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: $717 in Xai-Xai versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in Xai-Xai versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,548 in Xai-Xai versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Xai-Xai costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Xai-Xai 47% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.28 MZN 587

$4.70 ฿153

97.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.66 MZN 3,141

$45.37 ฿1,482

9.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 MZN 542

$8.43 ฿275

1.54%

Cappuccino

$2.12 MZN 134

$2.93 ฿95.6

-27.65%

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

$0.77 MZN 48.77

$0.69 ฿22.40

11.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MZN 33.94

$0.37 ฿11.99

45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MZN 85.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

-43.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$3.72 ฿122

-59.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MZN 96.5

$2.23 ฿72.9

-31.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 69.1

$1.83 ฿59.8

-40.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 102

$2.17 ฿70.8

-25.35%

Eggs

$2.33 MZN 148

$2.21 ฿72.3

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 MZN 964

$19.74 ฿645

-22.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MZN 323

$3.63 ฿119

40.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$13.53 ฿442

-61.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 122

$3.28 ฿107

-41.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.0

$1.61 ฿52.6

-42.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MZN 85.9

$2.41 ฿78.6

-43.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.2

$2.08 ฿68.1

-54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.5

$1.53 ฿49.93

-38.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MZN 45.79

$1.48 ฿48.36

-51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MZN 57.8

$0.99 ฿32.29

-8.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MZN 47.31

$0.51 ฿16.67

47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MZN 167

$4.41 ฿144

-39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 MZN 567

$19.38 ฿633

-53.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.6

$1.78 ฿58.1

-45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MZN 91.2

$2.71 ฿88.6

-46.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 MZN 97.9

$3.02 ฿98.6

-48.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 MZN 183

$0.99 ฿32.48

192.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 MZN 1,550

$14.10 ฿461

73.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.7

$1.36 ฿44.51

-2.94%

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

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

22.69%

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

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-38.76%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,770

$122 ฿3,975

-25.04%

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

$14.36 MZN 908

$13.57 ฿443

5.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 MZN 6,788

$18.31 ฿598

486.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 MZN 505

$8.69 ฿284

-8.17%

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

$179 MZN 11.3K

$693 ฿22.6K

-74.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-62.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.15 MZN 3,046

$59.5 ฿1,944

-19.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 MZN 3,884

$34.77 ฿1,136

76.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MZN 5,332

$115 ฿3,743

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,025

$83.3 ฿2,720

-4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

5.33

356.47%

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

Last update for Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Xai-Xai vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $293, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,075 in Xai-Xai and $1,898 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 $179 in Xai-Xai versus $693 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 $50.0 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in Xai-Xai versus $1,265 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 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.