Foreign Condo Demand in Chonburi Holds Up as Buyer Mix Shifts Toward Russia

Nationwide foreign demand for Thai condominiums softened over the first half of 2026, but Chonburi province — anchored by Pattaya — held on to an outsized share of what demand remained. Real Estate Information Center figures reported by Nation Thailand put Chonburi’s foreign condo transfers at roughly 1,167 units, about 36% of all transfers to foreign buyers nationwide, driven mainly by activity in Pattaya itself.

The nationality mix behind those numbers has shifted noticeably. Russian buyers, historically a smaller slice of the market than Chinese buyers, saw unit purchases rise 33% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, with the baht value of those purchases jumping even further, up 68.7% — a sign that Russian buyers are increasingly moving into higher-priced units. Over the same period, Chinese buyer numbers in coastal markets including Chonburi fell by close to 39%.

That combination — fewer but reportedly higher-value Chinese deals giving way to a larger wave of Russian buyers moving upmarket — fits a narrative of Pattaya as a relocation and lifestyle destination as much as a speculative one, reinforced by gross rental yields commonly cited in the 5-7% range for well-run units. It’s a different story from a purely investment-driven boom, where a single nationality’s retreat would be expected to hit volumes much harder.

The strength isn’t evenly spread across the city, though. Beachfront and professionally managed buildings in central Pattaya, Jomtien, and Pratamnak appear to be where the relocating and investing buyers are concentrating, while the more affordable, inland condo segment is reported to be flat at best. Anyone reading the headline transfer numbers as a sign the whole market is accelerating would be missing that split.