Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanyuki and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $601 in Nanyuki versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $999 in Nanyuki versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,398 in Nanyuki versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Nanyuki costs roughly 52% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanyuki 55% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 KES 486

$4.48 ฿150

-16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.02 KES 4,009

$45.59 ฿1,525

-31.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 KES 893

$8.76 ฿293

-21.12%

Cappuccino

$1.82 KES 236

$2.97 ฿99.3

-38.72%

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

$0.70 KES 90.0

$0.69 ฿22.96

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.1

$0.39 ฿13.07

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 295

$2.53 ฿84.7

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 385

$3.75 ฿125

-20.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 118

$2.15 ฿71.8

-57.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.9

$1.82 ฿60.7

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$2.18 ฿73.1

-47.71%

Eggs

$1.60 KES 206

$2.25 ฿75.2

-28.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$20.00 ฿669

-42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 KES 866

$3.63 ฿121

84.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.98 KES 514

$13.56 ฿453

-70.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 404

$3.24 ฿109

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.64 ฿54.7

-35.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 270

$2.33 ฿78.0

-10.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$2.07 ฿69.3

-51.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.55 ฿51.8

-32.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

$1.46 ฿48.67

-23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.3

$0.98 ฿32.94

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.48 ฿16.13

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 KES 342

$4.35 ฿146

-39.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.36 KES 1,468

$18.57 ฿621

-38.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.86 ฿62.1

4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$2.65 ฿88.8

-25.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$1.42 ฿47.40

-73.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$3.17 ฿106

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.03 ฿34.51

46.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 376

$13.89 ฿465

-79.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 KES 156

$1.34 ฿44.96

-10.45%

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

$21.3K KES 2.7M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-23.44%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-40.79%

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

$34.63 KES 4,477

$123 ฿4,116

-71.86%

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

$16.80 KES 2,171

$13.77 ฿461

22.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,033

$18.33 ฿613

112.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 KES 7,094

$60.7 ฿2,030

-9.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 811

$8.87 ฿297

-29.20%

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

$65.5 KES 8,465

$688 ฿23.0K

-90.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,838 KES 1.0M

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-50.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 KES 2,401

$59.3 ฿1,984

-68.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.15 KES 3,122

$34.69 ฿1,160

-30.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 KES 8,536

$115 ฿3,853

-42.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 KES 7,357

$83.8 ฿2,802

-32.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 KES 12.7K

$621 ฿20.8K

-84.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.1 KES 10.2K

$446 ฿14.9K

-82.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 KES 43.0K

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-83.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 KES 27.4K

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-85.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$115 KES 14.8K

$494 ฿16.5K

-76.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

5.33

178.42%

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

Last update for Nanyuki: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.5 in Nanyuki and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 330% 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: $31.00 in Nanyuki vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $291 per month, with Nanyuki cheaper across the board.

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

Nanyuki vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanyuki wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nanyuki the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 330% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $98.5 in Nanyuki versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $601 per month in Nanyuki versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $601 in Nanyuki versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nanyuki but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nanyuki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nanyuki delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $601 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nanyuki hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nanyuki 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.

Expats usually find Nanyuki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.