Bangkok ($31/sqft, 24.6% vacancy) and Jakarta ($24/sqft, 31.4% vacancy) compete on different axes: Bangkok on talent depth and Jakarta on rent and tax.
Bangkok ($31/sqft, 24.6% vacancy) and Jakarta ($24/sqft, 31.4% vacancy) compete on different axes: Bangkok on talent depth and Jakarta on rent and tax.
| Metric | Bangkok | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Region | APAC | APAC |
| Country | Thailand | Indonesia |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $31 | $24 |
| Class A rent (local) | 1100 THB | 380000 IDR |
| Vacancy | 24.6% | 31.4% |
| Trend | softening | softening |
| Prime yield | 5.6% | 6.8% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $380 | $290 |
| Submarkets covered | 5 | 5 |
| Corporate tax | 20% | 22% |
| Metric | Bangkok | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 3 yrs | 3 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 4 mos | 6 mos |
| Lease norms | Net leases. 3-year terms with renewal options standard (Thai property law caps standard registered lease at 3 years; longer leases require land department registration). Free rent of 3-6 months on a 3-year deal. | Net leases. 3-year terms with renewal options standard (HGU/HGB land tenure considerations apply). Free rent of 4-9 months on a 3-year deal. |
| Tax note | 20% Thai corporate income tax. BOI (Board of Investment) tax holidays available for qualifying activities. International Business Centre (IBC) regime offers reduced rates for regional HQ activities. | 22% Indonesian corporate income tax. 11% VAT. R&D super-deduction available. Special Economic Zones offer tax holidays for qualifying activities. |
| Metric | Bangkok | Jakarta |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 74 | 72 |
| Talent note | Deep ASEAN regional services, hospitality, and consumer goods talent. Strong feed from Chulalongkorn, Thammasat, and Mahidol. English fluency varies — strong in international corporate, weaker in domestic. | Deep banking, consumer goods, and resources talent. Strong feed from University of Indonesia, ITB, Gadjah Mada, and major private universities. Bahasa Indonesia and English bilingual professional base. |
Bangkok: BTS Skytrain (Sukhumvit, Silom Lines) and MRT (Blue, Purple, Yellow Lines). SRT Red Line commuter rail. Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) connected via Airport Rail Link.
Jakarta: MRT Jakarta (North-South Line, East-West under construction), LRT Jakarta, TransJakarta BRT, KRL commuter rail. Soekarno-Hatta Airport connected via Airport Rail Link.
Jakarta is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Bangkok has the deeper talent index (74/100 vs 72/100).
Bangkok has the lower headline corporate tax (20% vs 22%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Bangkok typical term is 3 years with 4 months free; Jakarta runs 3 years with 6 months free.
Bangkok: BTS Skytrain (Sukhumvit, Silom Lines) and MRT (Blue, Purple, Yellow Lines). SRT Red Line commuter rail. Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) connected via Airport Rail Link. Jakarta: MRT Jakarta (North-South Line, East-West under construction), LRT Jakarta, TransJakarta BRT, KRL commuter rail. Soekarno-Hatta Airport connected via Airport Rail Link.
Score Bangkok, Jakarta and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Kenji Watanabe — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.