Is right now a good time to buy a property in Phuket? (2026)

Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Thailand Property Pack

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Attaya Suriyawonghae 🇹🇭

Real Estate Broker, Zest Real Estate

Attaya is a certified Thai Real Estate Broker who knows the Phuket market inside and out. With years of experience, she can guide you through the intricacies of the island's vibrant real estate scene, whether you're seeking a luxurious beachfront villa or a high-growth investment opportunity. After speaking with her, we reviewed the blog post, corrected a few points, expanded on others, and added her personal experience.

Who is the author of this content?

BAMBOOROUTES

A team specialized in real estate investing in APAC countries (Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, etc.).

We are a team of financial experts, legal professionals, developers, and local real estate specialists dedicated to helping people like you avoid mistakes when investing in real estate in a foreign place, particularly in Phuket. If you’d like to learn more about us, you can check our presentation page.

Is it smart to buy now in Phuket, or should I wait as of 2026?

Do real estate prices look too high in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, Phuket property prices look about 10% to 20% above what local incomes alone would support, but only 0% to 10% stretched when we compare good homes with rents, foreign demand and scarce west-coast land.

The clearest signal in Phuket listings is that many ordinary new condos are still offered well above similar resale units, which suggests that the asking price is often more ambitious than the real market price.

A second signal is that strong villas in Bang Tao, Laguna, Cherngtalay, Kamala, Rawai and Nai Harn still have limited discounting, while copy-paste condos in launch-heavy areas often need incentives, furniture packages or price cuts to close a sale.

You can also read our latest update regarding the housing prices in Phuket.

Does a property price drop look likely in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, the risk of a meaningful Phuket property price decline over the next 12 months looks medium for generic condos, but low to medium for scarce villas and high-quality homes in proven lifestyle areas.

A realistic 12-month range for Phuket residential property in 2026 is roughly 5% down to 7% up for good assets, with weaker condo projects at risk of 5% to 12% discounts if sellers need faster exits.

The macro factor that would most raise crash risk in Phuket is a sharp fall in tourism or long-stay foreign demand, because Phuket rents and resale liquidity depend much more on visitors and international residents than on local salaries.

That tourism shock is possible but not our base case in 2026, because Thailand still expects a large foreign-tourist flow and Phuket remains one of the strongest resort markets in the country.

Finally, please note that we cover the price trends for next year in our pack about the property market in Phuket.

Could property prices jump again in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, the chance of another broad Phuket property price surge within 12 months looks medium, but the chance of strong gains in the best villa-led micro-markets looks higher.

A reasonable upside range for Phuket property in 2026 is 3% to 7% for good residential assets, with 8% to 12% possible for scarce homes in Bang Tao, Laguna, Cherngtalay, Kamala, Rawai and Nai Harn.

The biggest demand-side trigger for another Phuket price jump would be a stronger wave of foreign lifestyle buyers, especially Russians, Europeans, Middle Eastern buyers, Chinese buyers and regional families looking for school, beach and wellness access.

Please also note that we regularly publish and update real estate price forecasts for Phuket here.

Are we in a buyer or a seller market in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, Phuket is a split market, because prime villas and scarce homes are still seller-leaning while ordinary condos are closer to neutral or mildly buyer-leaning.

The closest months-of-inventory proxy suggests that ordinary condo buyers often have many months of choice in Phuket, while good villas in proven zones feel much tighter because truly similar substitutes are limited.

The estimated share of listings with real negotiation room is roughly 30% to 45% for average condos and 10% to 20% for strong villas, which means seller leverage depends heavily on product type and location.

We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Thailand. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.

Are homes overpriced, or fairly priced in Phuket as of 2026?

Are homes overpriced versus rents or versus incomes in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, Phuket homes look clearly expensive versus local incomes, but only moderately expensive versus rents in the best rental areas where legal, well-managed condos and villas can still produce useful gross yields.

