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 $639 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $978 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,318 in Nakuru, rent included.

Phuket costs about 98% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Nakuru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.92 KES 506

18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$34.07 KES 4,405

-5.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.25 KES 808

38.88%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.97 KES 255

47.21%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.38 KES 48.59

121.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.22 KES 28.36

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.34 KES 302

5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.77 KES 359

34.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.52 KES 67.6

263.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.47 KES 61.0

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.53 KES 197

5.88%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.61 KES 209

39.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$10.52 KES 1,360

88.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.37 KES 823

-45.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$6.35 KES 821

79.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.38 KES 437

-14.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.99 KES 129

73.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.03 KES 263

11.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.11 KES 144

91.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.06 KES 137

38.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.07 KES 139

32.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.67 KES 86.7

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.74 KES 95.4

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.56 KES 461

21.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.57 KES 1,496

60.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.24 KES 290

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.82 KES 364

5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.50 KES 194

106.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.58 KES 205

-31.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$2.98 KES 385

29.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.50 KES 194

-4.67%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$20.5K KES 2.6M

35.73%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$20.0K KES 2.6M

35.15%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$60.9 KES 7,872

72.14%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$15.19 KES 1,964

-25.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$35.73 KES 4,620

-50.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.68 KES 994

1.30%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$241 KES 31.1K

139.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-1.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$27.54 KES 3,561

131.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$26.28 KES 3,398

10.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$64.0 KES 8,268

50.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$60.0 KES 7,762

49.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$224 KES 29.0K

227.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$137 KES 17.7K

266.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$537 KES 69.4K

295.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$197 KES 25.4K

537.03%

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)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $224 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $198 in Nakuru – so Nakuru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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, $639 in Nakuru – roughly 98% 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 $958 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $639 in Nakuru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $241 in Nakuru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $639, 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 $639 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.