, NYC (23rd March 2010)

My friend and I are sharing an apartment fully self contained with 24 hour security, gym, walking track on the roof top, 24 hour security and only 3 train stops to National stadium. We love the area and pay 23000 BHT pr month. It is a huge apartment with fantastic views of the city. The BTS is 20 minutes walk. There are many schools close by. Also lots of accommodation with great inclusions for 7 to 10,000 BHT pr month in this area also.

By Linda, NARATHIWAT (22nd March 2010)

Not a very good article...
There are DOZENS of options for good accomodation 27sm-30sm rooms that are clean, have 24 hr security, a/c units priced 5000-7500B/month.
Currently I live at PP Mansion on Suk Soi 81 just off the On Nut BTS stop. The room is 5500B/month and its very nice. My friend stays on Soi 70 and pays the same.

By mike, Sukhumvit Soi 81 (22nd March 2010)