Pattaya condo fees come in two parts: a monthly common-area management (CAM) fee of roughly ฿35–80 per square metre — usually billed annually — and a one-off sinking fund contribution when you first buy from the developer. On a typical 35 sqm one-bed that means around ฿1,200–2,800 a month for the running of the building. Here is exactly how the system works and what to check before you buy.
The CAM fee — what you pay monthly
Every registered condominium is run by a juristic person (the owners' management entity), funded by CAM fees charged per square metre of your unit. Current Pattaya rates: older buildings ฿30–45/sqm/month; the mainstream modern stock ฿45–65; luxury towers with big facility decks ฿65–90+. Worked examples: a 35 sqm studio at ฿50/sqm costs ฿1,750/month (฿21,000/year); an 80 sqm two-bed in a premium building at ฿70 runs ฿5,600/month. Most buildings bill annually in advance, so expect one yearly invoice rather than twelve small ones.
What the fee covers — and what it does not
CAM fees fund security, reception, cleaning of common areas, the pools, gyms and gardens, lifts, common-area electricity and water, building insurance and general repairs. They do not cover your unit's electricity and water, internet, contents insurance, in-unit repairs or the annual land and building tax. When comparing two buildings, always compare fee and facilities — a ฿40 building with no gym can be worse value than a ฿60 building whose facilities replace a ฿2,000 gym membership.
The sinking fund — the one-off
On a new purchase from a developer you pay a single sinking-fund contribution, typically ฿400–700 per square metre, seeding the building's capital reserve for big-ticket future works (roof, lifts, repainting). Resale buyers do not pay it again — though a building that has exhausted its fund may levy special assessments, which is precisely why we read the juristic person's accounts during due diligence.
The debt-free rule — why arrears matter when buying or selling
The Land Office will not transfer a condo without a debt-free letter from the juristic person confirming all fees are paid. For buyers this is protection: you cannot unknowingly inherit arrears. For sellers it means fees must be settled before completion. We obtain this letter as standard in every transaction — it is also required to confirm the building's foreign quota position.
Judging whether a building is well run
Fees only deliver value if collected and spent properly. Signs of a healthy building: high collection rates, audited accounts presented at the AGM, visible maintenance, and a professional management company. Warning signs: green pools, broken lifts and "cheap" fees that simply mean nothing is being done. A well-run juristic person protects your resale value more than any renovation — ask us about the buildings we would happily own in ourselves across our development guides.
Before you commit to any unit, we will tell you its exact fee, the building's financial health and any assessments on the horizon. Browse current listings or ask us about a specific building — chances are we have sold in it many times since 1978.