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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $442 per month in Machakos vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $763 per month in Machakos vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Machakos vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Machakos is about 48% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Machakos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Machakos 67% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$2.04 ฿68.2

16.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$18.71 ฿624

104.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$7.86 ฿262

-15.65%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$2.03 ฿67.7

-6.90%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$0.80 ฿26.64

-11.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.35 ฿11.68

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.14 ฿71.5

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

$3.67 ฿122

-27.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$1.73 ฿57.6

-76.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$1.57 ฿52.4

-69.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.20 ฿39.99

-36.67%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$1.97 ฿65.8

-30.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$16.23 ฿541

-29.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

$3.06 ฿102

115.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

$10.80 ฿360

-56.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.77 ฿92.3

-45.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.17 ฿38.94

-36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$1.71 ฿57.0

-78.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$1.59 ฿53.2

-76.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.39 ฿46.51

-47.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.16 ฿38.56

-31.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

$0.66 ฿22.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$0.52 ฿17.31

-28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$4.65 ฿155

-32.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$17.78 ฿593

-35.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.79 ฿59.6

9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$3.34 ฿111

-16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.41 ฿47.04

-46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.34 ฿44.70

-45.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

$8.11 ฿270

-63.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.23 ฿41.16

22.76%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-0.40%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-9.86%

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$71.3 ฿2,379

-52.25%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$14.01 ฿467

-44.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$17.93 ฿598

-36.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$5.72 ฿191

5.24%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$308 ฿10.3K

-84.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-45.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$55.8 ฿1,860

-79.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$26.04 ฿869

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$84.8 ฿2,829

-22.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$71.0 ฿2,368

-46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$423 ฿14.1K

-78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$242 ฿8,088

-71.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$797 ฿26.6K

-80.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$507 ฿16.9K

-77.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$595 ฿19.9K

-36.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

196.80%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.3 in Machakos versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 57% 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 $38.00 in Machakos versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Machakos vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Machakos 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

Machakos vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 93% more than Machakos, 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 $663 per month in Machakos and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Machakos, 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 $38.00 in Machakos and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $442 in Machakos and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Machakos costs $442 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 Machakos. 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.