There is a category of tourists who have grown out of the need to buy a package tour from a travel agency and are already ready to plan and spend their vacation on their own. Therefore, this article will be especially interesting for them, as it touches on such a topic as renting accommodations in Phuket, nuances, and some advice.
- Features of Renting Accommodations in Phuket
- What You Need to Clarify When Renting
- Which Websites to Use for Finding an Apartment
- What You Can Rent in Phuket
- Searching by Areas
- Condos in Kathu
- Condos in Phuket Town
- Apartments in Patong
- Budget Options in Patong
- Apartments in Karon
- Accommodations on Kata Beach
- Accommodations in Nai Harn and Rawai
- Nai Harn
- Rawai
- Condos in Kamala
- Apartments in Bang Tao
- Condos in Surin
- Renting a House
- Villas
- Editorial Discount on Accommodations
Features of Renting Accommodations in Phuket
Independent travel means not only complete freedom and independence but also huge responsibility, since you have to do absolutely everything yourself (booking and renting a place, buying plane tickets, purchasing insurance, transfers, etc.). Many believe that if you book an apartment in a condo or a separate house, you immediately save 15–20%. However, if you take a careless approach, you can, on the contrary, increase the cost of your vacation, since not all offers on the market are economical.
The specifics of renting accommodations in Phuket lie in pricing, which likely will not surprise anyone because everything is fairly predictable.
During the high season (November–April), prices skyrocket, and you’ll hardly get a discount. During the low season (May–October), they drop by about 25–30%. And at New Year’s, you can rent a house at twice the price of a hotel room.
However, there are areas in Phuket where the price does not change, regardless of the time of year, either because there is no sea there, or its condition is such that heaven help us… But you need to realistically assess your ability to spend at least 40–50 minutes every day on public transport to get to the sea, or whether it might be better to pay more to stay closer.
A great solution is to rent a motorbike, which will eliminate all questions regarding the commute and open up to you the wonderful world of distant Phuket, places you can’t reach by bus or songthaew.
What You Need to Clarify When Renting
Naturally, there is a certain short list of questions you absolutely must ask the property owner (if the rental is direct) or the intermediary (realtor). Be sure to find out:
- the monthly (two- or three-month) price, whether there are discounts for long-term rentals and their size, and also whether there’s a discount for regular customers (who knows, maybe wintering in a warm country will become a tradition);
- if there is a deposit, its amount, and the return policy;
- how much utilities cost (for reference, in Thailand electricity is charged at a rate of 4 baht per unit, and many enterprising condo owners double the cost);
- whether there are any additional options that need to be paid for, apart from rent;
- whether there is hot water in the apartment;
- whether the apartment (house, condo) has internet installed, and if not, how to arrange it yourself (this is quite normal in Thailand; tourists often set up their own internet).
Ask if there is a contract or rental agreement (preferably there should be one; otherwise, try proving later that you’re not a camel).
By the way, if the property owner inflates the utility price, don’t be afraid to negotiate. You can bring down either the rent or the utility payment.
Which Websites to Use for Finding an Apartment
The concept of a rental agency in Thailand on Phuket isn’t entirely accurate, because anyone coming for several months doesn’t really need their services (it’s cheaper to walk around condos yourself and talk on-site than to go through an agency).
If you plan in advance to rent property in Phuket, it’s better to do so via websites, and fortunately there are many of them now, each competing for clients in different ways.
Here’s a short list of sites we recommend for booking:
- Booking.com
- Tripping.com
- www.indreamsphuket.ru
By the way, regarding the last option, we’ve reached an agreement with this company about a discount—more details at the end of the article.
What You Can Rent in Phuket
The island’s housing market is well-developed, and here everyone can find exactly what suits them.
- The most budget-friendly option is a condominium, which is essentially a gated area where apartments or units are rented out (a co-op in our terms). You can enter the condo grounds only if you have a guest card, so there’s no need to worry about strangers getting in.
- A pricier option is a house. Houses in Phuket vary widely, from single-story, one-bedroom cottages to two- or even three-story homes.
