Rayong experienced a positive shift in housing transfers during the first quarter of 2025, defying the downward trend seen across other Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) provinces. Demand from industrial workers and foreigners relocating from Pattaya fuelled this growth, according to figures from the Real Estate Information Center. The number of housing transfers in Rayong climbed by 3.8% year-on-year to 2,171 units, with their total value increasing 2.7% to 4.58 billion baht.
The extension of the motorway linking Pattaya to Map Ta Phut, completed three years ago, cut travel time between these locations from roughly 1.5 hours to about 45 minutes, providing a strong boost to Rayong’s residential market. According to local developers, notably Eastern Star Real Estate, this infrastructure improvement attracted not just local buyers but also foreigners leaving overcrowded and increasingly expensive Pattaya.
Houses in Rayong remain comparatively affordable. Residential units in the 1.8 to 3 million baht range sold briskly, supported by lower land prices in Rayong compared to Chon Buri. Even upper-market single detached houses in Rayong’s Ban Chang district, priced between 11 and 20 million baht, are cheaper than similar properties in Pattaya, which can reach 20 to 30 million baht per unit. The recent introduction of mortgages by UOB Bank for expatriates opened the market further to foreign buyers, especially those migrating from Pattaya to Rayong.
While Rayong stood out, housing transfers fell in Chon Buri and Chachoengsao — the two other EEC provinces. Chon Buri saw transfers drop 8.5% to 6,621 units (valued at 17.5 billion baht, down 9.8%). However, it still held the highest transfer numbers and values within the corridor. Chachoengsao posted a 9.4% decline in transfer numbers to 743 units, and an 18.1% fall in total value to 1.58 billion baht.
The total number of housing transfers across all EEC provinces dropped 6% to 9,535 units in the quarter. Combined transfer value fell 8.3% to 23.6 billion baht. Low-rise houses comprised 64% of transfers at 6,123 units, a 7% year-on-year decrease, with total value down 10.3% to 15.3 billion baht. Condominium transfers covered the remaining 3,412 units (36%), slipping 4.2% in numbers and 4.3% in value to 8.3 billion baht.
Rayong’s ongoing industrial expansion, robust infrastructure, and lower housing costs continue to pull in both Thai and foreign buyers, positioning it as a leading bright spot for real estate in the EEC as of the first quarter of 2025.
