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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $434 in Toamasina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $688 in Toamasina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $943 in Toamasina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 196% more than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Toamasina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Toamasina 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

338.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$15.26 MGA 63.2K

180.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.52 MGA 18.7K

134.29%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.17 MGA 4,836

209.40%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.72 MGA 2,986

104.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.74 MGA 3,062

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$0.80 MGA 3,302

286.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.12 MGA 4,650

298.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.98 MGA 4,072

45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.69 MGA 2,861

172.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.66 MGA 2,726

146.97%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.91 MGA 7,930

38.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

-22.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.76 MGA 28.0K

22.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$5.23 MGA 21.6K

112.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.45 MGA 6,021

82.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.85 MGA 3,523

76.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.37 MGA 5,666

45.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.75 MGA 3,116

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.52 MGA 2,146

244.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.74 MGA 3,067

194.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.32 MGA 1,305

237.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.49 MGA 2,047

112.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$1.76 MGA 7,297

125.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.89 MGA 3,674

94.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.12 MGA 4,655

123.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.32 MGA 1,305

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.07 MGA 4,420

18.69%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$22.45 MX$391

$19.06 MGA 79.0K

17.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$65.8 MGA 272.7K

-54.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$22.25 MGA 92.2K

133.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.53 MGA 27.0K

-23.89%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

321.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$6.81 MGA 28.2K

488.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$54.4 MGA 225.4K

46.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$37.93 MGA 157.1K

134.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$136 MGA 562.3K

609.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$56.5 MGA 233.9K

722.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$445 MGA 1.8M

258.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$134 MGA 554.7K

802.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$143 MGA 590.5K

405.37%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $136 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 405% 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: $251 vs $147 – 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 196%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $651 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 71% 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 $434, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.