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 $443 per month in Machakos vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Machakos vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,065 per month in Machakos vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Machakos is about 49% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$1.98 ฿64.3

18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$18.80 ฿612

104.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$7.75 ฿252

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$1.92 ฿62.5

1.56%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$0.79 ฿25.79

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.36 ฿11.62

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.21 ฿72.1

-14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.66 ฿119

-24.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$1.65 ฿53.8

-75.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.63 ฿53.2

-73.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.19 ฿38.86

-36.13%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.00 ฿65.1

-32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

$15.98 ฿520

-28.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

$3.03 ฿98.5

123.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

$10.86 ฿354

-56.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.76 ฿90.0

-44.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.18 ฿38.42

-36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$1.64 ฿53.5

-77.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$1.52 ฿49.51

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.38 ฿45.10

-42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.19 ฿38.84

-34.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$0.70 ฿22.86

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$0.56 ฿18.13

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

$4.58 ฿149

-32.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$16.56 ฿539

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.83 ฿59.5

8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$3.20 ฿104

-14.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$1.36 ฿44.16

-46.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.34 ฿43.65

-40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$7.84 ฿256

-62.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.23 ฿39.92

22.76%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

1.57%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-12.85%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$70.5 ฿2,298

-50.92%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$13.68 ฿445

-44.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$17.45 ฿568

-33.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$5.77 ฿188

8.67%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$307 ฿10.0K

-84.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-45.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$55.8 ฿1,817

-78.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$26.21 ฿854

-9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$85.8 ฿2,793

-23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$72.2 ฿2,353

-47.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

-78.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$239 ฿7,774

-71.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

-81.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

-76.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 KES 50.9K

$619 ฿20.2K

-36.55%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $93.1 in Machakos versus $430 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 58% 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 – $165 in Machakos vs $241 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 96% 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 $665 per month in Machakos and $1,303 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 46% 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 $443 in Machakos and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Machakos costs $443 versus $869 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.