Off-Plan or Completed? The Real Price Difference When Buying a Pattaya Condo

“Should I buy a completed condo or a new-build off the plan?” I hear this question almost daily. Both routes have their merits, but they cost different amounts and mean completely different things for your money, your timing and your risk. This article puts both side by side with real numbers instead of blanket judgements.

Off-plan and completed stock, explained

Off-plan means buying during the construction phase, often right at the sales launch. You do not pay the full price at once but in instalments tied to construction progress (the payment plan). Completed stock is an already built, move-in-ready unit you can use or let immediately, either as a first occupant in a finished new-build or as an older second-hand condo.

The decisive difference for the price: new-builds are more modern, with current fit-outs and hotel-style facilities, and the developer spreads payment across the build time. Older stock is cheaper per sqm, but available immediately and free of construction risk.

The price gap, in numbers

The overview below puts completed stock and off-plan new-builds side by side. The new-build ranges come from the Pattaya price index, the completed-stock example from a dated developer price list.

Important context: the completed-stock example is a low-rise resort from 2016, a different product class from a modern high-rise new-build. The comparison shows the order of magnitude, not a one-to-one equation.

Why off-plan costs more per sqm

The higher square-metre price of off-plan new-builds has three causes: first, currency of the product: new buildings offer modern layouts, technology and extensive facilities such as rooftop pools, gyms and co-working. Second, the payment plan, which stretches the total across the build time instead of making it due at once. Third, the off-plan discount: early buyers usually pay less than the later price of the finished unit.

That new-builds are in demand shows in the sales pace of individual projects: at Zenith Pattaya around 81 percent had sold by July 2026, at Zenith Pattaya 2 around 49 percent. Scarcity keeps prices firm.

When completed wins, when off-plan

• Completed makes sense when you want rental income immediately, want to see the unit before buying and want zero construction risk. You pay less per sqm but get an older build standard.
• Off-plan makes sense when you want the lower entry via the payment plan, the full choice of position, floor and view, and a modern new-build including the off-plan discount.
• The construction risk with off-plan is real but manageable: an established developer with a proven completion track record is the most important protection. More in buying off-plan in Pattaya, opportunities and process.
• Do not forget: new-builds often carry a foreign-quota premium. How large it really is: foreign quota, freehold and leasehold explained.

Frequently asked questions

Is off-plan more expensive than a completed condo?

Per square metre, usually yes. Completed older stock can sit around 77,000 to 96,000 THB per sqm, off-plan new-builds at 125,000 to 260,000 THB depending on district. In return you pay off-plan through a staged plan and receive a modern new-build.

How big is the price difference exactly?

Market-wide, new-builds carry a premium of around 20 percent over older stock according to CBRE and REIC. In individual cases the spread depends heavily on location, build year and specification.

Why do new-builds cost more per sqm?

Because of modern fit-outs and facilities, because of the off-plan discount versus the later completed price, and because the payment plan stretches the total across the build period. Sought-after projects also become scarce, which supports prices.

Which is better for renting out?

Completed stock produces rent immediately because it is move-in ready. Off-plan produces rent only after completion, but often at a more modern standard that can command higher rents and better occupancy.

Is off-plan risky?

There is a construction risk, which you reduce substantially by choosing an established developer with a clean completion history. That vetting is exactly what I do for my buyers before every purchase.

Torn between a completed unit and an off-plan project? I will run both routes for you with real numbers, including price per sqm, payment plan and a realistic rent. Get in touch without obligation, the consultation is free for buyers.