Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Xai-Xai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Xai-Xai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,132 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,548 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Xai-Xai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Xai-Xai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.28 MZN 587

-79.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$49.66 MZN 3,141

-62.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.56 MZN 542

-8.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.12 MZN 134

-8.02%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.77 MZN 48.77

10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.54 MZN 33.94

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.35 MZN 85.6

57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.52 MZN 96.0

145.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.53 MZN 96.5

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.09 MZN 69.1

49.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.62 MZN 102

-29.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.33 MZN 148

-17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$15.24 MZN 964

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.11 MZN 323

-38.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.22 MZN 330

108.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.92 MZN 122

43.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.93 MZN 59.0

30.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.36 MZN 85.9

19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.94 MZN 59.2

69.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.94 MZN 59.5

48.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.72 MZN 45.79

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.91 MZN 57.8

-27.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.75 MZN 47.31

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.65 MZN 167

76.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.97 MZN 567

108.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.97 MZN 61.6

85.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.44 MZN 91.2

124.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.55 MZN 97.9

-9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.90 MZN 183

-55.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$24.50 MZN 1,550

-68.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.32 MZN 83.7

-3.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

-38.51%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

10.25%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$91.2 MZN 5,770

-24.29%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$14.36 MZN 908

-1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$107 MZN 6,788

-83.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.98 MZN 505

-25.81%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$179 MZN 11.3K

66.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

156.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$48.15 MZN 3,046

13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$61.4 MZN 3,884

-56.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$84.3 MZN 5,332

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$79.4 MZN 5,025

-11.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

-79.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Xai-Xai. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Xai-Xai – so Xai-Xai 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

Chiang Mai vs Xai-Xai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Xai-Xai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,075 in Xai-Xai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $50.0 in Xai-Xai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $717 in Xai-Xai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Xai-Xai costs $717 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Xai-Xai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.