The estimated price-to-rent ratio in Phuket is roughly 15 to 22 years for good condos and villas, while a balanced investment market usually feels more comfortable around 14 to 18 years.

The estimated price-to-income multiple in Phuket is often 10 to 15 times local annual household income for modest foreigner-targeted condos and far more for villas, while a more affordable housing market is usually closer to 4 to 6 times income.

Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Phuket.

Are home prices above the long-term average in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, Phuket home prices are probably 20% to 35% above their pre-pandemic level for quality condos and 35% to 60% above it for strong villas in the best lifestyle areas.

The estimated recent 12-month price change in Phuket is roughly flat to 5% up for ordinary condos and 5% to 10% up for strong villas, which is slower than the sharp post-pandemic jump but still above a normal calm-market pace.

In inflation-adjusted terms, prime Phuket villas look close to or above their prior cycle high, while many ordinary condos look less extreme because resale prices have not risen as much as launch prices.

What local changes could move prices in Phuket as of 2026?

Are big infrastructure projects coming to Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, the biggest planned infrastructure project for Phuket property is Andaman International Airport in Phang Nga, which could support northern Phuket values over time but is not an immediate 2026 price catalyst.

The likely timeline is long, with feasibility, approvals, land and construction steps pushing the main benefit toward the early 2030s rather than the next few quarters.

For Phuket buyers in 2026, the more immediate infrastructure story is still airport pressure, road access, water supply, power reliability and local retail growth around Bang Tao, Cherngtalay, Kamala, Rawai, Wichit and Phuket Town.

For the latest updates on the local projects, you can read our property market analysis about Phuket here.

Are zoning or building rules changing in Phuket as of 2026?

No single island-wide zoning shock appears to be changing Phuket property prices in 2026, but existing coastal, hillside, height and environmental limits still shape where new homes can be built.

As of 2026, the net effect of these rules is price support for scarce sea-view villas and low-density homes, while density keeps moving toward approved inland and mixed-use zones.

The areas most affected are hillside and coastal parts of Kamala, Kata, Karon, Surin, Nai Harn, Rawai and the west-coast villa belt, where legal access, slope and environmental checks matter a lot.

Are foreign-buyer or mortgage rules changing in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, the direction of mortgage rules in Thailand is supportive rather than restrictive, because the Bank of Thailand extended relaxed loan-to-value rules to 30 June 2027.

The most likely foreign-buyer issue in Phuket is not a new ban, but stricter attention to condo foreign quota, leasehold quality, nominee structures and whether rental operations are legally allowed.

The most important mortgage change is the extended 100% LTV relaxation for specified housing loans, which supports local and locally bankable buyers but does not remove the need for foreign buyers to structure purchases carefully.

You can also read our latest update about mortgage and interest rates in Thailand.

Will it be easy to find tenants in Phuket as of 2026?

Is the renter pool growing faster than new supply in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, Phuket renter demand is probably growing faster than good villa supply in prime areas, but condo supply is keeping up with or exceeding tenant growth in several launch-heavy locations.

The best demand signal is that Phuket remains a year-round tourism and lifestyle market, with renters coming from tourists, remote workers, retirees, school families, wellness visitors and long-stay foreign residents.

The best supply signal is that C9 counted about 40,600 units for sale in Q1 2025, with condos making up most of the pipeline, so owners of ordinary condos must expect more rental competition.

Are days-on-market for rentals falling in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, strong Phuket rentals usually take around 2 to 6 weeks to lease in good areas, while average condos often need 1 to 3 months and overpriced villas can take longer outside high season.

The gap between best and weaker areas is large, because a practical condo in Cherngtalay, Rawai, Patong or Kamala can move much faster than a similar unit in a car-dependent inland location with many competing buildings.

Days-on-market falls first in Phuket when high-season demand meets limited well-managed stock, especially for family villas near schools and condos that are easy to walk from beach, restaurants or nightlife.

