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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $434 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $688 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $943 in Toamasina.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 242% more expensive than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Toamasina is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

377.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$15.26 MGA 63.3K

247.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.52 MGA 18.8K

115.04%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.17 MGA 4,844

220.51%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.72 MGA 2,991

118.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.74 MGA 3,067

52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$0.80 MGA 3,308

297.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.12 MGA 4,658

316.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.98 MGA 4,078

65.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.69 MGA 2,866

292.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.66 MGA 2,730

184.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.91 MGA 7,943

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

-5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.76 MGA 28.1K

22.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$5.23 MGA 21.7K

128.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.45 MGA 6,031

97.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.85 MGA 3,528

105.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.37 MGA 5,675

51.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.75 MGA 3,121

162.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.52 MGA 2,149

315.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.74 MGA 3,072

194.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.32 MGA 1,308

334.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.49 MGA 2,051

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.76 MGA 7,309

138.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.89 MGA 3,680

97.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.12 MGA 4,663

228.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.32 MGA 1,307

21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.07 MGA 4,427

26.17%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

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

$27.50 MX$481

$19.06 MGA 79.1K

44.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$65.8 MGA 273.1K

-53.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$22.25 MGA 92.3K

140.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.53 MGA 27.1K

-3.98%

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

557.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$6.81 MGA 28.3K

557.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$54.4 MGA 225.8K

88.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$37.93 MGA 157.4K

184.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$136 MGA 563.2K

636.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$56.5 MGA 234.3K

998.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$445 MGA 1.8M

380.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$134 MGA 555.7K

822.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$143 MGA 591.4K

648.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $136 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 649% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $147 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 242% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $434 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 649% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $136 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $434 in Toamasina – a 242% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Toamasina versus $1,484 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 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.