You're scrolling through listings at midnight, half asleep, and you see it. A rooftop infinity pool with skyline views, glowing turquoise against the Bangkok night. Your brain immediately says "I need this." But your wallet is already wincing. So let's talk about it honestly. Is paying extra for a pool condo in Bangkok actually worth your money, or is it just expensive eye candy you'll use twice a year?

The Real Cost of Having a Pool in Your Building

Let's start with numbers, because that's what actually matters when you're signing a lease. A pool condo in Bangkok typically runs 2,000 to 5,000 THB more per month than a comparable unit without one. Sometimes more. Take a one bedroom at Life Asoke Hype near MRT Phetchaburi. You might pay around 16,000 to 18,000 THB per month. A similar sized unit at a nearby building without a pool could go for 13,000 to 15,000 THB.

That 3,000 THB difference adds up to 36,000 THB a year. That's a round trip flight to Japan. Or about 180 plates of khao man gai. The pool isn't free. It's baked into your rent whether you swim or not, because common area maintenance fees are part of what your landlord passes along to you.

And here's something people forget. Pool condos also tend to have higher common fees overall, which means landlords are more motivated to keep rents firm. You'll find less wiggle room negotiating at a place like Ideo Q Sukhumvit 36 near BTS Thong Lo compared to a no pool walkup on Soi Sukhumvit 77.

How Often Will You Actually Use It?

Be brutally honest with yourself. Think about the last gym membership you had. Did you go three times a week like you planned, or did it become a monthly donation to someone else's business? Pools in Bangkok condos follow the same pattern for most renters.

I know a guy who moved into The Base Park West near BTS On Nut specifically for the pool. Beautiful saltwater setup on the seventh floor. He used it religiously for the first two months. Then Bangkok's rainy season hit, his work schedule shifted, and the pool became something he looked at from his balcony while eating delivery pad see ew. He estimated he swam maybe 12 times in a full year.

If you work from home and genuinely enjoy a midday swim to break up your day, a pool can be transformative. But if you leave for the office at 8 AM and get home at 7 PM, that pool is basically a decorative water feature you're subsidizing.

The Lifestyle Factor Nobody Talks About

Here's where it gets interesting. A pool isn't just about swimming. In Bangkok's condo culture, the pool area is often the social hub of the building. It's where you meet neighbors, where weekend brunches happen on the pool deck, where friends come to hang out when they visit.

At a place like Whizdom 101 near BTS Punnawithi, the pool area is practically a co living space on weekends. People bring laptops, order food, and camp out on loungers. If you're new to Bangkok and want to build a social circle, a well designed pool area can genuinely speed that up.

There's also the guest factor. When friends or family visit Bangkok, having a pool is a massive win. Your parents will absolutely love floating around on a Sunday morning instead of sweating through another temple tour. Your friends from back home will post Instagram stories that make everyone jealous. That social currency is real, even if it sounds silly.

Pool Quality Varies Wildly Across Bangkok Condos

Not all pools are created equal, and this matters more than people realize. A cramped, poorly maintained plunge pool in a 200 unit building on Soi Ratchada 32 is a completely different experience from the 50 meter lap pool at 185 Rajadamri near BTS Ratchadamri.

Before you commit to a pool condo, visit the actual pool area. Go on a Saturday afternoon when it's busiest. Check if it's overcrowded. Look at the water clarity. Notice if the deck furniture is cracked and sun bleached. Talk to a security guard or a juristic office staff member about maintenance schedules.

Some newer developments like Niche Mono Ramkhamhaeng have surprisingly good pools for their price range, while some older luxury buildings have pools that peaked in 2015 and haven't been updated since. Age of building doesn't always predict pool quality, but maintenance culture does.

When a Pool Is Definitely Worth It

You work remotely and can swim during off peak hours. You have kids who need a daily energy outlet. You genuinely swim for exercise and would otherwise pay 2,000 to 3,000 THB monthly for a gym with a pool anyway. You entertain visitors regularly. If two or more of these apply to you, the pool premium basically pays for itself.

When is it not worth it? You're on a tight budget and every thousand baht matters. You prefer running or gym workouts over swimming. You're rarely home during daylight hours. In these cases, skip the pool and put that 3,000 THB monthly savings toward a better location or a larger unit.

The honest answer is that a pool is worth it for maybe 30 to 40 percent of renters in Bangkok. The rest are paying for a fantasy version of their lifestyle that doesn't match reality. Know which group you fall into before you sign that lease. And if you want to compare pool and non pool options side by side with actual pricing, try searching on superagent.co to see what's available in your preferred neighborhood right now.