Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Toamasina Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Toamasina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $436 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $696 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $957 in Toamasina.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 426% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Toamasina is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$2.59 MGA 11.1K

525.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$15.45 MGA 66.3K

309.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$4.54 MGA 19.5K

127.31%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.16 MGA 4,982

143.97%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.67 MGA 2,887

241.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.74 MGA 3,191

113.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.77 MGA 3,285

341.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.10 MGA 4,703

266.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.99 MGA 4,261

10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.68 MGA 2,933

157.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.64 MGA 2,758

175.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.91 MGA 8,186

65.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$10.77 MGA 46.2K

22.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.59 MGA 28.3K

20.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$5.09 MGA 21.8K

205.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.43 MGA 6,129

65.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.80 MGA 3,445

113.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.32 MGA 5,659

52.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.77 MGA 3,289

215.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.49 MGA 2,082

259.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.69 MGA 2,977

194.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.35 MGA 1,486

448.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.49 MGA 2,119

73.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$1.80 MGA 7,699

265.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.89 MGA 3,838

49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.13 MGA 4,836

162.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.32 MGA 1,355

612.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.12 MGA 4,811

85.71%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.90

$19.19 MGA 82.3K

6.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$66.1 MGA 283.5K

-40.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$22.00 MGA 94.3K

118.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.78 MGA 29.1K

35.99%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$8.67 MGA 37.2K

1084.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$6.81 MGA 29.2K

512.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$56.4 MGA 242.0K

67.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$36.59 MGA 156.9K

233.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$132 MGA 566.9K

1135.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$56.6 MGA 242.6K

2078.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$442 MGA 1.9M

601.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$133 MGA 570.3K

1427.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$141 MGA 603.7K

1041.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $132 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1042% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $15.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $145 per month, with Toamasina cheaper across the board.

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

Lisbon vs Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Toamasina differ by about 426% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $436 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1042% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $132 in Toamasina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Toamasina – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $436 in Toamasina – a 426% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $436 in Toamasina versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toamasina but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Toamasina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Toamasina 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 Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 426% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.