Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $443 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $754 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,065 in Machakos.

Living in Phuket is roughly 185% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.34 KES 303

94.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$38.41 KES 4,980

21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.89 KES 893

22.93%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.95 KES 252

55.38%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 KES 90.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.51 KES 65.7

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.88 KES 243

32.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.77 KES 359

32.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.40 KES 52.4

445.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.44 KES 56.9

331.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.76 KES 97.9

189.47%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.36 KES 176

63.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.49 KES 1,490

73.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.77 KES 878

-45.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.75 KES 615

178.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.53 KES 198

111.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.75 KES 96.9

126.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.37 KES 48.26

545.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.38 KES 49.23

447.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.80 KES 104

98.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.78 KES 101

89.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.65 KES 83.7

58.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.38 KES 48.81

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.11 KES 404

36.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$11.55 KES 1,498

62.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.98 KES 257

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.75 KES 356

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.73 KES 95.2

330.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.80 KES 103

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.96 KES 384

365.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.51 KES 196

-11.26%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

26.01%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

72.33%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$34.62 KES 4,489

256.99%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$7.56 KES 980

78.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$11.64 KES 1,510

60.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.27 KES 813

45.77%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$46.87 KES 6,077

1399.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,961 KES 1.0M

99.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$11.72 KES 1,520

407.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$23.84 KES 3,091

47.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$65.5 KES 8,497

75.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.27 KES 4,962

119.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$93.1 KES 12.1K

564.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$68.7 KES 8,910

529.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$152 KES 19.7K

1257.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$118 KES 15.3K

1181.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$393 KES 50.9K

29.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

14.84

-64.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $93.1 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 29% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $165 per month, with Machakos 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

Phuket vs Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 185% 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.

Phuket pays 29% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $93.1 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $443 in Machakos – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,261 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $443 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.