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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $553 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $960 in Nyahururu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,366 in Nyahururu, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 54% 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 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.48 KES 707

-64.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$39.40 KES 5,086

-52.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.72 KES 868

17.86%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.44 KES 315

-21.72%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.70 KES 90.2

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.53 KES 68.8

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.29 KES 296

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.89 KES 373

31.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.92 KES 119

78.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.58 KES 74.3

179.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.66 KES 214

-28.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.64 KES 211

22.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.44 KES 1,476

38.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.60 KES 852

-54.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.52 KES 712

95.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.14 KES 405

-16.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.08 KES 140

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.18 KES 281

-22.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.01 KES 130

56.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.02 KES 132

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.16 KES 150

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.70 KES 90.3

-4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.76 KES 97.7

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.01 KES 388

50.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.54 KES 1,489

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.31 KES 298

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.70 KES 348

19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.57 KES 203

-14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.51 KES 195

-10.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.85 KES 368

189.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.59 KES 205

-20.13%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-1.15%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

13.68%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$33.96 KES 4,384

106.57%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.77 KES 2,165

-17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$39.79 KES 5,135

-55.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.25 KES 807

-7.52%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$201 KES 26.0K

52.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,093 KES 1.0M

83.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$17.90 KES 2,311

203.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$24.34 KES 3,141

7.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$66.6 KES 8,601

26.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$55.5 KES 7,160

25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$78.5 KES 10.1K

439.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$54.1 KES 6,980

340.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$347 KES 44.8K

137.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$155 KES 20.0K

233.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$117 KES 15.1K

441.69%

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 Nyahururu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $78.5 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 442% 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 $39.00 in Nyahururu. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 54% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $830 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 $39.00 in Nyahururu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $553 in Nyahururu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nyahururu costs $553 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 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.