Comparing 9 Condos in Pattaya, Thailand! - Condo Tour Pratumank

[@AmericanPieInThailand]

Hey Pete! Long time! Your video just popped up in my feed and it's been a while! I lived in Pratnumnak for 9 months last year, a few months at Sky, then One Tower on Soi 4. I now live in Wongamat Beach at the Riviera in a 1BR, 45Sqm, Washing machine, decent size balcony, AC piped in so no noise on the balcony as well! Up on the 40th floor, awesome seaview, rooftop pools, lagoon pools, 2 gyms with AC, underground parking for cars and scooters. Security is good and we use card key for the elevator and room. They wanted 30K but talked him down to 24K and paid the whole year in advance. The room had never been lived in so very clean! I really love this place and the area is quiet, no street traffic noise and the whole scene up here is different (more Thai less farang). My lease is up in Feb and I may renew. It's also near Terminal 21 and Nakula Fish Market. The beaches are clean and quiet and the whole area has a nice vibe. 15 minute scooter ride to Treetown,, and 10 minutes to Central Marina, Lotus and Big C! Check out some places up here I know there is vacancies here as well. I can give you my agents Line!

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yeah, the algorithm hasn’t been showing my videos as often lately. Congrats on the new place, it sounds great! We got a new room and just finished moving. It’s in the Cosy Beach area, 79 square meters, washing machine, underground parking and we got it for 19k. Signed a 2 year lease. I do want to check out wongamat more. I’ve only been up there a couple times. I’ve thought about just getting a room for a couple nights, so I can really explore the area.

[@g-wagonsg-wagon3693]

Good thinking ​@@peteonretreat2023

[@gregweigel8115]

Enjoy the variety of condo. Shown, however, disappointed, in some of the details like square meters?? I live in the U, S, and I just can't live in a 50. Square meter which is basically a hotel room in the US.. Now I'm lucky enough. I can afford 60 and 70 m². But they're hard to find

[@peteonretreat2023]

@ I’m from the US and had a nearly 4,000 sq foot house to myself. You can get by in a lot less if you embrace the minimalism of it. That said, our new place is 79 and it won’t be easy to go back down ever again.

[@AmericanPieInThailand]

@@peteonretreat2023 Quality of life is my issue when buying a home. Location is everything in terms of safety and desirable surroundings. live on the beach for less than 750 a month.

[@peten409]

Great video nice and concise. Brings up a lots of points you need to remember when picking a condo, definitely be saving it for later. I've never been to Pratumnak good to make the time to see it. I always get distracted when I'm in Pattaya.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Distracted in Pattaya? Impossible 😂 Glad you liked the video and thanks for the comment 🙏🏼

[@jons7077]

Another great Pete on Retreat video, longtime no see, I am glad life is treating you well, Big Ups bud.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Hey Jon! Yeah, hadn’t seen you around for a while. The algorithm loves to hide me from people for some reason. I think you’ve missed some videos. Great to see you back and hope your life is full of love and laughter. 🙏🏼

[@jons7077]

@@peteonretreat2023 I will look for your videos, you have always done a great job even when you first started, I am glad life is treating you well and you have met a special lady. Keep living your best life!

[@peteonretreat2023]

@@jons7077 thanks Jon. Yeah, I think you’ve missed a couple fun ones. Again, great to hear from you!

[@bighoss9705]

My requirements are: No bugs, separate bedroom, clean, internet, big TV. Just rented one up on PK 2, B14K. Not as fancy as the ones you are looking for but it meets my needs. I'll try it for 1 month. If I don't like it I'll move on. 😊

[@peteonretreat2023]

Those first 3 are definitely required for us as well. We found a big place for B19K, washing machine, big TV, nice view… just moved in.

[@roygoad2870]

You get a lot more for your money in the older condos! Some of those prices were crazy! I’ve just come back from Kuala Lumpur, can get amazing deals, better quality condos and cheaper than Thailand imo!

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yup, I like the space in the older buildings but they’ve gone up in prices too. It was a bit disheartening and I’m nervous what they might be like in 10 years.

