Ekkamai
เอกมัย
Speakeasies, third-wave coffee, the Eastern Bus Terminal.
Ekkamai is Sukhumvit Soi 63 and the streets around it, a Bangkok neighbourhood often described as Thong Lo's quieter, cheaper sibling. Specialty coffee shops, craft bars and condos share the sois, and it suits nomads, creatives and young professionals who want a social area without paying top Sukhumvit prices.
Ekkamai at a glance
What we love about Ekkamai
Ekkamai is Thong Lo's looser sibling — same BTS line, lower rents, more independent shops, and a bar scene that runs on craft beer and live music instead of bottle service. The neighbourhood that creatives and Japanese long-stayers pick when Thong Lo prices out.
- Coffee + work
Featherstone Bistro Café & Lifestyle Shop on Ekkamai 12 — the photogenic café that put Ekkamai on the foodie map; arrive before 11am for a table.
The single most-Instagrammed café in the area, and the food is genuinely good too.
- Craft beer
Mikkeller Bangkok on Ekkamai 10 — Danish craft beer brand's first Asia outpost, 30+ taps, the city's most dedicated beer geek crowd.
Ekkamai's signature nightlife venue, no contest.
- Late-night Thai
Charmgang or Khua Kling Pak Sod — two of the city's strongest mid-priced Thai restaurants, both on Ekkamai's parallel sois.
Charmgang's southern-Thai is genuinely fiery; Khua Kling Pak Sod is the family-friendly counterpart.
- Donki run
Don Don Donki at Ekkamai's eastern edge — 24-hour Japanese discount supermarket, the reason Japanese expats pick Ekkamai over Thong Lo.
Cheaper than the Phrom Phong Donki and rarely as crowded.
- Local park
Wachirabenchathat Park (Rot Fai Park) — 15 minutes by Grab, the city's biggest open green space, weekend bike loop, sunset photography.
Ekkamai itself has no real park; this is where residents go on Sundays.
Living in Ekkamai
A typical weekday starts with a laptop in one of the many independent cafés and ends with dinner at a food court or a soi-side stall. Gateway Ekamai sits beside the BTS station, and Big C Ekkamai covers the bigger grocery runs. Weekends lean towards brunch, long lunches and bars that fill up late on the upper stretch of the soi. The Eastern Bus Terminal next to the station adds a constant flow of travellers heading for the coast. Small lanes connect across to Thong Lo, so switching between the two for an evening is easy, and the area is still changing quickly as new cafés and buildings open.
Renting in Ekkamai
Housing is a mix of older low-rise apartment blocks deep in the sois and newer condo towers near the main road. Studios go for 16,000–26,000 THB a month, one-bedrooms for 22,000–38,000 THB a month and two-bedrooms for 40,000–80,000 THB a month, noticeably below Thong Lo for similar space. New buildings keep arriving, so there is a decent supply of modern units. If your budget is tighter still, Phra Khanong one stop east is worth a look, and Asoke vs Ekkamai vs On Nut lays out the trade-offs.
- Studio
- ฿16k–฿26kTHB / mo
- 1 bedroom
- ฿22k–฿38kTHB / mo
- 2 bedroom
- ฿40k–฿80kTHB / mo
Typical furnished condo listings in Ekkamai and neighbouring blocks, compiled by BKK Oracle editors from DDProperty, Hipflat and agent listings. Utilities are extra.
Getting around Ekkamai
BTS Ekkamai on the Sukhumvit Line is about 50 m from the centre, at the foot of Soi 63. Phra Khanong is 800 m east and Thong Lo roughly 900 m west, so the next station either way is walkable. Further up the soi, most people rely on motorbike taxis or Grab rather than walking the full length in the heat. The Eastern Bus Terminal beside the station runs coaches to Pattaya, Rayong and other towns along the eastern seaboard.
- Ekkamai · Sukhumvit Line50 m
- Phra Khanong · Sukhumvit Line800 m
- Thong Lo · Sukhumvit Line900 m
Who Ekkamai suits
- Remote workers who like working from cafés
- Thong Lo lifestyle at lower rents
- Easy weekend trips east from the bus terminal
- Long soi means motorbike taxis for the far end
- Late-night bar noise on the busier lanes
- Traffic jams along Ekkamai Road at peak hours
Areas near Ekkamai
Compare Ekkamai
Helpful guides for Ekkamai renters
Asoke vs Ekkamai vs On Nut
A practical comparison of three very different points on the BTS Sukhumvit Line.
Read guidefind digital nomad areas in Bangkok6 minBangkok areas for digital nomads
Where to live in Bangkok if you care about cafes, coworking, gyms, food, transit, and a routine that works from home.
Read guidecompare central Bangkok areas6 minSukhumvit vs Silom vs Sathorn
A direct comparison of Bangkok's three most common central choices for expats and long-stay renters.
Read guideestimate Bangkok rent by area9 minBangkok rent prices by Area
A plain-English rent guide for central Bangkok areas, from premium Sukhumvit to better-value MRT corridors.
Read guideEkkamai FAQs
Is Ekkamai a good area to live in Bangkok?
Ekkamai is a good fit for nomads, creatives and young professionals. It sits in Bangkok's prime rent tier, with one-bedroom condos typically at 22,000–38,000 THB a month. The nearest rail station is Ekkamai on the Sukhumvit Line, about 50 m from the centre of the area.
How much is rent in Ekkamai?
Typical furnished condo rents in Ekkamai are studios 16,000–26,000 THB, one-bedrooms 22,000–38,000 THB and two-bedrooms 40,000–80,000 THB a month. Electricity, water and internet usually add 2,500–5,000 THB a month, and most landlords ask for a two-month deposit plus the first month upfront.
What is the nearest BTS or MRT station to Ekkamai?
Ekkamai (Sukhumvit Line, about 50 m), Phra Khanong (Sukhumvit Line, about 800 m) and Thong Lo (Sukhumvit Line, about 900 m) are the closest rail stations to central Ekkamai. Walking times depend on the soi you live on, so time the walk in the midday heat before signing a lease.
Where do buses from Ekkamai go?
The Eastern Bus Terminal, right beside BTS Ekkamai, handles coaches to the eastern seaboard. Popular routes include Pattaya, Rayong and Ban Phe for the ferry to Ko Samet, plus Chanthaburi and Trat for Ko Chang. Tickets are sold at counters inside the terminal, and living nearby makes beach weekends unusually easy to arrange.
Is Ekkamai cheaper than Thong Lo?
Generally, yes. One-bedrooms in Ekkamai run about 22,000–38,000 THB a month, compared with roughly 28,000–50,000 THB in Thong Lo. The lifestyle is similar, with cafés, bars and restaurants close by, but the soi is a little calmer. Many people choose Ekkamai precisely because Thong Lo is one stop away when they want it.
Is Ekkamai good for nightlife?
Yes, in a relaxed way. The soi has craft beer bars, cocktail spots and a few late-night venues, and the crowd is mostly young Thais and expats rather than tourists. It is less polished and less expensive than Thong Lo, and far calmer than Nana. Most bars cluster on the upper section of the soi, away from the BTS.