If you have been apartment hunting in the Ladprao area and your budget is screaming for mercy, chances are you have already stumbled across Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4. This Pruksa-developed project sits in one of Bangkok's most genuinely local neighborhoods, where street food costs half what you pay near Sukhumvit and the night markets actually cater to Thai residents rather than tourists. But is it any good to live in, or is "budget" just code for "you get what you pay for"? I have spent time in the building, talked to tenants, and crunched the numbers for 2026. Here is the full breakdown.

Location and Getting Around from Chokchai 4

Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4 sits on Ladprao Soi 53, tucked into the residential grid between Ladprao Road and Chokchai 4 Road. The nearest MRT station is Ladprao MRT on the Blue Line, roughly 3.5 kilometers away. That is not walking distance. You are either taking a motorbike taxi from the soi mouth, which runs about 20 to 30 baht, or grabbing a Grab bike for 35 to 50 baht depending on surge pricing.

The upside? Chokchai 4 Road itself is a food paradise. Think rotating night markets, grilled pork neck vendors open past midnight, and some of the best boat noodles in this part of town. You are also about a 10 minute drive to Central Ladprao and Union Mall, which gives you big box retail and cinema access without trekking to Siam.

A concrete example: one tenant I spoke with works at an office near Chatuchak. His daily commute is a 15 baht motorbike ride to Ladprao MRT, then two stops on the Blue Line to Chatuchak Park station. Door to desk, about 35 minutes. Not glamorous, but completely functional, and his rent is less than half what his colleagues pay near Phahon Yothin.

Unit Sizes, Layout, and What You Actually Get

Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4 is a high rise project with units starting at roughly 23 square meters for a studio and going up to about 58 square meters for a two bedroom layout. The most common rental unit on the market is the one bedroom at around 26 to 30 square meters. This is tight by any standard, but Pruksa is decent at using built in furniture to make small spaces livable.

Most units come with a fitted kitchen counter, a wardrobe, a bed frame, and a small dining area. Air conditioning is a split unit, typically one per room. Bathrooms are compact but functional, with a rain shower head in many of the updated units. The building was completed in 2013, so you are looking at a structure that is over a decade old now. Some units show their age, especially in the bathroom grout and the laminate flooring near the kitchen.

Here is the thing though. For a budget hunter, say a fresh grad working their first job in the Ratchada or Ladprao corridor, a 26 square meter one bedroom at this price point is hard to argue with. One renter I know furnishes her unit with a few IKEA additions and honestly, it looks perfectly fine for a single person's daily life. She pays around 6,500 baht per month before utilities.

Rent Prices in 2026 and Value Comparison

Let us talk numbers. According to listings tracked on DDproperty and Fazwaz, the average rent for a one bedroom unit at Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4 in 2026 sits between 5,500 and 8,000 baht per month, depending on floor level, furnishing condition, and how recently the unit was renovated. Two bedroom units range from 9,000 to 13,000 baht per month.

That is genuinely budget territory for Bangkok. For comparison, a similar sized one bedroom at a condo like Life Ladprao or Chapter One Midtown near Ladprao MRT will cost you 12,000 to 18,000 baht. You are paying nearly double for proximity to the MRT and a newer building.

So where does Plum Condo sit in the wider north Bangkok budget landscape? Here is a side by side look at comparable projects in the area.

• Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4: 3.5 km to Ladprao MRT | 26 to 30 | 5,500 to 8,000 | 2013
• Lumpini Park Nawamin-Sriburapha: 4 km to Ladprao MRT | 26 to 30 | 5,000 to 7,500 | 2014
• The Cube Chokchai 4: 3 km to Ladprao MRT | 25 to 28 | 6,000 to 8,500 | 2015
• Life Ladprao: 200 m to Ladprao MRT | 26 to 35 | 12,000 to 18,000 | 2018
• Chapter One Midtown Ladprao 24: 400 m to Ladprao MRT | 24 to 30 | 13,000 to 17,000 | 2020

The pattern is clear. You save significant money by accepting distance from the train line. Whether that trade off makes sense depends entirely on your commute and lifestyle.

Facilities, Security, and Day to Day Living

Plum Condo offers a swimming pool, a basic fitness room, keycard access, CCTV, and 24 hour security. The pool is small but swimmable, not just a decorative splash pool like some ultra budget projects. The gym has a few treadmills and a weight rack, nothing that will replace a real gym membership, but enough for a morning routine.

Parking is available but limited. If you own a car, you might struggle during peak evening hours. Motorbike parking is usually fine. There is a 7-Eleven within walking distance and a cluster of street food stalls on Chokchai 4 Road that serves as the unofficial cafeteria for half the building's residents.

One thing to flag: the juristic office and building management are Thai language dominant. If you are a non Thai speaking expat, communication about maintenance issues or common area rules can be a bit of a challenge. I know one Australian tenant who handles everything through his Thai partner. If you are flying solo without Thai language skills, keep a translation app handy or have a Thai friend you can call for backup.

Who Should Rent Here (and Who Should Not)

This condo makes a lot of sense for a very specific type of renter. If you are a Thai professional early in your career, a university student with a budget under 8,000 baht, or an expat who works remotely and does not need daily MRT access, Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4 is genuinely solid value. You get a real condo with real facilities at a price point that is hard to beat in Bangkok.

A teacher I know at a nearby school on Ladprao 71 rents a one bedroom here for 6,800 baht. He rides a motorbike to work in about 12 minutes. His total monthly housing cost, including electricity, water, and internet, comes in under 10,000 baht. That leaves a lot of room in a teacher's salary for actually enjoying life in Bangkok.

Who should skip it? If you commute daily to Silom, Sathorn, or central Sukhumvit, the distance from any rail line will grind you down. A daily Grab ride to Ladprao MRT plus train fare adds up fast and eats into those rent savings. Also, if you need a modern, high spec living environment with a co working space and a rooftop bar, this is not that building. It is functional, well maintained for its age, but it is not aspirational.

The Surrounding Neighborhood in 2026

Chokchai 4 as a neighborhood has been slowly evolving. The Chokchai 4 night market remains one of the best in north Bangkok for cheap clothes, street food, and general weekend browsing. The area has seen more coffee shops and small coworking cafes pop up over the past two years, which is a sign that younger professionals are settling in.

Healthcare access is reasonable. Kasemrad Ladprao Hospital is about 10 minutes away by car. For more specialized care, Paolo Memorial Chokchai 4 is even closer. International level hospitals like Bumrungrad are a longer trip, roughly 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic, but accessible when needed.

Schools in the area are predominantly Thai curriculum. If you have kids in international school, this neighborhood is probably not your best fit unless the school is also in the north Bangkok corridor. But for single renters or couples without children, the neighborhood delivers everything you need at a fraction of the cost of trendier districts.

Renting at Plum Condo Ladprao-Chokchai 4 is ultimately a practical choice, not an exciting one. You are trading proximity and polish for genuine affordability in a city where rents keep climbing. For the right renter, that is a very smart trade. If you are searching for budget condos in the Ladprao or north Bangkok area, Superagent at superagent.co can help you compare units, check real time availability, and connect with landlords directly. It takes about two minutes and saves you from scrolling through hundreds of outdated listings.