Long-term rentals have become one of the most common ways to live in Southeast Asia for several months. Digital nomads, remote workers, winter travelers, and families increasingly choose monthly rentals instead of hotels or short-term stays.
But how much does rent actually cost? And what type of housing do people really choose when they stay longer?
Using internal marketplace data from 2025, we analyzed rental listings and tenant requests across three destinations that were the most popular among our clients: Mui Ne (Vietnam), Phu Quoc (Vietnam), and Phuket (Thailand).
These locations represent three very different rental markets in Southeast Asia, making them useful for understanding broader trends in long-term rentals in Vietnam and Thailand.
The analysis focuses on three things:
- average monthly rent by property type
- what renters actually search for
- how demand changes throughout the year
Average Monthly Rent by Destination
Mui Ne: One of the Most Affordable Long-Term Rental Markets
Mui Ne shows the widest variety of housing options in the dataset. The market includes everything from compact studios to large villas, which makes it attractive for many types of renters.
Average monthly rent:
- Studio — 13,722,222 VND
- 1-bedroom apartment — 19,700,000 VND
- 2-bedroom apartment — 25,773,588 VND
- 3-bedroom apartment — 31,263,158 VND
- 3-bedroom villa — 30,307,692 VND
- 4-bedroom villa — 33,937,500 VND
One interesting detail stands out: 3-bedroom apartments and 3-bedroom villas cost almost the same on average.
In many destinations villas are dramatically more expensive than apartments. In Mui Ne, however, the price difference is relatively small. This means that renters looking for more space sometimes find villas within a similar budget to larger apartments.
Because of this, Mui Ne offers one of the most flexible long-term rental markets in Vietnam.
Phu Quoc: Higher Prices in the Villa Segment
Phu Quoc shows a slightly different structure. While apartments are available, villas play a much bigger role in the overall market.
Average monthly rent:
- Studio — 17,375,000 VND
- 2-bedroom apartment — 25,588,235 VND
- 2-bedroom villa — 24,200,000 VND
- 3-bedroom villa — 46,166,667 VND
The largest price jump appears in the 3-bedroom villa segment, which sits far above the rest of the market.
Even though both Mui Ne and Phu Quoc are Vietnamese destinations, the data suggests that Phu Quoc tends to attract a more premium villa market, especially for larger properties.
Phuket: The Most Expensive Market in the Dataset
Among the three destinations analyzed, Phuket has the highest average rental prices.
Average monthly rent:
- 1-bedroom apartment — 61,904 THB
- 2-bedroom apartment — 115,394 THB
One important factor is that these numbers represent average prices rather than median values.
Phuket has a large number of luxury apartments and resort-style condominiums, especially in the two-bedroom segment. These higher-end listings significantly raise the average price.
At the same time, more affordable rentals still exist. For example, it is possible to find one-bedroom apartments starting around 30,000 THB per month, although these are usually older buildings or located further from popular beach areas.
What Renters Actually Search For
Rental prices tell only part of the story. Looking at booking requests reveals what people are really looking for when they search for long-term housing in Southeast Asia.
Apartments vs Villas
Across all analyzed requests:
- Apartments — 73.23%
- Villas — 26.77%
In other words, almost three out of four renters search for apartments rather than villas.
This makes sense: apartments are typically easier to rent monthly, require smaller deposits, and fit the needs of solo travelers or couples.
However, the data also shows that villas are not always dramatically more expensive. In destinations like Mui Ne, the price difference between large apartments and villas can be smaller than many renters expect.
Most Popular Property Sizes
Looking at bedroom distribution, the demand structure becomes even clearer:
- Studios — 36.36%
- 2 bedrooms — 31.19%
- 1 bedroom — 17.06%
- 3 bedrooms — 15.38%
The majority of renters focus on compact or mid-size housing.
Studios are the single most common request, which reflects the large number of solo travelers and digital nomads living in Southeast Asia.
Two-bedroom apartments form the second major segment, often rented by couples who want a home office, friends sharing accommodation, or small families.
What Happens When Renters Choose Villas
The demand pattern changes slightly when people search specifically for villas.
Villa requests are distributed as follows:
- 3-bedroom villas — 54.73%
- 2-bedroom villas — 38.51%
- 4-bedroom villas — 6.76%
The clear favorite is the 3-bedroom villa format.
This type of property usually provides enough space for families or groups while remaining significantly cheaper than large luxury villas.
When People Search for Monthly Rentals
Seasonality plays a major role in the long-term rental market.
Demand across the analyzed destinations follows a similar pattern:
Mui Ne
Peak demand — December to February
Lowest demand — April to June
Phu Quoc
Peak demand — December to February
Lowest demand — April to July
Phuket
Peak demand — December to February
Lowest demand — April to August
Across all three destinations, winter months show the highest rental activity.
This is the period when travelers from Europe, Russia, and colder regions move to Southeast Asia for several months.
Because of this seasonal pattern, the number of available rentals tends to shrink significantly toward the beginning of the winter season.
What These Numbers Reveal About the Market
Looking at prices, demand, and seasonality together reveals several clear trends.
First, apartments dominate the long-term rental market, accounting for nearly three quarters of tenant demand.
Second, studios and two-bedroom properties form the core of the market, making them the easiest formats to find and rent.
Third, villas remain a smaller but stable segment, with three-bedroom villas representing the most common format.
Finally, despite differences between destinations, winter remains the peak season for long-term rentals across Southeast Asia.
What Renters Should Know
For travelers planning a longer stay in destinations like Mui Ne, Phu Quoc, or Phuket, several practical conclusions emerge.
Studios and two-bedroom apartments are usually the easiest properties to find and rent monthly.
Villas become more common when renters need more space or travel with families.
And because demand rises sharply toward winter, starting the housing search earlier can significantly increase the number of available options.
Understanding how these rental markets work helps travelers make better decisions when planning a long-term stay in Southeast Asia.
