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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $434 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $688 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $943 in Toamasina.

Living in Phuket is roughly 184% more expensive than Toamasina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Toamasina 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

70.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$15.26 MGA 63.3K

206.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.52 MGA 18.8K

95.58%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.17 MGA 4,844

156.41%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.72 MGA 2,991

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.74 MGA 3,067

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.80 MGA 3,308

205.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.12 MGA 4,658

222.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.98 MGA 4,078

130.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.69 MGA 2,866

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.66 MGA 2,730

239.39%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.91 MGA 7,943

21.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

84.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.76 MGA 28.1K

-46.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$5.23 MGA 21.7K

150.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.45 MGA 6,031

133.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.85 MGA 3,528

92.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.37 MGA 5,675

75.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.75 MGA 3,121

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.52 MGA 2,149

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.74 MGA 3,072

102.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.32 MGA 1,308

218.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.49 MGA 2,051

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.76 MGA 7,309

152.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.89 MGA 3,680

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.12 MGA 4,663

145.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.32 MGA 1,307

337.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.07 MGA 4,427

26.17%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

$19.06 MGA 79.1K

-28.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$65.8 MGA 273.1K

-71.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$22.25 MGA 92.3K

176.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.53 MGA 27.1K

40.74%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

569.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$6.81 MGA 28.3K

417.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$54.4 MGA 225.8K

107.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$37.93 MGA 157.4K

127.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$136 MGA 563.2K

353.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$56.5 MGA 234.3K

689.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$445 MGA 1.8M

360.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$134 MGA 555.7K

1014.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$143 MGA 591.4K

267.46%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $136 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 267% 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 $292 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

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 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 267% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $136 in Toamasina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% 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 $434 in Toamasina versus $1,232 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 184% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.