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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $587 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $995 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,403 in Nakuru, rent included.

Phuket costs about 116% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nakuru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.42 KES 442

37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$37.95 KES 4,912

19.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.92 KES 895

21.82%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.70 KES 220

72.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.38 KES 48.72

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.32 KES 41.52

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.37 KES 177

75.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.54 KES 199

141.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.52 KES 67.2

328.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.48 KES 61.9

281.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.16 KES 150

87.07%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.32 KES 170

67.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.94 KES 1,027

148.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.44 KES 834

-43.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.19 KES 543

222.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.71 KES 221

91.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.44 KES 57.4

265.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.78 KES 230

35.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.55 KES 71.7

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.40 KES 52.3

282.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.57 KES 73.2

159.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.64 KES 82.7

54.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.61 KES 78.5

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.98 KES 256

122.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.49 KES 1,487

68.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.58 KES 205

12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.79 KES 232

51.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.79 KES 102

73.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$26.55 KES 3,437

-57.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.53 KES 198

97.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.75 KES 96.9

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.81 KES 364

401.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.26 KES 163

7.94%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$12.5K KES 1.6M

125.10%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$14.9K KES 1.9M

121.13%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$31.44 KES 4,069

287.09%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.75 KES 2,169

-18.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$39.81 KES 5,153

-54.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$45.56 KES 5,898

32.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.39 KES 698

61.22%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$200 KES 25.9K

246.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,810 KES 493.2K

311.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$18.28 KES 2,366

225.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$23.64 KES 3,060

47.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$37.95 KES 4,913

201.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$54.6 KES 7,071

52.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$229 KES 29.6K

167.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$115 KES 14.9K

280.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$384 KES 49.7K

445.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$271 KES 35.0K

457.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.5

-57.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $229 in Nakuru. 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $38.00 in Nakuru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $156 – making Nakuru the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nakuru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $587 in Nakuru – roughly 116% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $881 in Nakuru. 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.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $200 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $587, 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 $587 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.