Don’t start from a listing — start from your income. Set what you take home and how much of it you want rent to take, and see a comfortable rent ceiling, the up-front cash it needs in Thailand, and what’s left to live on. Unbiased, no paid placement.
Start with what you earn, not a listing price. Set your monthly take-home and a target rent share to see a comfortable rent ceiling, the up-front cash it needs, and what’s left to live on. Drag a slider or tap Type for an exact number — nothing here is a market quote.
A widely-used rule of thumb keeps housing near 30% of take-home pay, so on ฿80,000 a month that’s roughly ฿24,000 of rent. But in Thailand the deciding number is often the cash on day one: most private leases want a two-month deposit plus one month’s advance, so budget about ฿75,000 up front for this rent — and the deposit comes back at the end if you leave the unit in good order. This leaves about ฿26,000 a month after essentials for savings and discretionary spend — a healthy cushion. Some landlords and agents (and a few visa routes) ask to see income or savings of 2–3× the rent before signing, so keep proof handy. Every figure here is yours to set — no market rents are assumed.
Estimates only, from the figures you enter — not financial advice. The 30% guideline and 2–3 months’ up-front cash are common norms, not rules; deposit, advance and income-proof expectations vary by landlord, building, lease and visa type. Always read the contract before committing. BAANLYY never takes paid placement.
It’s easy to fall for a condo first and rationalise the rent afterwards. Working the other way — from your take-home pay to a rent ceiling — keeps you honest. A widely-used guideline puts housing at around 30% of take-home income, with 25% comfortable and 35% or more a stretch. There’s no Thai law setting this; it’s simply the budgeting maths that keeps the rest of your life affordable. Set your own share above and the calculator turns it into a baht ceiling you can shop against.
The monthly figure is only half the picture. A standard private-owner lease asks for a two-month security deposit plus one month’s advance — about three months’ rent before you get the keys. So a rent your salary can carry can still be out of reach this month if the deposit cash isn’t there. The calculator shows the move-in cash for your chosen ceiling so you can plan the lump sum, not just the monthly. Two of those three months are a refundable deposit, returned at the end if you leave the place in good order.
Rent isn’t the only line in the budget. Utilities (electricity is the big one if you run air-conditioning, and some landlords charge above the government meter rate), food, transport, insurance and school or healthcare costs all compete for the same income. That’s why the tool subtracts your essential spend and shows what’s left: a healthy cushion, a snug margin, or over budget. If the number turns red, drop the rent share or trim essentials before you commit — not after you’ve signed.
Some landlords letting a single condo never check income, but agents, serviced-apartment operators and corporate-lease desks often ask to see income or savings of roughly two to three times the rent, plus your passport and visa. A few long-stay visa routes have their own income or savings tests, separate from the lease. None of this is a fixed rule — it varies widely — but having recent payslips or bank statements ready makes signing faster and strengthens your position if a unit has competing applicants.
It doesn’t guess your rent or quote the market — every figure is yours to set, because honest inputs beat confident-sounding defaults. It uses common norms (the ~30% guideline, three months’ up-front cash, 2–3× income proof) as a frame, not a promise, and it can’t know your specific landlord or visa terms. And it isn’t financial advice. Treat the output as a clear, transparent picture of your budget, then confirm the actual lease and any income rules before committing.
Now see the exact move-in cash and find the areas that fit your number, before you sign.
General information and a self-input estimating tool only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Results reflect the figures you enter; the 30% guideline, up-front cash norms and income-proof expectations vary by landlord, building, lease and visa type. Always read the contract and confirm any income rules before committing. BAANLYY never takes paid placement.