Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $435 per month in Toamasina vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Toamasina vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Toamasina vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Toamasina is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Toamasina and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Toamasina 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-54.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.46 MGA 64.9K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-53.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MGA 19.2K

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-36.79%

Cappuccino

$1.22 MGA 5,100

$1.63 COP 5,687

-25.15%

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

$0.69 MGA 2,887

$1.09 COP 3,821

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,913

$0.73 COP 2,548

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 MGA 3,380

$1.74 COP 6,065

-53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MGA 4,575

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-66.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MGA 3,871

$1.05 COP 3,662

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MGA 2,873

$1.29 COP 4,515

-47.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,702

$1.32 COP 4,617

-51.52%

Eggs

$1.85 MGA 7,742

$2.27 COP 7,927

-18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MGA 43.8K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

139.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 MGA 28.7K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

16.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 MGA 21.8K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-39.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MGA 5,915

$2.25 COP 7,844

-37.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 MGA 3,596

$1.07 COP 3,733

-19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MGA 5,641

$1.52 COP 5,322

-11.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MGA 3,409

$1.42 COP 4,964

-42.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MGA 2,028

$1.17 COP 4,084

-58.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 2,853

$1.17 COP 4,077

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,322

$0.89 COP 3,096

-64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,087

$0.90 COP 3,146

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 MGA 7,195

$2.25 COP 7,837

-24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 3,733

$1.14 COP 3,977

-21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 4,743

$2.38 COP 8,301

-52.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,339

$0.84 COP 2,916

-61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,502

$1.01 COP 3,509

5.94%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$19.18 MGA 80.5K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

102.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 MGA 283.8K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

180.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.48 MGA 94.3K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MGA 28.2K

$4.10 COP 14.3K

63.90%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.63 MGA 36.2K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-85.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-78.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MGA 228.4K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-45.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.77 MGA 158.5K

$109 COP 378.8K

-65.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 MGA 548.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

-72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.4 MGA 232.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

-85.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MGA 1.9M

$837 COP 2.9M

-45.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 MGA 569.5K

$723 COP 2.5M

-81.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$146 MGA 610.9K

$541 COP 1.9M

-73.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Toamasina: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Toamasina versus $482 in Medellin. 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 271% higher in Medellin, 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 $15.00 in Toamasina versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $190 – 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

Toamasina vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $652 per month in Toamasina and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 30% more in Medellin, 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 $15.00 in Toamasina and $33.00 in Medellin. 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 Medellin at $1,017. In Toamasina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.