# Where is it better to live in Bangkok ?



## jute

Hi all,

I'm going to live in Bangkok at the begining of 2016 with my wife and my two young childrens. I'm a freelancer. Can you post any advices about best districts to live in Bangkok (for an expat) ? Mybudget is around 1500 US$ per month.
Thks a lot.


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## bigt116

How long is a piece of string ?
Where will your children go to school ?
What sort of place do you want to live in house/condo ?
A million things could have a bearing on the answer.

Also, as a freelancer, what sort of visa will you be all arriving on ? Work permit maybe a problem too.


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## jute

Thanks for your response, sorry I precise my request.
I'm a freelancer but I will go in Thailand to take a job.

My favorite choice is a house but it depend on the price. I need 3 or 4 bedrooms and a swimming pool (not necessarily private).
My children don't go to school yet, they're too young.
I will work near Asok.

Thanks


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## Bangkok Baz

What type of visa will you have ?


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## expatbrit

Most of the accommodation in Bangkok is condos, with good quality houses being few and far between. You won't find many 3-4 bed houses with swimming pools in very central areas, so you're likely to have to look further out, which would make traveling to and from work more difficult. What is your budget? There are 3-4 bed condos in Silom for 100,000 baht per month. Any other questions, just ask. But if you can be more specific about what you need it would be easier to suggest something. e.g. your budget, how long will you rent for (longer term means cheaper rent), do you want to be near BTS or MRT, will you drive to work, do you want to be in a quiet or busy area, etc. I'll do my best to answer, but I know more about condos than houses.


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## MELODY_G

Hi there
Welcome to Bangkok! 
From what you have requested I would suggest you to prefer a condominium rather than a house because the area that you work it's in the city so it's very hard for you to find a house just like what you expected. Moreover, condominium also full of facilities that might be benefit for your family. in addition, there is a lot of condominiums that is located along the sky train and subway line so quiet convenience for your transportation. 

These might be some ideas for you to find a place to stay and don't be hesitate for more details


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## Paintbox

I guess most of the expat strict to Sukhumvit, Silom and Sathorn areas but I doubt with the budget you gave might not match the high rent in those areas for 3-4 bedrooms though.


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## Overandout

Paintbox said:


> I guess most of the expat strict to Sukhumvit, Silom and Sathorn areas but I doubt with the budget you gave might not match the high rent in those areas for 3-4 bedrooms though.


Glad you said that!

I posted a while back in response to a poster with a monthly budget of 2k USD (for all expenses) that it might be a bit tight for an expat lifestyle in BKK.

But a poster "Expatbrit" informed me that 2k USD was more than enough for a "fantastic life anywhere in Thailand including Bangkok".... not sure what his/her view of a fantastic life is of course, but I can assure you that I spend a LOT more than that living on Thong Lo.


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## jute

Hi,

Thanks all for your replies.
Finally, I'm going to work near Lumphini and I will arrive in January.
So, I think that the districts of Lumphini or Sukhumvit are great.
I reviewed my budget and I will have a budget of 2000 US$ per month.
Do you think that I will be able to find a house with 3/4 bedrooms or a condomium with a big terrace (always with 3/4 bedrooms) ? And if it's not possible, can you say to me which districts for this budget ?


Thks a lot.


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## Overandout

If you can set aside 2000 USD for accommodation you should be fine, as long as you are flexible and don't inists on the newest / trendiest buildings.


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## paradiso

jute said:


> Hi,
> 
> Thanks all for your replies.
> Finally, I'm going to work near Lumphini and I will arrive in January.
> So, I think that the districts of Lumphini or Sukhumvit are great.
> I reviewed my budget and I will have a budget of 2000 US$ per month.
> Do you think that I will be able to find a house with 3/4 bedrooms or a condomium with a big terrace (always with 3/4 bedrooms) ? And if it's not possible, can you say to me which districts for this budget ?
> 
> 
> Thks a lot.


I think with your budget you need to live somewhere further out from the centre of Bangkok. The size of condo you need is very large compared to the average condo and I don't think you'll get one in the most central areas. I'm not that familiar with this size of condo but I had a quick look and most seem to be in the 70-100,000 B+ range. 

As someone else suggested you might find somewhere with a lower price that is closer to your budget if you look at some of the older condo's. Some of them are still very nice and the older buildings are usually more spacious than newer ones so you get a bit more for your money.

I think you may be able to get a house within your budget if you look in the outer Sukhumvit area from On Nut onwards. It is not as built up in this area as the central part of the city and there are 'moo baans' (housing estates) in many of the soi's. If you live on a moo baan you'll have a more natural area and some outdoor space where you kids can play. For your budget you would probably get a small garden but there would likely be a large communal area in the development as well. I think this is important if you have children. I've lived with children in a condo before, and although you might be renting a larger place, most of them are still just large concrete building with little or no outdoor space, especially right in the centre where land is at a premium.

The downside of living in a house is transportation. Many of them can be quite deep in a soi and a fair distance from the main Sukhumvit road. At rush hour times roads in Bangkok are gridlocked, and it can take you a very long time to get anywhere. If you home is located near one of Bangkok's highways this can sometimes but not always help due to the immense volume of traffic. Some people I know leave to go to work at 6 a.m or earlier to avoid most of the traffic.

There's always compromises to be made, and you need to decide if living in a house with more space and a natural environment is more important or if it's more important to have quick access to work or the city, which you will get if you live in a condo near to the BTS Skytrain. I think you need to check out some real estate agencies to give you a clearer idea of what's available.


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## GabrielB

*Chitlom*

Hi, I live in Chitlom and I definitely recommend it - really convenient for Lumpini area. It's not the cheapest area I guess but very nice, clean and central. You're only going to get condominiums in this area.


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