Buying a Condo in Bangkok: Prices, Process & Hidden Costs
Published: August 26, 2026Written by Jirapol B.Buying Property in Bangkok
Updated on October 13, 2026
Buying a condo in Bangkok is the most accessible route to freehold property ownership for a foreign national in Thailand: a buyer may own a unit outright in their own name provided the building’s foreign quota — capped at forty-nine percent of total saleable floor area under the Condominium Act — has not been exhausted and the purchase funds are remitted from abroad in foreign currency. The 2026 market sharpens every step of that process: CBRE data published in August showed Bangkok luxury-condo sales climbing more than three hundred percent year-on-year, while developers sell off undeveloped land to preserve liquidity rather than launch new towers, compressing the pipeline of new foreign-quota supply. This guide covers what a Bangkok condo actually costs per square metre, the step-by-step purchase process, the hidden fees beyond the headline price, and the mistakes that put deposits and legal title at risk.
Understanding the Bangkok Condo Market for Foreign Buyers
Bangkok’s condominium inventory spans a wide spectrum, from ageing walk-ups in suburban sois to glass-clad high-rises along the BTS and MRT corridors. The two principal categories confronting a prospective purchaser are new launches — sold off-plan or upon completion by developers — and resale units, which enter the market through individual owners and agencies. Each carries distinct pricing dynamics, legal considerations, and investment implications.
New developments typically command a premium for modern finishes, warranties, and the cachet of being first owner, yet they often sit in emerging or fringe districts where infrastructure and community amenities lag behind the promise of marketing brochures. Resale condos, by contrast, occupy established neighbourhoods — Sukhumvit, Silom, Riverside, Ari — where transport links, schools, hospitals, and retail are already in place. This maturity translates into tangible rental demand and liquidity, factors that matter acutely to foreign investors who may need to exit quickly or generate income to offset holding costs.
Asking prices for resale units in prime Bangkok locations can run as little as one-third those of new builds in the same postcode, a gap that reflects both developer profit margins and the oversupply that has characterised certain segments since the pandemic. For a foreign buyer whose primary concern is capital preservation and rental yield rather than speculative appreciation, a well-located resale unit often delivers superior fundamentals at a lower entry point. The calculus changes, however, if financing is required — Thai banks will lend against new condos more readily than against older stock, and foreign buyers face stricter loan-to-value ratios and income verification than Thai nationals.
Average Price per Square Metre and How Location Shapes Value
Price per square metre remains the single most useful metric for comparing properties across Bangkok’s disparate districts, yet averages conceal pronounced variation driven by transit access, building age, floor level, view, and the reputation of the developer. Central business-district precincts — particularly those within five hundred metres of a BTS or MRT station — command premiums that can double or triple the per-square-metre cost of nominally similar units in outer zones.
A contemporary one-bedroom resale condo of thirty-five square metres in a mid-tier Sukhumvit tower between Asok and Thong Lo might list in the range of one hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred thousand baht per square metre, placing the total purchase price between five and seven million baht. Move west to the Silom or Sathorn corridors and prices for equivalent vintage and specification cluster in a similar band, albeit with marginally larger unit sizes reflecting older floor-plan conventions. Step beyond the inner loop to districts such as Ratchada, Lat Phrao, or the eastern reaches of Sukhumvit beyond Bearing, and per-square-metre figures can fall to eighty or ninety thousand baht, though rental yields often compress in tandem as tenant demand thins.
New launches and recent prime-grade towers ask considerably more: projects at the Asok interchange such as The Esse Asoke and Ashton Asoke are the reference points buyers most often benchmark against, with prime-zone launches asking two hundred and fifty thousand baht per square metre or more — a differential that resale buyers are increasingly unwilling to pay absent compelling amenities or brand prestige. For foreign purchasers evaluating a condo purchase in Bangkok, the discipline of computing price per square metre and benchmarking it against both neighbouring resale stock and equivalent rental rates is foundational to avoiding overpayment.
Can a Foreigner Buy a Condo in Bangkok
A foreign individual or foreign-owned company may acquire a condominium unit in Thailand under full freehold ownership, subject to two statutory conditions. First, the aggregate foreign-owned floor area within the condominium building must not exceed forty-nine percent of the total saleable space; the remaining fifty-one percent is reserved for Thai nationals or entities that meet the Condominium Act’s definition of Thai ownership. Second, the buyer must bring purchase funds into Thailand from abroad in foreign currency and obtain a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form — commonly known as a FETF or, under legacy terminology, a Tor Tor Sam — from the receiving Thai bank, certifying that the remittance was made for the purpose of purchasing a condominium. Both conditions are verified at the Land Department when the transfer is registered, and failure to produce a valid FETF will bar the foreign buyer from registration under the foreign quota, forcing either cancellation of the sale or registration under a Thai quota arrangement that the buyer cannot legally hold. For the full ownership framework and documentary requirements, see PropertySights’ primer on foreign property ownership in Thailand.
