The Koh Samui property market in 2026: what is for sale

The Koh Samui property market is small and concentrated in the north-east of the island. Condos, villas and land are all for sale. A foreigner, however, can only own a condo unit outright, within the foreign quota. Here is what is on the market in autumn 2026, based on dated sources, and what this guide leaves out on purpose: price forecasts and rental yields.

We are Varsovia Estate, the sales agent for The Astra Samui, so we have an interest in this subject. That is why every statement about the market has a source and a date, and the project we sell comes separately, at the end. This is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice.

What you can buy on Koh Samui: condo, villa or land

Three kinds of residential property are sold on the island, and each works differently.

A condominium is a building divided into units, each with its own title deed, while the common property such as the pool, garden and lobby belongs to all the owners together. A villa gives you privacy and your own pool, but all the upkeep falls on you. Land is a separate world of permits, construction and supervision.

If you are weighing up a villa against a condo, start with one question: how much time do you want to spend maintaining a house while you are away? A condo is easier to lock up and leave.

What a foreigner can own

In short: a condo unit freehold within the foreign quota, which the law sets at up to 49% of the total unit area in a condominium, or a unit on leasehold, a registered lease. Land can, as a rule, only be leased by a foreigner. Villas are usually bought with a land lease and agreements covering the building, and that needs its own legal review.

A word on what not to do. In 2026 Thai authorities are investigating structures that let foreigners hold land in practice. AFP reported on 20 October 2026 that the authorities are considering the forced sale of 2,360 plots, and EdgeProp wrote in June 2026 that the crackdown is changing foreign demand for villas on Phuket and Koh Samui. We do not recommend, and we do not help with, any way of getting round the foreign quota.

The full explanation is in can foreigners buy property in Thailand and freehold vs leasehold.

Low-rise building and the island’s planning rules

There are no tower blocks on Koh Samui. In May 2025 the Royal Gazette published a new environment ministry notification on environmental protection areas for Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. In practice, building rules keep the island mostly low-rise, so good plots near the beach are scarce (according to the developer).

For the market, that means two things. First, supply in good spots near the beach is limited by the rules, not only by demand. Second, not every building on the island complies with them. In September 2024 Pattaya Mail reported on luxury villas on Samui’s hills facing demolition over legal violations. Whatever you buy, and especially on a hillside or near the shore, ask your lawyer to check the permits.

New condos and resale

You can buy a condo on the island in two ways: from a developer, in a new project or one still under construction, or on the resale market from the current owner.

A new project lets you choose the unit, the floor and the view, and payments are spread over the build. In return you wait for completion and carry the risk of delays. A resale apartment is finished, and you can see how the building is run and what the charges really are. The choice is smaller, though, and in an older building the foreign quota may already be used up, so a unit may only be available on leasehold.

What buying before completion involves, and what to check, is covered in buying an off-plan condo in Thailand.

How to read the price per m² in listings

Condo prices on Koh Samui are quoted in baht, often per m² as well. That is a useful measure, but only when you compare like with like. Three things vary between listings and change the result:

• the size, which may or may not include the balcony
• the ownership type, because foreign freehold is usually priced above leasehold
• what the price includes, from the basic fit-out to a full furniture package

Then there is the exchange rate. The baht price is fixed in the contract, but its value in your currency moves between your first and last payment. We show how to compare listings step by step in how to compare Koh Samui condos.

Where new projects are concentrated

According to a C9 Hotelworks report from June 2025, there were 2,882 residential units for sale on Samui in 117 projects, and 70% of them were in Bophut. Bophut is also the name of a subdistrict that covers much of the north-east coast, so the figure refers to a wider area than the beach.

The north-east draws projects for simple reasons: the airport, the private hospitals, the shopping centres and the tourist trade of Chaweng are all close. For a buyer that is convenient, but it also means competition. The more similar apartments in an area, the more the quality of the building, its management and what sets a project apart from its neighbours matter. We compare the areas from a buyer’s point of view in where to buy a condo in Koh Samui.

For scale, Koh Samui is Thailand’s second-largest island, after Phuket, with an area of about 228.7 km², and it has its own international airport (Samui International Airport). The comparison with the much larger Phuket market is in Koh Samui vs Phuket.

What you will not find here: forecasts

We do not give forecasts of price rises, rental yields or average returns. The reasons are simple. The market is small, so a handful of sales can move any average. Data on actual sale prices on the island is scattered. And any figure about the future would be a promise that nobody can keep.

If someone promises you a fixed rental income or a sure rise in value, ask for the basis in writing and show it to a lawyer. At the project we sell the position is clear: No rental income is promised. To work out costs and income for yourself, without promised figures, read how to calculate rental yield on a Thai condo.

How to check a project on the island

In a small market the project matters more than the island as a whole. Two condos a few kilometres apart can differ in ownership, build quality and regulations. A sensible order of work:

1. Check the developer. Look at what it has built and handed over, not only at what it is selling. A listed company is easier to check, because it publishes reports.
2. Check the land and the permits. Ask what stage the environmental assessment and the building permit have reached.
3. Read the payment schedule and ask what protects your money at each stage.
4. Ask who will manage the building, what the charges will be and how the owners make decisions.
5. Compare several listings on the same terms: size, ownership type, furniture and charges.
6. Visit in the season you will use the apartment, and in the rainy season too if you can.

When you buy from another country, rely on a lawyer who acts for you, not for the seller. They check the title, the permits and the contract before you pay the first instalment.

The Astra Samui in this market

The Astra Samui is a low-rise, resort-style condominium in Bophut, the area that holds most of the island’s supply according to C9 Hotelworks. A few figures, all according to the developer:

• project area: about 17,600 m² (according to the developer)
• 237 residences, with sizes of about 26–73 m²
• ownership: freehold; foreign buyers purchase freehold within the foreign quota; leasehold is also available
• sales start: 26 October 2026
• handover planned for December 2028, that is Q4 2028. That is a target, not a guarantee.
• Environmental approval (EIA) is expected in February 2027. The sale and purchase agreement is signed once it is granted.
• developer: a Thai company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), based in Chiang Mai, an award winner at the Dot Property Awards

Prices start from THB 3,700,000 (about €98,000, NBP average rate of 23 October 2026). The launch price grid gives indicative prices per m² from THB 139,000 on leasehold to THB 162,000 for units with direct pool access, before launch promotions. Final prices are on the official price list.

You can see every unit among our Koh Samui condos for sale, and prices and the payment plan on the prices page. The project is in the 3D model. The case for and against buying here is set out on the investment page.