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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $471 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $762 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $1,053 in Toamasina.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 382% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Toamasina is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$2.23 MGA 9,655

687.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$16.56 MGA 71.8K

289.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$4.56 MGA 19.7K

155.48%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.17 MGA 5,090

178.63%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.78 MGA 3,364

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.56 MGA 2,412

198.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.04 MGA 4,493

233.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.37 MGA 5,915

161.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.02 MGA 4,419

15.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.72 MGA 3,116

170.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.97 MGA 4,189

60.82%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.96 MGA 8,503

104.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$12.56 MGA 54.4K

5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.16 MGA 31.0K

17.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$5.44 MGA 23.6K

235.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.65 MGA 7,133

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.40 MGA 6,070

23.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.67 MGA 7,241

15.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.69 MGA 2,977

282.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.66 MGA 2,846

187.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.53 MGA 2,307

298.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.37 MGA 1,582

289.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.48 MGA 2,080

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$1.87 MGA 8,111

274.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.90 MGA 3,881

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.13 MGA 4,912

90.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.33 MGA 1,451

621.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.20 MGA 5,203

87.50%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

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

$19.01 €16.38

$33.45 MGA 144.9K

-43.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$70.5 MGA 305.4K

-51.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$23.18 MGA 100.4K

114.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.10 MGA 30.8K

42.25%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$9.27 MGA 40.2K

1028.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$7.11 MGA 30.8K

574.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$57.9 MGA 250.8K

75.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$39.47 MGA 171.0K

225.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$140 MGA 605.4K

1089.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$57.3 MGA 248.2K

2043.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$468 MGA 2.0M

522.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$140 MGA 608.0K

1341.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$139 MGA 603.2K

1063.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $140 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1063% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $17.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $163 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 382% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $471 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1063% 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $140 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 $17.00 versus $64.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $471 in Toamasina – a 382% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $471 in Toamasina versus $2,268 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 382% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.