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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $434 per month in Toamasina vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $702 per month in Toamasina vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $970 per month in Toamasina vs $2,143 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 67% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 MGA 11.4K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-55.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.39 MGA 66.4K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-53.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 MGA 18.7K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-41.86%

Cappuccino

$1.16 MGA 5,003

$1.65 COP 5,276

-29.70%

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

$0.72 MGA 3,120

$1.10 COP 3,514

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 MGA 3,045

$0.78 COP 2,491

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 MGA 3,237

$1.72 COP 5,484

-56.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 4,870

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-64.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 MGA 4,290

$1.10 COP 3,521

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MGA 2,808

$1.26 COP 4,015

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 MGA 2,808

$1.38 COP 4,407

-52.90%

Eggs

$1.92 MGA 8,272

$2.18 COP 6,950

-11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 MGA 46.5K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

140.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 MGA 28.1K

$5.79 COP 18.5K

12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MGA 22.5K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-41.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 MGA 6,029

$2.32 COP 7,405

-39.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 MGA 3,669

$1.06 COP 3,397

-19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MGA 5,786

$1.52 COP 4,838

-11.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,231

$1.36 COP 4,327

-44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,094

$1.13 COP 3,599

-56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,168

$1.17 COP 3,738

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,472

$0.90 COP 2,876

-62.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,157

$0.90 COP 2,861

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.70 MGA 7,354

$2.23 COP 7,128

-23.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MGA 3,797

$1.19 COP 3,793

-26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 4,867

$2.48 COP 7,920

-54.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,371

$0.85 COP 2,723

-62.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,635

$0.99 COP 3,160

8.08%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

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

$18.98 MGA 81.9K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

95.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 MGA 284.5K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

180.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.54 MGA 97.2K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-10.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 MGA 29.2K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

71.14%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.95 MGA 38.6K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-85.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.61 MGA 28.5K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-79.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.1 MGA 242.2K

$102 COP 324.4K

-44.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.28 MGA 160.8K

$107 COP 342.8K

-65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 MGA 576.8K

$475 COP 1.5M

-71.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.7 MGA 240.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

-85.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MGA 1.9M

$849 COP 2.7M

-47.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MGA 578.5K

$719 COP 2.3M

-81.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$139 MGA 598.4K

$624 COP 2.0M

-77.79%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Toamasina versus $475 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 350% 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: $145 vs $193 – 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 131%, 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 $651 per month in Toamasina and $1,504 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 33% 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 $434, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.