Pricing the locals right out of the market. 

Anyone spending time in Thailand knows this survey draws an inaccurate conclusion.  We say that Numbers Lie and Liars Figure. 

 

Bangkok rents are very affordable when compared with Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, London, Paris, etc.  But wages in Thailand are also very low when compared on an international scale -- just look at Bangkok minimum wage of 400 THB ($12.35) PER DAY.  Minimum wage in California is around 650 THB per HOUR ($20 per hour) or 5,200 TBH per DAY.  Of course, poorly educated Bangkok lawyers want to charge New York partner hourly rates of 28,000, which is also somewhat remarkable -- when you consider that other than Barristers, few have actually attended a law school.  (Barristers and Lawyers have different certification exams.)

   
What Bangkok and Thailand are experiencing is the unconstrained greed of real estate owners and developers.  Retailers cannot afford to pay the rent, apartment dwellers have trouble with their costs.  Banks continue to finance an out of control real estate bubble and must continue doing so because so much of their assets (loans) are tied to real estate. 

80% of recent US stock market appreciation is from a handful of AI companies.  US GDP is also similarly skewed to AI investment -- a bubble everyone can see.  

This real estate survey is biased, although it does show that Bangkok -- and Thailand in general -- must consider these fundamental economic issues that are merely green shoots today. 

4 hours ago, mfd101 said:

The comparative statistic is more about low average wages in Thailand, rather than high rents.

 

Erm..... that is what Housing Affordability is based on.

 

BKK is cheap for farangs but not for the locals.

 

Maybe farangs should be made to pay five times the rent, that might free up lots of rooms thus increasing the supply to the locals who work there.

 

The farang invaders can live somewhere else.

 

56 minutes ago, Kat Hao said:

Anyone spending time in Thailand knows this survey draws an inaccurate conclusion.  We say that Numbers Lie and Liars Figure. 

 

Bangkok rents are very affordable when compared with Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, London, Paris, etc.  But wages in Thailand are also very low when compared on an international scale -- just look at Bangkok minimum wage of 400 THB ($12.35) PER DAY.  Minimum wage in California is around 650 THB per HOUR ($20 per hour) or 5,200 TBH per DAY.  Of course, poorly educated Bangkok lawyers want to charge New York partner hourly rates of 28,000, which is also somewhat remarkable -- when you consider that other than Barristers, few have actually attended a law school.  (Barristers and Lawyers have different certification exams.)

   
What Bangkok and Thailand are experiencing is the unconstrained greed of real estate owners and developers.  Retailers cannot afford to pay the rent, apartment dwellers have trouble with their costs.  Banks continue to finance an out of control real estate bubble and must continue doing so because so much of their assets (loans) are tied to real estate. 

80% of recent US stock market appreciation is from a handful of AI companies.  US GDP is also similarly skewed to AI investment -- a bubble everyone can see.  

This real estate survey is biased, although it does show that Bangkok -- and Thailand in general -- must consider these fundamental economic issues that are merely green shoots today. 

 

The Bangkok market rental market is based on supply and demand just like anywhere else nothing to do with the stock market or greed.

 

Housing Affordability, based on rents and LOCAL income.

 

I just leased out a property near London UK, £1,700 a month, if I had asked for £2,700 a month it would be empty, the price is based on supply and demand. 

3 hours ago, Showtime said:

It looks like old data was used for Austin....before all the California companies moved there and property prices were bid up quickly

Not necessarily.

Wouldn't those companies also be increasing the average salaries?

1 hour ago, Iron Tongue said:

Naw, Austin was already a city grown by sprawl.  Because most of TX is flat, open land, they just keep growing outwards when new housing is needed.  There's never a shortage of land & housing compared to Silicon Valley, which has mountains and water confining it.

Eventually, Austin will just combine with Dallas and Houston.

But back to highest rent to income, has anyone tried to live in Zurich?

Daughter interviewed in Zurich for a graduate scheme.

Unfortunately enough people who didn't need a visa got through to the 3rd round so they dropped all the candidates that needed visas.

F***ING Brexit.

There's no question that Bangkok is expensive and rentals are likely priced at a higher level than they should be. But to say that it's the most expensive? Compared to what? Monte Carlo, Los Angeles, New York? A two bedroom in New York is 160,000 baht a month. A modest one bedroom apartment in a halfway decent section of LA is 70,000 baht a month.

