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

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

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

Xai-Xai is about 18% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Xai-Xai and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Xai-Xai 47% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.13 MZN 577

$1.96 ฿65.8

365.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 MZN 3,126

$18.35 ฿617

169.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 MZN 525

$7.48 ฿252

11.10%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MZN 129

$2.02 ฿67.8

1.49%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.60

$0.85 ฿28.50

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.96

$0.36 ฿11.96

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MZN 85.8

$2.14 ฿71.8

-36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$3.59 ฿121

-57.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MZN 95.7

$1.65 ฿55.5

-8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MZN 66.9

$1.57 ฿52.7

-32.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MZN 103

$1.19 ฿40.02

37.82%

Eggs

$2.38 MZN 150

$1.94 ฿65.1

22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 MZN 949

$16.19 ฿544

-7.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MZN 331

$2.99 ฿101

74.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.42 MZN 343

$10.94 ฿368

-50.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.71 ฿91.2

-27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 MZN 55.8

$1.17 ฿39.25

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 MZN 88.9

$1.69 ฿56.7

-16.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$1.60 ฿54.0

-41.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MZN 60.0

$1.38 ฿46.54

-31.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.77

$1.20 ฿40.45

-43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MZN 56.9

$0.67 ฿22.50

34.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.33

$0.56 ฿18.73

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 MZN 166

$4.64 ฿156

-43.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 MZN 558

$17.62 ฿593

-49.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MZN 64.4

$1.86 ฿62.5

-45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.6

$3.30 ฿111

-56.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 101

$1.36 ฿45.90

16.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 MZN 185

$1.34 ฿44.98

117.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 MZN 1,535

$8.21 ฿276

195.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 82.8

$1.22 ฿41.18

7.38%

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

$35.7K MZN 2.3M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

67.21%

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

$20.3K MZN 1.3M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-9.81%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,763

$70.7 ฿2,376

28.98%

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

$14.49 MZN 916

$14.04 ฿472

3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,684

$17.49 ฿588

504.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 MZN 502

$5.92 ฿199

34.12%

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

$178 MZN 11.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

-42.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,805 MZN 367.0K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-60.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 MZN 3,150

$55.8 ฿1,875

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 MZN 3,959

$26.11 ฿878

139.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MZN 5,245

$83.0 ฿2,792

-0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,019

$70.5 ฿2,369

12.69%

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

386.60%

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

Last update for Xai-Xai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Xai-Xai versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Xai-Xai vs $243 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 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 $1,062 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,292 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 $49.00 in Xai-Xai and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. 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 $708 in Xai-Xai and $861 in Chiang Mai, 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.