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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $434 in Toamasina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $688 in Toamasina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $943 in Toamasina, rent included.

Medellin costs about 138% more than Toamasina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Toamasina are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Toamasina 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

117.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$15.26 MGA 63.3K

114.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.52 MGA 18.8K

59.29%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.17 MGA 4,844

45.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.72 MGA 2,991

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.74 MGA 3,067

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.80 MGA 3,308

108.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.12 MGA 4,658

176.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.98 MGA 4,078

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.69 MGA 2,866

81.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.66 MGA 2,730

110.61%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.91 MGA 7,943

18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

-59.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.76 MGA 28.1K

-13.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.23 MGA 21.7K

68.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.45 MGA 6,031

54.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.85 MGA 3,528

27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.37 MGA 5,675

11.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.75 MGA 3,121

82.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.52 MGA 2,149

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.74 MGA 3,072

51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.32 MGA 1,308

165.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.49 MGA 2,051

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.76 MGA 7,309

32.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.89 MGA 3,680

33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.12 MGA 4,663

111.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.32 MGA 1,307

146.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.07 MGA 4,427

-12.15%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$19.06 MGA 79.1K

-49.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$65.8 MGA 273.1K

-63.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.25 MGA 92.3K

16.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.53 MGA 27.1K

-39.97%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

571.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$6.81 MGA 28.3K

367.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$54.4 MGA 225.8K

83.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$37.93 MGA 157.4K

182.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$136 MGA 563.2K

258.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$56.5 MGA 234.3K

551.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$445 MGA 1.8M

85.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$134 MGA 555.7K

434.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$143 MGA 591.4K

282.68%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $136 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 283% 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 $147 – 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 138%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $651 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 29% 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 $434, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.