Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nanyuki Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nanyuki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $616 in Nanyuki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,008 in Nanyuki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,400 in Nanyuki.

Living in Phuket is roughly 105% more expensive than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Nanyuki 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.82 KES 495

19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.67 KES 3,976

52.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.64 KES 861

27.56%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.83 KES 237

65.57%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 KES 90.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.54 KES 70.4

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.27 KES 294

9.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.95 KES 382

24.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.91 KES 118

139.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.54 KES 69.9

251.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.18 KES 153

86.44%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.58 KES 205

40.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.42 KES 1,481

75.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.55 KES 849

-44.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$3.89 KES 504

240.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.13 KES 406

3.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.04 KES 135

63.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.14 KES 277

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.02 KES 132

103.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.07 KES 139

48.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.15 KES 149

28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.64 KES 82.7

60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.76 KES 98.5

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.66 KES 345

59.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$11.40 KES 1,478

64.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.89 KES 245

-6.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.95 KES 253

41.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.41 KES 53.0

231.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.57 KES 203

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.53 KES 198

-32.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.92 KES 378

371.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.19 KES 154

12.61%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$21.8K KES 2.8M

26.78%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

67.44%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$33.86 KES 4,390

265.00%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.01 KES 2,205

-20.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$39.05 KES 5,063

-52.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$53.9 KES 6,989

14.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.29 KES 816

45.31%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$65.4 KES 8,483

974.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,627 KES 988.9K

108.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$18.53 KES 2,403

220.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$23.77 KES 3,082

47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$64.1 KES 8,312

79.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$57.3 KES 7,428

46.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$95.8 KES 12.4K

545.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$78.6 KES 10.2K

450.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$332 KES 43.1K

520.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$209 KES 27.1K

622.53%

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

$115 KES 14.8K

342.79%

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 Nanyuki: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $95.8 in Nanyuki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 343% 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 $31.00 in Nanyuki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $193 per month, with Nanyuki 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 Nanyuki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanyuki wins on cost – living expenses run 105% 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.

Phuket pays 343% 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 $95.8 in Nanyuki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% 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 $616 in Nanyuki – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Nanyuki versus $1,261 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 $616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nanyuki hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Nanyuki 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 105% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.