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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $587 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,403 in Nakuru, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nakuru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.42 KES 442

-43.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$37.95 KES 4,912

-50.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.92 KES 895

13.01%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.70 KES 220

14.71%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.38 KES 48.72

123.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.32 KES 41.52

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.37 KES 177

55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.54 KES 199

142.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.52 KES 67.2

228.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.48 KES 61.9

239.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.16 KES 150

-1.72%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.32 KES 170

46.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.94 KES 1,027

104.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.44 KES 834

-51.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.19 KES 543

160.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.71 KES 221

60.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.44 KES 57.4

175.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.78 KES 230

-8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.55 KES 71.7

189.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.40 KES 52.3

250.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.57 KES 73.2

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.64 KES 82.7

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.61 KES 78.5

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.98 KES 256

136.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$11.49 KES 1,487

62.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.58 KES 205

13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.79 KES 232

80.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.79 KES 102

13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$26.55 KES 3,437

-27.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.53 KES 198

-7.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.75 KES 96.9

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.81 KES 364

179.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.26 KES 163

0.79%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$12.5K KES 1.6M

69.83%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$14.9K KES 1.9M

49.29%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$31.44 KES 4,069

119.69%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.75 KES 2,169

-15.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$39.81 KES 5,153

-54.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$45.56 KES 5,898

-9.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.39 KES 698

9.83%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$200 KES 25.9K

49.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,810 KES 493.2K

292.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$18.28 KES 2,366

199.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$23.64 KES 3,060

13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$37.95 KES 4,913

123.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$54.6 KES 7,071

29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$229 KES 29.6K

87.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$115 KES 14.9K

106.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$384 KES 49.7K

108.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$271 KES 35.0K

90.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 48% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $881 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $200 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $587 in Nakuru, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nakuru costs $587 versus $866 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.