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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $683 per month in Xai-Xai vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,580 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Xai-Xai is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Xai-Xai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Xai-Xai 50% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 MZN 652

$2.08 ฿68.6

395.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 MZN 3,927

$19.64 ฿646

216.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 MZN 451

$5.65 ฿186

26.02%

Cappuccino

$2.20 MZN 139

$1.81 ฿59.4

21.55%

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

$0.81 MZN 51.1

$0.71 ฿23.45

14.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.39

$0.32 ฿10.38

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 MZN 97.0

$2.24 ฿73.6

-31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 MZN 151

$3.63 ฿119

-34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MZN 98.5

$1.96 ฿64.4

-20.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MZN 65.1

$1.50 ฿49.39

-31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 MZN 100

$1.34 ฿43.93

17.91%

Eggs

$2.52 MZN 159

$2.26 ฿74.5

11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.59 MZN 1,303

$16.26 ฿535

26.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 MZN 364

$2.95 ฿97.1

95.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 MZN 349

$9.94 ฿327

-44.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 MZN 131

$2.57 ฿84.6

-19.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 MZN 48.35

$1.06 ฿34.73

-28.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MZN 103

$1.61 ฿53.0

1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MZN 65.7

$1.52 ฿49.97

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MZN 66.2

$1.27 ฿41.77

-17.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MZN 51.6

$1.07 ฿35.06

-23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MZN 61.6

$0.72 ฿23.68

34.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$0.51 ฿16.72

80.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 MZN 181

$4.19 ฿138

-31.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MZN 648

$17.87 ฿587

-42.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MZN 64.1

$1.69 ฿55.7

-40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MZN 82.2

$2.84 ฿93.3

-54.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 MZN 98.6

$1.23 ฿40.59

26.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$0.58 ฿18.96

105.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 MZN 1,563

$2.42 ฿79.7

921.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.0

$1.41 ฿46.43

-5.67%

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

$32.0K MZN 2.0M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

49.26%

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

$23.1K MZN 1.5M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-15.58%

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

$70.8 MZN 4,479

$63.7 ฿2,093

11.21%

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

$7.72 MZN 488

$12.85 ฿423

-39.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 MZN 5,436

$20.22 ฿665

325.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 MZN 491

$6.74 ฿222

15.13%

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

$130 MZN 8,208

$778 ฿25.6K

-83.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,071 MZN 320.7K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-65.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.56 MZN 3,134

$54.3 ฿1,785

-8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 MZN 3,509

$25.45 ฿837

117.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MZN 4,966

$94.3 ฿3,102

-16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MZN 5,051

$73.4 ฿2,415

8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

348.83%

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

Last update for Xai-Xai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Xai-Xai versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Xai-Xai vs $240 in Chiang Mai – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 39% 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 $1,024 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Xai-Xai and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. 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 $947. 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 $947 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.