Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Toamasina Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Toamasina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $475 in Toamasina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $756 in Toamasina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,037 in Toamasina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 180% more than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Toamasina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Toamasina 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$2.24 MGA 9,622

481.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$16.44 MGA 70.5K

181.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.59 MGA 19.7K

174.29%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.13 MGA 4,863

253.98%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.74 MGA 3,173

91.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.61 MGA 2,611

32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.02 MGA 4,367

199.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$1.31 MGA 5,641

420.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.03 MGA 4,410

66.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.68 MGA 2,916

226.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.93 MGA 3,988

84.95%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.99 MGA 8,534

36.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$12.46 MGA 53.4K

-24.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$7.00 MGA 30.0K

26.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$5.41 MGA 23.2K

136.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.63 MGA 7,015

92.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.36 MGA 5,837

13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.65 MGA 7,091

30.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.73 MGA 3,148

221.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.61 MGA 2,607

231.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.54 MGA 2,326

268.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.34 MGA 1,448

264.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.48 MGA 2,056

147.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$1.85 MGA 7,952

151.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$0.87 MGA 3,721

81.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.19 MGA 5,106

145.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.36 MGA 1,566

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.16 MGA 4,960

33.62%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

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

$23.30 MX$395

$33.18 MGA 142.4K

-29.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$70.0 MGA 300.3K

-54.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$23.44 MGA 100.6K

193.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.03 MGA 30.2K

-28.02%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$9.24 MGA 39.6K

400.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$6.84 MGA 29.4K

549.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$56.9 MGA 244.1K

67.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$39.25 MGA 168.4K

135.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$141 MGA 605.8K

657.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$57.0 MGA 244.5K

590.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$466 MGA 2.0M

326.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$137 MGA 586.3K

854.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$137 MGA 586.8K

446.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 in Toamasina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 446% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Toamasina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $161 – making Toamasina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 180%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $712 in Toamasina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toamasina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $16.00 in Toamasina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Toamasina, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Toamasina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toamasina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Toamasina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.