My Accommodation Budget in Thailand
When I decided to move back to Thailand I gave myself a budget of 14,000 baht a month towards accommodation.
Having a strict housing budget target gives you peace of mind when living abroad long-term.
Even with monthly electricity fluctuations from heavy air conditioning use during the hotter months, keeping rent low ensures your overall cost of living stays predictable.
This is roughly $600 Australian dollars a month.
The reason i stick to this is due to the fact that I withdraw a certain amount each month from Australia.
I worked this out in Australia based on what I had seen condos were charging and my previous experience with electricity bills.
I started looking at old rental receipts and I got Gemini to update the data for me.
I appear to be within budget so far.
Since electricity would need to reach 5,360 THB in a single month for you to hit 14,000 THB (with 8,500 THB rent + 140 THB water), my 14,000 THB target serves as a very safe upper cap.
Why I chose Caza V1 serviced Apartments
I looked at various different condos in Rayong when I arrived.
Many are smaller, around 25 SQM and quite expensive in my opinion.
I liked the room size at Caza as its 40 SQM and had a kitchen and was fully furnished.
It also has free Wi-Fi.
I also have a housekeeper to clean my room once a week, which is included in the price.
They also have a laundry downstairs that has a great same-day service.
They provide you with a basket, once its full drop it off outside the laundry, and it gets delivered to your room later that day.
I then take the bill down to reception and pay.
It’s never been more than 140 Baht ($6)
There is a small gym and restaurant downstairs as well
Here is a handy map to see where I am
Monthly Living Costs at Caza V1 Overview
| Month & Year | Rent | Water | Elec | Total Cost | Budget Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 8,500 | 140 | 3,592 | 12,232 THB | 1,768 THB Under |
| July 2025 | 8,500 | 140 | 2,557 | 11,197 THB | 2,803 THB Under |
| August 2025 | 8,500 | 140 | 3,100 | 11,740 THB | 2,260 THB Under |
| September 2025 | 8,500 | 140 | 3,067 | 11,707 THB | 2,293 THB Under |
| October 2025 | 8,500 | 140 | 2,790 | 11,430 THB | 2,570 THB Under |
| March 2026 | 8,500 | 140 | 2,617 | 11,257 THB | 2,743 THB Under |
| May 2026 | 8,500 | 140 | 4,485 | 13,125 THB | 875 THB Under |
| June 2026 | 8,500 | 140 | 5,032 | 13,672 THB | 328 THB Under |
| July 2026 | 8,500 | 140 | 3,780 | 12,420 THB | 1,580 THB Under |
| August 2026 | 8,500 | 140 | 3,802 | 12,442 THB | 1,558 THB Under |
What consumes my electricity?
Kitchen:
Fridge, electric kettle (my biggest power consumer), plus occasional air fryer and microwave.
Laptops & Monitors:
High-end laptop and external monitor running daily for hours.
Entertainment:
TV on through afternoon/evening, plus Netflix.
Cooling:
Pedestal fan running almost all day; air conditioning on overnight (until ~6:00 AM).
Obviously I spend money on other things like Phone ,Netflix, shopping etc.
Once you stop working then you really need to have a budget.
If you would like to know the price of something let me know and I can check for you.
Another example cost is my AIS mobile package including internet and Netflix costs me 595 baht a month.
This is about $25 Australian dollars.
Have questions about living costs in Rayong or housing in Thailand?
Drop a comment below or send me a message—I’m happy to look up local prices for you!
Everyone’s budget is different and your spending habits maybe much higher or lower than mine, but hopefully this post will give you a good guide to work with.
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