Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Xiamen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Xiamen

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 13.2% more expensive than Xiamen without rent, and 10% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 14.9% more expensive than Xiamen without rent, and 6.2% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$2.76 ¥19.79
-26.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$23.39 ¥168
-19.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$5.63 ¥40.41
36.23%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$2.75 ¥19.74
-28.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.51 ¥3.62
60.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.31 ¥2.25
6.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.41 ¥10.12
50.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$3.52 ¥25.26
5.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.86 ¥13.37
-11.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$2.14 ¥15.37
-26.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$0.75 ¥5.41
58.67%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.35 ¥9.68
46.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$11.04 ¥79.2
44.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$2.36 ¥16.91
32.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$11.06 ¥79.4
0.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$2.45 ¥17.55
12.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.38 ¥9.88
-11.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.56 ¥11.17
9.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.82 ¥13.09
-14.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.9 ¥6.48
48.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.71 ¥12.28
-29.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.81 ¥5.84
-11.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.51 ¥3.65
3.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$2.77 ¥19.85
70.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$10.51 ¥75.4
74.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$0.8 ¥5.72
123.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$1.64 ¥11.77
95.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.22 ¥1.58
327.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$11.1 ¥79.6
70.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.37 ¥9.79
3.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$0.28 ¥2.03
382.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$6.61 ¥47.44
18.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.13 ¥8.1
10.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$16.3K ¥116.7K
30.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$17.8K ¥127.7K
22.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$39.45 ¥283
78.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$9.96 ¥71.4
37.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$9.71 ¥69.7
80.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$43.63 ¥313
-4.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$9.98 ¥71.6
-30.86%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$9.6 ¥68.8
-39.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$459 ¥3,292
-32.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$22.7K ¥163K
-35.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$42.43 ¥304
30.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$27.41 ¥197
-3.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$83.5 ¥599
1.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$79.3 ¥569
-9.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$335 ¥2,403
29.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$249 ¥1,784
-5.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$844 ¥6,056
-2.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$508 ¥3,646
-1.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$8,753 ¥62.8K
-75.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$5,019 ¥36K
-69.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Xiamen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$847 ¥6,073
-16.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.56
40.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Xiamen: October 28, 2025

Similar cities

Join the CityCost newsletter – low traffic, no spam, and easy to unsubscribe. Your email stays private.