How Many Baht Per Unit? 2026 — Home / Rental / Business / Farm
The per-unit price of electricity (THB/kWh) for the current May–Aug 2026 period, broken down by user type — with the residential progressive tiers, tenants' legal rights on rental rooms, and a real worked bill. Sourced from the ERC/PEA/MEA.
Residential electricity in Thailand for the current period (May–Aug 2026) averages about 3.95 THB/unit (including the Ft of 0.1623 THB/unit, before 7% VAT). Homes are billed on progressive tiers — the more you use, the more the top units cost. For rental rooms / dormitories the OCPB (สคบ.) 2025 law caps the rate at 4.88 THB/unit, so a landlord cannot charge more (see the rental/dorm electricity law 2026). Small-to-medium businesses pay around 4.18 THB/unit, and ordinary farms pay 3.70–4.15 THB/unit (see agricultural electricity rate 2026). The tables and worked bill below are sourced from the ERC/PEA/MEA. See the full combined tariff on the current electricity tariff page and the big picture in the Thailand electricity guide.
Price Per Unit by User Type (May–Aug 2026)
Figures are in THB per unit (kWh) and include the current-period Ft of 0.1623 THB/unit, but exclude 7% VAT (add about 7% VAT for the final figure on your bill).
| User type | Rate (THB/unit) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Residential / home (Type 1) | 3.70–4.15 (avg 3.95) | Progressive tiers; top units cost more. No demand charge. |
| Rental room / dorm / condo | ≤ 4.88 (OCPB legal cap) | A utility meter pays the home rate; a landlord may not charge above 4.88 (OCPB 2025 law). |
| Small–medium business (Type 2–3) | ≈ 4.18 | Shops, offices, commercial buildings — flat rate; mid-size can opt into TOU. |
| Agriculture / farm | 3.70–4.15 (ordinary meter) | Ordinary farms pay the home rate; the lower Type-7 pumping tariff is for registered groups only. |
* All figures include the current Ft of 0.1623 THB/unit but exclude 7% VAT. The ERC adjusts Ft every ~4 months — see the Ft history table for past periods.
† The 4.88 THB/unit rental cap follows the OCPB (สคบ.) 2025 contract-control notification on residential-building leasing, which limits landlords to billing tenants no more than 4.88 THB/unit with no profit on power.
Next update: when the ERC announces the Sep–Dec 2026 Ft (typically late August).
Residential Progressive Tiers (Type 1)
Homes are not billed at one flat rate — they use a "tiered" structure where extra units cost more as you use more, split into two groups by monthly usage. The figures below are base energy charges (before Ft 0.1623 and 7% VAT).
Use ≤ 150 units/month (Cat 1.1)
Low-usage homes are billed in steps from 2.3488 to 3.7171 THB/unit, plus a 8.19 THB monthly service charge — typical for small homes and low-use condos.
Use > 150 units/month (Cat 1.2)
Most homes fall here: the first 150 units cost 3.2484, units 151–400 cost 4.2218, and units 401 and above cost 4.4217 THB each, plus a 38.22 THB monthly service charge.
Worked Example: A Home Using 300 Units/Month
A home using 300 units/month falls in Cat 1.2 (>150 units). Step by step:
- First 150 units × 3.2484 = 487.26 THB
- Units 151–300 (150 units) × 4.2218 = 633.27 THB
- Base energy subtotal = 1,120.53 THB
- Ft: 300 units × 0.1623 = 48.69 THB
- Monthly service charge = 38.22 THB
- Subtotal before VAT = 1,207.44 THB
- VAT 7% = 84.52 THB
Figures approximate the MEA/PEA May–Aug 2026 rates; an actual bill may vary slightly by area and service charge. See the detailed TOU rate schedule for time-of-use customers.
PEA (Provincial) vs MEA (Metropolitan): Does the Per-Unit Rate Differ? — Updated 2026
People often wonder which “electricity authority” bills them and whether the rates differ. The short answer: **the per-unit energy rate is one nationwide base tariff** — what differs is the service area and some service charges:
Who serves which area — MEA (Metropolitan Electricity Authority) covers the 3 metro provinces: Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan. PEA (Provincial Electricity Authority) covers the rest of Thailand. Your bill shows which authority issues it, or you can tell from your address.
The per-unit rate is the same — the base energy charges (residential tiers and every user-type rate) use the same figures under both PEA and MEA, and the May–Aug 2026 Ft of 0.1623 THB/unit applies identically to both. So the per-unit price in Bangkok and in the provinces is very close.
Where they differ — the main differences are in some monthly service charges and practical details (payment channels, contact numbers, meter-application steps), not the price per unit. Contact PEA 1129 (provinces) or MEA 1130 (metro) for matters specific to your area. Check the latest rates and Ft period at erc.or.th (ERC). For the full side-by-side, read PEA vs MEA — is the electricity bill different?
Whether your per-unit price is cheap or expensive depends on the Ft (adjusted every 4 months) and how much you use. The single biggest power draw in most homes is the air conditioner — see how many baht per hour an aircon costs once you multiply by the per-unit rate to estimate a real bill. If your home or business uses a lot of power during the day, solar cuts the units you buy from the grid (units you self-generate pay no Ft). Estimate your savings in the solar calculator, or understand where the Ft comes from in what the Ft is.
About this page
Compiled by the CapSolar team, led by Frank Lee (Founder). Every per-unit rate and Ft figure is cross-checked against official sources (ERC/PEA/MEA). This page is updated each time the ERC announces a new Ft period (every ~4 months). Spot an error? Let us know.
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