diff --git a/python/pyspark/pandas/indexes/multi.py b/python/pyspark/pandas/indexes/multi.py
index 9fbc608c12a4b..62b42c1fcd02c 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/pandas/indexes/multi.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/pandas/indexes/multi.py
@@ -810,7 +810,18 @@ def symmetric_difference(  # type: ignore[override]
         sdf_self = self._psdf._internal.spark_frame.select(self._internal.index_spark_columns)
         sdf_other = other._psdf._internal.spark_frame.select(other._internal.index_spark_columns)
 
-        sdf_symdiff = sdf_self.union(sdf_other).subtract(sdf_self.intersect(sdf_other))
+        tmp_tag_col = verify_temp_column_name(sdf_self, "__multi_index_tag__")
+        tmp_max_col = verify_temp_column_name(sdf_self, "__multi_index_max_tag__")
+        tmp_min_col = verify_temp_column_name(sdf_self, "__multi_index_min_tag__")
+
+        sdf_symdiff = (
+            sdf_self.withColumn(tmp_tag_col, F.lit(0))
+            .union(sdf_other.withColumn(tmp_tag_col, F.lit(1)))
+            .groupBy(*self._internal.index_spark_column_names)
+            .agg(F.min(tmp_tag_col).alias(tmp_min_col), F.max(tmp_tag_col).alias(tmp_max_col))
+            .where(F.col(tmp_min_col) == F.col(tmp_max_col))
+            .select(*self._internal.index_spark_column_names)
+        )
 
         if sort:
             sdf_symdiff = sdf_symdiff.sort(*self._internal.index_spark_column_names)