- The most expensive option is a villa. It differs from a house by having more rooms and is suitable for shared rentals by multiple families or individuals.
By the way, many condos do not allow pets, so if you want to travel with a pet, clarify this question before booking.
Searching by Areas
In this section, we invite you to compare for yourself the current offers (prices listed in USD).
Condos in Kathu
We begin a short selection of condos scattered by area.
So, the Kathu area. Don’t confuse Kathu with Kata Beach, as they are two different places. Kathu is located east of Patong, in the very center of the island. It’s a typical Thai town with no sea access. That’s why prices here are relatively low both in and out of season.
In Kathu, there are several relatively large supermarkets, a few 7-Elevens, and small markets whose prices are favorably different from coastal tourist shops. Nightlife is nonexistent here, not at all, and it’s about 25 minutes by bus to the sea. A motorbike fixes everything.
- Dcondo – a fairly decent condo, or as they call themselves, an apart-hotel. The grounds have a pool and gym. There’s no internet. They offer apartments with one or two bedrooms, fully equipped. This is basically a budget option. Prices start at 10,000 baht per month.
- Plus Condominium – this is not just one condo but a network of two. Number One doesn’t have a pool, so prices there are lower. The second one has a small pool, which doubles the cost.
Plus Condominium 2.
It’s conveniently located in terms of the mountain views from the window. The standard set of apartments is offered. Prices: from 8,000 baht per month in the first building, and from 14,000 baht in the second. - Istay Phuket The Scene – this condo has the best location because it’s on the road leading to Phuket Town. There’s a pool and internet. They offer a choice of apartments or condos. Prices here start at 13,000 baht per month.
- Royal Place Condominium – Not entirely new, but with acceptable infrastructure and prices (12–14 thousand baht per month). There is a pool on the property. Internet is paid (100 baht per day).
Condos in Phuket Town
Of all the non-tourist towns, Phuket Town is the best option. Straight from here, the best beach is located, according to vacationers (if all the internet reviews are true, you can’t doubt it) — Nai Harn.
The Phuket Town area is inexpensive, but it has a huge number of places you can and should visit. On average, the monthly cost of living in Phuket Town starts at 12–15 thousand per month, provided the condo has a pool and gym.
Below are, in our view, the most interesting condo offers here:
- Centrio condominium
- The Square Condominium Phuket
- The Palms Residence
- Dusit Naka Place
- Sugar Palm Residence (there’s a park next to the condo).
- The Base Downtown Phuket By Myhouse
Apartments in Patong
Renting an apartment in Phuket by the month in the most popular area is not difficult, but you should realize that prices here can be not entirely reasonable, especially in the high season.
For comparison, in June, the monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is 12,000 baht, while in February it’s 36,000 baht.
If you plan to rent short-term (a day or two, or three days), the price increases, on average by 1.5 times. So if you were to rent by that rate monthly in the high season, you’d pay not 36,000 but all of 45,000.
The main thing is to study the real estate market carefully, and we will help you with that. Below is a list of the most interesting condos (in our opinion). By following the links, you can also see photos of these offerings:
- Emerald Terrace
- Dydi Loft Apartment
- The Baycliff Residences
- Haven Lagoon Condominium
- Baan Ngern-Muen
- The Unity Patong
- Patong Loft Studio
- High Style Condominium
- Blue Sky Patong hotel
Budget Options in Patong
Year by year, prices change, and what used to cost 5,000 might now be offered for 10,000. Despite that, we’ve selected the most budget-friendly options for you where you can rent accommodations inexpensively, even in Patong.
Apartments in Karon
Long-term apartment rentals in Phuket in the Karon Beach area is no simple task, since it’s a tourist zone and major hotel chains are heavily established there. Still, if you look around, you can find decent options. Most condominiums are concentrated along the edges of the area and closer to the hills. Among the more interesting options are:
Accommodations on Kata Beach
If you are firmly determined to save your budget, Kata Beach is not your best option. The entire Kata shoreline is dotted with high-class hotels, and if you rent by the month there, you could go broke. Further inland, there are several condos, including:
- Kata Beach Studio
- Mountain Seaview Luxury Apartments
- The Beach by Glitter House
- Cosy Apartment In Kata Beach Area
Accommodations in Nai Harn and Rawai
These two beaches are close to each other, but one is considered one of the best in Phuket and the other one of the worst. So if your budget doesn’t allow for housing near the sea, choose Rawai. Whether your stay is long or not so long, the cost of accommodations will be roughly the same, considering that just a few minutes away you’ll have a great beach.
