Average long-term rents by area and bedroom, the big high-season vs low-season swing, lease terms, deposits and advance rent, furnished norms, condo vs villa and how foreigners rent β the practical guide before you sign. Figures are 2026 guide ranges in Thai baht (β THB 35β36 = USD 1).
Phuket really runs two rental markets at once, and confusing them is the most common β and most expensive β mistake newcomers make. The first is the long-term residential market: 6- to 12-month leases on condos, apartments and villas, priced per month, where expats, retirees, remote workers and families actually live. The second is the seasonal holiday market: nightly and short-monthly stays that spike from November to April and again over the Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year peaks. The same villa can advertise one price for a one-week December stay and a fraction of that, per month, on an annual lease. This page is about the first market β what it costs to live on Phuket β and how to avoid paying holiday rates for a home. For everyday running costs once you're in, see the Phuket cost-of-living guide.
Monthly rent on a 6β12 month lease for modern, furnished homes with a pool and gym. Older buildings and inland apartments sit lower; sea-view branded residences and large pool villas go far higher. Area is the single biggest lever on price.
| Area | 1-bed condo | 2-bed condo | Pool villa (3-bed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phuket Town / Kathu (inland value) | 10,000β18,000 | 16,000β28,000 | 30,000β60,000 |
| Chalong / Wichit | 11,000β19,000 | 18,000β32,000 | 35,000β70,000 |
| Rawai / Nai Harn (south) | 14,000β25,000 | 22,000β45,000 | 45,000β110,000 |
| Kata / Karon | 15,000β28,000 | 25,000β48,000 | 55,000β130,000 |
| Patong | 14,000β28,000 | 24,000β50,000 | 60,000β150,000 |
| Kamala / Surin | 20,000β40,000 | 35,000β75,000 | 90,000β300,000+ |
| Bang Tao / Laguna / Cherngtalay | 22,000β45,000 | 40,000β90,000 | 100,000β400,000+ |
Because Phuket is a holiday island, the same property can cost wildly different amounts depending on how β and when β you rent it. The cheapest way to live here is a 6β12 month lease that runs through both seasons; the most expensive is a short stay booked for a high-season peak week.
| How you rent | Relative cost | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term (6β12 month) condo lease | Best monthly rate | Baseline β often 30β50% below nightly equivalents |
| Low / green season monthly (MayβOct) | Low | Steep discounts; landlords prefer an empty-season tenant |
| High season monthly (NovβApr) | High | Often 40β100% above low-season monthly rates |
| Peak weeks (mid-Dec to mid-Jan, Chinese New Year) | Highest | Villas and sea-view condos can triple; minimum stays apply |
| Short holiday let (nightly) | Premium | Not a true rental rate β daily pricing, not comparable to a lease |
Practical takeaway: if you're staying six months or more, sign a long lease and you'll pay the baseline rate year-round. If you arrive in November on a three-month plan, expect to pay a high-season premium β and consider arriving in the green season instead, when landlords compete for tenants.
A standard Phuket long-term lease asks for two months' deposit plus one month in advance β so budget roughly three months' rent to move in. Here's the typical structure and who pays what.
| Item | Typical norm |
|---|---|
| Typical long-term lease length | 6 or 12 months (12 unlocks the best rate) |
| Security deposit | 2 months' rent (refundable, less damages) |
| Advance rent on signing | 1 month upfront (so move-in β 3 months' rent) |
| Seasonal / 3β6 month lease deposit | 1β2 months, sometimes higher in high season |
| Electricity | Tenant pays β metered, often at a small markup in condos |
| Water | Tenant pays (modest) β sometimes included in villas |
| Internet / common fees | Usually landlord pays building common fee; fibre often included |
| Notice to vacate | Commonly 30β60 days; check the contract |
Electricity is the line to watch: in condos it's metered and sometimes billed at a small markup over the government rate, and heavy AC use in Phuket's heat can add THB 2,000β4,000 a month. Always get the deposit terms and an inventory list in writing β model your true move-in cost with the move-in cost calculator.
