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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $606 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $996 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,386 in Nakuru, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nakuru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.51 KES 454

-44.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$38.94 KES 5,032

-52.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.90 KES 891

8.41%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.72 KES 223

17.44%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.37 KES 48.23

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.32 KES 41.63

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.42 KES 184

50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.51 KES 196

137.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.51 KES 66.0

223.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.51 KES 65.7

207.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.15 KES 148

3.48%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.36 KES 176

42.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.62 KES 985

112.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.40 KES 827

-53.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.30 KES 556

154.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.70 KES 220

59.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.45 KES 57.7

160.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.71 KES 221

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.60 KES 77.8

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.40 KES 51.9

245.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.56 KES 72.4

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.65 KES 83.9

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.60 KES 78.1

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.04 KES 264

127.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$11.75 KES 1,518

49.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.61 KES 208

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.80 KES 233

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.76 KES 97.7

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$26.48 KES 3,422

-26.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.58 KES 204

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.74 KES 95.4

81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.95 KES 381

178.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.27 KES 164

-3.94%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$12.5K KES 1.6M

70.59%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$14.7K KES 1.9M

53.54%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$30.33 KES 3,920

133.00%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.05 KES 2,204

-17.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$39.44 KES 5,096

-55.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$47.30 KES 6,112

-10.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.44 KES 703

8.82%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$204 KES 26.4K

51.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,922 KES 506.9K

279.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$18.52 KES 2,394

201.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$24.31 KES 3,141

7.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$37.95 KES 4,904

118.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$54.9 KES 7,099

28.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$229 KES 29.6K

88.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$115 KES 14.9K

107.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$393 KES 50.8K

109.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$271 KES 35.0K

88.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

-60.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $229 in Nakuru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $156 in Nakuru – so Nakuru 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 Nakuru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Nakuru, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $908 in Nakuru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $204 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $606 in Nakuru, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nakuru costs $606 versus $861 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 Nakuru. 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.