How Much Do Utilities Cost in Bangkok? Electricity, Water and Internet

By Aayush Mittal · Updated October 4, 2026

Rent is the big number, but utilities can add a noticeable amount, particularly in the hot season when the air conditioning runs most of the day. This guide explains what each bill involves and how to avoid being overcharged.

Electricity

Electricity is billed per unit (kWh). The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) charges households a rate that is typically in the region of 4–5 baht per unit, depending on usage tier and the fuel adjustment charge, which changes every few months. What you pay depends on who owns the meter:

• Your own MEA meter: you pay the MEA rate. This is common in houses and in some older apartments.
• The condo or building meter: the juristic person or landlord re-bills you. Many buildings charge a flat 5–8 baht per unit. Some small apartment blocks charge 7–9 baht, which is well above what they pay.

Ask the landlord for the per-unit price before you sign, and write it into the contract. If a building does not publish the rate, treat that as a warning sign.

How much will you use?

Air conditioning is the main cost. A studio running one air-conditioner for 8 to 10 hours overnight might use around 150–250 units in a month, a one-bedroom with air conditioning in the living room and the bedroom might use 300–500, and a house with several units can go much higher. At 6 baht per unit that is roughly 900 to 3,000 baht, with the hot season (March to May) at the high end.

Ways to lower it

• Set the air conditioner to 26–27°C with the fan on, rather than 22°C.
• Use inverter units, which use noticeably less power than older fixed-speed models.
• Have the air-conditioner filters cleaned. A dirty unit works harder.
• Choose a unit that does not face west, so it stays cooler in the afternoon.

Water

Water is cheap in absolute terms. Public tap water from the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority costs roughly 10–20 baht per cubic metre depending on volume. Buildings that re-bill commonly charge 18–30 baht per cubic metre, and some apartments charge a flat fee per person instead. A single person usually uses around 3–6 cubic metres a month, so water is rarely more than 100–300 baht.

Tap water is not recommended for drinking. Most people buy 20-litre refill bottles from a vendor or use a filter system.

Internet

Fibre broadband is widely available in Bangkok. Typical home packages run about 400–900 baht a month for speeds from 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps, from providers such as AIS Fibre, True Online and 3BB. A router is usually included and installation takes around a week. Some condos and serviced apartments include Wi-Fi in the rent, so ask. Mobile data plans are also cheap, and many renters use a 5G SIM plan instead of fixed internet in a studio.

When comparing, check the contract length (usually 12 months) and the one-off installation fee.

Other recurring costs

• Common-area fees: in most condos the owner pays these, not the tenant. Make sure the contract says so.
• Parking: may be free, or a few hundred to a few thousand baht a month depending on the building.
• Garbage and cleaning: small charges in some buildings.
• Aircon cleaning: twice a year at roughly 500–800 baht per unit, sometimes paid by the tenant.
• Gas for cooking: most condos use electric hobs. Houses may use LPG bottles.

Putting it together

For a typical one-bedroom condo, expect roughly 2,000–4,000 baht in combined electricity, water and internet in an average month, depending on the electricity rate and how much you use the air conditioning. For a studio, 1,200–2,500 baht is common. These are estimates; your usage will vary, so compare against your own bills after the first two months.

That is why we suggest comparing the all-in cost. A 15,000 baht unit with a 5 baht per unit rate and free Wi-Fi can cost less than a 14,000 baht unit with a 9 baht rate.

Checking rents in your area

Use the rent by area table to compare the median rent in your target neighbourhood, then add utilities from this guide to compare the true monthly cost. If you are still deciding on the kind of building, read condo vs apartment vs house.