I'll be taking a job on Samui soon. Many of my co-workers are living in bungalows out in the middle of nowhere. But I'd like to be in town in a condo/apartment. Something for around 8,000-10,000 Baht a month. One nice room with fridge, TV, air con and clean bathroom will do. In Chiang Mai, this is very easy to find. Is it the same on Samui in Nathon? If so, any suggestions as to the better places?

Thanks!

better to live in chewang or bangrak area, many places for rent in your budget

better to live in chewang or bangrak area, many places for rent in your budget

better off living in lamui, i lived in nathon for 4 years, getting to chaweng was easy at first but not anymore

sorry just looked up my spelling i guess i'm gonna have all the english full stops are in the wrong place gang on to me

sorry just looked up my spelling i guess i'm gonna have all the english full stops are in the wrong place gang on to me

hi

just to let you know, you are able to edit your posts

As even us native english make a few mistakes, but just edit them

I'll be working in Mae Nam by the way. Why do people feel it's better to be in Lamai or Chaweng than Nathon? From my understanding, Nathon is still somewhat "Thai", which myself and my employees would appreciate.

CMT, you are right on. I don't see any reason for to live in Chaweng, Lamai or Bangrak unless you would work in one of those places. Maenam is not bad in itself, lots of houses for rent. The locals are about the nicest in Samui IMHO. Going West from Maenam to Nathon you can find a bungalow or a room for that money with all the amenities even near the beach. Nathon has several guesthouses or hotels that might work for you. There are no condos in Samui.

CMT, you are right on. I don't see any reason for to live in Chaweng, Lamai or Bangrak unless you would work in one of those places. Maenam is not bad in itself, lots of houses for rent. The locals are about the nicest in Samui IMHO. Going West from Maenam to Nathon you can find a bungalow or a room for that money with all the amenities even near the beach. Nathon has several guesthouses or hotels that might work for you. There are no condos in Samui.

Really, there are no apartment/condo buildings in Nathon? So all Thais on a budget are sharing houses? I will check out Mae Nam and west of Mae Nam when I arrive. Where are the Thais who are making 6,000-10,000 Baht a month staying? In Chiang Mai, they'd get a room for 3,000 Baht a month in one of the dozens of apartment/condo buildings.

Standard appartment is 2,500 THB per month. Plenty available in Nathon area.

I lived in Nathon for a year and loved it. Loads of places tp rent for very very cheap.2.5k is very cheap but will get you a concrete bunker with one room. I had two rooms (living room and bedroom) and paid 3k. For 8-10k you can get a decent thai style wooden house or modern bungalow. Try the road between Nathon going out towards Mae Nam (before the hill). All along that road there are houses for rent. There is a gym near 7-11 and I noticed that there are about 4 bungalows for rent there. Give those a go...

Go for Nathon. Forget the codgers telling you to stay in Chaweng or whatever. Lamai. Whatever.

Those places (I live now in Lamai) are full of too-many-people, too-many-beer-bars and are as far from Thailand/Thai as you can get.

Nathon on the other hand is very much Thai style, offers cheaper rents, good selection of rooms, excellent (the best on the island) shopping, fresh fish, meat and vegetable/fruit markets, government centers, bank headquarters, immigration offices, ferry and bus terminals, excellent beaches (nearby Lipa Noi), awesome mountain views (go up the hill), no western style night life at all (con or pro - up to you), plenty good restaurants, the list goes on.

I used to live in Nathon, I really miss it so much. Lamai and Chaweng are not so good for the normal quiet life.

I can't buy anything in shops here except tourist stuff.

I plan to move back over to Nathon before end this year for all the above reasons.

So, if you want lots of farangs in shorts and cheap-cheap beerbars and noise, go for Chaweng or Lamai.

If you want a real Thai living situation, go for Nathon. (not far to drive over to Chaweng and Lamai for weekly noise topup)

Cheers.

I'd stay in Mae Nam where you work as it's a hop skip and a jump to both Nathon one way and Chaweng/Lamai the other.

Stayed in Nathon as well as Mae Nam for years. Both are better than Chaweng/Lamai, unless you are there for the nightlife I suppose.

If you are working in Mae Nam area, staying there makes sense. Lots of reasonably priced accomodation around there....