This framework makes the process of buying a condo in Bangkok as a foreigner relatively straightforward compared with land acquisition, which remains prohibited under the Land Code except in narrow treaty cases. Crucially, the foreign-quota rule applies building by building: a project that has already allocated its full forty-nine percent to foreign owners will offer any remaining unsold units only under the Thai quota, regardless of the unit’s intrinsic appeal. Buyers should request written confirmation of available foreign quota — the managing juristic person can issue a quota certificate, which should be dated within thirty days — and sight the building’s condominium juristic-person registration documents before signing a reservation agreement or paying a deposit, because a developer’s sales team may accept a reservation without verifying quota availability, leaving the foreign buyer unable to complete registration and forced into protracted refund negotiations.
Recent market dynamics add a further wrinkle. The surge in luxury-condo sales reported by CBRE in August 2026 has compressed available foreign quota in several high-demand projects along the BTS Sukhumvit corridor and in the central business district, while developers’ decisions to sell land rather than launch new towers — driven by the liquidity and cost pressures reported across the sector this month — mean fewer new foreign-quota slots are entering the market. The practical result is that foreign buyers face both higher competition for the remaining quota in established buildings and, in some cases, upward price pressure as developers and resellers recognise the scarcity value. Verifying quota availability at the earliest possible stage, and securing a legally binding reservation with a clear refund clause if quota cannot be delivered, are now non-negotiable steps in any Thai property purchase.
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Step-by-Step Process for Buying a Condo in Bangkok
The standard purchase sequence begins with unit selection and a reservation agreement, under which the buyer pays a holding deposit — typically between fifty thousand and two hundred thousand baht, depending on unit price — and the developer or seller agrees to reserve the unit and its foreign quota for a specified period, usually fourteen to thirty days. During this reservation window the buyer arranges finance if required, instructs a Thai lawyer to conduct title and quota due diligence at the Land Department and the condominium juristic person’s office, and remits the balance of funds from overseas in foreign currency. For resale purchases, due diligence should also cover any outstanding maintenance fees or sinking-fund arrears, the building’s financial statements and house rules, and a professional survey to identify structural defects, water ingress, or unauthorized alterations. The remitting bank must be instructed clearly that the purpose is condominium purchase; generic descriptions such as “investment” or “savings transfer” have been rejected by Land Department officials in the past, forcing buyers to re-remit funds and incur double transaction costs.
Once funds arrive, the Thai receiving bank issues the Foreign Exchange Transaction Form, which must specify the recipient’s name, the amount in both foreign and Thai-baht equivalent, and the purpose code for real-estate acquisition. The buyer’s lawyer verifies that the FETF amount meets or exceeds the registered sale price — any shortfall must be remedied by an additional compliant remittance — and prepares the transfer documents, including the sale-and-purchase agreement, transfer application form, and evidence of property taxes in Thailand. On the agreed completion date, both parties, or their authorized representatives holding a properly executed power of attorney, attend the local Land Department office together with the condominium juristic person’s authorised representative, who confirms that the unit is free of juristic-person debt and that foreign quota remains available. The Land Department official reviews all documents, collects transfer fees and taxes, and issues a new condominium title deed — formally a Chanote with condominium annotations — in the buyer’s name, marked with a foreign-ownership notation if registered under the foreign quota.
Timing is critical. From reservation to title transfer, a straightforward resale transaction typically completes in four to eight weeks, while off-plan purchases follow the developer’s construction schedule and can extend to months or years. The FETF is valid indefinitely, but the reservation period is not; if due diligence reveals a title defect or quota shortfall, the buyer must decide within the reservation window whether to proceed, renegotiate or cancel. Developers selling off-plan units may offer staggered payment schedules tied to construction milestones, but foreign buyers should ensure that the FETF covers the final registered price, not merely the deposit, because Land Department practice requires the remittance to equal or exceed the amount declared on the transfer form. Underdeclaring the sale price to reduce transfer taxes — a practice sometimes suggested by brokers — exposes the buyer to two risks: the FETF may be insufficient for future resale registration, and the Land Department may refuse registration altogether if the declared price falls implausibly below the appraised value, a scenario more common since the introduction of the Land and Building Tax Act’s appraisal-based assessment framework.
Hidden Costs and Fees Beyond the Purchase Price
Transfer and registration fees, which total approximately six to seven percent of the registered sale price when all statutory and discretionary charges are included, represent the largest non-price cost in a Bangkok condominium purchase — and once legal fees, the sinking-fund levy and any agency commission are added, the all-in figure can approach ten percent of the headline price. The transfer fee itself is fixed at two percent of the appraised value or declared sale price, whichever is higher, and is set by the Land Code; it is commonly split equally between buyer and seller, though the final allocation is a matter of contract negotiation. Stamp duty, assessed at 0.5 percent of the appraised or declared value, applies if the property has been held for less than five years or if specific business-transfer exemptions do not apply; properties held for five years or longer are exempt from stamp duty but instead incur a withholding tax, calculated on a formula that accounts for the assessed value and holding period, which the seller typically bears but which buyers should verify in the sale contract to avoid last-minute dispute at the Land Department counter.
Beyond the statutory fees, buyers face several transactional costs that are less visible but equally material. Legal fees for independent due diligence, document review and Land Department representation range from thirty thousand to one hundred thousand baht depending on transaction complexity and whether the lawyer is also preparing foreign-quota verification, power-of-attorney documents and English-language contract translations. A sinking-fund contribution — a one-time capital levy that funds major building repairs — is payable on first transfer of a new unit and is charged per square metre at a rate the developer sets in the sale contract, so ask for the exact amount before transfer. Bank charges on inbound foreign-exchange remittances vary by institution and corridor but generally comprise a correspondent-bank fee of ten to forty US dollars and a Thai receiving-bank fee of 0.25 percent of the transferred amount, subject to a minimum and maximum; a buyer remitting ten million baht equivalent should budget approximately fifteen thousand to twenty-five thousand baht in combined bank fees, and should request fee schedules in writing before initiating the transfer to avoid surprise deductions that render the FETF amount insufficient.
Once the purchase completes, the buyer assumes responsibility for the condominium common-area fee, charged monthly by the juristic person to cover building insurance, security, cleaning, pool and gym maintenance, and management salaries; fees in Bangkok range from twenty to over one hundred baht per square metre per month, with luxury developments in prime districts charging at the higher end of the spectrum, and buildings often mark up metered electricity by twenty to thirty percent above the metropolitan rate. Separately, the owner must pay the annual land and building tax, introduced in 2020 to replace the former house-and-land tax. For residential condominiums the statutory ceiling is 0.3 percent of appraised value, but the actual rate applied under the Royal Decree is progressive, starting at 0.02 percent for appraisals up to fifty million baht and rising to 0.10 percent for portions above fifty million. A fifty-square-metre unit appraised at eight million baht would incur an annual tax of sixteen hundred baht under the 0.02 percent band — a modest sum, but one that buyers accustomed to property-tax-free jurisdictions may overlook in their cash-flow projections. Payment deadlines have been subject to annual extensions since the tax’s introduction; the statutory month is April, but subsequent notifications have moved the deadline later in recent years, and practice varies by local authority, so new owners should confirm the current deadline with the Bangkok district office that administers their condominium’s location rather than relying on developer or agent assurances.
Market Conditions and Developer Behaviour in 2026
The confluence of surging luxury-condo sales and widespread land disposals by developers marks a structural shift in Bangkok’s supply outlook. CBRE’s August 2026 data, which documented a three-hundred-percent year-on-year increase in luxury-unit transactions in the capital, attributed the rebound to renewed interest from Chinese, Taiwanese and Middle Eastern buyers, many of whom had deferred purchases during the pandemic years and are now re-entering the market in search of stable assets and, in some cases, long-term-residency pathways under Thailand’s recently expanded visa schemes. The same research noted a forty-five-percent rise in luxury sales in Phuket, underscoring that the recovery is not confined to Bangkok but is most pronounced in the capital’s established prime zones — Sukhumvit, Silom, Sathorn and the Chao Phraya riverfront — where foreign quota tends to exhaust quickly.
Simultaneously, however, multiple property groups have announced land sales aimed at shoring up liquidity and reducing holding costs, a trend reported in Thai business media in early and mid-August 2026. While the individual transactions have not been disclosed in granular detail, industry observers interpret the pattern as a response to two pressures: elevated interest rates that have raised the cost of land-bank financing, and weaker demand in the mid-market segment, where Thai household debt and stricter loan-to-value rules have dampened mortgage approval rates. By liquidating land parcels that were earmarked for future phases or entirely new projects, developers free up cash to service existing debt, complete projects already under construction and avoid the reputational damage of defaults or delayed handovers. For the property market as a whole, however, fewer new launches translate into a shallower pipeline of foreign-quota supply, which in turn supports pricing for existing inventory and resale units but limits choice for buyers seeking brand-new developments.
This dynamic creates both opportunity and risk. On one hand, buyers willing to consider completed or near-complete buildings — rather than insisting on off-plan purchases — may find that the reduced competition from new launches sustains resale values and rental yields, particularly in well-managed developments with strong juristic-person finances and low vacancy. On the other hand, the compression of foreign quota and the uptick in speculative buying by investors anticipating further price growth raise the danger of overpaying at the cycle peak, especially if macroeconomic conditions or regional capital flows reverse. Buyers should triangulate asking prices against recent transaction comparables — available through the Land Department’s public records or via a lawyer’s due-diligence search — and resist developer or agent pressure to commit without independent valuation, a step that is especially prudent given that the three-hundred-percent sales increase may reflect a recovery from a very low base rather than the start of a sustained bull market.
Resale, New Build or Renting: Which Makes Sense
Choosing between a resale condo and a new launch, or between buying and renting, hinges on investment horizon, liquidity needs, and the trade-offs between capital lock-up and rental flexibility. Resale units deliver immediate occupancy, established neighbourhood infrastructure, and — most critically for foreign investors — observable rental comparables that validate yield assumptions. A building that has been tenanted for five or ten years offers a track record of occupancy rates, tenant profiles, and maintenance diligence that no off-plan brochure can match. New developments, while visually appealing and often located in zones slated for future transit extensions, carry construction and completion risk, speculative location premia, and the reality that promised infrastructure may be delayed by years. With resale units in established precincts trading at thirty to fifty percent below new-launch equivalents, a foreign buyer allocating seven million baht can acquire a larger, better-located resale unit or a smaller, more distant new-build — and the former typically generates higher gross rental yield, because rents are set by location and livability, not by whether the unit was first or third owner.
Against ownership altogether stands the option to rent a condo in Bangkok on a long-term lease, and the calculus has shifted in 2026 as purchase prices in the luxury segment have climbed faster than rents. Gross rental yields for prime Bangkok condominiums typically range from three to five percent before expenses: a unit purchased for fifteen million baht and rented at forty-five thousand baht per month generates five hundred and forty thousand baht annually, a 3.6 percent gross yield, and after common fees, repairs, vacancy periods and income tax the net often falls to two to three percent. Thai real-estate transactions also incur round-trip costs of approximately ten to twelve percent when purchase and eventual sale fees are combined, so the breakeven comparison against renting typically favours ownership only for holding periods exceeding seven to ten years, assuming stable or appreciating values and consistent rental income. Buyers who intend to reside in Bangkok for several years, who value the freedom to renovate, and who prefer fixed housing costs over the risk of lease non-renewal will find ownership advantageous even at modest yields; those on fixed-term assignments or uncertain timelines are often better served renting and deploying capital elsewhere.
For those committed to investment, the choice between a Bangkok condominium and alternative property types — such as a Thai-quota house purchased through a nominee structure, a leasehold villa, or an offshore fund holding Thai real estate — hinges on both return potential and risk tolerance. The comparison between condos and houses in Thailand for investment purposes is shaped by legal access: a foreign buyer can own a condo outright but must either lease or use a prohibited nominee arrangement to control a house and land, exposing the latter structure to annulment risk under recent enforcement actions by the Land Department. Condominiums, while legally secure, typically offer lower yields than landed houses in equivalent locations because land scarcity and foreign demand compress cap rates in the condo segment. A balanced approach might involve buying a freehold condo in Bangkok for personal use and secure title, while renting or leasing larger properties in resort destinations for holiday occupation, thereby capturing the legal certainty of the Condominium Act without over-concentrating capital in a single illiquid asset class.
Common Mistakes Foreign Buyers Make
The first and most avoidable error is proceeding without independent legal representation. Relying on the developer’s in-house lawyer or the agent’s recommended counsel creates a conflict of interest that can obscure quota exhaustion, title defects, or unfavourable contract terms. Engage your own English-speaking property solicitor from the outset, and ensure they report directly to you, not to the intermediary brokering the deal.
The most consequential error is completing a purchase without a valid Foreign Exchange Transaction Form, either because funds were remitted in Thai baht from an existing Thai bank account, transferred domestically from another person’s account, or brought in as foreign currency but coded incorrectly by the bank. Without a compliant FETF the Land Department will not register the unit under the foreign quota, leaving the buyer with three unpalatable choices: abort the sale and seek a refund, attempt to register under the Thai quota using a nominee structure that is both illegal and liable to annulment under Thailand’s nominee-crackdown enforcement, or hold the unit off-title in an unregistered state that offers no legal protection. The FETF requirement is non-negotiable and cannot be cured retrospectively by a statutory declaration or an accountant’s letter; the only remedy is a fresh compliant remittance, which doubles transaction costs and, if exchange rates have moved, may force the buyer to remit a higher foreign-currency amount to meet the same baht threshold.
A third frequent mistake is failing to verify foreign-quota availability independently. Developers and resale agents may provide verbal assurances or even draft quota certificates, but the authoritative record is the condominium register held by the Land Department and the juristic person’s ownership ledger. A buyer who pays a deposit in reliance on an agent’s word, only to discover at the Land Department that the building’s foreign quota was exhausted six months earlier, has no automatic right to force the seller to deliver a Thai-quota unit or to recover the deposit without litigation. Independent legal due diligence — conducted before any binding payment — should include a certified copy of the condominium’s foreign-ownership schedule dated within thirty days, a title search confirming that the seller is the registered owner and that no mortgages or judgments encumber the unit, and verification that the juristic person has no outstanding common-fee debts against the unit, which can prevent transfer even if all other documents are in order.
Under-declaring the sale price to reduce transfer fees is a fourth common pitfall. While the practice may save one or two percent in immediate taxes, it creates two long-term problems. First, the Land and Building Tax appraisal, which is conducted by the local authority and increasingly aligned with market values for newer buildings, may exceed the declared price, exposing the discrepancy and potentially triggering a Land Department challenge or a higher-than-expected annual tax bill. Second, when the buyer eventually sells, the capital-gains withholding-tax calculation begins from the declared purchase price; under-declaring the acquisition price artificially inflates the apparent gain and increases the withholding liability unless the seller can produce credible evidence of the true cost, a burden that falls on the seller and which few buyers anticipate at the time of their own purchase. Declaring the genuine market price, sharing transfer costs transparently with the seller, and budgeting for the full statutory percentage ensure a clean title and avoid future tax complications.
Many foreign buyers also neglect to review the condominium juristic person’s financial health and the building’s sinking-fund balance before committing. A building with chronically low common-fee collection rates, deferred maintenance or an underfunded reserve faces the risk of special assessments — one-time levies on all owners to cover major repairs — or, in extreme cases, deteriorating facilities that depress resale values and rental appeal. The juristic person is required to hold an annual general meeting and to make its accounts available to owners and prospective buyers; a lawyer’s due diligence should include a review of the most recent financial statement, minutes of the last AGM and a schedule of any pending or planned major works. Skipping this step in favour of a faster closing may save a week but can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of baht in unexpected levies within the first year of ownership.
For what each of these charges is, where its legal basis comes from and the documents to request from the juristic person, see our guide to condo common area fees and the sinking fund.
Finally, buyers routinely overpay by accepting the first asking price without market benchmarking or negotiation. The resale market in Bangkok is illiquid relative to mature Western markets; a seller may list at an aspirational figure and wait months for a buyer. Research recent transactions in the same building — the juristic office may share anonymised sale prices — compute price per square metre, and make an evidence-based offer ten to fifteen percent below asking. In a market where inventory exceeds demand and foreign buyers possess ready capital, vendors are often willing to negotiate, particularly if the buyer can close quickly and has pre-arranged financing or remittance.
Practical Next Steps for Prospective Buyers
A foreign buyer ready to move forward should begin by defining a clear budget that encompasses not only the unit price but also the six to seven percent in transfer and legal costs, the initial months of common fees and land-and-building tax, and a contingency reserve for furnishings or minor repairs if the unit is bought unfurnished or second-hand. Once the budget is set, the buyer should engage a Thai lawyer with property-law experience — preferably one who is independent of the developer or selling agent — to review standard sale contracts, explain the FETF procedure in the context of the buyer’s home-country banking system, and confirm the documentation required for foreign-quota registration at the Land Department. Many buyers find it helpful to open a Thai bank account in advance of the purchase, both to receive the foreign remittance and to establish a payment vehicle for ongoing common fees and tax; while some Thai banks have tightened account-opening rules for non-residents, those holding a long-term visa or who can demonstrate a property transaction in progress generally succeed, especially if introduced by the lawyer or the developer.
