Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Toamasina Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Toamasina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $462 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $753 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $1,045 in Toamasina.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 238% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 16% above, Toamasina is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$201

$2.20 MGA 9,776

405.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$886

$15.66 MGA 69.6K

212.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$203

$4.69 MGA 20.8K

139.45%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$67.9

$1.17 MGA 5,180

221.37%

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

$1.65 MX$29.87

$0.75 MGA 3,345

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.12

$0.59 MGA 2,608

116.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$58.9

$0.93 MGA 4,156

250.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$102

$1.28 MGA 5,703

342.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.71

$1.04 MGA 4,629

74.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$53.2

$0.69 MGA 3,075

326.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$37.04

$0.95 MGA 4,244

115.79%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$52.9

$1.88 MGA 8,368

55.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$216

$12.08 MGA 53.7K

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$172

$6.64 MGA 29.5K

43.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$268

$5.14 MGA 22.9K

188.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$56.8

$1.64 MGA 7,284

91.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.42

$1.39 MGA 6,179

44.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.51

$1.57 MGA 6,987

32.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$40.09

$0.65 MGA 2,906

241.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.23

$0.60 MGA 2,674

243.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$33.93

$0.56 MGA 2,492

235.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$26.76

$0.32 MGA 1,438

362.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.31

$0.50 MGA 2,230

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$97.8

$1.79 MGA 7,942

202.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$305

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$35.87

$0.93 MGA 4,119

112.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$78.2

$1.13 MGA 5,023

282.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.23

$0.36 MGA 1,584

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$37.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$97.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.48

$1.19 MGA 5,310

27.73%

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

$21.7K MX$392.8K

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

$24.8K MX$448.5K

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

$63.0 MX$1,138

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

$28.88 MX$522

$32.37 MGA 143.9K

-10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$613

$68.9 MGA 306.3K

-50.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,008

$22.38 MGA 99.5K

149.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$122

$7.04 MGA 31.3K

-3.84%

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

$428 MX$7,732

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$214.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,266

$9.17 MGA 40.8K

663.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$971

$6.92 MGA 30.8K

676.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,984

$56.4 MGA 250.6K

94.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,083

$38.00 MGA 168.9K

203.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.2K

$137 MGA 607.2K

677.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.1K

$57.0 MGA 253.6K

1075.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$43.0K

$448 MGA 2.0M

431.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.8K

$135 MGA 600.8K

832.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$18.0K

$136 MGA 602.6K

635.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Mexico City and $137 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 636% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $157 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

Mexico City vs Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Toamasina differ by about 238% in total monthly costs ($1,561 vs $462 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 636% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $137 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 $16.00 versus $49.00 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,561 per month in Mexico City versus $462 in Toamasina – a 238% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $462 in Toamasina versus $1,561 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toamasina but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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.

Expats usually find Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.