Current currency,
Current measurement in
Property in central Phuket appeals to people who plan to stay on the island for the long term. Phuket Town and the east coast between Patong and Phang Nga Bay are free of heavy tourist traffic, with international schools, hospitals, yacht marinas and two golf clubs close by.
Apartments, townhouses and villas here are let on long-term tenancies rather than by the week or the season, so rental income comes in all year round. Buying in the centre also costs noticeably less than in the beach areas.
In the 19th century Phuket's economy ran on tin, and that money built Phuket Town. Chinese merchants put up two-storey Sino-Portuguese shophouses, and many of them still line Thalang Road, Dibuk Road and Soi Romanee today.
Central Phuket now runs to the rhythm of the working week rather than the tourist season. Hospitals, schools, the courts, the immigration office and the main shopping centres are all here, and every morning the staff of the west-coast hotels set off from here to work. For a buyer, that means steady demand for long-term rentals and prices well below those in the beach areas.
✓ Location: the eastern side of the island, between Patong to the west and Phang Nga Bay to the east, with Chalong and Rawai to the south
✓ Airport: around 30 km (19 miles) via Highway 402, depending on where you are in the area
✓ Beaches: the east coast is lined with mangroves and piers; the nearest swimming beach is Patong, about 13–15 km (8–9 miles) away
✓ Schools: British International School Phuket, HeadStart, Kajonkiet International School, QSI International School of Phuket
✓ Shopping: Central Phuket (Floresta and Festival buildings), Robinson, Big C, Makro, Lotus's, Premium Outlet
✓ Healthcare: Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Vachira Phuket Hospital, Mission Hospital
✓ Yachting: Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon, with ferries to Phi Phi from Rassada Pier
✓ Golf: Loch Palm and Red Mountain, 18 holes each
✓ Historic streets, markets, government offices and bank branches
✓ Apartments here are rented by doctors, teachers, and company and hotel staff
✓ Buyers choose studios and one-bedroom apartments to let on long-term tenancies
✓ Gated communities, lakes, yacht moorings and an international school in the next neighbourhood
✓ Home to expat families and yacht owners who live on the island year-round
✓ Buyers choose pool villas and houses in secure gated communities
✓ Two golf clubs, green hills and the road over the pass to Patong
✓ Demand comes from west-coast resort staff and golfers
✓ Buyers choose condominium apartments and villas overlooking the fairways
The selection centres on two formats. Condominium apartments are bought to let on annual tenancies or to live in. Villas and houses in gated communities suit families who want a school and a hospital nearby, and investors looking for an expat tenant.
Resale apartments start from about ฿1.7 million (£38,000), and new developments from ฿2.5 million (£56,000). The median apartment price across central Phuket is around ฿3.2 million (£72,000), or roughly ฿86,000 per sqm (£1,940; about ฿8,000 or £180 per sq ft). On average a studio costs ฿2.4 million (£54,000), a one-bedroom apartment around ฿3 million (£68,000) and a two-bedroom around ฿4.9 million (£110,000).
A house in a gated community averages ฿8.8 million (£198,000) and a villa with its own pool around ฿10.5 million (£237,000). New premium villas sell from ฿15–16 million (£338,000–361,000), while club developments by the marinas and lakes, such as Fortuna Lakeside, 1 km from British International School, start at ฿35 million (£790,000).
In central Phuket, income comes from long-term letting. Tenants sign for 6–12 months, so occupancy depends little on the tourist season, and the property is spared the wear of constant guest turnover.
There are no fixed yields on this market, and we do not promise one on any property. The result depends on the purchase price, the layout and furnishing, the distance to schools, hospitals and workplaces, and the service charge and sinking fund contributions. Property values and rental income can go down as well as up. A KVARIS adviser will run the numbers for a specific property during a consultation.
A foreign buyer can own a condominium apartment on a Freehold title, full ownership under Thai law, within the 49% foreign quota of the building's floor area. Villas and the land beneath them are usually bought on Leasehold: a lease of up to 30 years registered with the Land Department. Thai law does not automatically guarantee the renewals promised under 30+30 schemes. A third route, a Thai company, requires genuine business activity.
Buying a home does not in itself grant a visa; longer stays are arranged under separate visa programmes.
✓ The land title: Chanote (Nor Sor 4 Jor)
✓ The developer's entry in the DBD register and its completed projects
✓ The building permit and EIA (environmental impact assessment) status
✓ Available foreign quota in the specific building
✓ The service charge and sinking fund contributions
✓ For homes by the marinas and lakes: access to the plot and ground level above the water line
Reservation with a deposit, legal due diligence on the property, a sale and purchase agreement with a payment schedule, registration at the Land Department, then handover.
The water on the east side of the island is shallow and the shore gives way to mangroves and yacht moorings, so people don't swim here. Patong's beaches are about 13–15 km (8–9 miles) away, and Chalong and Rawai are a similar distance. People move here for the schools, hospitals and marinas, and drive to the beach at weekends.
Doctors at private clinics, international school teachers, hotel managers and yacht company staff. Tenants like these sign annual contracts and pay without seasonal dips.
British International School Phuket sits on the east-coast highway, next to the communities around Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon. HeadStart and Kajonkiet are on the road from town towards Patong.
On the coast, prices are driven by holiday lets and sea views. In the centre, buyers pay for everyday life: schools, hospitals, offices and shopping. A square metre here costs almost half as much as in Bang Tao.
Many developers of new communities sell with staged payments as construction progresses. Terms vary by project, and your adviser will shortlist options within your budget.
Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon offer permanent berths, with boatyards and marine services nearby. This is the quickest place on the island to head out to the islands of Phang Nga Bay.
About 25 km (16 miles) from the marina communities and about 32 km (20 miles) from the Old Town, along Highway 402 with no mountain passes.
A KVARIS broker replies within an hour with prices, floor plans and payment terms.
Your broker will send available units, floor plans and the payment schedule — usually within the hour.
Where's the best place to reach you?