Nai Harn
Renting an apartment in Phuket in the Nai Harn area right on the seafront will cost at least 30,000 per month (talking about winter). In the summer, it’s cheaper.
Rawai
How much does housing cost if you rent in Rawai’s fishing lagoon? From 2,500 baht per day. For a month, it will be much cheaper.
Condos in Kamala
If all that suits you is renting a house in Phuket, head to Kamala. There, you can find excellent ground-level housing, because the area is not particularly popular with the hotel business. Besides houses, there are condos here, as well as standard apartments.
- The Royal Kamala Phuket condominium
- Sungthong Kamala Beach Resort
- Kamala Regent Condo
- KBC Boutique Apartment
- G1 Hotel
- Kamala Beach Residence
Apartments in Bang Tao
A month’s stay in the Bang Tao Beach area will cost from 30,000 to 50,000 baht. If you rent by the day, it will naturally be more expensive, as an extended stay is always cheaper.
Actually, renting condos in Bang Tao only started relatively recently, so they are practically new here. As recently as 2015, there weren’t any condos to speak of.
If your budget is tight, renting a house is much cheaper, roughly 2.5–3 times less expensive.
Condos in Surin
Surin’s rental market is not the cheapest, because the area is quite scenic and popular with vacationers. On top of that, hotel rates drive up prices here, as there are many hotels. You could stay long-term in the following places (though we’re not sure it would be cheap):
It’s not far from these condos to the beach, but for long-term rentals, we would recommend considering other areas of the island.
Renting a House
We’ve more or less clarified condos. Now let’s figure out houses and villas. We’ll start small.
So, renting a house (cottage) in Phuket on your own is not as difficult as it seems. The simplest option is booking online, but in that case, of course, the price will be higher, and there’s no guarantee the person on the other end won’t scam you. Therefore, book houses only on trusted sites. As for our advice on renting houses, we can only recommend
www.indreamsphuket.ru, because we haven’t worked with any others.
The second option is searching on-site. If you prepare well and arrive a week early, you can personally monitor the real estate market. The algorithm is simple:
- book a cheap hotel for 2–3 days;
- rent a motorbike (or just walk around);
- start walking around town and looking for “House for Rent” signs;
- don’t forget about residential neighborhoods; there might not always be a sign, and it could turn out that the owner doesn’t put one up (by the way, that option could be even cheaper);
- ask in souvenir shops and stores about rentals, they’ll definitely point you in the right direction;
- it’s a good idea to go out of town because the farther from the sea, the cheaper it is (except in Patong).
And remember, renting for a year is half the cost of monthly rent.
Villas
Renting a villa in Phuket is really a separate topic, although it doesn’t differ much from renting a house.
Yes, the class of a villa is much higher, and accordingly so is the price. But a villa is usually rented by a large group, so it can actually come out cheaper.
You can rent villas by the sea or inland. Usually villas are built on open hillsides, with a mind-blowing view of the bay. Such an option will be cheaper due to its remote location, and if the pool on the property suffices, you can choose that. Otherwise, pick a villa by the sea.
Editorial Discount on Accommodations
As promised, here is a discount from our partner Indreamsphuket; their official website is
www.indreamsphuket.ru. We are not intermediaries but have arranged that any client who gives the promo code will get a 2% discount on the total rental cost.
PROMO CODE — Razumnii Turizm.
Advantages of this company:
- English-speaking manager;
- an excellent selection of premium-class accommodations at the lowest price in this category.
If you have any questions left, feel free to join our Telegram community, where we’ll be happy to answer them:
https://t.me/razum_turizm_tai
