# Living in Rawai, Phuket: Rents and Daily Life Page URL: https://adadai.com/en/district/rawai Rawai, at the southern tip of Phuket, is built for long stays rather than beach holidays: a one-bedroom condo asks about 35,000 THB a month and pool villas 120,000 THB, with the widest villa choice on the island. The shore is shallow and full of boats, so people swim in neighbouring bays such as Nai Harn. It is a poor pick if you fly often, since the airport is about 50 km away. ## Key facts - 35,000 THB — median one-bedroom condo - 121 — long-term pool villa listings, most on the island - 50 km — by road to the airport - 20 km — by road to Phuket Town ## How much does it cost to rent in Rawai? Rawai is dear for small flats. Across 279 long-term condo listings the median is 39,000 THB a month; a one-bedroom asks about 35,000 THB and a studio 30,000 THB, which is 40% and 50% above the island. Two bedrooms? About 50,000 THB, slightly under the island's 52,000. A square metre goes for around 780 THB, and of the areas we compared only Bang Tao charges more. Villas are Rawai's strength. We counted 121 long-term pool villa listings, more than anywhere else, at a median of 120,000 THB; in a separate villa sample, a three-bedroom house in Rawai came to 94,500 THB. We are a guide, not an agency, and we do not show properties. If you want options in Rawai for your dates and budget, our housing partner in Phuket answers in the chat — the button is just below. | Rawai | Median, ฿/month | Per m², ฿ | Listings | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Condo, all sizes | 39,000 | 780 | 279 | | Condo, studio | 30,000 | — | 51 | | Condo, 1 bedroom | 35,000 | — | 135 | | Condo, 2 bedrooms | 50,000 | — | 89 | | Pool villa (Rawai and Nai Harn) | 120,000 | 507 | 121 | | Villa, 3 bedrooms | 94,500 | — | — | *Condos: 2,927 long-term listings island-wide, 279 of them in Rawai. Villas: 346 with a private pool and 289 in the general sample. Monthly asking rent.* ## Which part of Rawai should you live in? Rawai has lived on long rentals for years, and housing falls into three kinds. Along the road to the pier and deeper into the area stand small condos and houses split into several flats, the usual choice of people spending the winter. On the hills towards Nai Harn and Promthep are pool villas with views of the islands: quiet, and you need transport. Closer to Chalong are residential projects set back from the road, where people who work on the island live. Why pick it for months rather than a week? Schools, gyms, clinics and markets are all here. The roads are flat, with no mountain passes, so a newcomer on a scooter has an easier time than on the west coast. Flats by the water are cheaper than on the west side, because the shore is not for swimming and demand rests on convenience, not views. ## Where is Rawai, and how far is everything? On the southern tip, on the sheltered eastern side of the cape. The airport is about 50 km by road along Route 402 through Chalong; Phuket Town is about 20 km. Longtail boats leave the pier for Coral, Bon and Racha islands. Three neighbours are close. Over a low hill to the west, Nai Harn has a gentle slope into the sea, and that is where people go to swim. North along the east coast lies Chalong, the junction for the whole island. Further along the cape, Panwa is green and empty. ## What is the sea like through the year? Calmer than the west coast, and shallower. The shore faces south-east behind islands, so big waves almost never reach it. Instead Rawai lives by the tides: the water pulls far back, uncovering rocks and seagrass. From November to April a north-east wind brings ripples and cool evenings, while the west coast lies flat. In the south-west monsoon it flips, and Rawai becomes the calmest spot in the south. Rain comes in May and from August to October like everywhere, but the ground is flat, so water stands on the roads longer after a downpour. Winter evenings are noticeably cooler than on the west side; a light jumper is not a joke. > **How we counted.