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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $639 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $978 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,318 in Nakuru, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Nakuru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.92 KES 506

-46.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$34.07 KES 4,405

-41.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.25 KES 808

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.97 KES 255

-7.11%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.38 KES 48.59

105.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.22 KES 28.36

40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.34 KES 302

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.77 KES 359

33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.52 KES 67.6

290.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.47 KES 61.0

240.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.53 KES 197

-7.19%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.61 KES 209

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.52 KES 1,360

51.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.37 KES 823

-51.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$6.35 KES 821

55.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.38 KES 437

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$0.99 KES 129

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.03 KES 263

-19.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.11 KES 144

37.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.06 KES 137

16.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.07 KES 139

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.67 KES 86.7

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.74 KES 95.4

-32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.56 KES 461

20.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.57 KES 1,496

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.24 KES 290

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.82 KES 364

2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.50 KES 194

-18.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.58 KES 205

-66.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.98 KES 385

-19.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.50 KES 194

-4.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$20.5K KES 2.6M

3.53%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$20.0K KES 2.6M

36.75%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$60.9 KES 7,872

6.65%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$15.19 KES 1,964

-12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$35.73 KES 4,620

-41.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.68 KES 994

-12.63%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$241 KES 31.1K

226.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

28.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$27.54 KES 3,561

104.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$26.28 KES 3,398

-5.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$64.0 KES 8,268

44.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$60.0 KES 7,762

25.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$224 KES 29.0K

115.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$137 KES 17.7K

110.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$537 KES 69.4K

69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$197 KES 25.4K

169.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $224 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $198 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 49% more than Nakuru, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $958 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $34.00 in Nakuru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Nakuru 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. Nakuru costs $639 versus $950 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.