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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $708 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,119 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,531 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% 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 36% lower, Xai-Xai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$9.13 MZN 577

-78.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$49.45 MZN 3,126

-62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.31 MZN 525

-9.99%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.05 MZN 129

-1.46%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.75 MZN 47.60

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.58 MZN 36.96

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.36 MZN 85.8

57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.52 MZN 96.0

136.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.51 MZN 95.7

9.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.06 MZN 66.9

48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.64 MZN 103

-27.44%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.38 MZN 150

-18.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$15.01 MZN 949

7.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.23 MZN 331

-42.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.42 MZN 343

101.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.97 MZN 124

37.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.88 MZN 55.8

32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.41 MZN 88.9

19.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.93 MZN 58.8

72.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.95 MZN 60.0

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.68 MZN 42.77

76.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.90 MZN 56.9

-25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.73 MZN 46.33

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.62 MZN 166

77.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.83 MZN 558

99.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.02 MZN 64.4

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.43 MZN 90.6

130.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.59 MZN 101

-14.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.92 MZN 185

-54.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$24.28 MZN 1,535

-66.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.31 MZN 82.8

-6.87%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.7K MZN 2.3M

-40.20%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$20.3K MZN 1.3M

10.87%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$91.2 MZN 5,763

-22.47%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$14.49 MZN 916

-3.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$106 MZN 6,684

-83.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.94 MZN 502

-25.44%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$178 MZN 11.3K

72.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$5,805 MZN 367.0K

156.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$49.82 MZN 3,150

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$62.6 MZN 3,959

-58.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$83.0 MZN 5,245

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$79.4 MZN 5,019

-11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Xai-Xai. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 22% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,062 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Xai-Xai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $708 in Xai-Xai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Xai-Xai costs $708 versus $861 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.