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 $442 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $763 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in Machakos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 93% 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 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.37 KES 307

-13.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$38.19 KES 4,936

-51.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.63 KES 857

18.55%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.89 KES 244

7.41%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.71 KES 91.6

12.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.50 KES 64.4

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.95 KES 252

9.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.65 KES 342

38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.41 KES 52.8

321.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.48 KES 61.6

227.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.76 KES 97.7

57.89%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.37 KES 177

43.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.41 KES 1,475

42.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.59 KES 851

-53.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.68 KES 604

130.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.51 KES 195

83.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.74 KES 95.6

58.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.37 KES 48.17

362.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.38 KES 48.78

318.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.73 KES 94.9

90.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.79 KES 102

46.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.66 KES 85.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.37 KES 48.00

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.12 KES 403

49.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.40 KES 1,474

55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.96 KES 253

-8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.79 KES 361

19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.76 KES 98.2

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.73 KES 94.8

83.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.94 KES 379

175.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.51 KES 195

-18.54%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

0.40%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

10.94%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$34.06 KES 4,402

109.42%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.77 KES 1,004

80.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$11.38 KES 1,471

57.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.02 KES 778

-4.98%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$47.26 KES 6,109

552.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

82.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$11.59 KES 1,498

381.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$23.79 KES 3,075

9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$65.9 KES 8,522

28.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$38.20 KES 4,937

85.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

358.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$68.4 KES 8,838

254.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$156 KES 20.1K

412.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$114 KES 14.7K

344.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$380 KES 49.1K

56.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $92.3 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 57% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $163 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 93% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $663 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 50% 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 $442 in Machakos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Machakos costs $442 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.