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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $561 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $946 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,331 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Nyahururu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nyahururu 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$5.52 KES 715

-64.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$38.20 KES 4,949

-51.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$6.69 KES 867

17.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.46 KES 319

-20.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.72 KES 93.2

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.51 KES 65.7

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.29 KES 297

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.87 KES 372

28.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$0.93 KES 120

78.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.53 KES 68.1

194.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.59 KES 206

-25.16%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.71 KES 221

16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$11.73 KES 1,520

38.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$6.92 KES 896

-54.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$5.72 KES 741

89.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$3.03 KES 393

-12.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.08 KES 140

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$2.14 KES 277

-22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.00 KES 130

55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.07 KES 138

24.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.15 KES 149

5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.64 KES 82.5

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.75 KES 97.3

-24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$3.10 KES 402

50.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$11.73 KES 1,520

44.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$2.26 KES 293

-19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.75 KES 356

15.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.58 KES 204

-10.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.56 KES 203

-14.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$2.98 KES 387

173.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.57 KES 204

-18.47%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$21.8K KES 2.8M

0.22%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

13.03%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$34.39 KES 4,456

104.94%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$16.97 KES 2,199

-17.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$38.91 KES 5,040

-54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.34 KES 822

-5.99%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$201 KES 26.1K

50.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$7,983 KES 1.0M

87.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$18.42 KES 2,386

196.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$24.18 KES 3,133

8.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$65.3 KES 8,462

31.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$55.9 KES 7,242

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$77.2 KES 10.0K

454.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$54.3 KES 7,035

340.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$346 KES 44.8K

134.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$152 KES 19.7K

235.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$117 KES 15.1K

433.99%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Nyahururu: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $77.2 in Nyahururu. 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 434% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Nyahururu. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Nyahururu – so Nyahururu 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 Nyahururu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Nyahururu, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $841 in Nyahururu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nyahururu, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Nyahururu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $561 in Nyahururu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nyahururu costs $561 versus $848 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 Nyahururu. 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.