The question we get most is whether paying up for Grade A is worth it. The answer is not just the price gap — it is which side currently has space sitting empty, because that is the side where you have leverage. Below are the live figures from the buildings we track as of Oct 2026.
💡 The part most tenants get backwards
Most people assume Grade A is always full and the older stock is what is left over. The numbers say the opposite: Grade A is 78.6% occupied while other buildings run 86.3%, a gap of about 7.7 points. The premium space is the emptier space, and that is where owners are competing hardest for tenants. Practically: if you are weighing the two, the Grade-A side usually has more room to negotiate — on rent, rent-free months and terms — than you would expect.
Grade A is usually worth it when…
Image feeds directly into sales or hiring (clients and candidates come to your office); the team is large enough that lifts, HVAC and floor plate change daily life; you need a large contiguous floor that older stock rarely offers. Right now there is an added advantage: with more Grade-A space empty, there is more to negotiate for.
An older building is usually the better buy when…
Budget per head is the binding constraint and the roughly 50% difference is better spent elsewhere; clients rarely visit; the team is small or still changing shape, so locking in a high rent is premature; location and walking distance to transit matter more than the building itself — and older stock often sits in the better spot.
⚠️ Before you compare two quotes
Check whether the two rents are for bare shell or fitted, ready-to-occupy space. Some non-Grade-A buildings quote high because they hand over furnished, which typically adds ฿200–300/sqm/month. Comparing a fitted quote against a bare one leads straight to the wrong conclusion, since doing your own fit-out can cost more than that gap.
How much more does Grade A cost?
About 50% more on asking rent — ฿1,098/sqm/month versus ฿730 for other buildings we track. Those are advertised rents; what you sign depends on negotiation.
Is Grade A harder to get into right now?
No — the opposite. Grade-A stock is 78.6% occupied versus 86.3% for other buildings, so there is more empty premium space, not less. That is unusual and it favours tenants.
Why do some non-Grade-A buildings still ask a high rent?
Often because the space is handed over fully furnished and ready to move in rather than as a bare shell — that typically adds around ฿200–300/sqm/month. Always check whether a quoted rent is for bare or fitted space before comparing.
What counts as Grade A here?
We use a measurable proxy — ceiling height ≥ 2.9m and completed 2016 or later — because those are attributes we can verify for every building. A formal grading also weighs location, lifts, parking, HVAC, management and floor plate, so treat this as an indicator, not an official grade.
Figures are asking rents weighted by verified vacant space, from the buildings OfficeBangkok tracks — not a census. "Grade A" here is our measurable proxy, not an official grading. As of Oct 2026.
Want both options priced side by side?
Free — tell us your team size and budget, we shortlist both.
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