Calculator
Freehold vs Leasehold Cost Calculator
This calculator compares estimated sale proceeds of a 30-year registered leasehold with a villa already held in a company, over your chosen holding period. We do not recommend setting up a Thai company. Leasehold value falls with the remaining term, as of Q3 2026.
Last updated 2026-07-26
Existing company holding (not recommended)
Leasehold (30-year)
Estimated sale proceeds, net of structure costs
After 10 years
Difference, freehold minus leasehold
+6,551,221 THB
Over a 10-year hold, the company column is estimated to return more at sale, before sale taxes. We do not recommend setting up a Thai company. For a villa we recommend the leasehold.
How it works
Assumptions and method
- ●The company column is an existing company holding, shown for comparison only. We do not recommend setting up a Thai company to hold land.
- ●Leasehold here means a 30-year lease registered on the chanote, with a one-off registration cost and no annual lease fee.
- ●Both routes assume the same purchase price and the same annual appreciation, applied to the full property value.
- ●Leasehold residual value is modelled as depreciating linearly with the remaining lease term. A lease at year 10 of 30 retains two thirds of its value.
- ●Sale taxes, agent fees, and the differential risk of company compliance and lease renewal are not priced in here; both are material and should be discussed with a named agent.
FAQ
Questions about this calculator
Does this calculator price in Thai company compliance risk?
No. We do not recommend setting up a Thai company, and this calculator does not turn that column into advice. The annual cost field is accounting only. For a villa, use the leasehold column.
Why does the leasehold value depreciate with the term?
A registered 30-year lease is a depreciating asset. A buyer will pay less for a lease with 10 years left than one with 30. The linear model assumes value falls evenly with remaining term, which is a reasonable first approximation, as of Q3 2026.
What holding period makes freehold clearly better than leasehold?
A long hold can make an existing company holding look better on this page because the lease decays. That arithmetic is not a recommendation to set up a Thai company. We recommend a registered leasehold for a villa, or a condominium in your own name.
See also the freehold vs leasehold comparison and the transfer taxes guide.