[@AlaskaGuy71]

Hi Pete! 2 things , #1 - A friend and I will be in Pattaya Nov 20 thru Nov 26 and I'd love to meet ya ! #2 - One thing that flipped like a switch for me on the condos in Thailand ...Normally in my mind, the condo / apartment is your 'house' and you kinda want to do all of your things in your own house. But in Thailand, with all the condo videos I've watched, I've switched to the thought process that the whole condo building is the house, with all of the typically (at least in a luxery condo) awesome amenities and really nice public spaces I think I will need to treat the actual condo as just my "bedroom" / private area nad the rest of the condo is the same as public space in an apartment where you just have a LOT more room mates. So for your AD&D table keep that in mind that maybe the table exists in a really nice public area in your condo building :)

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yup, utilizing the common areas is a great way to expand your living space and get the most of of your condo. Our last place just added a gage room with foosball, a pool table and a huge TV. We’ve talked about playing in a shared sieve but we prefer the privacy of one of our rooms. Good news is, we got a room with a perfect space for us to play! I’m always happy to meet up with viewers that think we would get along. I’m sincere and just me in my videos so if you think we’d vibe hit me up. I put my email in the description of every video and meet up with viewers all the time. I met up with a few last month.

[@Explorer766]

Great articulation of my thought process

[@rosshitchen-ij6en]

Pratumnak is the best part of Pattaya in my opinion.

[@peteonretreat2023]

I agree. It’s just different here.

[@PloyandJayinThailand]

Great video, Pete! We are also looking to switch to another condo in Pratumnak. So a very helpful video to understand the pricing in the area where you live. The prices are a bit expensive there, and not in our budget.

[@peteonretreat2023]

I think many of the places in the Pratumnak Soi 4, 5, and 6 area are a little cheaper. I thought the Sky Residence building was just expensive but it seems a lot of this neighborhood’s rents have also increased. It was a lot cheaper 5 years ago.

[@PloyandJayinThailand]

@@peteonretreat2023 yeah that is true 👌

[@plbmck798]

Hi Pete, great content. Phratumnak is expensive! But it has a lot to offer! I hope you guys find what you're looking for. I would tell you to consider looking further south. For larger spaces, and you probably already know this, you will want to look in the older buildings.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yup, the older buildings definitely have more space. I thought I’d end up in Jomtien but we really love this area. Maybe after our next lease lol

[@CerebralAptitude]

Great choice sir. Stick to your budget and don't pay higher. Love the channel.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Thank you 🙏🏼 We just finished moving 2 days ago… the move put me behind on my video releases.

[@TheMikeyStory]

Go with what you can afford and also no place is perfect so be flexible with compromise , certain things you can add and replace as well as you can make a deal by saying your willing to do certain things if they lower the price , everything can be negotiated.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yes, one should definitely be a bit flexible. We know what we want and what we need to so we looked at rooms as is and for their potential.

[@markmendelson6688]

Sky Residences is hard to beat ..I lived there for a few years and really enjoyed my time there

[@peteonretreat2023]

It’s in one of the whitest areas of the city for sure. I think I’ll miss it some.

[@BobSagetSquarePants]

Didn't know the perils of what being a DnD player added to the search of a condo until now :). Hope what's best for Pete stays at the top of your list.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Haha, my players have it easy since I host. A few of them can host us too but I prefer running the game at my place.

[@DROIDZ_YouTube]

wow, you weren't exaggerating about those prices. I know you generally don't do these types of videos but thanks for the heads up about Pratumank.

[@peteonretreat2023]

I was a bit shocked myself. I knew my building was expensive but it turns out that it was about average.

[@mfj2648]

Wow Pete. We are sychronized. I also had to decide if I should extend my current condo rental agreement by another 2 years or move. My dream was to have a Koh Larn seaview condo, but the prices are just too high. So, I agreed with the owner that I would stay for 2 more years in my current condo at the same price - which is great for me as I will need to make sure that I do not stay in Thailand more than 180 days in year 2025 to avoid becoming a tax resident. I will probably live in Thailand and Vietnam in year 2025.

