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 $717 per month in Xai-Xai vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,548 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Xai-Xai is about 17% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.28 MZN 587

$1.94 ฿63.5

378.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.66 MZN 3,141

$18.64 ฿609

166.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 MZN 542

$7.82 ฿255

9.46%

Cappuccino

$2.12 MZN 134

$1.95 ฿63.8

8.72%

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

$0.77 MZN 48.77

$0.85 ฿27.77

-9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MZN 33.94

$0.35 ฿11.58

54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MZN 85.6

$2.13 ฿69.6

-36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$3.73 ฿122

-59.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MZN 96.5

$1.71 ฿56.0

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 69.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-33.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 102

$1.14 ฿37.15

42.11%

Eggs

$2.33 MZN 148

$1.93 ฿63.1

20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 MZN 964

$16.21 ฿530

-5.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MZN 323

$3.12 ฿102

63.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$10.90 ฿356

-52.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.75 ฿90.0

-30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.0

$1.21 ฿39.52

-23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MZN 85.9

$1.62 ฿53.0

-16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.2

$1.59 ฿51.8

-40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.5

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MZN 45.79

$1.17 ฿38.17

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MZN 57.8

$0.66 ฿21.60

37.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MZN 47.31

$0.53 ฿17.22

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MZN 167

$4.69 ฿153

-43.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 MZN 567

$18.66 ฿609

-51.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MZN 91.2

$3.23 ฿106

-55.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 MZN 97.9

$1.41 ฿45.91

9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 MZN 183

$1.29 ฿42.12

124.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 MZN 1,550

$7.84 ฿256

212.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.7

$1.27 ฿41.58

3.94%

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

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

62.62%

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

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-9.29%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,770

$69.1 ฿2,256

32.08%

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

$14.36 MZN 908

$14.08 ฿460

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 MZN 6,788

$18.00 ฿588

496.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 MZN 505

$5.92 ฿193

34.80%

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

$179 MZN 11.3K

$299 ฿9,766

-40.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-61.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.15 MZN 3,046

$54.7 ฿1,787

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 MZN 3,884

$26.77 ฿874

129.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MZN 5,332

$85.0 ฿2,776

-0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,025

$70.6 ฿2,306

12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Xai-Xai versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Xai-Xai vs $246 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 21% 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 $1,075 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,300 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 $50.0 in Xai-Xai and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $717 in Xai-Xai and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Xai-Xai costs $717 versus $866 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.