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: $577 in Nanyuki versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $965 in Nanyuki versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,352 in Nanyuki versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Nanyuki costs roughly 54% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanyuki 58% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 KES 503

$4.66 ฿154

-16.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.36 KES 4,572

$32.22 ฿1,065

9.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 KES 819

$8.68 ฿287

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$2.66 KES 344

$2.90 ฿95.8

-8.28%

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

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.84 ฿27.89

-32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 71.8

$0.49 ฿16.16

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$2.48 ฿82.0

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$3.73 ฿123

-28.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 116

$1.89 ฿62.3

-52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.6

$1.41 ฿46.54

-61.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 KES 152

$1.62 ฿53.6

-27.16%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$2.24 ฿74.1

-26.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 KES 1,340

$19.84 ฿656

-47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 KES 798

$3.48 ฿115

77.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 KES 806

$11.37 ฿376

-45.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 KES 431

$2.90 ฿95.8

15.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$1.72 ฿57.0

-42.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 262

$2.27 ฿75.1

-10.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$2.13 ฿70.4

-49.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.47 ฿48.72

-25.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.42 ฿46.92

-23.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.4

$1.10 ฿36.25

-33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 93.1

$0.60 ฿19.76

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 KES 445

$4.31 ฿142

-19.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 KES 1,528

$18.60 ฿615

-36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.80 ฿59.5

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.97 ฿98.0

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 195

$3.10 ฿102

-51.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.08 ฿35.56

39.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$3.87 ฿128

-26.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.43 ฿47.16

11.19%

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

$20.5K KES 2.7M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-26.15%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-27.25%

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

$60.6 KES 7,832

$105 ฿3,462

-42.20%

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

$15.47 KES 2,000

$11.39 ฿376

35.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.53 KES 4,594

$17.54 ฿580

102.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 KES 1,017

$7.78 ฿257

1.03%

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

$239 KES 30.9K

$576 ฿19.0K

-58.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$11.6K ฿382.7K

0.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 KES 3,529

$63.6 ฿2,103

-57.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 KES 3,333

$29.10 ฿961

-11.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 KES 8,050

$96.2 ฿3,179

-35.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 KES 7,792

$90.0 ฿2,974

-33.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,840

$733 ฿24.2K

-89.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.0 KES 8,406

$501 ฿16.5K

-87.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-89.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 KES 25.1K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-84.49%

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)

$118 KES 15.2K

$508 ฿16.8K

-76.83%

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 Nanyuki: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $76.1 in Nanyuki and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 332% 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: $35.00 in Nanyuki vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $275, with Nanyuki cheaper for home cooking.

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 119% 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 332% 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: $76.1 in Nanyuki versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $577 per month in Nanyuki versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $577 in Nanyuki versus $1,265 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 $577 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 119% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.