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: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $429 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $694 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $960 in Toamasina.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 415% more expensive than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Toamasina is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.59 MGA 10.8K

514.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$15.25 MGA 63.9K

324.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$4.37 MGA 18.3K

140.50%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.16 MGA 4,865

147.41%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.69 MGA 2,875

224.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.69 MGA 2,887

117.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$0.75 MGA 3,139

365.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.13 MGA 4,727

243.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.98 MGA 4,094

16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.64 MGA 2,696

173.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.70 MGA 2,933

151.43%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.85 MGA 7,745

74.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$10.51 MGA 44.1K

28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.57 MGA 27.6K

20.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.98 MGA 20.9K

218.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.46 MGA 6,139

58.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.87 MGA 3,640

95.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.35 MGA 5,673

48.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.76 MGA 3,204

223.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.48 MGA 2,004

283.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$0.69 MGA 2,909

189.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.35 MGA 1,449

451.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.50 MGA 2,111

58.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$1.79 MGA 7,505

269.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.91 MGA 3,815

50.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.13 MGA 4,741

162.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.34 MGA 1,440

597.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.07 MGA 4,503

92.52%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

$19.12 MGA 80.2K

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$66.6 MGA 279.1K

-40.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$21.91 MGA 91.9K

118.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

33.82%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$8.98 MGA 37.7K

1065.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$6.47 MGA 27.1K

550.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$54.7 MGA 229.4K

71.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$36.94 MGA 154.9K

223.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$135 MGA 566.0K

1105.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$55.7 MGA 233.6K

2152.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$453 MGA 1.9M

569.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$133 MGA 558.1K

1417.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$143 MGA 599.1K

1022.09%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Lisbon and $135 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1022% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $15.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 415% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $429 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 1022% more on average, 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: $1,628 in Lisbon versus $135 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $429 in Toamasina – a 415% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $429 in Toamasina versus $2,210 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 415% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.