🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $453 in Machakos versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $752 in Machakos versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,051 in Machakos versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Machakos costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos66% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.34KES 302
$4.63฿151
-49.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.88KES 5,018
$46.84฿1,532
-16.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.85KES 884
$8.84฿289
-22.51%
Cappuccino
$1.99KES 257
$3.00฿98.0
-33.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74KES 95.7
$0.74฿24.25
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50KES 64.9
$0.37฿11.95
35.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.91KES 247
$2.44฿79.8
-21.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70KES 348
$3.61฿118
-25.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.38KES 48.71
$2.26฿73.9
-83.19%
White Bread(500g)
$0.45KES 57.8
$1.84฿60.1
-75.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.81KES 104
$2.24฿73.4
-63.84%
Eggs
$1.35KES 175
$2.32฿75.7
-41.81%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.65KES 1,504
$19.67฿643
-40.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.69KES 864
$3.65฿119
83.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.57KES 590
$13.10฿428
-65.11%
Apples(1kg)
$1.53KES 197
$3.39฿111
-54.87%
Banana(1kg)
$0.73KES 94.5
$1.64฿53.7
-55.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.41KES 52.4
$2.41฿79.0
-82.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.37KES 48.38
$2.03฿66.4
-81.77%
Potato(1kg)
$0.78KES 101
$1.56฿50.9
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.75KES 97.4
$1.50฿48.94
-50.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65KES 84.0
$1.02฿33.50
-36.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41KES 52.8
$0.49฿16.00
-16.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.01KES 388
$4.45฿145
-32.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.72KES 1,512
$18.88฿617
-37.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98KES 255
$1.78฿58.1
11.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73KES 353
$2.75฿90.1
-0.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.40฿45.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.75KES 97.1
$3.12฿102
-75.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.80KES 104
$1.00฿32.67
-20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.97KES 383
$14.09฿461
-78.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45KES 187
$1.35฿44.19
7.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9KKES 2.8M
$27.2K฿888.9K
-19.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2KKES 2.6M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-38.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.86KES 4,370
$125฿4,087
-72.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.93KES 1,023
$13.57฿444
-41.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.71KES 1,511
$18.52฿606
-36.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.5฿2,010
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.05KES 781
$9.19฿300
-34.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$45.51KES 5,874
$698฿22.8K
-93.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,077KES 1.0M
$15.6K฿509.9K
-48.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.55KES 1,491
$57.8฿1,889
-80.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.37KES 3,145
$35.24฿1,152
-30.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$66.4KES 8,570
$113฿3,699
-41.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.37KES 4,952
$86.4฿2,825
-55.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$92.4KES 11.9K
$616฿20.1K
-85.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$69.9KES 9,021
$446฿14.6K
-84.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$154KES 19.8K
$2,048฿67.0K
-92.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$115KES 14.8K
$1,492฿48.8K
-92.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Machakos
Phuket
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$389KES 50.2K
$524฿17.1K
-25.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14.84
5.33
178.42%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Machakos: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.4 in Machakos and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $39.00 in Machakos vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $292 per month, with Machakos cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Machakos vs Phuket: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Machakos or Phuket?
Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 172% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Machakos or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 35% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Machakos vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $92.4 in Machakos versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Machakos or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Machakos compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $453 per month in Machakos versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 172% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Machakos or Phuket?
At $453 in Machakos versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Machakos or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $453 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.
How safe is Machakos compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Machakos and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Machakos vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado