Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Nakuru vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $978 per month in Nakuru vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,318 per month in Nakuru vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Nakuru is about 50% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nakuru and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 54% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 KES 506

$4.66 ฿154

-15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,405

$32.22 ฿1,065

5.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 KES 808

$8.68 ฿287

-28.00%

Cappuccino

$1.97 KES 255

$2.90 ฿95.8

-32.07%

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

$0.38 KES 48.59

$0.84 ฿27.89

-54.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$0.49 ฿16.16

-55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.48 ฿82.0

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.73 ฿123

-25.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$1.89 ฿62.3

-72.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$1.41 ฿46.54

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.62 ฿53.6

-5.56%

Eggs

$1.61 KES 209

$2.24 ฿74.1

-28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 KES 1,360

$19.84 ฿656

-46.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 KES 823

$3.48 ฿115

83.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 KES 821

$11.37 ฿376

-44.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 437

$2.90 ฿95.8

16.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 129

$1.72 ฿57.0

-42.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$2.27 ฿75.1

-10.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.13 ฿70.4

-47.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.47 ฿48.72

-27.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.42 ฿46.92

-24.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.7

$1.10 ฿36.25

-39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.60 ฿19.76

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 461

$4.31 ฿142

-17.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,496

$18.60 ฿615

-37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 KES 290

$1.80 ฿59.5

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.97 ฿98.0

-5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$3.10 ฿102

-51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.08 ฿35.56

46.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$3.87 ฿128

-23.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.43 ฿47.16

4.90%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-26.32%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-26.01%

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

$60.9 KES 7,872

$105 ฿3,462

-41.91%

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

$15.19 KES 1,964

$11.39 ฿376

33.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 KES 4,620

$17.54 ฿580

103.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$7.78 ฿257

-1.29%

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

$241 KES 31.1K

$576 ฿19.0K

-58.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

1.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 KES 3,561

$63.6 ฿2,103

-56.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.28 KES 3,398

$29.10 ฿961

-9.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,268

$96.2 ฿3,179

-33.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 KES 7,762

$90.0 ฿2,974

-33.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 KES 29.0K

$733 ฿24.2K

-69.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 KES 17.7K

$501 ฿16.5K

-72.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.4K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-74.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.4K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-84.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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 Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nakuru versus $733 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nakuru versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Nakuru vs $275 in Phuket – so Nakuru 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

Nakuru vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $639 in Nakuru, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 98% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $958 per month in Nakuru and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakuru, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $639 in Nakuru and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $241 per month in Nakuru and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Nakuru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $639 in Nakuru to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Nakuru. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.