Buy an apartment in Pattaya on a budget: what 1.1-5 million baht gets you in 2026
We went through almost 280 sale listings in Pattaya: what you can buy at each budget, how to avoid the Thai quota trap and what taxes and upkeep add on top.
You can buy an apartment in Pattaya from 1.1 million baht. For that money you get a 25-32 m² studio in a condo with a pool in Jomtien or on Pratumnak. Below is a breakdown of almost 280 sale listings from our catalog: what you can realistically buy at each budget, where the quota trap is and how much such an apartment can earn if you rent it out.
First, the key word in any listing - quota. Under the Condominium Act, foreigners may own no more than 49% of a building's floor area. A unit "in the foreign quota" is registered to you personally as freehold. A unit "in the Thai quota" cannot be transferred directly to a foreigner: your options are a 30-year lease or buying through a Thai company. The cheapest units on the market are often exactly Thai quota or "registered to a company", which is why they cost less.
How sale prices break down at the end of September:
1. Under 1.5 million baht - 14 options. Studios of 23-35 m², almost all in Jomtien and on Pratumnak. The cheapest is a 32 m² studio in View Talay 1 for 1.1 million, but it is sold through a company. Foreign quota is barely visible in listings at this level.
2. 1.5-2 million baht - 40 options. This is where ownership in your own name appears: a 22 m² studio on Pratumnak in Siam Oriental Star for 1.58 million in the foreign quota. In the same range there are 29-30 m² one-bedrooms in Neo Sea View in Na Jomtien and 35 m² in Paradise Park in Jomtien.
3. 2-3 million baht - 93 options, the widest choice. The typical buy here is a 35-40 m² one-bedroom with a separate bedroom. For example, a 37 m² one-bedroom in Grande Caribbean with pools and a gym for 2.1 million in the foreign quota. Close in price is Nam Talay: 40 m², foreign quota, from 2.19 million.
4. 3-5 million baht - 60 options. Newer buildings and better views: a 36 m² one-bedroom in The Vision on Pratumnak for 3.06 million, a 58 m² one-bedroom in City Garden Pattaya in the centre for 4.5 million. You can also find a 70 m² two-bedroom for 3.3 million in Paradise Park, but through a company.
About the areas. Jomtien has the biggest choice and the lowest price per square metre. Pratumnak starts a little higher, but it is quieter and closer to the centre. In the centre there are almost no units for sale under 2 million. Wongamat and Naklua have few units for sale, only about ten in the catalog. We covered the character of each area in detail in the article which area of Pattaya to choose.
Running costs. On top of the price there is a monthly common area fee (CAM fee): in our listings it is 39-50 baht per m² per month. For a 30 m² studio that comes to 1,200-1,500 baht. Electricity and water are billed separately by meter.
What the deal adds. Registration at the Land Department means a 2% transfer fee on the appraised value, a 3.3% specific business tax if the seller has owned the unit for less than 5 years (otherwise 0.5% stamp duty), and withholding tax of about 1%. Who pays what is agreed in the contract. "Transfer 50/50" in a listing means the fees are split in half.
For rental income, a rough estimate on real numbers. A studio on Pratumnak on an annual lease rents for 15,000 baht a month on average in our catalog. Subtract one empty month a year and the CAM fee and you are left with about 150,000 baht a year before tax and repairs. For a 1.58 million studio that is about 9%. Reality is usually more modest: tenants move out, furniture ages. And renting out for less than 30 days without a hotel licence is not allowed by law.
What to check before you reserve:
1. The quota - in the contract, not just in the listing. For the foreign quota the money must arrive from abroad in foreign currency, and the bank issues a transfer confirmation (for amounts from 50,000 dollars this is the FET form). Without it the unit cannot be registered in your name. If you pay from a country with transfer restrictions, discuss the payment route with the agent in advance.
2. If they offer "through a company", ask who the shareholders are. A structure where Thai shareholders exist only on paper is a violation of the law.
3. CAM debts. Before the deal the building's management issues a certificate of no outstanding fees, without it the transfer does not go through.
4. Year of construction and the condition of pools, lifts and parking. A price of 1.1-1.5 million often means an older building.
5. Noise and view. A "sea view" from the 3rd floor may turn out to be a view of the next building, and the bar downstairs stays open until 2 a.m.
How to view. Listing photos will not replace an evening walk around the building. If this is your first time in Pattaya, start with a one-day Pattaya City Tour for 1,700 baht: the viewpoint over the city, the floating market and the Sanctuary of Truth in the north will help you get your bearings before you start visiting addresses.
Condos are easier to view on your own wheels: a scooter rents from 200 baht a day, a car from 1,250. In a couple of days you can see 8-10 properties in different areas and check the walk to the sea yourself. For a scooter you need a category A licence.
If you are not yet sure you want to live in Pattaya permanently, rent an apartment for a month in the area where you plan to buy. We covered how to do it and what it costs in the article renting an apartment in Pattaya for a month.
In short: a studio starts at 1.1 million baht, but with the foreign quota from about 1.6 million. A decent 35-40 m² one-bedroom is 2-3 million. Watch the quota, CAM debts and transfer taxes. All listings with photos, size and price are in the Pattaya real estate catalog.
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