** Rawai is not a swimming beach. If you want to swim from the doorstep, Rawai is the wrong address; most residents drive a few minutes to the next bay. ## How do you eat and shop in Rawai? Three layers. By the pier, stalls sell seafood on ice, and a kitchen next door cooks your pick by weight, a local custom that families go to, not a show. Then the market: greens, fruit, takeaway dishes and sweets, cheaper than the supermarket, which is why long-term residents shop there. Along the road, Thai canteens serve lunch for less than a coffee on Patong's seafront. Long-stay foreigners brought bakeries, coffee shops and familiar breakfasts. Evenings end early, though; almost nothing is open late, so a late dinner means a drive to Chalong or town. - Seafood by the pier — pick it on ice, they cook it by weight - The market — cheaper than supermarkets for fruit and greens - Roadside canteens — the cheapest lunch in the south - Late dinners — plan a drive to Chalong or Phuket Town ## Who is Rawai right for? People staying for months. Rawai combines three things within a short drive, which is rare on the island: a working fishing south, the island's main junction in Chalong, and the quiet Panwa cape. Nearby are the sea gypsy village and Promthep Cape, known for its sunsets. It suits winterers, families with school runs to the south, and anyone who likes an early night. It suits frequent flyers less: 50 km to every departure adds up over a season. Morning breakfast is sold from roadside stalls, pancakes and iced coffee taken to go. ## Questions people ask ### How much is rent in Rawai per month? A one-bedroom condo asks about 35,000 THB a month, a two-bedroom about 50,000 THB, and the median across all flats is 39,000 THB. Pool villas have a median of 120,000 THB. ### Can you swim at Rawai beach? Not really. The shore is shallow, rocky and full of boats, and the tide goes far out. Residents swim in nearby bays such as Nai Harn, a short drive over the hill. ### How far is Rawai from the airport? About 50 km by road, the longest airport run on the island. Phuket Town is about 20 km away, and Chalong is the next area north. ### Is Rawai good for a long stay? It is built for one. There are schools, gyms, clinics and markets, flat roads, and the largest choice of long-term villas we found, 121 pool villa listings. ### Is Rawai quiet at night? Yes, it settles down early and almost nothing stays open late. For a late dinner people drive to Chalong or Phuket Town. ### Is Rawai easy to ride a scooter in? Easier than most. The roads are flat with no mountain passes, which is why newcomers often feel safer here than on the hilly west coast. ## Read next - [Living in Chalong](https://adadai.com/en/district/chalong) - [Where to rent in Phuket: areas compared](https://adadai.com/en/realty/where-to-rent) - [Pool villas in Phuket: what a pool adds](https://adadai.com/en/realty/pool-villas) - [Living in Nai Harn](https://adadai.com/en/district/nai-harn) - [Condo rental in Rawai or Chalong](https://adadai.com/en/realty/condo-rawai-chalong) - [Night markets in Phuket by day](https://adadai.com/en/places/night-markets) - [Phuket viewpoints to visit on your own](https://adadai.com/en/places/viewpoints) - [Big Buddha hiking trail](https://adadai.com/en/places/big-buddha-hiking-trail) - [Where Phuket is and how to get there](https://adadai.com/en/guide/where-is-phuket) - [Central Festival Phuket](https://adadai.com/en/places/central-festival) - [Beach clubs in Kamala](https://adadai.com/en/places/kamala-beach-clubs) - [Rawai or Nai Harn for living](https://adadai.com/en/living/rawai-or-nai-harn) - [Chalong or Rawai for a long stay](https://adadai.com/en/living/chalong-or-rawai) - [Where to live in Phuket without a scooter](https://adadai.com/en/living/without-a-scooter) - [Black Rock Viewpoint hike](https://adadai.com/en/places/black-rock-viewpoint) - [Working in Phuket as a foreigner](https://adadai.com/en/living/working-in-phuket) - [Which Phuket beach is best for what](https://adadai.com/en/places/beaches-by-area) - [Gyms and Muay Thai camps in Phuket](https://adadai.com/en/living/gyms-and-muay-thai) - [Best cafés to work from in Phuket](https://adadai.com/en/living/work-from-cafes) - [Best day spas in Phuket by area](https://adadai.com/en/places/day-spas) - [Snorkelling from the beach in Phuket](https://adadai.com/en/places/beach-snorkeling) --- Looking for a villa or condo in Phuket? Our housing partner on the island sends options for your area, dates and budget: https://t.me/PhuketDAexpert Written by the adadai.com editors. We are a guide, not an agency or a broker: we do not list properties or handle deals. Source: adadai.com, https://adadai.com/en/district/rawai. The canonical version of this page is the HTML at this address.