[@peteonretreat2023]

You’re still in the same place you showed me right? It’s a great condo but I hear ya on wanting the best view possible. We just moved this week (I’m behind on videos) and while we have a nice view, it’s nothing compared to our last city view. Hope all is well with you, we need to share a meal sometime. 🙏🏼

[@dirkdiggler164]

Have spent a fair bit of time identifying someplace I would like to live from early next year. When I return having lived in Cosy Beach at Elegance since November last year. Floor 4. 72sqm @ 27K. Lovely peaceful place. Expensive, but we have Been blissfully happy there. You will certainly get more for your money in Soi 3, 4 or 6. Soi 5 is expensive and availability is sparse. Personally, I’d avoid Soi 7 Pratumnak. Highly recommend, Prestige Properties as an agent. Ask for Autumn, lovely professional lady. Every place has it’s pro’s and con’s, for sure there’s a big element of luck involved with availability. Always rent directly from the building owner if you can, which makes a walk in off the street preferable. But that involves a lot of leg work I know. Things get fixed quicker, and a nicer unit may become available which you can swap into a minimal cost.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yup, I just love living in this area. It’s expensive but absolutely within our budget. I still put a bunch of my budget into savings every month. We ended up getting a place through an agent but I agree, renting direct from the owner is a great move.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

A real wide arrange of prices. I did a double take when you went from short beard to mustache at 14:00, 555. Best wishes, Pete.

[@peteonretreat2023]

It’s taken me weeks to get this video done. Who knows what I’ll look like next video lol I actually shot the outro after we finished moving. It’s time to get back on schedule now.

[@RetiredGlobalLife]

@@peteonretreat2023 Ah, so you did choose a new place. I just did a video on my first long term condo rental. Check it out. Hope to see a vid on your new place!

[@_jamesbradley__]

Thank you for the video. Great content. I am new to your channel. Hope you don't mind a question: 1) why that area? 2) how far are you from Muscle Factory gym? Thank you for your time and consideration.

[@peteonretreat2023]

@@_jamesbradley__ welcome to the channel! I love it here for several reasons. 1. It’s very quiet and peaceful in the Cosy Beach area, especially at night. 2. It’s central to just about everything. 10-20 minutes to the city or Jomtien. 10 minute walk to the parks and hills for walking. 3. It is a small area (7 small blocks by 3 blocks) with only 1 way in and out so it has a strong neighborhood feel. 4. It’s a hill on a cliff so it’s impossible to flood and it’s even tsunami proof. 5. The quiet mornings are perfect for my walk and talk videos (which is how I present most of my vlogs). 6. There’s almost always a nice cool breeze here, unlike most of the city. It just feels cooler here all the time. 7. It has a few great live music choices very close by (Jazz Pit, Juju Music Bar, and the Hill Bar on Wednesdays) The cons are it’s not on a baht bus route and the one street coming in gets very busy around sunset. Many people come in for the big popular cliff top restaurants (Three Mermaids, Sky Gallery, Chocolate Factory, Oasis, etc). It also has many tour buses that go to the 2 hills (Big Buddha and Pratumnak Viewpoint) but as long as you try to avoid coming or going around 4:30pm-6:30pm, then that’s not an issue. Even when it’s at its worse, it’s only a 10-15 minute wait through the traffic.

[@_jamesbradley__]

@@peteonretreat2023 🤯 wow Thank you for the detailed answer I’m very honored You are very intelligent You are very amazing with your kindness Thank you so much I appreciate you !!

[@peteonretreat2023]

@@_jamesbradley__ one of the reasons I keep this channel up is because I enjoy helping people and I’ve made many friends through it. You are very welcomed.

[@jimbrown2485]

thanks 🙏 I'm a new subscriber. I know that area.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Thanks for the comment and the sub 🙏🏼 Welcome to the channel.

[@tallguyforfun]

The Cloud seems really nice,try that

[@peteonretreat2023]

I think we stopped by and we’re told to come back later when the manager was there. We found a place before that ever happened though. The Cloud does look nice. Maybe I’ll stop by again just out of curiosity.

[@Ncseventeen1976]

Unless you're in a hurry, keep looking. I like that area, but dam some of those prices were crazy high.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Right? I was expecting to see more of that in the comments. I thought 20k for our current place was crazy (it is) but some of these made that seem reasonable. We did move… but I think it’ll be a few weeks until I cover our new place in a video.