 

So, where is the true comparison? It might be one of the most expensive relative to the income that the local people earn. Maybe. 

21 minutes ago, bkk_mike said:

Daughter interviewed in Zurich for a graduate scheme.

Unfortunately enough people who didn't need a visa got through to the 3rd round so they dropped all the candidates that needed visas.

F***ING Brexit.

 

If she is American then she would have needed a visa anyway to work in the EU and Switzerland? (I am assuming you are American due to 'Daughter interviewed in Zurich" rather than "my daughter had an interview in Zurich" as if she 'interviewed' it means she was giving the interview not taking one.).

 

If that is the case it is nothing to do with Brexit.

 

I needed a visa to work in the USA twice when the UK was in the EU.

 

As I went through immigration at the airport a very friendly US officer told me, "We have enough software engineers already in the USA".

 

I said , "Well seeing as AT%T did not have the expertise to test their new GSM mobile phone European system they hired me and another colleague through a specialist work visa so I will let AT&T be the judge of that, not you". (The system became world wide and is the system we all still use today).

19 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

There's no question that Bangkok is expensive and rentals are likely priced at a higher level than they should be. But to say that it's the most expensive? Compared to what? Monte Carlo, Los Angeles, New York? A two bedroom in New York is 160,000 baht a month. A modest one bedroom apartment in a halfway decent section of LA is 70,000 baht a month.

 

So, where is the true comparison? It might be one of the most expensive relative to the income that the local people earn. Maybe. 

 

There is no true comparison by comparing prices, the study is about affordability and is based on local incomes compared to local rents. 

On 10/28/2025 at 11:47 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

Bangkok rents are high but the least affordable in the world? Sorry, that dog don't hunt.

 

4 hours ago, Showtime said:

It looks like old data was used for Austin....before all the California companies moved there and property prices were bid up quickly

A lot of supply was built though and prices have already started dropping. It doesn't help that Joe Rogan moved all his comic buddies there and they've been publically calling the place a s***hole.

They are comparing apples to mangoes. 

 

They are comparing the rents paid by both Thais and foreigners with average income of Thais.

4 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I think that's the real message of the OP.  Not that Bangkok rent is high.  It's that median income is so low.

A bit of both I think... property owners looking for top prices for investment and too little top earners capable of paying those prices

 I am not an expert but I would say its more like 40 - 50% which is high by global standards. Note that Singapore is the lowest and thats because they have a responsible government that see looking after their citizens as an investment and a priority!! Its called planning & Governance!!

Not to mention all the overcharging and excessive prices all over. Now when you go in a mall in Bangkok or Hua Hin, the prices are often similar if not more, compared to Europe. No point in buying in any Malls in Thailand. 

 

Also to consider are  the other elements of expense,  like restaurants and food.

 

Western food (pork, meats, edibles of foreign brands)  sold  in supermarkets is more costly compared to the west. Considering that the salaries or rents are far lower in Thailand, nothing to justify such high costs. Same for restaurants in many popular Thai beach towns, that overcharge the customers  or have drastically reduced their portions served. 

On 10/28/2025 at 11:47 AM, HappyExpat57 said:

Bangkok rents are high but the least affordable in the world? Sorry, that dog don't hunt.

The story says they spend “79% of their disposable income on renting a two-bedroom flat”

"Honey I love you but give me Park Avenue"  NOT

On 10/27/2025 at 6:32 PM, Emdog said:

anyone who spends 79% of income in Bangkok on rent is an idiot or only earns 9k a month. 

I believe the article is aimed at locals, Thai citizens, not foreigners. Many Thai people earn very little, many store employees earn around 10k a month. When I asked how they could survive on those kinds of wages, they told me they had to live with others because of the costs of rent and daily living expenses. They are not idiots. 

8 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

But back to highest rent to income, has anyone tried to live in Zurich?

Yes, but only whilst being paid a Swiss-level salary (for high-value IT work). 

11 hours ago, hotchilli said:

You'd be surprised how many earn a low income in Bangkok

Not really. The vast majority are on low income. As in the rest of Thailand. 

3 hours ago, paul1804 said:

 I am not an expert but I would say its more like 40 - 50% which is high by global standards. Note that Singapore is the lowest and thats because they have a responsible government that see looking after their citizens as an investment and a priority!! Its called planning & Governance!!

how could that be? If so many people are competing for such a small area of land prices are bound to surge. Maybe you could you make a minimum number or floors requirement to keep density at the highest possible level but still it's just a numbers a game.

