Cost of Living Comparison Between Xai-Xai and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Xai-Xai and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $683 in Xai-Xai versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in Xai-Xai versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,580 in Xai-Xai versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Xai-Xai costs roughly 46% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Xai-Xai 50% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 MZN 652

$4.56 ฿150

125.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 MZN 3,927

$32.62 ฿1,073

90.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 MZN 451

$8.90 ฿293

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$2.20 MZN 139

$2.80 ฿92.2

-21.43%

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

$0.81 MZN 51.1

$0.88 ฿28.94

-7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.39

$0.49 ฿16.08

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 MZN 97.0

$2.39 ฿78.5

-35.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 MZN 151

$3.71 ฿122

-35.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MZN 98.5

$1.79 ฿58.8

-12.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MZN 65.1

$1.44 ฿47.40

-28.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 MZN 100

$1.58 ฿52.1

Eggs

$2.52 MZN 159

$2.13 ฿69.9

18.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.59 MZN 1,303

$19.92 ฿655

3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 MZN 364

$3.43 ฿113

67.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 MZN 349

$11.33 ฿372

-51.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 MZN 131

$2.95 ฿97.0

-29.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 MZN 48.35

$1.72 ฿56.6

-55.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MZN 103

$2.32 ฿76.5

-29.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MZN 65.7

$2.08 ฿68.4

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 MZN 66.2

$1.47 ฿48.34

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MZN 51.6

$1.36 ฿44.65

-39.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MZN 61.6

$1.10 ฿36.13

-11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$0.57 ฿18.89

61.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 MZN 181

$4.27 ฿140

-32.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MZN 648

$18.42 ฿606

-44.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MZN 64.1

$1.87 ฿61.5

-45.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MZN 82.2

$2.92 ฿96.1

-55.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 MZN 98.6

$3.03 ฿99.6

-48.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$1.07 ฿35.32

11.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 MZN 1,563

$3.93 ฿129

529.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.0

$1.49 ฿49.06

-10.74%

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

$32.0K MZN 2.0M

$27.1K ฿892.0K

17.99%

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

$23.1K MZN 1.5M

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-15.94%

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

$70.8 MZN 4,479

$103 ฿3,380

-31.12%

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

$7.72 MZN 488

$10.99 ฿361

-29.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 MZN 5,436

$17.51 ฿576

390.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 MZN 491

$7.48 ฿246

3.74%

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

$130 MZN 8,208

$557 ฿18.3K

-76.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,071 MZN 320.7K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.56 MZN 3,134

$64.1 ฿2,107

-22.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 MZN 3,509

$29.07 ฿956

90.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MZN 4,966

$96.0 ฿3,155

-18.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 MZN 5,051

$90.3 ฿2,970

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

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 Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Xai-Xai vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $273, with Xai-Xai cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Xai-Xai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,024 in Xai-Xai and $1,880 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $130 in Xai-Xai versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Xai-Xai – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $683 in Xai-Xai versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Xai-Xai but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Xai-Xai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Xai-Xai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Xai-Xai and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Xai-Xai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.