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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $624 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $969 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,313 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Nyahururu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Nyahururu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Nyahururu 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$3.79 KES 490

-44.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$18.95 KES 2,453

4.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$6.05 KES 782

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.84 KES 367

-38.03%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.64 KES 82.5

15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.56 KES 72.4

-41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.35 KES 304

5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.68 KES 347

44.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.80 KES 103

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.54 KES 69.5

209.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.86 KES 241

-27.42%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.73 KES 224

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$10.67 KES 1,380

48.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$6.52 KES 844

-56.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$6.34 KES 821

66.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$3.12 KES 404

-23.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.03 KES 133

3.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.97 KES 255

-22.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$0.97 KES 126

54.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.06 KES 137

20.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.97 KES 125

13.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.65 KES 84.2

6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.73 KES 95.0

-32.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.53 KES 457

20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$11.39 KES 1,473

47.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$2.32 KES 300

-28.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.73 KES 353

2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$0.41 KES 52.9

119.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$1.59 KES 206

-24.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.56 KES 202

-65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$2.93 KES 379

-19.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.45 KES 187

-1.38%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$18.7K KES 2.4M

12.95%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$19.4K KES 2.5M

39.56%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$56.4 KES 7,293

14.87%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$15.22 KES 1,969

-13.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$33.84 KES 4,379

-42.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$38.76 KES 5,015

1.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.85 KES 1,016

-15.67%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$237 KES 30.7K

239.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$10.9K KES 1.4M

39.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$26.75 KES 3,461

104.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$25.19 KES 3,259

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$62.9 KES 8,135

46.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$60.5 KES 7,827

23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$84.9 KES 11.0K

449.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$57.0 KES 7,369

395.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$350 KES 45.3K

154.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$152 KES 19.6K

243.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$118 KES 15.3K

401.70%

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Nyahururu: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 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 402% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Nyahururu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $202 – making Nyahururu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 47% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $937 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 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 $624, than in Chiang Mai at $920. 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 $624 versus $920 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.