Where to Live in Bangkok as a Digital Nomad

The centre of expat Bangkok. Asok is where the BTS Sukhumvit line meets the MRT Blue Line, so you can get almost anywhere without changing twice, and Terminal 21, EmQuartier, Emporium and Benjakitti Forest Park are all on your doorstep. Phrom Phong, one stop east, has more Japanese restaurants, supermarkets and international clinics.

It is busy, noisy and touristy around Nana and Soi Cowboy, and rents are high for what you get. But for a first month, nowhere makes Bangkok easier.

• Good for: first-timers, short stays, people who want everything walkable
• Work nearby: coworking in the Asok towers, WeWork The Parq (one MRT stop), cafes all along Sukhumvit 23 to 39
• Watch out for: sois between Nana and Asok that are loud late at night

Thonglor (Sukhumvit 55) and Ekkamai (Sukhumvit 63) are Bangkok’s trendiest residential streets, lined with specialty coffee, brunch spots, bars, Japanese izakayas and community malls. This is where you find the densest cluster of nomad-friendly workspaces, including The Hive Thonglor, WeWork T-One and the 40th-floor Paper Plane Project.

The catch is that the sois run a long way north from the BTS, so a condo “on Thonglor” can be a 25-minute walk from the station. Thonglor and Ekkamai have shuttle buses and plenty of motorbike taxis, but look for something in the first kilometre.

• Good for: cafe workers, foodies, people who like a night out
• Work nearby: The Hive Thonglor, WeWork T-One, Paper Plane Project, Kaizen Coffee
• Watch out for: premium rents near the station, and long sois

The next two BTS stops east are where a lot of long-stay nomads end up. Rents drop by a third or more, the street food gets more local and cheaper, and you are still 15 minutes by BTS from Asok. There is a good mix of new condo towers, markets, W District’s food and bar courtyard, and big supermarkets.

It is less polished than Thonglor and has fewer good coffee shops, but you are one or two stops from them.

• Good for: longer stays, budget-conscious nomads who still want the BTS
• Work nearby: your condo’s co-working room, Ekkamai and Thonglor one or two stops away
• Watch out for: condos far from the station along Sukhumvit 77 (On Nut Road)

A quieter, leafy, low-rise neighbourhood north of the centre on the BTS, full of independent cafes, restaurants in old houses, and Thai creatives and civil servants. Ari has a strong neighbourhood feel that Sukhumvit lacks, and it is the best place in Bangkok for laptop cafes.

Ari is 15 to 20 minutes from Siam by BTS, and a longer trip to Sukhumvit, so it suits people who are happy to make it their whole world. WeWork Spring Tower is three stops south.

• Good for: people who want a real neighbourhood, cafe lovers, longer stays
• Work nearby: Aribica and dozens of other cafes, WeWork Spring Tower
• Watch out for: fewer big modern condo towers right by the station

Bangkok’s business district: office towers, banks and embassies by day, and street food, bars and rooftop restaurants by night. Lumphini Park is the best park in the city for running and a lunchtime walk, and both the BTS Silom line and the MRT run through the area.

It feels more grown-up than Sukhumvit, and The Work Loft at Sala Daeng has one of the best-value desks in the city.

• Good for: professionals, runners, people who like a CBD
• Work nearby: The Work Loft, JustCo Samyan Mitrtown, Rocket Coffeebar, Samyan CO-OP (free, 24 hours)
• Watch out for: Patpong night market noise if you are near Silom Soi 2 to 4

The Chao Phraya River between Saphan Taksin and Chinatown is Bangkok at its most atmospheric: old shophouses on Charoen Krung, galleries, design studios, luxury hotels and the giant ICONSIAM mall across the water. TCDC, the city’s design library and coworking space, is in the old Grand Postal Building here.

Daily life is slower and less convenient. Only one BTS station (Saphan Taksin) and the newer MRT stations serve the area, and you will use river boats a lot.

• Good for: couples, creatives, people who prefer character to convenience
• Work nearby: TCDC, Sarnies, riverside hotel lobbies
• Watch out for: limited transit and fewer cheap condos

North of Asok along the MRT, Rama 9 and Ratchada are full of new condo towers, giant malls (Central Rama 9, Fortune Town, The Street Ratchada) and Thai life with very few tourists. Rents are among the lowest you will find on a train line, and the MRT takes you to Sukhumvit in 10 minutes.

It is not pretty, and there is little nomad scene of its own, but it is a smart choice for a long, focused stay on a budget.

• Good for: budget long stays, people who like malls and modern condos
• Work nearby: condo co-working rooms, mall cafes, WeWork The Parq a few MRT stops south
• Watch out for: big roads that are hard to cross on foot

• Condo on a 6 to 12 month lease is the best value by far and what most long-stay nomads do. Most are fully furnished, and nearly all buildings have a pool, gym and security.
• Serviced apartments cost more but include cleaning, a front desk and easy one to three month terms. Good for families or a first month.
• Airbnb and booking sites are easy to book from abroad but expensive for a month or more, and many Bangkok condo buildings do not allow short-term rentals, so you may face hassle from building staff.
• Coliving is limited in Bangkok compared with Bali or Lisbon. It suits a first month when you want ready-made community and no paperwork.

1. Stay somewhere for the first one or two weeks and view condos in person. Photos hide noise, smells, views of a construction site and how far the station really is.
2. Search the big rental sites (DDproperty, Hipflat, FazWaz and Renthub) and the Bangkok condo groups on Facebook, then contact agents directly. Agents’ fees are paid by the owner, so using an agent costs you nothing.
3. Walk into buildings you like. The juristic (building management) office often knows which units are available, and some owners advertise on the noticeboard.
4. Check the essentials before signing: a speed test on the Wi-Fi, the electricity rate (government rate is about ฿4 to ฿5 a unit; some owners charge ฿7 to ฿8), the air-conditioner condition, the walk to the station in the midday heat, and whether the building allows your stay length.

• Deposit: usually two months’ rent plus the first month in advance on a 12-month lease. Six-month leases are common at a slightly higher rent; three-month leases are possible but you may pay 10 to 20% more.
• Breaking a lease usually means losing your deposit. Negotiate a clause in advance if you might leave early.
• Bills: electricity and water are usually paid to the building or owner each month at the agreed rate. Internet is often included or a simple add-on.
• Inventory: photograph everything on day one, including marks on walls and furniture, and send the photos to the owner. It makes getting the deposit back far easier.
• TM30: the owner is required to register you with immigration as resident at the address. Ask for the receipt, because you need it for visa extensions, 90-day reports and opening a bank account.