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: $617 in Nanyuki versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,015 in Nanyuki versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,413 in Nanyuki versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Nanyuki costs roughly 50% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanyuki 54% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.84 KES 497

$4.63 ฿151

-17.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.83 KES 3,984

$46.84 ฿1,523

-34.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 KES 876

$8.84 ฿287

-23.30%

Cappuccino

$1.82 KES 235

$3.00 ฿97.4

-39.33%

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

$0.76 KES 98.5

$0.74 ฿24.11

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.2

$0.37 ฿11.88

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 308

$2.44 ฿79.3

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$3.61 ฿117

-21.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KES 115

$2.26 ฿73.5

-60.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.9

$1.84 ฿59.8

-69.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$2.24 ฿73.0

-46.88%

Eggs

$1.51 KES 196

$2.32 ฿75.3

-34.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$19.67 ฿639

-41.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 KES 857

$3.65 ฿119

81.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.78 KES 488

$13.10 ฿426

-71.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 411

$3.39 ฿110

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.64 ฿53.4

-35.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 KES 278

$2.41 ฿78.5

-10.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$2.03 ฿66.0

-50.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.56 ฿50.6

-31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.50 ฿48.66

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.9

$1.02 ฿33.30

-32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.49 ฿15.91

65.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 KES 355

$4.45 ฿145

-38.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$18.88 ฿614

-38.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 KES 245

$1.78 ฿57.7

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.75 ฿89.5

-28.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 KES 52.6

$1.40 ฿45.54

-70.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.12 ฿101

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.00 ฿32.48

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 369

$14.09 ฿458

-79.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.35 ฿43.93

-11.85%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-18.95%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-39.52%

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

$33.69 KES 4,353

$125 ฿4,063

-73.04%

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

$16.87 KES 2,180

$13.57 ฿441

24.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.58 KES 5,115

$18.52 ฿602

113.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 KES 7,025

$61.5 ฿1,999

-11.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 KES 786

$9.19 ฿299

-33.84%

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

$64.5 KES 8,328

$698 ฿22.7K

-90.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,609 KES 983.4K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-51.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.94 KES 2,319

$57.8 ฿1,878

-68.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.29 KES 3,139

$35.24 ฿1,146

-31.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 KES 8,491

$113 ฿3,677

-41.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.7 KES 7,450

$86.4 ฿2,808

-33.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.2 KES 12.3K

$616 ฿20.0K

-84.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.3 KES 10.1K

$446 ฿14.5K

-82.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 KES 42.6K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-83.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 KES 27.2K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-85.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$117 KES 15.1K

$524 ฿17.0K

-77.76%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $95.2 in Nanyuki and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 350% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $292 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 100% 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, Phuket earns 350% less. 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: $95.2 in Nanyuki versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $617 per month in Nanyuki versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $617 in Nanyuki versus $1,232 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 $617 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 100% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.