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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $617 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,015 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,413 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nanyuki 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.84 KES 497

-48.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$30.83 KES 3,984

-38.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.78 KES 876

16.81%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.82 KES 235

4.95%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.76 KES 98.5

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.50 KES 64.2

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.39 KES 308

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.83 KES 365

34.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$0.89 KES 115

84.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.57 KES 73.9

184.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.19 KES 154

-0.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.51 KES 196

33.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$11.45 KES 1,480

38.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.63 KES 857

-54.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$3.78 KES 488

184.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$3.18 KES 411

-17.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.05 KES 136

16.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.15 KES 278

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.00 KES 130

58.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.07 KES 138

23.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.13 KES 145

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.69 KES 88.9

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.81 KES 104

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.75 KES 355

64.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$11.55 KES 1,493

57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.90 KES 245

-3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.96 KES 254

64.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.41 KES 52.6

117.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.57 KES 203

-14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$1.50 KES 194

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$2.86 KES 369

188.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.19 KES 154

6.72%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-3.98%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

12.94%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$33.69 KES 4,353

108.22%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$16.87 KES 2,180

-18.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$39.58 KES 5,115

-55.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$54.4 KES 7,025

-23.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.08 KES 786

-4.93%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$64.5 KES 8,328

375.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$7,609 KES 983.4K

94.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$17.94 KES 2,319

203.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$24.29 KES 3,139

7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$65.7 KES 8,491

28.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$57.7 KES 7,450

20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$95.2 KES 12.3K

345.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$78.3 KES 10.1K

204.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$330 KES 42.6K

150.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$210 KES 27.2K

145.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$117 KES 15.1K

445.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $95.2 in Nanyuki. 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 445% 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 $31.00 in Nanyuki. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Nanyuki – so Nanyuki 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 Nanyuki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Nanyuki, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $925 in Nanyuki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanyuki, 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 $31.00 in Nanyuki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $617 in Nanyuki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nanyuki costs $617 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 Nanyuki. 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.