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 $475 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $756 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,037 in Toamasina.

Living in Phuket is roughly 166% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Toamasina 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$2.24 MGA 9,622

97.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$16.44 MGA 70.5K

113.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$4.59 MGA 19.7K

95.21%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.13 MGA 4,863

165.49%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.74 MGA 3,173

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.61 MGA 2,611

-22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.02 MGA 4,367

135.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.31 MGA 5,641

186.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.03 MGA 4,410

76.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.68 MGA 2,916

108.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$0.93 MGA 3,988

66.67%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.99 MGA 8,534

7.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$12.46 MGA 53.4K

58.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$7.00 MGA 30.0K

-50.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$5.41 MGA 23.2K

104.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.63 MGA 7,015

78.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.36 MGA 5,837

22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.65 MGA 7,091

37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$0.73 MGA 3,148

187.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.61 MGA 2,607

140.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.54 MGA 2,326

161.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.34 MGA 1,448

220.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.48 MGA 2,056

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$1.85 MGA 7,952

142.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$0.87 MGA 3,721

111.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$1.19 MGA 5,106

147.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.36 MGA 1,566

527.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.16 MGA 4,960

28.45%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

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

$102 ฿3,340

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

$11.28 ฿370

$33.18 MGA 142.4K

-66.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$70.0 MGA 300.3K

-74.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$23.44 MGA 100.6K

131.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.03 MGA 30.2K

11.66%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$9.24 MGA 39.6K

607.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$6.84 MGA 29.4K

322.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$56.9 MGA 244.1K

74.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$39.25 MGA 168.4K

129.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$141 MGA 605.8K

435.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$57.0 MGA 244.5K

755.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$466 MGA 2.0M

347.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$137 MGA 586.3K

783.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$137 MGA 586.8K

267.17%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $141 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 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

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 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 267% 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: $756 in Phuket versus $141 in Toamasina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% 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 $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $475 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 166% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.