[@Thairieskaterat]

Keep looking. No rush 🤘😘

[@peteonretreat2023]

Wasn’t rushing but we did find a place. Should show it off next month once we are fully settled.

[@NickedOff]

Great video Pete, thanks for the tours! I just bought my ticket to come for the first time in December! Might have to look into a couple of these spots. Hope we can bump into each other! Let me know if you're interested! Peace brother ✌️

[@peteonretreat2023]

If you think we might get along after watching some of my videos, hit me up. My videos show the real me and I meet viewers pretty regularly now. I have an email in every video description.

[@NickedOff]

@@peteonretreat2023 Right on man, thanks! Been watching your channel for nearly a year! I'll shoot you an email and maybe we can schedule a meet! Keep up the good work!

[@peteonretreat2023]

@NickedOff sounds great 👍🏼

[@Chef_Boy_RD]

Your girlfriend looks thrilled!

[@peteonretreat2023]

Haha, she definitely falls in the stereotype of Thai girls that don’t want to walk on the heat of the day (if at all). She was pretty disappointed by the rooms and the prices too. No poker face whatsoever lol

[@leelafond]

Hey Pete! Awesome seeing some D&D action in Pattaya. How is the gaming scene there? Is it easy finding games? I'm looking for a retirement destination and want to keep up my favorite hobby.

[@peteonretreat2023]

The gaming scene here is decent and international. There are at least two different gaming cafés here, and I hear there’s other DnD groups, but I haven’t met any of the players from them. I found my initial group really easily by searching dungeons and dragons Pattaya on Facebook. I found a group on there, and now I am the admin of the page. There’s a lot of people that play other games here, board games, card games and I think Warhammer too.

[@leelafond]

@@peteonretreat2023 Awesome, great to know! Thanks!

[@sixx_xlr]

any plans on filming some dnd. i never got into it but would love to see how it works

[@peteonretreat2023]

Probably not, and definitely not for this channel. It would be an algorithm killer. If you want to check out some live play, I think the first episode of the first campaign of Dungeons of Drakenhiem on KZbin is a good example of a normal game. The second campaign of Critical Role is great too but all the players are professional voice actors and I think it sets unreal expectations for most games.

[@davec2727]

Pratumnak used to be great but over the past few years has got overrun pushing prices up to a ridiculous level . Jomtien is way cheaper with some great condos .

[@peteonretreat2023]

Jomtien is cheaper but I love this area.

[@scottlanham2855]

Been awhile since I've seen one of your videos. How do you feel about the new visa laws???? Has it affected you in any way?

[@peteonretreat2023]

The new Destination Thailand Visa? It hasn’t affected me and won’t unless I drop my retirement visa. I haven’t fully looked at all the pros and cons yet but renewing my retirement visa is pretty cheap.

[@g-wagonsg-wagon3693]

​@peteonretreat2023 what about income tax over 180 days from your country of origin? I'm understanding they're pushing to get income tax from you if you're over 6 months. That for me would mean I get income tax in Canada and income tax in Thailand if I stay over 180 days with retirement visa ? Do you know what is happening with this ? Do you get income tax in Thai

[@peteonretreat2023]

@@g-wagonsg-wagon3693 it’s still a little bit unclear but if you’ve paid tax on your income, then you shouldn’t be paying taxes on it here. The US (and several other countries) have double taxation clauses with Thailand. The government has clarified its not going to tax pensions, that’s not the goal of the law. What’s mostly unclear is how hard will it be to show money has already had taxes paid on it before bringing it here and how diligently will the kingdom be in having expats provide proof.

[@toneloc-cz2xi]

@@peteonretreat2023 Your US tax exempt $60K / tax free will be in their sights

[@troyjbentley]

Do you have a contact for the Rivieria Pratmunak?

[@peteonretreat2023]

I don’t unfortunately. Also, I mislabeled it. It’s actually called the Tropicana. I must’ve got my old school Vegas casinos mixed up lol We saw it through a random agent but you can drop by there and ask the Juristic person if the have any rooms available.

[@TNKeith]

Definitely can find lower cost if expand area a little

[@peteonretreat2023]

For sure. I know people paying 10k for a one bedroom with a view in south Pattaya but I like Kasetsin.

