Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Toamasina Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Toamasina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $439 in Toamasina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $694 in Toamasina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $949 in Toamasina, rent included.

Medellin costs about 134% more than Toamasina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Toamasina are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Toamasina 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

119.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$15.42 MGA 64.9K

112.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$4.36 MGA 18.3K

70.18%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.20 MGA 5,051

37.50%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.67 MGA 2,801

59.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.69 MGA 2,913

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$0.81 MGA 3,406

112.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.12 MGA 4,735

185.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$0.91 MGA 3,823

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.65 MGA 2,734

101.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$0.64 MGA 2,686

109.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.85 MGA 7,793

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$10.59 MGA 44.6K

-58.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.77 MGA 28.5K

-15.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$5.25 MGA 22.1K

62.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.47 MGA 6,174

59.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$0.84 MGA 3,554

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.36 MGA 5,725

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$0.76 MGA 3,192

80.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.52 MGA 2,196

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.74 MGA 3,127

59.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.31 MGA 1,320

170.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.49 MGA 2,069

75.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$1.77 MGA 7,454

27.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$0.83 MGA 3,499

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.08 MGA 4,543

129.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.34 MGA 1,447

132.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.10 MGA 4,635

-8.18%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$18.72 MGA 78.8K

-49.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$66.8 MGA 281.0K

-64.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$22.39 MGA 94.3K

16.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$6.62 MGA 27.9K

-38.22%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$9.04 MGA 38.1K

560.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$6.50 MGA 27.4K

391.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$54.7 MGA 230.4K

84.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$37.61 MGA 158.3K

179.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$133 MGA 561.0K

264.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$55.3 MGA 232.8K

560.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$443 MGA 1.9M

86.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$132 MGA 556.5K

452.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$144 MGA 607.6K

281.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $133 in Toamasina. 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 282% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Toamasina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $145 – making Toamasina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin vs Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $659 in Toamasina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 31% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $15.00 in Toamasina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Toamasina, where all-in costs run around $439, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Toamasina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toamasina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Toamasina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.