Thai rentals don’t just ask for the first month — the usual deal is a two-month deposit plus a month in advance, so you need about three months’ rent up front. Set your rent, term and terms below to see your exact move-in cash and the full cost of the lease. Unbiased, no paid placement.
See the real cash you need on move-in day and what the whole lease costs over a term you choose. Drag a slider or tap Type to enter an exact number — nothing here is a market quote.
The most common Thai residential lease asks for a two-month deposit plus one month’s advance rent, so you typically need about three months’ rent — here, ฿78,000 — ready on day one. The deposit (฿50,000) is refundable if you leave the place in good order and give proper notice, so your true cost of the lease excludes it: about ฿303,000 over 12 months, or roughly ฿27,750 a month once estimated utilities are added. Note: under Thailand’s 2018 consumer-protection rule, landlords renting out five or more units may only charge one month’s deposit + one month’s advance — set the deposit to 1 to model that case. Agent commission is usually paid by the landlord, so leave the agent fee at zero unless a serviced or short-stay operator charges you directly.
Estimates only, from the figures you enter — not legal or financial advice. Deposit, advance and fee norms vary by landlord, building and lease type; always read the contract and confirm what’s refundable before you sign. BAANLYY never takes paid placement.
The single biggest surprise for foreigners renting in Thailand is the cash needed on day one. A standard private-owner lease wants a two-month security deposit plus the first month’s rent in advance — three months’ rent before you get the keys. On a typical condo that’s a five-figure baht sum, so it pays to know the number before you fall for a place. The good news: two of those three months are a refundable deposit, not a cost, as long as you leave the unit in good order.
It’s easy to conflate the cash you hand over with the cost of renting, but the deposit comes back. The calculator splits them on purpose: your move-in cash includes the refundable deposit, while the cost of the lease strips it out, because that money returns to you at the end. Photograph the unit and the meters on move-in day, keep an inventory list, and make sure the contract spells out when and how the deposit is returned — that’s how you make sure “refundable” actually happens.
Thailand’s 2018 consumer-protection rule treats landlords who let five or more units as a controlled business: they may charge at most one month’s deposit plus one month’s advance, and must refund the deposit within seven days of the lease ending. An individual owner letting a single condo isn’t covered, so the customary two-month deposit still applies there. If you’re renting from a large operator or building management, set the deposit slider to 1 to see the lighter move-in cost.
It doesn’t guess your rent or quote the market — every figure is yours to set, because honest inputs beat confident-sounding defaults. It assumes the deposit is returned in full when it shows your net lease cost; real refunds depend on the unit’s condition and the contract. And it isn’t legal advice. Treat the output as a clear, transparent picture of your numbers, then read the lease carefully and confirm what’s refundable before committing.
Now pin down where to live and what daily life will cost, before you sign.
General information and a self-input estimating tool only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Results reflect the figures you enter; deposit, advance and fee norms vary by landlord, building and lease type. Always read the contract and confirm what’s refundable before committing. BAANLYY never takes paid placement.