What to know as a new student inBangkok

Thailand 4.7 out of 5 stars

Student communities for new students in 2026

Get help with housing, socializing, activities and meetups. Join the Facebook groups that other students shared with us. Access the main WhatsApp for this semester to start your friendships and get support even before you arrive.

Do you know more groups we should add here? Just contact us.

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About Bangkok

Bangkok is one of Asia's great student cities, home to Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University and Mahidol University, with a young, social scene built around Siam and Sam Yan.

  • 🚇The Skytrain is your friendThe BTS and MRT are clean, cheap and air conditioned, so most students skip the traffic and tap in with a Rabbit Card.
  • 🍜Food is the lifestyleStreet stalls, food courts and night markets mean you can eat brilliantly for a few baht, any hour of the day.
  • 💸Your money goes farRent, transport and going out cost a fraction of Europe, so a student budget here stretches into a proper social life.
🎓Student populationMore than 700,000 students across the city
🏘️Best neighbourhood for studentsSiam and Sam Yan, next to Chulalongkorn with cheap eats and two BTS lines
🏫Universities9
🗣️LanguageThai (English widely used in universities and central areas)
8.9MPopulation
700KStudent population
9Universities
Best neighbourhood for studentsSiam and Sam Yan, next to Chulalongkorn with cheap eats and two BTS lines
Visitors per yearMore than 30 million, among the world's most visited cities
LanguageThai (English widely used in universities and central areas)
CurrencyThai baht (฿)
AccessibilityImproving, BTS and MRT have lifts but pavements can be uneven
Best hospitalSiriraj Hospital, Mahidol's teaching hospital and the country's oldest
CashlessCards, PromptPay and QR everywhere, tap a Rabbit Card on the BTS
Average cost as a student (per month)฿20,000 / month
Average apartment for students฿18,000 / month
Average room for students฿8,000 / month
Cost of living for locals฿25,000 / month
Cost of living for expats฿45,000 / month
International school fees (per year)฿400,000 to ฿900,000 / year
Shared scooter (Beam)around ฿2 / min
Mobile data (10GB)฿300 / month
Dinner out฿150
Coffee฿70
Beer฿80
Public transport (monthly)฿1,300 / month

Bangkok is one of the cheapest big student cities in the world. A simple room near campus starts around ฿6,000 to ฿8,000 a month, and a decent one bedroom condo with a pool and gym runs about ฿12,000 to ฿20,000 depending on the area and BTS access. Look around Sam Yan, Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi and Huai Khwang, view in person where you can, and check how far you are from a BTS or MRT station before you sign anything.

🛏️
Average student room฿8,000 / monthFurnished room near campus, often with aircon
👥
Room in a shared flat฿6,000 to ฿10,000 / monthSplit a condo with flatmates, common near unis
🏢
Studio apartment฿10,000 to ฿15,000 / monthYour own condo studio, usually with a pool
🏘️
Full apartmentfrom ฿18,000 / monthOne bedroom condo, cheaper split with a friend
🎓
Student residence฿6,000 to ฿12,000 / monthPrivate dorms near Chula, Thammasat and Kasetsart
🏛️
University housingfrom ฿4,000 / monthCheapest, limited and often first year only
Welcome Festival perk 50%off
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the lineup

What's on in Bangkok this semester

Every event below is part of the season for new students. Grab your spot and arrive already part of the crew.

🎉Welcome FestivalThe main night of the semester, where every new student in the city meets for the first time.Get tickets
🪩Semester Kickoff PartyThe biggest party of the season, your crew and hundreds of new internationals on one dancefloor.
🧭Orientation Week MeetupsDaily hangouts, campus tours and coffee meetups across your first week in the city.
🗺️City GameExplore Bangkok through a fun mystery adventure and make your first friends along the way.See how it works
🌍International NightA night that brings together students from every country to celebrate the new semester.
🛺Temples & Markets Day TripA relaxed day out by riverboat and tuk tuk around the old town with the whole community.
your future self ↓
student testimonials

What other students say:

Juliette
Bergen · Natt
Mishon
Lausanne · Darling Club
Simone
Copenhagen · Mirror
Alexa
London · Brixton Jam
Anna
Utrecht · Poema Club
Alison
Montreal · Jet Club
Frequently Asked Questions

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