Owning a condo in Singapore for many years while working between Thailand & Singapore, this article concerning Singapore  is rubbish. The claim that Singapore offers the highest residual income post-rent, doubling the global average, is likely inaccurate. While Singaporeans do have high incomes, the city-state is also consistently ranked among the most expensive places in the world to live, especially concerning rent. This high cost of living significantly impacts residual income. 

The factors that contradict the claim:

• Sky-high rents: Rents in Singapore are notoriously expensive, driven by construction delays, high demand from expats, and a tight property market. For example, a 2023 report found that Singapore’s median rent for private homes was significantly higher than in other major Asian cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Seoul.
• Most expensive city rankings: Global cost-of-living surveys consistently rank Singapore among the most expensive cities. In 2024, Mercer ranked Singapore third among the world’s most expensive cities for international workers, citing high housing and transportation costs.
• High income, high expenses: While Singaporeans earn high salaries —particularly skilled workers and expats —the high cost of living counterbalances this income. As noted by William Russell,  {The Cost Of Living In Singapore} for expats is high, but rents can be almost three times as expensive as in the UK.
• Distinction between locals and expats: Housing costs are particularly high for expats, who rely on the private rental market. In contrast, locals can access subsidized public housing, which lowers their housing costs. This distinction means that a blanket statement about "residual income" is misleading, as experiences vary significantly between residents.
• No supporting data found: Searches for residual income metrics specific to Singapore, especially in comparison to global averages, did not yield any sources supporting the claim that Singapore's residual income doubles the global average. 

The initial claim misinterprets or exaggerates the data. While high incomes mean many Singapore residents have high disposable incomes, high rents prevent them from having residual incomes significantly above global averages. 

BKK is one of the most affordable big cities in the world for a farang.

 

They should compare NY, LA, SF, San Diego, London , Tokyo.

 

BKK is a bargain.

On 10/28/2025 at 1:57 PM, unblocktheplanet said:

It was a good plan to decentralize govt to Chachoengsao.

 

* To Korat

On 10/29/2025 at 11:07 AM, kingstonkid said:

• In more suburban/emerging areas: 2-bedroom units may go for ~ THB 26,000-45,000 per month.  

 

I had a 2-story house with 3 bedrooms, a garden, 160 SQM for 25K. 20 thb motorcycle ride to the MRT

On 10/29/2025 at 3:45 AM, CM Dad said:

I am from Salt Lake City.  I am not a Mormon.  In fact, the city is predominately non-Mormon, unlike the rest of the State, and usually has a Democratic Mayor. 

Then you'll know I was joking....I'm from Ireland and I love "Paddy Jokes" ... even though we are the second most educated country in the world .... or so some other Paddy told me ! lol ! 

"The average monthly household income in Greater Bangkok was 41,335 THB in 2017. More recent data from August 2024 suggests a significantly higher average monthly income for Bangkok residents, at 112,000 THB (...)"

(Source: Google)

 

79% of 112,000 THB = 88,480 THB. (Why do Thais spend so much for rent?) 🤨 

23 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

Erm..... that is what Housing Affordability is based on.

 

BKK is cheap for farangs but not for the locals.

 

Maybe farangs should be made to pay five times the rent (...)

 

Or the landlords could refuse to pay back safety deposits... Oh, wait! Already happening... 😆 

2 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Or the landlords could refuse to pay back safety deposits... Oh, wait! Already happening... 😆 

Got my deposits back 2 out of 2 in Bangkok (both Thai owners).

22 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

I had a 2-story house with 3 bedrooms, a garden, 160 SQM for 25K. 20 thb motorcycle ride to the MRT

 

I had teh same in Pathum Thani for 5k 10 years ago  8 k 4 years ago

On 10/28/2025 at 9:36 PM, Thumbs said:

Bangkok is a big city with relatively good rail and road connections, bangkok in certain area will definitely break the bank but there are cheap rentals if willing to get off sukhumvhit and go more native, good wage for white collar worker is 25,000 a month and they survive renting and have money for groceries and other necessities. That wouldn't even cover rent in the roughest council estate in London 

London bin men can afford to live in Thailand.  Thai bin men can’t afford to live in Bangkok. London bin men can’t afford to live in London.