Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Toamasina: $465 a month against $918 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Toamasina

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$465

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$918

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toamasina and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toamasina and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $465 in Toamasina versus $918 in Cebu.

Toamasina $465
Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $753 in Toamasina versus $1,409 in Cebu.

Toamasina $753
Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,041 in Toamasina versus $1,900 in Cebu.

Toamasina $1,041
Cebu $1,900

Living in Toamasina costs roughly 49% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Toamasina 66% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 MGA 12.0K

$3.09 ₱194

-14.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.74 MGA 71.8K

$24.22 ₱1,525

-35.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 MGA 19.9K

$3.92 ₱247

10.97%

Cappuccino

$1.09 MGA 4,993

$2.51 ₱158

-56.57%

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

$0.53 MGA 2,430

$1.59 ₱100

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 MGA 4,974

$1.78 ₱112

-38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MGA 4,933

$2.17 ₱137

-50.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 MGA 5,015

$1.92 ₱121

-42.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,990

$1.36 ₱85.4

-19.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MGA 4,663

$1.01 ₱63.5

0.99%

Eggs

$1.83 MGA 8,346

$2.03 ₱128

-9.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 MGA 57.0K

$9.86 ₱621

26.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 MGA 35.1K

$4.39 ₱277

75.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.18 MGA 28.2K

$7.60 ₱479

-18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 MGA 6,915

$3.30 ₱208

-53.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 MGA 5,890

$1.39 ₱87.8

-7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 MGA 7,155

$2.33 ₱147

-32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 3,090

$1.50 ₱94.3

-54.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,835

$2.36 ₱149

-73.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,508

$1.90 ₱119

-71.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,561

$1.19 ₱74.9

-71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MGA 2,242

$0.63 ₱39.71

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 MGA 7,845

$3.00 ₱189

-42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ₱379

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MGA 3,889

$1.23 ₱77.7

-30.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MGA 4,945

$1.75 ₱110

-38.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MGA 1,565

$0.25 ₱15.86

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.64 ₱796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.62

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 ₱281

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 MGA 5,046

$1.31 ₱82.8

-15.27%

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

$21.2K ₱1.3M

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

$19.1K ₱1.2M

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

$120 ₱7,569

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

$30.98 MGA 141.3K

$14.00 ₱882

121.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 MGA 302.4K

$27.54 ₱1,734

140.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.83 MGA 99.6K

$32.33 ₱2,035

-32.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₱419

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 MGA 31.1K

$5.65 ₱356

20.71%

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

$275 ₱17.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,918 ₱498.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.91 MGA 40.6K

$49.33 ₱3,106

-81.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.77 MGA 30.9K

$25.24 ₱1,589

-73.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 MGA 255.2K

$77.0 ₱4,846

-27.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.06 MGA 169.1K

$57.2 ₱3,601

-35.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 MGA 617.9K

$500 ₱31.5K

-72.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.5 MGA 252.9K

$309 ₱19.4K

-82.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 MGA 2.0M

$1,078 ₱67.9K

-58.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MGA 612.1K

$615 ₱38.7K

-78.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,886 ₱181.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,917 ₱120.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$133 MGA 606.3K

$346 ₱21.8K

-61.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

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

Last update for Toamasina: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$309 33.6%

Groceries & Markets

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$206 22.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$162 17.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$94 10.2%

Eating Out

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$44 4.8%

Getting Around

Toamasina

–

Cebu

$16 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $135 in Toamasina and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 160% 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: $16.00 in Toamasina vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $206 per month, with Toamasina cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇬 Toamasina

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

08:28 8:28 AM

13:28 1:28 PM

5 h ahead of Toamasina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

325,857

964,169

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇬 Malagasy Ariary (Ar)

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to MGA in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Toamasina Cebu 8,760 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Toamasina
Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Toamasina vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toamasina is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 160% lower in Cebu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $135 in Toamasina versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Cebu. 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 $24.00 in Cebu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Toamasina gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Toamasina is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Toamasina and Cebu 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 97% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.