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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $616 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,008 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,400 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nanyuki 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.82 KES 495

-48.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$30.67 KES 3,976

-38.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.64 KES 861

16.72%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.83 KES 237

4.92%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.69 KES 90.0

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.54 KES 70.4

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.27 KES 294

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.95 KES 382

24.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.91 KES 118

81.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.54 KES 69.9

201.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.18 KES 153

0.85%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.58 KES 205

26.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.42 KES 1,481

39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.55 KES 849

-53.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$3.89 KES 504

179.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.13 KES 406

-11.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.04 KES 135

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.14 KES 277

-23.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.02 KES 132

49.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.07 KES 139

28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.15 KES 149

3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.64 KES 82.7

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.76 KES 98.5

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.66 KES 345

72.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.40 KES 1,478

45.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.89 KES 245

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.95 KES 253

64.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.41 KES 53.0

114.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.57 KES 203

-13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.53 KES 198

-12.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.92 KES 378

168.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.19 KES 154

3.36%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-0.95%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

11.48%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$33.86 KES 4,390

108.33%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$17.01 KES 2,205

-19.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$39.05 KES 5,063

-55.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$53.9 KES 6,989

-23.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.29 KES 816

-8.27%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$65.4 KES 8,483

369.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,627 KES 988.9K

91.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$18.53 KES 2,403

201.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$23.77 KES 3,082

10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$64.1 KES 8,312

33.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$57.3 KES 7,428

26.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$95.8 KES 12.4K

348.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$78.6 KES 10.2K

203.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$332 KES 43.1K

146.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$209 KES 27.1K

144.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$115 KES 14.8K

440.45%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $95.8 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 440% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $193 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 41% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $924 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $616 in Nanyuki, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nanyuki costs $616 versus $869 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.