You've been scrolling through listings for an hour, and the question keeps nagging you. Should you stretch the budget for a one bedroom, or save a few thousand baht a month and go with a studio? It's probably the most common debate among renters in Bangkok, and the answer honestly depends on how you live, where you work, and what you actually need from your space. Let's break it down with real numbers and real buildings so you can stop overthinking and start packing.

What You Actually Get for the Money in 2026

Studios in Bangkok typically range from 18 to 32 square meters. You get a single open room where your bed, sofa, and kitchen counter all share the same airspace. One bedrooms usually start around 30 square meters and stretch to 50 or more, with a separate sleeping area and sometimes a proper kitchen counter with a sink.

In a building like Ideo Mobi Sukhumvit near BTS On Nut, studios go for roughly 10,000 to 14,000 THB per month. A one bedroom in the same building sits closer to 15,000 to 20,000 THB. That gap of 5,000 to 6,000 baht per month might sound small, but over a year it adds up to 60,000 to 72,000 THB. That's a round trip to Japan or a solid emergency fund.

Over near BTS Bearing, projects like Aspire Erawan offer studios starting at 7,500 THB and one bedrooms from 11,000 THB. The further you go from central Bangkok, the more value you squeeze out of that upgrade. So location plays a huge role in whether the jump to a one bedroom feels like a splurge or a steal.

The Studio Life: Who It Actually Works For

If you spend most of your day outside your condo, a studio makes total sense. You sleep there, shower, maybe heat up some food from 7 Eleven, and head out. Plenty of remote workers and young professionals in Bangkok live this way, especially if they prefer coworking spaces or spend evenings in restaurants around Thonglor or Ekkamai.

Take someone working at a startup near MRT Phra Ram 9. A studio at Life Asoke Rama 9, going for around 12,000 THB per month, puts them a short walk from the office with decent amenities like a pool and gym. They cook maybe twice a week, mostly eat street food on Soi Rama 9, and use the condo as a crash pad. For that lifestyle, paying more for a separate bedroom feels pointless.

Studios also tend to have lower electricity bills simply because there's less space to cool. That might save you another 500 to 1,000 THB monthly depending on your air con habits.

When a One Bedroom Becomes Non Negotiable

The moment you work from home full time, a studio starts to feel like a cage. Your desk is next to your bed, which is next to your kitchen, and the mental separation between work and rest just evaporates. A one bedroom gives you the ability to close a door and walk away from your laptop at the end of the day.

Consider a couple relocating to Bangkok, both working remotely. A one bedroom at The Base Park West near BTS Phra Khanong might run about 17,000 THB per month. They set up a small desk in the living room, keep the bedroom strictly for sleeping, and suddenly the apartment feels twice as big as the floor plan suggests. That wall between rooms does serious psychological work.

Couples in general almost always need the one bedroom. Sharing a studio with a partner means zero personal space, and even the strongest relationships get tested when someone wants to sleep and the other wants to watch a show three meters away.

The Resale and Subletting Angle

If you're thinking about renting long term or eventually subletting your lease, one bedrooms tend to hold demand better. Landlords with studios sometimes struggle to find tenants willing to commit to 12 month leases because studios attract shorter stay renters who jump between buildings.

In areas like Ari near BTS Ari, the rental market leans toward young Thai professionals and expats who prefer one bedrooms in buildings like Centric Ari Station. These units stay occupied at higher rates, which means if you negotiate a long lease, your landlord may be more flexible on price. Studios in the same area sit vacant slightly longer between tenants, giving you some negotiation power on the studio side too.

Hidden Costs That Shift the Equation

Common area fees in Bangkok condos are calculated per square meter. A 45 square meter one bedroom might cost 2,250 THB per month in common fees at a rate of 50 THB per square meter, while a 24 square meter studio in the same building would be just 1,200 THB. Over a year, that difference is 12,600 THB.

Furnishing costs also differ. If you rent an unfurnished or partially furnished one bedroom, you need more furniture to fill the space. A studio usually comes fully furnished because landlords know tenants expect a turnkey setup. So the upfront cost of moving into a studio tends to be lower and simpler.

Then there's the electricity factor again. A one bedroom with two air conditioning units running in the Bangkok heat can push your electric bill past 3,000 THB monthly. A studio with one unit might keep you closer to 1,500 to 2,000 THB.

So which one wins? Neither, really. The studio wins on price, simplicity, and low commitment. The one bedroom wins on comfort, livability, and long term sanity, especially for remote workers and couples. The best move is to be honest about how you actually spend your time at home, then pick the layout that matches your real daily routine instead of the lifestyle you imagine having.

If you want to compare studios and one bedrooms side by side with accurate 2026 pricing and verified listings, check out Superagent at superagent.co. The AI search helps you filter by layout, budget, and neighborhood so you can stop guessing and find the right fit fast.