[@WalkingmanPattaya]

Yes rental prices seem to keep going up in newer condos. Even Unixx where I live some of my friends are leaving as "owners" keep raising rates. As the one guy said, try and talk them down. Another idea is to have your girlfriend look at Thai owned condos advertised online. May be cheaper than from an agent. Just an idea, not my forte. Peace and Love Y'all

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yeah, Thai owned condos are an option for some but I prefer the western style ones and we can afford them.

[@youngrounder7967]

I'm very curious about what the rooms at the two places you weren't able to see look like because you have to contact the agency. The buildings look older, and the older buildings have big space

[@peteonretreat2023]

I am too! The rooms in that big yellow building look huge from the outside.

[@bobbyzipp9947]

I would absolutely move out of that area. Problem is people are overpaying for stuff,

[@peteonretreat2023]

Unfortunately, that’s the market value for these places (except maybe that 50k, that was nuts). Most are probably willing to take less but to live in a really nice place in Cozy Beach, you’re gonna pay for it. They don’t call it the Beverly Hills of Pattaya for nothing. Lol I’m way happier living here for 20k as opposed to basically the same place that might be 10-12k in the city or less in the sticks. It’s all about personal preferences and budgets. We did find a great place, 79 sq meters for 19k though.

[@The_Redknight]

Some of those prices are crazy.I have 100sqm right on Jomtien Beach in prime location with a view from Bang Saray to Koh Larn for 18k, ok no washing machine though

[@peteonretreat2023]

They don’t call Pratumnak the Beverley Hills of Pattaya for nothing 😂

[@cheche1301]

How do you find DnD players in Thailand?

[@peteonretreat2023]

I found some players before moving here by searching Dungeons and Dragons Pattaya on Facebook. Now I’m the admin lol

[@ViewTalay]

I think the last building was called Tropicana, not Riviera. Good luck in the search

[@peteonretreat2023]

Yes, it sure is called the Tropicana. They are both names of old casinos in Las Vegas and I think my dyslexia brain just swapped them. Thanks for the correction and the comment 🙏🏼

[@mrbHanoi]

Last one for 26k was best

[@peteonretreat2023]

I loved it but the noise would piss me off. No way I’d be happy their. If it was on a higher floor or the other side of the building, we would’ve taken it.

[@mrbHanoi]

@@peteonretreat2023 in Pattaya, I always sleep at 3 or 4 am after the noise dies down It is not that difficult to soundproof a bedroom Did it in Bev Hills 35 years ago.

[@RKirby]

I think I would stay for another year where you are at. I have been in Pattaya for a year I am staying where I am for at least another year. short walk inland from 2nd road I have 49m for 18k B. I did need to buy my own computer desk and chair but for the price difference per month just buying what I wanted.

[@peteonretreat2023]

We ended up moving and I’ll do a video about that. I’ll also show the last room we had. It was nice, had a great view and was big enough to play D&D but it was a bit tight. It also required moving some furniture around every Sunday to play our games. I think our new place will be better for us. I’m also buying a bit of furniture for it too (a computer chair and a cabinet) but we signed a 2 year lease and it’s going to be home for at least that long.

[@roberth7894]

Keep looking!

[@peteonretreat2023]

Right?

[@mrc_nrd]

For me, Pratumnak Hill / Wongamat is not ideal. I lived there in the Andromeda Condo at Kasetsin 11 and for me it is too far from the city center. Besides, I'm such a shit bunny. I once had a Thai driving license during the pandemic when the streets were still empty, but currently I don't want to drive a motorcycle in Pattaya and there is no public transport in Pratumnak, you need a scooter or a car there. Especially when it rains you can hardly get a Bolt/Grab. But I liked the Sky Residence best, with a view of the Bali Hai ruins but whatever. Lower floors are still okay for me, but it shouldn't be a ground floor. I like to open the windows and have a draft and then any thief could get in. For me it would have to be a condo along the Bahtbus routes. I don't play AD&D, but I always prefer a condo with a large table because I always have a laptop with me + separate keyboard, sometimes a mobile second screen. You just need some space and good chairs. And the price of 50k baht for a 2BR condo is way over the top. But okay, maybe they're just used to rich Russians for whom tipping is :) I'd rather pay a little more, live in the city center and save the rent for the scooter or taxi costs. But my condo, for example, is very loud, I think it's even louder than the last two condos, but I can sleep anywhere and if noises bother me, I put on headphones to sleep or I play "white noise". For example, it helps me to sleep on the plane.

