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 $526 per month in Machakos vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Machakos vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,092 per month in Machakos vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Machakos is about 44% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Machakos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Machakos 62% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 KES 397

$2.08 ฿69.2

47.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,476

$19.61 ฿652

-2.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 KES 823

$5.67 ฿189

12.17%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$1.81 ฿60.0

8.29%

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

$0.60 KES 77.3

$0.77 ฿25.55

-22.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.0

$0.35 ฿11.48

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 KES 276

$2.21 ฿73.6

-3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

$3.79 ฿126

-27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.67

$2.05 ฿68.1

-81.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.1

$1.51 ฿50.4

-68.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.40 ฿46.51

-47.86%

Eggs

$1.38 KES 178

$2.26 ฿75.1

-38.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 KES 1,383

$16.19 ฿538

-34.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 KES 841

$2.90 ฿96.3

124.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 606

$9.42 ฿313

-50.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.68 ฿89.1

-41.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.09 ฿36.23

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.89

$1.62 ฿53.8

-76.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.05

$1.46 ฿48.55

-74.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.28 ฿42.48

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.06 ฿35.17

-26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$0.72 ฿23.85

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.70

$0.53 ฿17.49

-28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

$4.23 ฿141

-19.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 KES 1,512

$18.29 ฿608

-36.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.63 ฿54.2

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.90 ฿96.5

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.17 ฿38.99

-32.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.58 ฿19.22

36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$2.39 ฿79.3

19.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 186

$1.45 ฿48.22

-1.38%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

4.30%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-22.55%

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

$62.6 KES 8,097

$63.7 ฿2,116

-1.70%

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

$7.54 KES 976

$12.89 ฿429

-41.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 KES 1,477

$20.52 ฿682

-44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 KES 4,988

$39.02 ฿1,297

-1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 KES 997

$6.58 ฿219

17.17%

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

$46.27 KES 5,988

$784 ฿26.1K

-94.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-22.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 KES 1,480

$55.1 ฿1,833

-79.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 KES 3,604

$24.74 ฿823

12.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,181

$94.1 ฿3,130

-24.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.84 KES 5,026

$74.0 ฿2,459

-47.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$490 ฿16.3K

-81.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 KES 9,094

$288 ฿9,582

-75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$891 ฿29.6K

-82.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$521 ฿17.3K

-78.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$391 KES 50.6K

$602 ฿20.0K

-34.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

5.57

164.09%

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

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.3 in Machakos versus $490 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 54% 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 Machakos versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $241 – making Machakos 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 77% 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 $789 per month in Machakos and $1,398 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 $19.00 in Machakos and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Machakos, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Machakos 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. Machakos costs $526 versus $932 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.