The Phuket expat rental market is overwhelmingly furnished. A typical condo comes with a bed, wardrobe, sofa, dining set, a kitchen with hob, fridge, microwave and washing machine, air conditioning in every room, a TV and usually kitchenware, linens and towels β so you can genuinely arrive with a suitcase. Villas add private pools, gardens, multiple bathrooms and often a maid's quarters; many include pool and garden maintenance in the rent (confirm this, as it's a real monthly saving). Truly unfurnished long-term apartments do exist, mostly inland and aimed at the local market, and rent a little cheaper β but they're the exception in the areas most expats choose. Whatever you take, insist on a written inventory list attached to the lease so the deposit return is clean.
Condos are the easy entry point: lock-up-and-leave security, a shared pool and gym, building management to handle problems, and lower running costs, which suits singles, couples and remote workers β and they cluster near the beaches and in town. Villas give you space, privacy, a private pool and room for a family or pets, but come with higher rent, bigger electricity bills, and pool and garden upkeep to budget or negotiate into the lease. As a rule, condos dominate the under-THB-50,000 market and the popular-beach areas, while villas take over above that and in the northwest around Bang Tao, Layan and Cherngtalay. Match the choice to your area: see the Bang Tao, Rawai and Kata guides for what each delivers.
Good news: there are no restrictions on foreigners renting in Thailand. Anyone can lease a condo, apartment or villa long-term or seasonally on any visa β the 49% condo quota and the no-foreign-freehold-land rules apply only to buying, not renting. The process is fast and informal compared with the West: view, agree terms, sign a contract, pay deposit plus first month, and move in, often within days.
| Step / item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Tenant agent fee (long-term) | Usually FREE β the landlord pays the agent |
| Tenant agent fee (short / seasonal) | Sometimes a booking or service fee applies |
| Landlord agent commission | Typically ~1 month for a 12-month lease (paid by owner) |
| Documents you'll need | Passport; for long stays, visa/immigration details |
| Reservation / holding deposit | 1 booking deposit to take a unit off-market, rolled into the deposit |
| Lease registration | Leases over 3 years should be registered at the Land Office |
One reassuring point on cost: for a normal long-term lease the landlord pays the agent, so a good agent costs the tenant nothing. Leases of three years or more should be registered at the Land Office to be enforceable for the full term. If you're matching a visa to a home, our visa-holder housing guides walk through the documentation.
For a modern one-bedroom condo, expect roughly THB 10,000β18,000 a month in inland value areas like Phuket Town and Kathu, THB 14,000β28,000 near popular beaches such as Rawai, Kata, Karon and Patong, and THB 20,000β45,000 in the prime northwest around Kamala, Surin and Bang Tao. Two-bedroom units and pool villas run higher, and luxury sea-view homes in the northwest reach into the hundreds of thousands. These are long-term (6β12 month) rates β short seasonal lets cost far more.
Phuket is a holiday island, so demand swings hard with the seasons. From November to April (high season) landlords can earn far more from short stays, so monthly rates rise 40β100% over the green season, and peak weeks around Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year cost more again. A 6β12 month lease signed for the whole year sidesteps this and gets you the lowest monthly rate.
A standard long-term lease asks for two months' rent as a refundable security deposit plus one month's rent in advance, so you typically need about three months' rent to move in. Shorter seasonal leases often take one to two months' deposit. The deposit is refundable at the end of the lease, less any damage or unpaid bills.
Yes. There is no restriction on foreigners renting in Thailand β anyone can rent a condo, apartment or villa long-term or seasonally regardless of visa type, and you don't need to own anything to live there. Renting is how the large majority of Phuket's expats and long-stay residents live. Ownership rules (the 49% condo quota, no foreign freehold land) apply to buying, not renting.
For a standard long-term lease, the tenant usually pays no agent fee β the landlord pays the agent's commission (about one month's rent on a 12-month lease). For short or seasonal holiday lets, some agencies or platforms charge the tenant a booking or service fee. Always confirm who pays before you sign.
Almost all condos and most villas marketed to expats and holiday renters come fully furnished β bed, sofa, kitchen appliances, washing machine, AC and often kitchenware and linens β so you can move in with a suitcase. Unfurnished long-term apartments exist but are less common in the expat market and usually inland. Confirm the inventory list in the lease.
Want the everyday running costs too? See the Phuket cost-of-living guide and the long-form 2026 budget tables in the Learn library.
Match your budget and season to the right area and home, then run the move-in maths before you commit. Tell us what you need and we'll line up matching condos and villas.
Hero photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels. Figures are indicative 2026 guide ranges, not quotes or legal, tax or immigration advice.