Are vacancies dropping in the best areas of Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, vacancies are likely dropping or staying tight in Cherngtalay, Bang Tao, Laguna, Rawai, Nai Harn, Kamala and Patong, while weaker inland condo projects can still have soft low-season occupancy.

A realistic vacancy proxy is roughly 5% to 12% in the best long-stay rental pockets during normal periods, compared with 12% to 25% or more for weaker generic condo stock outside high season.

A practical landlord signal in Phuket is that tenants increasingly ask first about internet quality, water reliability, school commute, traffic bottlenecks and juristic management before negotiating rent.

By the way, we’ve written a blog article detailing what are the current rent levels in Phuket.

Am I buying into a tightening market in Phuket as of 2026?

Is for-sale inventory shrinking in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, we would not say Phuket for-sale inventory is shrinking overall, because condo supply remains substantial, but scarce villa stock in the best west-coast and southern lifestyle areas is much tighter.

The closest months-of-supply proxy suggests ordinary condos have many months of choice, while truly comparable prime villas can behave like a low-inventory market because location, land shape and build quality are hard to repeat.

Are homes selling faster in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, strong Phuket homes can sell in roughly 2 to 5 months if priced realistically, but average condos can take 6 to 12 months and overpriced villas can sit even longer.

Compared with the hottest 2022 to 2023 period, median selling time for generic Phuket condos is likely 20% to 40% longer, while prime villas have slowed less when the price is sensible.

Are new listings slowing down in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, we think new Phuket listings are not collapsing, but the pace of new launches looks more selective than the strongest post-pandemic boom years.

Seasonally, Phuket listings and buyer attention usually strengthen around high season, but the current market is not unusually short of ordinary condos because many buyers can still compare new, resale and off-plan options.

Is new construction failing to keep up in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, new construction is not failing to keep up for condos overall, but it is failing to create enough truly scarce villas and family homes in the most convenient lifestyle locations.

The recent trend shows heavy condo and mixed residential supply, while villa construction is more limited by land, road access, hillside rules, utilities, labor costs and neighborhood constraints.

The biggest bottleneck in Phuket is not only permitting, but finding legally clean, well-located land with enough access, slope, water and power capacity to support a good residential project.

Will it be easy to sell later in Phuket as of 2026?

Is resale liquidity strong enough in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, resale liquidity in Phuket is strong enough for realistic sellers in proven areas, but weak for owners who overpay for generic off-plan condos with many identical future competitors.

The estimated median days-on-market for liquid Phuket resale homes is roughly 90 to 180 days, compared with a healthy liquidity benchmark of about 90 days for very strong resort markets.

The characteristic that most improves resale liquidity in Phuket is simple usefulness, meaning a good layout, legal title, easy access, strong building management and a location buyers already understand.

Is selling time getting longer in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, selling time is getting longer for average Phuket condos versus the 2022 to 2023 frenzy, while unique villas in the strongest areas can still move well.

The estimated current selling range is roughly 60 to 150 days for attractive, well-priced homes, 180 to 365 days for average condos and more than 12 months for overpriced or legally complicated stock.

The clear reason selling time can lengthen in Phuket is that buyers now compare resale prices, developer incentives, foreign quota, rental legality and management quality before committing.

Is it realistic to exit with profit in Phuket as of 2026?

As of 2026, the likelihood of selling a Phuket property with profit over a normal holding period is medium for ordinary condos and medium to high for well-bought scarce homes in proven areas.

The minimum holding period that usually makes profit more realistic in Phuket is about 5 years, because buyers need time to absorb purchase costs, selling costs, furnishing, maintenance and currency swings.

The estimated round-trip cost drag in Phuket is often around 6% to 10% of the property price, which is about ฿360,000 to ฿600,000 on a ฿6 million condo, or roughly $9,800 to $16,300 and €9,000 to €15,000 at recent exchange rates.

The factor that most increases profit odds in Phuket is buying below comparable resale value in a location that both tenants and end-users want, rather than relying on a developer’s promised yield.

