Get to know Pattaya before renting a Pattaya apartment long-term. Rent a motorbike or scooter and explore Pattaya for a few days if you are new to Pattaya. Visit as many areas as you can. You’ll see which areas you like and which areas fit your budget if you’re on a budget.
Most apartment complexes will not rent to you for less than 3-6 months during peak season. You need to make sure that you like the area in which you will be living. There are as many apartments in Pattaya as there are grains of sand on Pattaya’s beaches.
You will find very large apartment complexes with hundreds of apartments and you will find smaller buildings with 10, 20 or 30 units. You will see so called serviced apartments which mean nothing more than “move in ready”.
Bring a notepad and take notes of the areas you like best. Stop by the apartment complexes and find the owner, manager or management office. The manager most likely speaks some English.
Talk to the tenants and find out if they like living there and if they are aware of the problems. Once you’ve found an apartment and stuck to it, visit the apartment and area during different times of the day and night. This is important! This is Thailand. You don’t want to hear about bars that stay open all night right on your doorstep after rent and deposit are paid.
The standard deposit is usually one month’s rent, but it can be a little more than that if there will be a cleaning fee when you move out. Rents range from 3,500 baht to tens of thousands a month, depending on size, location, furniture, whether or not it has a kitchen, and much more.
Apartments for less than 3,500 baht per month may not be suitable for most westerners. I have seen very nice and clean apartments for 3,500 baht and I have seen not so nice ones for 10,000 baht. For 10,000 baht a month you should be able to rent a nice 1 bedroom studio apartment with a good kitchen and nice furniture.
Understand how much you will pay for water and electricity. I have heard of low rents but extremely high charges for water and electricity. Be sure to write down your water and power reading when you move in. Get a copy of the apartment rules if one is available.
Other things to consider:
- Check that power is working, including light fixtures.
- Check that there is water in the kitchen, bathroom and shower.
- Do you need Air Conditioning?
- Do the windows have mosquito nets?
- Is there secure parking?
- Make your list…
Pattaya is not your normal type of city. It is a party town in many areas and when you choose to rent an apartment, you may want to visit the surrounding area during the day and at night. Are there bars nearby? Bars can be fun for someone who is visiting Pattaya for a short time. Bars may not be as much fun if you have one in your backyard. Bars in Pattaya often stay open 24/7.
