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: $1,190 in Phuket versus $462 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $753 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $1,045 in Toamasina.

Living in Phuket is roughly 158% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Toamasina 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$2.20 MGA 9,776

97.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,093

$15.66 MGA 69.6K

107.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$4.69 MGA 20.8K

79.53%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.5

$1.17 MGA 5,180

140.17%

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

$0.87 ฿29.46

$0.75 MGA 3,345

16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.48

$0.59 MGA 2,608

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿87.0

$0.93 MGA 4,156

178.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$1.28 MGA 5,703

184.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.5

$1.04 MGA 4,629

64.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.69

$0.69 MGA 3,075

110.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$0.95 MGA 4,244

64.21%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$1.88 MGA 8,368

11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿657

$12.08 MGA 53.7K

61.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$6.64 MGA 29.5K

-48.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$5.14 MGA 22.9K

116.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.4

$1.64 MGA 7,284

72.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.39 MGA 6,179

16.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.57 MGA 6,987

41.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.3

$0.65 MGA 2,906

230.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$0.60 MGA 2,674

148.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.65

$0.56 MGA 2,492

137.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.92

$0.32 MGA 1,438

234.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.10

$0.50 MGA 2,230

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$1.79 MGA 7,942

144.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿632

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$0.93 MGA 4,119

87.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$1.13 MGA 5,023

146.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿73.0

$0.36 MGA 1,584

502.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿750

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.16

$1.19 MGA 5,310

20.17%

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

$26.3K ฿887.1K

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

$26.2K ฿882.3K

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

$96.7 ฿3,254

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

$11.41 ฿384

$32.37 MGA 143.9K

-64.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿576

$68.9 MGA 306.3K

-75.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,778

$22.38 MGA 99.5K

135.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿258

$7.04 MGA 31.3K

8.66%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,135

$9.17 MGA 40.8K

591.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿963

$6.92 MGA 30.8K

313.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,256

$56.4 MGA 250.6K

71.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,983

$38.00 MGA 168.9K

133.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

$137 MGA 607.2K

437.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

$57.0 MGA 253.6K

702.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.8K

$448 MGA 2.0M

369.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿40.0K

$135 MGA 600.8K

778.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.9K

$136 MGA 602.6K

269.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $137 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 270% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 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

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 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 270% higher in Phuket, 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: $735 in Phuket versus $137 in Toamasina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% 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 $16.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $462 in Toamasina versus $1,190 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 158% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.