Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Toamasina Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Toamasina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $435 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $704 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $973 in Toamasina.

Living in Phuket is roughly 190% more expensive than Toamasina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Toamasina 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

67.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$15.46 MGA 64.9K

201.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.57 MGA 19.2K

85.34%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.22 MGA 5,100

148.36%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 MGA 2,887

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.69 MGA 2,913

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$0.81 MGA 3,380

207.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.09 MGA 4,575

235.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.92 MGA 3,871

136.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.68 MGA 2,873

179.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.64 MGA 2,702

243.75%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.85 MGA 7,742

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.43 MGA 43.8K

91.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.85 MGA 28.7K

-46.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$5.21 MGA 21.8K

154.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.41 MGA 5,915

129.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.86 MGA 3,596

97.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.34 MGA 5,641

78.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.81 MGA 3,409

156.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.48 MGA 2,028

231.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.68 MGA 2,853

117.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.32 MGA 1,322

221.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.50 MGA 2,087

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.71 MGA 7,195

148.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.89 MGA 3,733

97.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.13 MGA 4,743

144.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.32 MGA 1,339

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.07 MGA 4,502

25.23%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

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

$13.52 ฿440

$19.18 MGA 80.5K

-29.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$67.6 MGA 283.8K

-72.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.48 MGA 94.3K

175.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.72 MGA 28.2K

36.01%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$8.63 MGA 36.2K

588.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

411.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$54.4 MGA 228.4K

111.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$37.77 MGA 158.5K

122.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$131 MGA 548.3K

373.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$55.4 MGA 232.3K

681.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$453 MGA 1.9M

355.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$136 MGA 569.5K

1013.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$146 MGA 610.9K

248.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $131 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 248% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $146 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

Phuket vs Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toamasina is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 248% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $131 in Toamasina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Toamasina – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $435 in Toamasina versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toamasina but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Toamasina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Toamasina is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Toamasina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 190% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.