I will be DN’ing from Phuket in February for a week. This will be my first time working remotely so apologies for the amateur questions.
I’m looking for accommodations on Airbnb and to my surprise, daily rates are about $100/day for something decent. I always thought Thailand was super cheap. I’ve even seen some YouTube videos where people will claim they can live a luxurious lifestyle for $600/mo, all-in including accommodations, food, etc.
Is there something I’m missing here? Should I be booking somewhere else besides Airbnb?
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You’re not living a luxurious lifestyle in Thailand for $600. You can live a local lifestyle for that amount.
Maybe not luxurious but I’m seeing some apartments claim to be rented for $400/month on YouTube. Yet something similar is $100/night in Airbnb. The disparity is astounding.
I think at 100/night you’re competing with tourists. You can definitely find places that cost a few hundred a month but they’re generally with more locals.
a few things a play. if someone has a 400$/m apartment in TH it’s:
- probably not in phuket or at least central phuket, the most expensive part of TH
- it was probably a year lease
- or someone who has been around the area for a long time and knows where the bargains are
- they probably didn’t start looking in the high season
let’s not forget some youtubers probably just lie about their situation lol
On Phuket in Patong you can rent a nice studio under $20 per day. Or 10k THB per month if you rent it for a long term.
In Asia two things are really cheap (and often surprisingly cheap) - accommodation and restaurants. Other life expenses are pretty high. On Phuket if you stay there alone for a couple of months with a moderate entertainment (sometimes boat trip, good restaurant etc.) a realistic budget is $600 for an apt and $900 for other expenses for a month.
Where would I find this? Airbnb or another site?
AirBnb imo is not the best option there. I used Booking. Just checked that the apt I lived 2 years ago is $23 per night now - earlier it was around $19.
I got a great (rather luxurious) apartment for 13,000 bath/month on a year lease in Bangkok before prices went up again after covid restrictions relaxed
That’s around $400/month
When I worked remotely from Phuket, I too initially faced the shock of high Airbnb rates. It’s a common misconception that Thailand is universally cheap. Popular tourist spots like Phuket can be pricey, especially during peak season.
To find more affordable options, I explored alternatives to Airbnb. Local rental websites, Facebook groups for expats in Phuket, and even some local hotels offer better deals for longer stays. It’s also worth checking out areas just outside the main tourist zones, where prices can be significantly lower but still offer great amenities.
Another option is negotiating directly with Airbnb hosts for a discounted rate for a week-long stay. Many are open to this, especially if it’s not peak season.
And a tip: Rebookify is great for finding hotel deals, which can sometimes be more cost-effective than Airbnb, especially for shorter stays. Remember, living cheaply in Thailand is possible, but it often requires getting off the beaten path and doing a bit of digging for the best deals. Good luck with your remote work adventure in Phuket!Stayed at Homa Phuket and loved every bit of it
I hate to be that person but you’re “DN’ing” for 7 days, you’re working on vacation and prices kinda reflect that. As others have said, Phuket isn’t cheap but the real discounts that DN folks tend to talk about out come when you’re staying for at least a month or two. Having said that, have you tried any Phuket or Thailand FB groups? I’ve found housing in a few places that way, though I prefer Air BnB for travel points.
That’s very fair. Working on vacation is accurate. I didn’t think it would be this hard to find an affordable place to stay that also had room for 2 people to work from! I guess I should’ve done more research before booking my flights.
Hardly worth the hassle of teeing up a rental on a Facebook group for 7 days. Even one month is iffy.
I’d just book a hotel.
Agreed, and Phuket is really a resort/holiday town, so idk a lot of people who are just going there to work, in terms of DNs, at least.
One week is not long enough to get any kind of discount.
February is high season in Phuket.
Phuket is expensive in general.
Lol it’s not cheap, I’m paying 3k for a 3 week stay next month
I always thought Thailand was super cheap
Most of Thailand is but Phuket isn’t most of Thailand. The island has always been the most expensive place in Thailand, but in the last 12-18 months, the prices have gone nuts due to Russian draft dodgers - parts of the island have been overrun by them. Then add into the mix that February is high season.
Is there something I’m missing here?
Yes, you picked the single worst place in Thailand to visit :)