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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $606 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $996 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,386 in Nakuru, rent included.

Phuket costs about 106% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nakuru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.51 KES 454

29.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$38.94 KES 5,032

18.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.90 KES 891

28.12%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.72 KES 223

77.91%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.37 KES 48.23

97.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.32 KES 41.63

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.42 KES 184

71.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.51 KES 196

150.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.51 KES 66.0

343.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.51 KES 65.7

254.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.15 KES 148

95.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.36 KES 176

65.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.62 KES 985

156.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.40 KES 827

-42.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.30 KES 556

203.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.70 KES 220

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.45 KES 57.7

260.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.71 KES 221

39.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.60 KES 77.8

238.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.40 KES 51.9

282.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.56 KES 72.4

167.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.65 KES 83.9

50.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.60 KES 78.1

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.04 KES 264

117.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.75 KES 1,518

55.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.61 KES 208

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.80 KES 233

48.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.76 KES 97.7

85.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$26.48 KES 3,422

-55.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.58 KES 204

96.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.74 KES 95.4

40.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.95 KES 381

378.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.27 KES 164

3.15%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$12.5K KES 1.6M

122.22%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$14.7K KES 1.9M

126.38%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$30.33 KES 3,920

303.69%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.05 KES 2,204

-20.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$39.44 KES 5,096

-52.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$47.30 KES 6,112

27.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.44 KES 703

66.73%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$204 KES 26.4K

245.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,922 KES 506.9K

302.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$18.52 KES 2,394

216.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$24.31 KES 3,141

45.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$37.95 KES 4,904

204.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$54.9 KES 7,099

52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$229 KES 29.6K

173.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$115 KES 14.9K

286.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$393 KES 50.8K

419.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$271 KES 35.0K

450.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $39.00 in Nakuru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $606 in Nakuru – roughly 106% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $908 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $204 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $606, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $606 in Nakuru to $1,250 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.