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: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $475 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $756 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $1,037 in Toamasina.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 254% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Toamasina is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$2.24 MGA 9,622

428.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$16.44 MGA 70.5K

217.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$4.59 MGA 19.7K

136.82%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$1.13 MGA 4,863

256.64%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.74 MGA 3,173

131.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.61 MGA 2,611

119.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.02 MGA 4,367

232.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$1.31 MGA 5,641

338.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.03 MGA 4,410

83.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.68 MGA 2,916

366.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$0.93 MGA 3,988

120.43%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.99 MGA 8,534

51.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$12.46 MGA 53.4K

1.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$7.00 MGA 30.0K

42.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$5.41 MGA 23.2K

195.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.63 MGA 7,015

101.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.36 MGA 5,837

51.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.65 MGA 7,091

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$0.73 MGA 3,148

242.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.61 MGA 2,607

236.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$0.54 MGA 2,326

246.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.34 MGA 1,448

361.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.48 MGA 2,056

189.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$1.85 MGA 7,952

190.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$0.87 MGA 3,721

132.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$1.19 MGA 5,106

300.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.36 MGA 1,566

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.16 MGA 4,960

32.76%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

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

$30.98 MX$525

$33.18 MGA 142.4K

-6.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$70.0 MGA 300.3K

-48.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$23.44 MGA 100.6K

145.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$7.03 MGA 30.2K

1.42%

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

$457 MX$7,738

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$9.24 MGA 39.6K

720.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$6.84 MGA 29.4K

691.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$56.9 MGA 244.1K

104.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$39.25 MGA 168.4K

210.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$141 MGA 605.8K

712.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$57.0 MGA 244.5K

1173.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$466 MGA 2.0M

437.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$137 MGA 586.3K

873.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$137 MGA 586.8K

681.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $141 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 682% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $161 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 254% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $475 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 682% 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $141 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $475 in Toamasina – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $475 in Toamasina versus $1,682 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 254% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.