For long-term renters setting up a condo or villa independently rather than through a serviced apartment, utility setup and costs are worth understanding upfront.
What's typically included in rent
Varies by property — some landlords include a water allowance or a fixed utility fee in the rent, others bill electricity and water separately based on actual usage, sometimes at a markup above the standard government rate.
Electricity
Air conditioning is the dominant driver of electricity cost in Phuket given the climate — a genuinely significant line item for long-term renters, worth asking a landlord or previous tenant for a realistic monthly estimate rather than guessing.
Internet
Fibre broadband setup for a new lease typically takes a few days to arrange with a local provider — worth confirming whether an existing connection is already in place at a rental, or whether you'd need to set one up yourself, particularly relevant for the remote workers covered in our nomad guide.
Who to ask
A property management company, if one is involved, typically handles or clarifies all of this directly — for a private landlord arrangement, get utility costs and billing responsibility written into the lease rather than assumed.