[@peteonretreat2023]

I only go to the city center two or three times a month and my girlfriend has a car. We only go to see a friend or watch a movie. Even if I’m taking bolt, I don’t tend to go when it’s raining. Rideshare is incredibly cheap and I only have trouble getting one on holidays. I never ride on motorbikes. Yup, the Sky Residence was great but we wanted a bigger place. I had to shuffle furniture around every week for our game and we were almost over flowing from our storage space there. We also had the view of the ghost tower, but I loved the view of Bali Hai and the city. The lower floors only kill me if they have street noise. That last condo was very loud and the bedroom had no sound barrier. It would’ve pissed me off daily. Yeah, I still can’t believe they wanted 50k for that room. I would’ve guessed 30, maybe 35.

[@bobbyzipp9947]

I would absolutely never pay those prices to live in those condos.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Enough people do so it doesn’t matter about who wouldn’t.

[@bobbyzipp9947]

@@peteonretreat2023 that’s why there’s so many of them empty

[@peteonretreat2023]

@@bobbyzipp9947 there isn’t though, at least from my looking around. My old room was rented before I even turned in my keys. We found several buildings without a single room available and were shocked at the lack of availability. 2 days of searching by ourselves and 2 different agents found a total of 9 one and two bedroom condos in Cosy Beach… and it’s low season.

[@azotarhastasangrar]

Hey, did you know about the board game "Dungeon Universalis"? It's a great RPG board game with a classic role-playing game approach. If you like D&D, you should check it out. I have a problem, though: I own the game in Europe, and it weighs around 18 kg with all the expansions, so I can't bring it with me to Bangkok. But I'll try to do it during Christmas. Once I have it I will spend tons of hours with it. :D

[@peteonretreat2023]

I hadn’t heard of it. There’s a couple board game cafes in town. I’ll have to look into it and see if any of them have it. Thanks for the recommendation 🙏🏼

[@bbmw9029]

Is what you're calling the Riviera Pratumank really called the Riviera Malibu? The location seems right.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Nope… it turns out that it’s actually called the Tropicana Condominium. It’s just one condo down from Pratumnak Road on Pratumnak Soi 6. I have no idea why my notes said the Riviera lol.

[@bbmw9029]

@@peteonretreat2023 this explains why I was having trouble finding it. Thanks

[@peteonretreat2023]

@@bbmw9029 I saw your comment and pulled up the map. Then I saw a comment with the correct name. They are both the names of old casinos in Las Vegas so I’m guessing that’s why my dyslexia kicked in.

[@bbmw9029]

@@peteonretreat2023 Hehe. I've been to both of them. he Riviera has been gone for a while. The Tropicana is about to go.

[@bobbyzipp9947]

50k is insane.

[@peteonretreat2023]

Agreed. I though it was 30k abd and that was bad enough.

[@noklekpui]

Anyone paying more than 12k a month on a longterm contract has more money than sense. Most of the places you have shown are crazily overpriced

[@peteonretreat2023]

No, some were over priced. Most of them are priced for the market in this area. You don’t live in Beverly Hills for the same price as Compton. My sense tells me where I’ll be happiest. 12k here will get you a studio on the 2nd floor.

[@darry714]

​@@peteonretreat2023I just rented partial seaview 10 floor studio in Cliff for 12.000.

[@corneliusanderson-t3y]

condoes in pattaya is way over priced.shit for money.rent only.

[@peteonretreat2023]

If I was going to live here for the rest of my life I’d consider buying but I don’t think that’s going to happen.

[@michaelbaker9542]

You'll never find anything cause you look for faults in everything

[@peteonretreat2023]

We have already found something and have moved in. We love our new room. We looked for the good, the bad and the potential in every place we saw. Sorry, I’m not going to ignore problems in a place that would make me unhappy.