You signed a one year lease on a condo near BTS Thong Lo for 25,000 baht per month. The place is great, the location is perfect, and you want to stay. Then your landlord sends a message saying the rent is going up. The question is: by how much? And is what they're asking actually reasonable? Understanding the average rent increase Bangkok renters face each year can save you from overpaying or losing a place you love.

The Typical Annual Rent Increase in Bangkok

Most landlords in Bangkok raise rent somewhere between 5% and 10% per year. That is the general range you will encounter across the city, whether you are renting a studio near MRT Phra Ram 9 for 12,000 baht or a two bedroom unit at Ashton Asoke for 55,000 baht.

A 5% bump is considered standard and reasonable. On a 20,000 baht condo, that means an extra 1,000 baht per month. Not nothing, but manageable. A 10% increase is on the higher end, and landlords who push past that are usually testing whether you will negotiate or simply agree.

Some tenants report zero increases, especially if they have been reliable, always pay on time, and keep the unit in great condition. Landlords know that finding a new tenant costs money and time. A vacancy of even one month can wipe out the gain from a small rent hike. So being a good tenant is genuinely one of the best negotiation tools you have.

What Drives Rent Increases in Different Neighborhoods

Location matters enormously. In areas with high expat demand like Sukhumvit Soi 24 through Soi 55, landlords feel more confident raising rents because someone else will take the unit if you leave. Buildings like Park 24 near BTS Phrom Phong or Noble Remix near BTS Thong Lo rarely sit empty for long, so owners have less pressure to keep prices flat.

Compare that to areas farther out along the BTS Sukhumvit line, say near BTS Bearing or BTS Samrong. There is more supply, fewer expat renters, and competition is stiffer. Landlords in these areas tend to keep increases modest, often around 3% to 5%, or they skip the increase entirely to retain a paying tenant.

New infrastructure also plays a role. When the MRT Yellow Line opened stations along Lat Phrao, rents in that corridor bumped up noticeably. A condo that was 10,000 baht near the old Lat Phrao intersection suddenly became 12,000 or 13,000 baht once residents had easy rail access. If a new transit line is coming to your area, expect your landlord to factor that into future pricing.

How to Negotiate When Your Landlord Raises the Rent

First, check comparable listings. If you are paying 30,000 baht for a one bedroom at Life Asoke Hype and your landlord wants 34,000, search what similar units in the same building are going for. If you find listings at 31,000 or 32,000, you have real data to push back with.

Second, offer to sign a longer lease. Many landlords will hold the rent steady or accept a smaller increase if you commit to 18 or 24 months instead of 12. This gives them guaranteed income and eliminates the hassle of finding a new tenant, repainting the unit, and dealing with agents.

Third, point to your track record. Have you paid on time every single month? Have you not damaged anything? Have you been quiet and respectful to neighbors? Say it directly. Landlords in Bangkok, especially individual owners managing one or two units, genuinely value tenants who do not create problems.

One thing to remember: everything is negotiable here. The initial number your landlord throws out is rarely the final number. A polite but firm conversation, done respectfully and with supporting data, works more often than people expect.

When Rents Actually Decrease or Stay Flat

It does happen. During the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, many landlords across Bangkok dropped rents by 10% to 30% just to keep units occupied. Buildings along Sukhumvit that had relied heavily on expat tenants, places like HQ by Sansiri near BTS Thong Lo or The Lumpini 24 near BTS Phrom Phong, saw significant drops as foreigners left the country.

Even in normal times, rents can stay flat if the market is oversupplied. Bangkok has gone through several construction booms, and certain neighborhoods end up with far more available units than tenants to fill them. Neighborhoods around BTS On Nut and BTS Udom Suk have experienced this, keeping rents relatively stable despite being increasingly popular areas.

If your landlord insists on a large increase during a soft market, do not be afraid to walk. There are always options, and sometimes moving one or two BTS stops down the line saves you a surprising amount each month.

Protecting Yourself Before You Sign

The best time to deal with future rent increases is before you sign your first lease. Ask for a clause that caps annual increases, something like "rent shall not increase by more than 5% per renewal period." Not every landlord will agree, but many will, especially if you are signing through a professional platform where terms are clearly documented.

Also pay attention to the renewal notice period. Some leases require 60 days notice, others 30. Knowing your timeline gives you room to search for alternatives if the proposed increase feels too high. Nobody wants to negotiate under pressure with two weeks left on their lease.

Understanding the average rent increase Bangkok landlords typically apply puts you in a stronger position whether you are renewing your current lease or starting fresh somewhere new. If you want to compare current rental prices across neighborhoods, check available listings, or get market data before your next negotiation, Superagent at superagent.co can help you find the right condo at the right price without the guesswork.