Buying an apartment in Thailand in 2026
A foreigner can own an apartment outright, but not land. The 49% quota, transferring money in foreign currency, 2% fees and a visa the purchase alone does not give.
In short
- An apartment can be owned outright if the building's 49% foreign quota is free; land only on a 30-year lease.
- Prices: about $3,600 per square metre in new Bangkok buildings in the first half of 2026.
- Fees: a 2% transfer fee on the assessed value, often split with the seller.
- A purchase gives no visa, but can count towards the $500,000 investment for a 10-year visa.
In detail
A foreigner can buy an apartment in Thailand outright, but not land. So condominium units are registered directly to the buyer, while houses and villas go through a 30-year land lease. Two conditions matter most: the building must have free foreign quota, and the money must arrive from abroad in foreign currency. Property search and checks are described on our property in Thailand page; here is the short answer.
How much an apartment in Thailand costs in 2026
In the first half of 2026 new apartments in Bangkok were launched at about 120,000 baht per square metre on average, about $3,600. A 30 m² studio in such a building costs about $110,000, a 50 m² apartment about $180,000. In Phuket and Pattaya the range is even wider: distance to the sea and the view decide everything.
What a foreigner can buy
| Property | How it is held | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Condominium unit | owned outright by the buyer | foreigners together may own no more than 49% of the unit area in the building |
| House or villa | building owned, land leased | a registered lease of no more than 30 years; renewal is a contractual obligation |
| Unit without free quota | long-term lease | cannot be registered as ownership |
Schemes with a Thai company in which a foreigner effectively owns land through nominee shareholders are illegal, and such deals are challenged.
If the apartment is for letting, keep one more restriction in mind: renting by the night or for less than 30 days requires a hotel licence, and most condominiums cannot get one. Reliable income comes from long-term tenants, whom a management company finds remotely.
How to buy an apartment in Thailand: step by step
- Check the quota. Free foreign quota is confirmed by a letter from the building's management before the deposit.
- Check the property. The developer's or seller's rights, building permits, encumbrances.
- Reservation and sale contract.
- Transfer the money from abroad in foreign currency. The bank issues a foreign exchange transaction confirmation; without it the land department will not register the unit to a foreigner.
- Registration at the land department on handover and payment of fees.
How much the purchase costs: taxes and fees
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Transfer fee | 2% of the assessed value, often split with the seller |
| Specific business tax if the seller owned the unit under 5 years | 3.3%, otherwise 0.5% stamp duty |
| Withholding tax on the seller | depends on whether the seller is an individual or a company |
| Registering a land lease for a house | 1% of the rent for the whole term and 0.1% stamp duty |
Example calculation. An apartment in Bangkok for 5 million baht, about $150,000. The 2% transfer fee is about $3,000 if the buyer pays all of it. About $153,000 in all. Who pays the business tax and stamp duty is set in the contract.
A 2% fee is small next to a unit with no foreign quota
The law does not forbid buying an apartment in Thailand on your own. But mistakes cost more than fees: a unit in a building where the foreign quota is used up, a transfer without the bank's foreign exchange confirmation, after which the land department will not register the purchase, a developer without permits, and a villa through a nominee Thai company. We check the quota, developer and permits, prepare contracts, arrange the transfer with the right confirmations and support registration with locally licensed partners. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process.
The cost of support depends on the property and the goal; our manager in the chat will calculate it.
Does buying an apartment give a Thai visa
The purchase alone gives no visa. But property can count towards the investment for the 10-year long-term visa for wealthy foreigners: assets of at least $1 million, with no less than $500,000 invested in Thailand, including in property. Russian citizens need no visa to come and view an apartment: they enter under a bilateral agreement; the periods are covered in visa-free entry to Thailand. Other grounds for living there are on the Thai residence page, owner taxes on the taxes in Thailand page.
How we help
The law does not forbid buying an apartment on your own. But mistakes cost more than fees: a unit with no free quota, money without a foreign exchange confirmation, a developer without permits, a villa through a nominee company. Murblz specialists check the developer, permits and quota, prepare the contracts, arrange the transfer with the right confirmations and support registration with locally licensed partners. Our manager in the chat will calculate the cost of support.
Property in Thailand
Search, quota and developer checks, registration at the land department.
Learn more →Account in Thailand
A bank account and a transfer with the confirmation needed for registration.
Learn more →Thai residence
Long-term visas, including with an investment in property.
Learn more →We will check the apartment before the deposit. Tell us where and why you need the apartment and where the money will come from. We will show whether it can be owned outright, the fees and the transfer procedure.
FAQ
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Thailand?
How much does an apartment in Thailand cost in 2026?
What taxes apply when buying an apartment in Thailand?
Does buying an apartment give a Thai visa?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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