Destinations / Thailand / Phuket
Phuket, Thailand
Data grade B: official and portal data Updated Oct 2026
Thailand’s resort island: real beaches, real infrastructure and Asia’s deepest holiday-let market.
On this page: What it buys · Where to look · All-in costs · Visas · Properties
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
about $2,500-3,500/m2 (approx)
asking price level
6 to 7% short-let (approx)
gross rental yield
about 420,000 (plus visitors)
population
tropical; driest Nov-Apr
climate
Phuket airport (HKT)
getting there
Phuket is the holiday-let machine of Asia: an island with an international airport, marinas, international schools and a west coast of named beaches each with its own market. Branded residences and managed condos dominate foreign buying, with rental programs doing the work while owners are away.
What your money buys here
Typical buys at each band, drawn from current local asking prices. Use the price per square metre in the bar above as your anchor: multiply it by the size you need and you will spot an overpriced listing in seconds. Figures are approximate, lean to the cautious side, and get refreshed as our data passes land.
$200k
A 1-bed managed condo in Kathu or toward Rawai
$350k
A sea-view 1-2 bed branded residence, or a leasehold pool villa inland
$500k
A leasehold pool villa near Rawai or Nai Harn, or a branded 2-bed
Rawai, Kathu and Khao Lak on the mainland: Kathu is the local-priced middle of the island, Khao Lak the quieter coast north. Going one town over usually buys a size or quality upgrade on the same budget, and these smaller markets are where patient buyers find the mispriced gems. Fewer listings means more waiting, so set the alert and be ready to travel when the right one appears.
Listings open on partner portals. Some links may earn us a commission, always marked.
Where to look
1. Bang Tao and Laguna: the polished resort heartland
2. Rawai and Nai Harn: the liveable, local-flavoured south
3. Kathu: central, practical, value
All-in cost at $350k
Property price: $350,000
Transfer fee: 2%, customarily shared
Taxes at transfer: small percentages depending on how long the seller held
Legal: roughly $1,500 to 3,000, strongly recommended
Rule of thumb: budget 3 to 6% on top
Foreigners own condos freehold within each building’s 49% foreign quota; funds should arrive as foreign currency with the bank’s FET paperwork. Figures approximate.
Visas and residency (most passports)
Digital nomad visa (DTV): Yes. Five-year multi-entry for remote workers and Thai-culture pursuits, 180 days per stay, modest funds requirement.
Longer horizons: retirement visas from 50, and the LTR program for higher earners.
Buy-to-reside: No. Buying grants no status.
Visiting: generous visa-free entries for many passports.
Healthcare and insurance
Thailand’s private hospitals are a global medical-tourism destination: excellent and reasonably priced. Expat cover typically $100 to $300/month per adult depending on age.
Schools and family
A deep international school sector in Bangkok, with good options in Chiang Mai and Phuket, typically $5,000 to $25,000/year.
Serious about Phuket?
Talk it through with a relocation and buying advisor. Visas, timing and the buying process, in one call.
Sources: Bank of Thailand and Treasury Department data, portal reports, immigration bureau pages. Figures marked approx are indicative and verified in our monthly data pass. Guidance, not legal or financial advice.