We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Thailand compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.

What sources have we used to write this blog article?

Whether it’s in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Phuket, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can, and we don’t throw out numbers at random.

We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we’ve listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.

Source	Why we trust it	How we used it
Bank of Thailand, LTV extension press release, May 2026	Thailand’s central bank is the primary source for mortgage-prudential rules.	We used it to check whether Thailand credit rules are becoming tighter or looser in 2026. We included the LTV extension because easier financing supports demand through 30 June 2027.
Bank of Thailand, original LTV relaxation, March 2025	It is the official source for the earlier LTV easing window.	We used it to confirm when the current mortgage-support period started. We used this to explain why local financed buyers had more support before the 2026 extension.
Bank of Thailand tourism indicators	It republishes tourism indicators from official Thai tourism statistics.	We used it to cross-check tourism demand and hotel-market pressure. We included it because Phuket rents and resale liquidity are strongly tied to visitor flows.
NESDC Q1 2026 economic outlook	NESDC is Thailand’s official macroeconomic planning agency.	We used it to frame Thailand’s national growth and tourism conditions in early 2026. We used it to separate Phuket’s resort cycle from Thailand’s weaker mass housing market.
Phuket Provincial Statistical Office	It is the official provincial branch of Thailand’s statistics office.	We used it for local population, income and tourism context. We included it because Phuket’s registered population understates the island’s real user base.
National Statistical Office, 2025 Population and Housing Census	It is Thailand’s official census agency.	We used it to understand wider household and population context. We used it to explain why Phuket demand is not only local-household demand.
Real Estate Information Center, REIC	REIC is a core official housing-market source under Government Housing Bank.	We used it to benchmark national housing conditions and foreign-condo transfer trends. We also used it to check whether Phuket is moving with or away from Thailand’s broader housing market.
Colliers Phuket Residential Report 2025 to 2026	Colliers is a major property consultancy with Phuket-specific research.	We used it to cross-check demand, supply and pricing cycle signals. We relied on it to judge whether demand is broad-based or uneven by product type.
CBRE Phuket Overall Figures H2 2025	CBRE is a major global real estate advisory firm with Thailand research.	We used it for recent Phuket tourism, residential launches and location concentration. We used it to test whether 2026 momentum is supported by real activity.
CBRE Phuket Condos and Villas 2025	CBRE has direct brokerage and research coverage in Phuket.	We used it to confirm that condos and villas are Phuket’s key residential products. We used it to explain why Phuket is a lifestyle and foreign-buyer market.
C9 Hotelworks Phuket Property Market Update, May 2025	C9 Hotelworks gives granular Phuket hospitality and residential research.	We used it for supply, location, price and rental estimates. We relied on it for neighborhood-level signals in Cherngtalay, Rawai, Karon, Wichit and Si Sunthon.
Ministry of Transport	It is Thailand’s official transport ministry.	We used it to verify that transport infrastructure is a real policy area. We included it because airport and road access can affect Phuket residential demand.
Thailand PRD on Andaman International Airport	PRD is the Thai government’s official public-relations department.	We used it to check the purpose of the planned second airport. We treated the airport as a medium-term driver, not an immediate 2026 resale trigger.
Airports of Thailand	AOT operates major Thai airports, including Phuket International Airport.	We used it to frame air-capacity constraints and airport-related upside. We included it because flight access is unusually important for Phuket property prices.
The Nation citing REIC Phuket oversupply warning	It is a national newspaper, but the figures are attributed to REIC.	We used it as a secondary pointer to official oversupply concerns. We included it to balance bullish brokerage and developer narratives.
Khaosod English citing REIC foreign-condo transfer data	It is a national news source citing official REIC transfer statistics.	We used it as a readable cross-check for foreign-buyer concentration. We included it to support the risk section on Chinese, Russian, Myanmar and other foreign demand.