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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $453 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $752 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,051 in Machakos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Machakos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Machakos 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$2.34 KES 303

-16.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$38.88 KES 5,024

-51.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.85 KES 885

15.62%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.99 KES 257

-4.02%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.74 KES 95.8

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.50 KES 65.0

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.91 KES 247

15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.70 KES 349

40.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$0.38 KES 48.77

331.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.45 KES 57.9

260.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$0.81 KES 104

45.68%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.35 KES 175

48.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$11.65 KES 1,506

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.69 KES 865

-55.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$4.57 KES 591

135.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.53 KES 198

70.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$0.73 KES 94.7

67.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$0.41 KES 52.5

314.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$0.37 KES 48.44

327.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.78 KES 101

69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.75 KES 97.5

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.65 KES 84.1

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.41 KES 52.9

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$3.01 KES 389

50.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$11.72 KES 1,514

55.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.98 KES 255

-7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.73 KES 353

18.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.75 KES 97.2

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.80 KES 104

68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$2.97 KES 384

177.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.45 KES 187

-12.41%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-3.60%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

11.40%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$33.86 KES 4,375

107.18%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$7.93 KES 1,024

73.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$11.71 KES 1,513

50.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.05 KES 782

-4.46%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$45.51 KES 5,881

572.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$8,077 KES 1.0M

83.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$11.55 KES 1,493

370.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$24.37 KES 3,149

7.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$66.4 KES 8,581

27.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$38.37 KES 4,958

80.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$92.4 KES 11.9K

358.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$69.9 KES 9,032

240.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$154 KES 19.9K

436.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$115 KES 14.8K

348.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$389 KES 50.3K

63.34%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $92.4 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 63% 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 $39.00 in Machakos. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 88% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $680 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 $39.00 in Machakos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $453 in Machakos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Machakos costs $453 versus $852 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.