# Running costs of a Thai property: fees, tax and upkeep each year

Source: https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/running-costs-of-thai-property
Updated: 2026-11-14
Publisher: Thailand Property Investor (Omnia Capital Group)

## The short answer

The largest yearly cost of a Thai condominium is the common-area fee, charged per square metre of interior area each month, let or empty. Across the developments we offer, the opening rate runs from THB 50 to THB 120 per sqm a month. Land and building tax on a second home starts at 0.02% of appraised value, so THB 1,600 on THB 8 million. Add insurance, utilities, care and a reserve. Fees paid late carry 10% a year under the Condominium Act.

## Key points

- The common-area fee is set per square metre of interior area and is payable every month whether the home is let, lived in or empty.
- Land and building tax on a second home is 0.02% of appraised value up to THB 50 million, rising in bands to 0.1% above THB 100 million.
- A registered main home held without the land, such as a condominium unit, is exempt on the first THB 10 million of appraised value.
- The tax is assessed by the end of February and normally paid by the end of April; in 2026 the deadline moved to June.
- Overdue common charges carry 10% a year, and a further 20% once more than six months overdue, and a sale cannot be registered until they are paid.

A Thai home costs money every year whether or not anyone is in it. For a condominium the largest line is almost always the common-area fee. Land and building tax is small on most homes bought by foreigners. The rest, insurance, utilities, care and a reserve for replacements, depends on the home and on how you use it. Here is each cost and the rule behind it, so you can budget before you buy.

## The common-area fee

Every registered condominium is run by a juristic person, which charges co-owners for the common property: security, cleaning, the pool and gym, lifts, gardens and the building's insurance. The charge is set per square metre of interior area each month and is due whether the unit is let, lived in or empty. See [common-area fee](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/glossary/common-area-fee) and [juristic person](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/glossary/juristic-person).

Rates differ widely by building. Across the developments we offer, the opening rate runs from THB 50 per sqm a month at [The Element by Anocha](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/developments/the-element-by-anocha-kamala) in Kamala to THB 120 at [PEYLAA Phuket, Autograph Collection Residences](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/developments/peylaa-phuket-autograph-collection-residences) in Bang Tao. Branded residences and buildings with hotel-style service sit at the top. Some fees are set to rise after the first years: PEYLAA's goes to THB 148 from the third year, and [BRISA Patong](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/developments/brisa-patong)'s from THB 65 to THB 75.

| Interior area | At THB 50 per sqm | At THB 80 per sqm | At THB 120 per sqm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 sqm | THB 21,000 a year | THB 33,600 a year | THB 50,400 a year |
| 60 sqm | THB 36,000 a year | THB 57,600 a year | THB 86,400 a year |
| 120 sqm | THB 72,000 a year | THB 115,200 a year | THB 172,800 a year |

Ask for the fee in writing before you reserve, and on a resale ask for the last two years of the juristic person's accounts. Buildings often collect an initial period in advance at transfer, so ask how many months. A villa estate charges its own service fee: ask how it is set, what it covers and who can change it.

## The sinking fund

The [sinking fund](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/glossary/sinking-fund) is a one-off payment per square metre into the building's capital reserve, made at the first transfer from the developer. It is not a yearly cost, but it can become one: when the reserve runs short for lifts, roofs, facades or pools, co-owners can vote for a further contribution. Older buildings by the sea are the usual cases. Before buying a resale unit, ask for the fund's balance and the building's plan for major works. Our [purchase cost calculator](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/tools/purchase-cost-calculator) includes the first payment.

## Land and building tax

The owner of a property on 1 January is liable for the year's [land and building tax](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/glossary/land-and-building-tax). It is charged on the official appraised value, which is usually below the price paid, and each rate applies to the slice of value within its band.

| Appraised value | Second home or let | Registered main home, building only |
|---|---|---|
| Up to THB 10 million | 0.02% | Exempt |
| THB 10 million to 50 million | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| THB 50 million to 75 million | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| THB 75 million to 100 million | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Above THB 100 million | 0.1% | 0.1% |

On an appraised value of THB 8 million, a second home pays THB 1,600 a year. On THB 60 million, it pays THB 10,000 on the first THB 50 million and THB 3,000 on the next THB 10 million: THB 13,000. A main home whose owner holds the land as well is exempt to THB 50 million, but a foreigner cannot hold land.

The main-home exemption depends on the owner's name being on the house registration on 1 January. Foreign owners are entered on the yellow [tabien baan](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/glossary/tabien-baan); whether that qualifies is a question for the local authority, so do not budget on it until it is confirmed.

How you use the home can change the category. Under the 2020 classification rules, property that provides accommodation for payment falls outside residential use, with monthly lets carved back in. A home let by the month stays residential; one let by the night may be assessed at a higher rate. Lets of under 30 days also need a hotel licence: see [short-term rental rules](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/short-term-rental-rules).

