Living in Bangkok
Bangkok is an amazing place to live
But choosing where to live, getting around, and understanding everyday life can make a huge difference.
Considering a life in Bangkok?
Bangkok can be brilliant, frustrating, exciting, and occasionally completely ridiculous. A few good decisions can make everyday life here a lot easier.
Build a life in Bangkok
Where you live can completely change how you feel about Bangkok. A great condo in the wrong area can still mean an awful commute every morning.
Where to live in Bangkok
Find an area that works on a normal Tuesday
Do not choose an area because it looks good on a Saturday night. Compare commute, rent, transport, schools, food, and the things you will actually use every week.
Compare Bangkok areas
Working in BangkokWhere your office is can matter almost as much as the job itself. Understand salaries, work permits, and what your commute will actually look like.Working in Bangkok
Raising a family in BangkokSchools, healthcare, and the school run quickly become more important than being close to Bangkok nightlife.Family life in Bangkok
Getting around BangkokBangkok gets much easier once you stop judging distance by kilometres. BTS and MRT are usually easiest, with Grab filling in the gaps.Getting around BangkokPractical guides for living in Bangkok
The everyday things that become important once Bangkok stops being a holiday.
Questions about living in Bangkok
Simple questions do not always have simple answers, especially in Bangkok.
Is Bangkok a good place to live?
Bangkok can be a fantastic place to live, but your experience depends heavily on where you live and how you get around. A sensible commute and the right neighbourhood can make the city feel surprisingly easy, while the wrong location can make every weekday harder than it needs to be.
Read about living in BangkokHow much does it cost to live in Bangkok?
Bangkok can still be very affordable, but it is remarkably easy to build yourself an expensive version of Bangkok. Rent makes the biggest difference, followed by food, transport, schools, healthcare, and how often you treat Bangkok like you are still on holiday.
See the cost of livingWhere is the best area to live in Bangkok?
There is no single best area in Bangkok. Asok, Ari, Sathorn, Thonglor, On Nut, and other parts of the city all offer very different versions of daily life. Start with where you need to be on a normal weekday, then compare rent, transport, schools, food, and everything around it.
Compare Bangkok areasHow do you get around Bangkok?
BTS and MRT are usually the easiest way to cover longer distances, while Grab is useful when the trains do not go where you need them. Boats can also be surprisingly useful. The important thing to remember is that five kilometres in Bangkok can mean 15 minutes or an hour.
See how to get around BangkokWhat is it really like living in Bangkok?
Visiting Bangkok and living here are very different. After a while you care less about famous attractions and more about your commute, supermarket, favourite food stalls, nearby parks, and whether you can get home easily at 6pm. Bangkok becomes a collection of neighbourhoods and routines rather than one huge city.
Explore everyday Bangkok
Thinking about moving to Bangkok?
Start with the decisions that are hardest to change later: your visa, budget, where you live, and how you will get around.