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 $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $462 in Toamasina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $753 in Toamasina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,045 in Toamasina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 163% more than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Toamasina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Toamasina 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$198

$2.20 MGA 9,776

398.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$811

$15.66 MGA 69.6K

186.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$216

$4.69 MGA 20.8K

154.16%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.8

$1.17 MGA 5,180

224.79%

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

$1.31 MX$23.71

$0.75 MGA 3,345

74.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.48

$0.59 MGA 2,608

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$58.0

$0.93 MGA 4,156

245.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.6

$1.28 MGA 5,703

291.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.36

$1.04 MGA 4,629

40.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.06

$0.69 MGA 3,075

237.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.07

$0.95 MGA 4,244

51.58%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.50

$1.88 MGA 8,368

30.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$139

$12.08 MGA 53.7K

-36.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$143

$6.64 MGA 29.5K

18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$231

$5.14 MGA 22.9K

149.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.7

$1.64 MGA 7,284

78.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.70

$1.39 MGA 6,179

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.37

$1.57 MGA 6,987

63.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.63

$0.65 MGA 2,906

229.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.19

$0.60 MGA 2,674

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.00

$0.56 MGA 2,492

246.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.80

$0.32 MGA 1,438

259.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.07

$0.50 MGA 2,230

144.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.1

$1.79 MGA 7,942

144.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.79

$0.93 MGA 4,119

65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.08

$1.13 MGA 5,023

140.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.49

$0.36 MGA 1,584

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.84

$1.19 MGA 5,310

29.41%

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

$21.2K MX$383.9K

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

$24.5K MX$442.6K

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

$83.6 MX$1,511

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

$24.03 MX$434

$32.37 MGA 143.9K

-25.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$530

$68.9 MGA 306.3K

-57.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,172

$22.38 MGA 99.5K

189.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$532

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.9

$7.04 MGA 31.3K

-27.70%

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

$208 MX$3,754

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$805

$9.17 MGA 40.8K

385.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$760

$6.92 MGA 30.8K

507.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,365

$56.4 MGA 250.6K

33.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,652

$38.00 MGA 168.9K

140.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.8K

$137 MGA 607.2K

622.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,962

$57.0 MGA 253.6K

575.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.0K

$448 MGA 2.0M

282.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.0K

$135 MGA 600.8K

720.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.7K

$136 MGA 602.6K

459.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $137 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 459% 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Toamasina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $157 – 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 163%, 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 $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $693 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 66% 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 $45.00 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 $462, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.