Property search and due diligence should proceed in parallel. Online portals, including PropertySights’ own condos for sale in Bangkok listings, provide a starting point for comparing prices, locations and available inventory, but buyers should also visit shortlisted buildings in person to assess build quality, management standards, neighbourhood amenities and the profile of existing residents, all of which influence both owner-occupier satisfaction and future resale demand. During site visits, request to see the juristic person’s office, review the building’s rules and regulations — which may restrict short-term letting, pet ownership or unit modifications — and ask the building manager for recent AGM minutes and the sinking-fund balance. Projects that are transparent about their finances and proactive in maintenance tend to hold value better than those with opaque management or deferred repairs, and the difference is often apparent within minutes of walking through the lobby and common areas.
Once a specific unit is identified, instruct the lawyer to conduct title and quota searches immediately, before signing any reservation or paying a deposit. The searches will confirm that the seller is the registered owner, that no mortgages or judgments encumber the title, that the unit falls within the building’s foreign quota and that quota space remains available for assignment to a new foreign buyer. If any defect emerges — an outstanding mortgage that the seller has not disclosed, a quota discrepancy, or a juristic-person debt — the buyer can withdraw or renegotiate without financial loss. If the searches are clean, the buyer proceeds to remit funds, obtain the FETF and schedule the Land Department appointment, confident that the legal structure is sound and that the purchase will deliver what the contract promises: a freehold condominium title, registered under the foreign quota, free of encumbrances and ready for immediate occupation or rental.
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FAQs
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This article draws on the following reporting. PropertySights is not affiliated with these publications.
What is the average price per square metre for a condo in Bangkok?
Price per square metre varies widely by location, with central business-district precincts near BTS or MRT stations commanding one hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand baht per square metre for resale units, while outer districts such as Ratchada or Lat Phrao may offer eighty to one hundred thousand baht per square metre. New launches in prime zones can exceed two hundred and fifty thousand baht per square metre, whereas established resale condos in the same neighbourhoods trade at thirty to fifty percent less.
Can a foreigner buy a condo in Bangkok in their own name?
Yes, foreign nationals may purchase and own condominium units in Thailand on a freehold basis provided two conditions are met: the building's foreign-ownership quota, capped at forty-nine percent of total saleable area, has not been exhausted, and the purchase funds are remitted from abroad in foreign currency with a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form issued by a Thai bank. Land ownership by foreigners is prohibited, making condos the principal freehold option.
Do I need to bring money from abroad to buy a condo in Bangkok?
Yes. To register a condominium under the foreign quota, you must remit the purchase funds into Thailand in foreign currency and obtain a Foreign Exchange Transaction Form from your Thai receiving bank. The FETF certifies that the money originated offshore and was transferred for the purpose of buying a condominium. Domestic transfers or baht remittances do not qualify.
What are the hidden costs when buying a condo in Bangkok?
Beyond the purchase price, buyers face a transfer fee of two percent of assessed value, stamp duty of one-half of one percent or withholding tax depending on holding period, legal fees of thirty to one hundred thousand baht, and a one-time sinking-fund contribution on new units, charged per square metre at a rate set in the sale contract. Ongoing costs include monthly maintenance fees of twenty to one hundred baht per square metre and annual land and building tax. Together, statutory transfer costs run six to seven percent of the price, and the all-in figure can approach ten percent.
Is it better to buy a resale condo or a new build in Bangkok?
Resale condos in established neighbourhoods often deliver superior value for foreign investors, trading at thirty to fifty percent below new-launch equivalents in the same postcode and offering immediate occupancy, proven rental demand, and observable transaction history. New builds carry construction risk, speculative location premia, and longer timelines, though they feature modern finishes and warranties. For yield-focused buyers, resale units in prime transit corridors typically outperform.
How long does it take to complete a condo purchase in Bangkok?
A straightforward resale transaction from reservation to title transfer takes four to eight weeks, encompassing due diligence, foreign-currency remittance, and the Land Department appointment. New off-plan units sold during construction can take several months to years, with payment milestones tied to building progress and final transfer occurring upon project completion and occupancy certification.
