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 $926 per month in Chiang Mai vs $626 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,381 per month in Chiang Mai vs $998 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,370 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿70.8

$3.84 KES 498

-45.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.22 ฿647

$19.62 KES 2,544

-2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$6.14 KES 796

-10.91%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.85 KES 370

-40.70%

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

$0.65 ฿21.78

$0.58 KES 75.8

12.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.36

$0.52 KES 67.6

-40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$2.26 KES 294

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ฿132

$2.74 KES 355

42.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ฿69.6

$0.74 KES 95.8

179.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.57 KES 74.0

168.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿42.08

$1.91 KES 248

-34.55%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.8

$1.71 KES 221

28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿537

$10.52 KES 1,364

51.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿93.0

$6.28 KES 815

-56.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ฿328

$6.25 KES 810

55.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ฿89.4

$3.32 KES 431

-19.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ฿35.45

$1.04 KES 135

0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$1.99 KES 258

-16.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.67

$1.09 KES 142

35.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.88

$1.08 KES 140

12.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.09

$1.09 KES 141

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$0.70 KES 90.8

8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$0.73 KES 94.7

-31.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$3.45 KES 447

26.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.50 ฿589

$11.58 KES 1,502

51.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.28 KES 295

-27.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$2.82 KES 365

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.99

$0.37 KES 48.54

132.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.7 ฿1,809

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.01

$1.49 KES 194

-18.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.87

$1.57 KES 204

-64.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ฿78.9

$2.84 KES 368

-17.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.75

$1.49 KES 193

-2.68%

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

$21.1K ฿708.9K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

-1.12%

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

$26.3K ฿885.5K

$20.0K KES 2.6M

31.45%

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

$63.6 ฿2,141

$62.1 KES 8,045

2.48%

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

$12.56 ฿423

$15.57 KES 2,018

-19.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.04 ฿675

$35.10 KES 4,552

-42.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 ฿1,304

$38.99 KES 5,056

-0.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 ฿128

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ฿218

$7.49 KES 972

-13.62%

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

$777 ฿26.2K

$249 KES 32.3K

211.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿490.8K

$11.3K KES 1.5M

28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 ฿1,859

$28.45 KES 3,689

94.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.77 ฿834

$28.32 KES 3,671

-12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ฿3,040

$70.1 KES 9,083

28.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,476

$58.6 KES 7,593

25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.7K

$84.9 KES 11.0K

449.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,635

$57.7 KES 7,482

395.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ฿29.2K

$353 KES 45.8K

145.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ฿17.7K

$155 KES 20.1K

238.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 ฿19.6K

$116 KES 15.0K

400.84%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Nyahururu: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Chiang Mai versus $84.9 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 401% 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 $20.00 in Nyahururu. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $203 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 48% more than Nyahururu, 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $939 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nyahururu, where all-in costs run around $626, than in Chiang Mai at $926. In Nyahururu 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. Nyahururu costs $626 versus $926 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.