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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $435 in Toamasina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $704 in Toamasina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $973 in Toamasina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 192% more than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Toamasina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Toamasina 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

334.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$15.46 MGA 64.9K

177.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.57 MGA 19.2K

133.04%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.22 MGA 5,100

182.79%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.69 MGA 2,887

117.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.69 MGA 2,913

37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.81 MGA 3,380

274.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.09 MGA 4,575

322.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.92 MGA 3,871

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.68 MGA 2,873

172.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.64 MGA 2,702

151.56%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.85 MGA 7,742

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.43 MGA 43.8K

-20.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.85 MGA 28.7K

22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$5.21 MGA 21.8K

104.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.41 MGA 5,915

86.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.86 MGA 3,596

73.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.34 MGA 5,641

43.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.81 MGA 3,409

158.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.48 MGA 2,028

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.68 MGA 2,853

232.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.32 MGA 1,322

231.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.50 MGA 2,087

118.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.71 MGA 7,195

142.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.89 MGA 3,733

93.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.13 MGA 4,743

130.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.32 MGA 1,339

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.07 MGA 4,502

18.69%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

$19.18 MGA 80.5K

18.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$67.6 MGA 283.8K

-56.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.48 MGA 94.3K

126.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.72 MGA 28.2K

-26.64%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$8.63 MGA 36.2K

327.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

481.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$54.4 MGA 228.4K

46.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$37.77 MGA 158.5K

136.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$131 MGA 548.3K

631.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$55.4 MGA 232.3K

761.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$453 MGA 1.9M

263.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$136 MGA 569.5K

802.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$146 MGA 610.9K

358.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $131 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 358% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Toamasina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $146 – 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 192%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $652 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $15.00 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 $435, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.