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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $683 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,133 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,583 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Xai-Xai are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Xai-Xai 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$10.08 MZN 638

-79.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$63.7 MZN 4,029

-69.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.42 MZN 469

-23.58%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.17 MZN 137

-16.59%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.87 MZN 55.0

-11.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.67 MZN 42.69

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.54 MZN 97.6

43.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.34 MZN 148

61.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.60 MZN 101

28.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.03 MZN 65.3

46.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.65 MZN 104

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.49 MZN 157

-9.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$20.69 MZN 1,308

-21.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$5.85 MZN 370

-50.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$5.67 MZN 358

66.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.00 MZN 126

34.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$0.82 MZN 51.7

32.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.68 MZN 106

-3.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.08 MZN 68.0

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.00 MZN 63.3

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.81 MZN 51.3

30.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.92 MZN 58.5

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.85 MZN 53.7

-37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.77 MZN 175

52.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$10.28 MZN 650

77.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$0.98 MZN 62.0

66.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.34 MZN 84.9

116.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.52 MZN 96.2

-23.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.15 MZN 72.7

-49.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$24.95 MZN 1,578

-90.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.39 MZN 87.8

4.32%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$32.2K MZN 2.0M

-34.83%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$22.5K MZN 1.4M

17.59%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$71.3 MZN 4,508

-10.69%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$7.61 MZN 482

69.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$86.7 MZN 5,481

-76.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.70 MZN 487

-14.55%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$131 MZN 8,278

498.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$5,141 MZN 325.2K

185.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$49.88 MZN 3,155

10.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$55.3 MZN 3,500

-55.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$78.4 MZN 4,956

20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$79.5 MZN 5,028

-6.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-77.72%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $64.0 in Xai-Xai. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $225 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 37% more than Xai-Xai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,024 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $64.0 in Xai-Xai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xai-Xai, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Xai-Xai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Xai-Xai costs $683 versus $932 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.