Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $443 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $754 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Machakos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Machakos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.34 KES 303

-15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.41 KES 4,980

-51.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.89 KES 893

12.48%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.95 KES 252

-1.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.69 KES 90.1

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.51 KES 65.7

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.88 KES 243

17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.77 KES 359

32.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.40 KES 52.4

312.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.44 KES 56.9

270.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.76 KES 97.9

56.58%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.36 KES 176

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.49 KES 1,490

39.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.77 KES 878

-55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$4.75 KES 615

128.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.53 KES 198

80.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.75 KES 96.9

57.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.37 KES 48.26

343.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.38 KES 49.23

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.80 KES 104

72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.78 KES 101

52.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.65 KES 83.7

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.38 KES 48.81

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.11 KES 404

47.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.55 KES 1,498

43.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.98 KES 257

-7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.75 KES 356

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.73 KES 95.2

86.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.80 KES 103

67.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.96 KES 384

164.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.51 KES 196

-18.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-1.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

14.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.62 KES 4,489

103.76%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.68 ฿445

$7.56 KES 980

80.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$11.64 KES 1,510

49.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.27 KES 813

-7.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 ฿10.0K

$46.87 KES 6,077

555.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,961 KES 1.0M

83.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$11.72 KES 1,520

376.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$23.84 KES 3,091

9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$65.5 KES 8,497

30.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$38.27 KES 4,962

88.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$93.1 KES 12.1K

361.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$68.7 KES 8,910

247.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$152 KES 19.7K

438.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$118 KES 15.3K

333.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$393 KES 50.9K

57.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-66.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $93.1 in Machakos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Machakos. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Machakos – so Machakos wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Machakos, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $665 in Machakos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Machakos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Machakos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $443 in Machakos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Machakos costs $443 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Machakos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.