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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $526 in Machakos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Machakos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,092 in Machakos, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 77% more than Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Machakos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Machakos 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$3.07 KES 397

-32.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$19.14 KES 2,476

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.36 KES 823

-10.85%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.96 KES 254

-7.65%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.60 KES 77.3

28.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.53 KES 69.0

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.13 KES 276

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.74 KES 355

38.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.38 KES 48.67

439.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.47 KES 61.1

221.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$0.73 KES 94.8

91.78%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.38 KES 178

63.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.68 KES 1,383

51.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.50 KES 841

-55.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$4.68 KES 606

101.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.57 KES 204

70.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$0.81 KES 104

34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$0.38 KES 48.89

326.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.37 KES 48.05

294.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.80 KES 104

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.78 KES 101

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.69 KES 89.0

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.38 KES 48.70

39.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.39 KES 439

24.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.68 KES 1,512

56.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.95 KES 253

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.83 KES 366

2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.79 KES 102

48.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.79 KES 102

-26.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$2.86 KES 370

-16.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.43 KES 186

1.40%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-4.12%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$20.5K KES 2.6M

29.12%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$62.6 KES 8,097

1.73%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$7.54 KES 976

70.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$11.42 KES 1,477

79.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$38.55 KES 4,988

1.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.71 KES 997

-14.66%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$46.27 KES 5,988

1594.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

28.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$11.44 KES 1,480

381.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$27.85 KES 3,604

-11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$71.0 KES 9,181

32.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$38.84 KES 5,026

90.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

431.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$70.3 KES 9,094

310.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$154 KES 20.0K

477.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$115 KES 14.8K

354.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$391 KES 50.6K

53.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 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 54% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Machakos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $162 – making Machakos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 77% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $789 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Machakos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Machakos, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Machakos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Machakos costs $526 versus $932 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.