Cost of Living Comparison Between Xiamen and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Xiamen and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Xiamen vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Xiamen vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,817 per month in Xiamen vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Xiamen is about 11% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Xiamen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Xiamen 39% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ¥20.26

$2.10 ฿69.6

43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.10 ¥155

$19.84 ฿659

16.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.22

$5.79 ฿192

-9.15%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ¥16.53

$1.83 ฿60.7

34.97%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.78 ฿25.74

-42.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.19

$0.31 ฿10.42

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$2.34 ฿77.6

-38.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ¥19.36

$3.70 ฿123

-21.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥9.86

$2.03 ฿67.4

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 ¥15.66

$1.60 ฿53.0

46.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.47

$1.42 ฿46.98

-31.69%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥10.58

$2.18 ฿72.3

-27.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 ¥80.2

$15.91 ฿528

-24.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 ¥17.11

$3.07 ฿102

-16.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 ¥79.1

$9.87 ฿328

19.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 ¥17.09

$2.63 ฿87.2

-3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ¥9.62

$1.10 ฿36.37

30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.26

$1.63 ฿54.1

3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.35

$1.53 ฿50.8

30.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.95

$1.24 ฿41.33

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.15

$1.13 ฿37.55

60.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ¥6.10

$0.74 ฿24.50

22.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.36

$0.50 ฿16.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ¥20.19

$4.28 ฿142

-29.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.10 ¥74.4

$17.97 ฿597

-38.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥5.41

$1.70 ฿56.4

-52.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥11.54

$2.90 ฿96.2

-40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ¥1.13

$0.94 ฿31.28

-81.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.14 ¥81.3

$55.3 ฿1,836

-78.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$1.23 ฿40.96

17.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.53 ฿17.74

-45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 ¥48.86

$2.40 ฿79.7

203.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$1.44 ฿47.78

-16.67%

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

$19.7K ¥131.9K

$21.2K ฿703.6K

-7.05%

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

$17.3K ¥115.7K

$27.3K ฿906.5K

-36.74%

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

$44.39 ¥297

$64.9 ฿2,156

-31.63%

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

$8.85 ¥59.3

$13.35 ฿443

-33.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 ¥68.1

$20.83 ฿692

-51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.59 ¥312

$40.42 ฿1,342

15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.49 ¥70.3

$3.95 ฿131

165.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ¥66.9

$6.71 ฿223

48.88%

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

$491 ¥3,288

$787 ฿26.1K

-37.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K ¥166.0K

$15.1K ฿502.1K

63.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.53 ¥258

$56.2 ฿1,867

-31.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 ¥197

$24.95 ฿828

17.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ¥712

$92.7 ฿3,078

14.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 ¥569

$75.1 ฿2,494

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 ¥2,354

$484 ฿16.1K

-27.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,745

$287 ฿9,537

-9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 ¥5,621

$910 ฿30.2K

-7.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ¥3,616

$531 ฿17.6K

1.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,573 ¥57.4K

$1,980 ฿65.7K

332.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,680 ¥31.3K

$1,451 ฿48.2K

222.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,150 ¥7,700

$605 ฿20.1K

89.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

5.57

-37.88%

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

Last update for Xiamen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Xiamen versus $484 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 90% higher in Xiamen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Xiamen versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Xiamen vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Xiamen 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

Xiamen vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Xiamen, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Xiamen and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Xiamen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $491 per month in Xiamen and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xiamen, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Xiamen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Xiamen costs $845 versus $950 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 Xiamen. 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.