The local authority sends the assessment by the end of February and payment is normally due by the end of April. In 2026 the deadline moved to June, and many authorities let larger bills be paid in three instalments. If you live abroad, have the notice sent to your manager or lawyer.

## Insurance, utilities and care

These depend on the home and its use, so set your own figures.

- **Insurance.** Ask what the building's own policy covers, and insure the rest: your contents, and your liability to tenants and neighbours. A villa owner on a lease insures the building they own.
- **Utilities.** Electricity, water and internet, including what runs while you are away: a fridge, dehumidifiers and a router.
- **Care.** A closed home in the tropics needs airing, cleaning and checks for damp, pests and leaks. Air-conditioning units need regular servicing.
- **Replacements.** Furniture, appliances and soft furnishings wear faster by the sea. A yearly reserve avoids a single large bill.

## If you let the home

Letting adds income and costs. A manager or operator takes a share of rent: in Phuket, independent managers take 15% to 25% of rental revenue and hotel pool operators 30% to 40% of revenue after operating costs. Rent paid to a non-resident owner is subject to 15% withholding, and a tax resident pays progressive rates after a 30% deduction on rent from a building. See [rental income and tax](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/rental-income-and-tax) and the [rental yield calculator](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/tools/rental-yield-calculator).

## Paying late, and why it matters at sale

The Condominium Act charges interest of 10% a year on overdue common charges and a further 20% a year once they are more than six months overdue, and it lets the building's regulations restrict utilities or the common facilities. Arrears also stop a sale: the Land Office registers a transfer only with the manager's certificate that nothing is owed, which the manager must issue within 15 days of a request once the debts are paid. Put the fee on automatic payment from a Thai account. See [managing a Thai property from abroad](https://www.thailandpropertyinvestor.com/guides/managing-thai-property-from-abroad).

## Work out your own running costs


Start from a development's published fee or your own building's, set the appraised value and how you hold the home, then add your own insurance, utilities and care. If you let it, the calculator sets the rent against the costs.

## Questions

### How much are condominium fees in Thailand?

Each building sets its own common-area fee per square metre of interior area each month. Across the developments we offer, the opening rate runs from THB 50 per sqm in a Kamala condominium to THB 120 per sqm in a Bang Tao branded residence, where it rises to THB 148 from the third year. On a 60 sqm unit at THB 80, that is THB 57,600 a year.

### Do foreigners pay land and building tax in Thailand?

Yes. The owner on 1 January is liable for the year, whatever their nationality. A home that is not the owner's registered main home is taxed from 0.02% of appraised value. Whether a foreign owner can claim the main-home exemption through a yellow house registration is for the local authority to decide.

### Is land and building tax higher if I let my condo?

Monthly lets stay in the residential category. Under the 2020 classification rules, property that provides accommodation for payment falls outside residential use, with monthly lets carved back in. A unit let by the night may therefore be assessed at a higher rate. Ask the local authority how it classifies yours.

### What is the sinking fund, and will I pay it again?

The sinking fund is a one-off payment per square metre into the building's reserve, made at the first transfer. When the reserve runs short for major works, co-owners can vote for a further contribution. Ask for the fund's balance and the building's maintenance plan before you buy a resale unit.

### What happens if I stop paying the common-area fee?

The Condominium Act charges interest of 10% a year on overdue common charges and a further 20% once they are more than six months overdue, and lets the building's regulations restrict utilities or facilities. A sale cannot be registered until the building certifies that nothing is owed.

## Sources

- [Forvis Mazars Thailand, Land and Building Tax Act rates and exemptions](https://forvismazars.com/th/en/insights/doing-business-in-thailand/tax/new-land-and-building-tax-act-in-2019)
- [Lex Bangkok, land and building tax in Thailand in 2026](https://lexbangkok.com/land-building-tax-thailand-2026/)
- [PwC Thailand tax summary, other taxes (land and building tax assessment and payment), reviewed 2026](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/thailand/corporate/other-taxes)
- [Tilleke & Gibbins, land use classification for land and building tax, 18 June 2020](https://www.tilleke.com/insights/thailand-provides-detailed-criteria-land-use-classification-tax-purposes/2)
- [Condominium Act (No. 4) B.E. 2551, unofficial English translation (Sections 18/1 and 29)](https://real-estate.neothai.com/up/Condominium-Act-2008-Thailand.pdf)
- [Revenue Department, personal income tax (deduction on letting buildings)](https://www.rd.go.th/english/6045.html)
- [Twins Real Estate, rental management in Phuket (agency guide), updated 6 June 2026](https://realestate-twins.com/en/guide/rental-management-phuket/)