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: $708 in Xai-Xai versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,119 in Xai-Xai versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,531 in Xai-Xai versus $3,317 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

$9.13 MZN 577

$4.55 ฿153

100.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 MZN 3,126

$46.18 ฿1,553

7.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 MZN 525

$8.84 ฿297

-6.00%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MZN 129

$3.06 ฿103

-33.01%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.60

$0.73 ฿24.40

2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.96

$0.40 ฿13.39

45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MZN 85.8

$2.43 ฿81.8

-44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$3.78 ฿127

-59.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MZN 95.7

$2.26 ฿76.0

-33.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MZN 66.9

$1.81 ฿60.9

-41.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MZN 103

$2.25 ฿75.8

-27.11%

Eggs

$2.38 MZN 150

$2.25 ฿75.5

5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 MZN 949

$19.51 ฿656

-23.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MZN 331

$3.65 ฿123

43.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.42 MZN 343

$13.05 ฿439

-58.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$3.23 ฿109

-39.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 MZN 55.8

$1.62 ฿54.4

-45.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 MZN 88.9

$2.38 ฿80.1

-40.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$2.03 ฿68.1

-54.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MZN 60.0

$1.53 ฿51.6

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.77

$1.50 ฿50.5

-54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MZN 56.9

$0.98 ฿32.91

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.33

$0.52 ฿17.39

40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 MZN 166

$4.44 ฿149

-40.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 MZN 558

$18.32 ฿616

-51.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MZN 64.4

$1.86 ฿62.7

-45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.6

$2.68 ฿90.1

-46.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 101

$3.11 ฿105

-48.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 MZN 185

$1.04 ฿35.06

180.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 MZN 1,535

$14.11 ฿474

72.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 82.8

$1.31 ฿44.10

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

$35.7K MZN 2.3M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

28.36%

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

$20.3K MZN 1.3M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-38.83%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,763

$122 ฿4,118

-25.56%

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

$14.49 MZN 916

$13.59 ฿457

6.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,684

$18.70 ฿629

465.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 MZN 502

$9.07 ฿305

-12.46%

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

$178 MZN 11.3K

$706 ฿23.8K

-74.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,805 MZN 367.0K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-63.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 MZN 3,150

$58.6 ฿1,969

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 MZN 3,959

$35.36 ฿1,189

77.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MZN 5,245

$115 ฿3,883

-28.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,019

$83.7 ฿2,816

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $49.00 in Xai-Xai vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $289, 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 $1,062 in Xai-Xai and $1,875 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 $178 in Xai-Xai versus $706 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 $49.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $708 in Xai-Xai versus $1,250 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.