Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $435 in Toamasina versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $704 in Toamasina versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $973 in Toamasina versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Toamasina costs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toamasina is 68% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

$12.98 MX$223

-78.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.46 MGA 64.9K

$52.6 MX$903

-70.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MGA 19.2K

$9.43 MX$162

-51.54%

Cappuccino

$1.22 MGA 5,100

$3.57 MX$61.3

-65.83%

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

$0.69 MGA 2,887

$1.61 MX$27.55

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,913

$1.15 MX$19.81

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 MGA 3,380

$3.15 MX$54.0

-74.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MGA 4,575

$4.86 MX$83.4

-77.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MGA 3,871

$1.70 MX$29.17

-45.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MGA 2,873

$2.64 MX$45.23

-74.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,702

$1.90 MX$32.67

-66.32%

Eggs

$1.85 MGA 7,742

$2.54 MX$43.62

-27.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MGA 43.8K

$10.08 MX$173

3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 MGA 28.7K

$8.29 MX$142

-17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 MGA 21.8K

$11.57 MX$199

-54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MGA 5,915

$3.03 MX$52.0

-53.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 MGA 3,596

$1.71 MX$29.35

-49.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MGA 5,641

$2.05 MX$35.16

-34.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MGA 3,409

$2.06 MX$35.36

-60.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MGA 2,028

$2.06 MX$35.43

-76.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 2,853

$2.17 MX$37.25

-68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,322

$1.40 MX$24.08

-77.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,087

$1.12 MX$19.26

-55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 MGA 7,195

$4.29 MX$73.7

-60.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 3,733

$1.67 MX$28.74

-46.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 4,743

$3.69 MX$63.3

-69.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,339

$0.38 MX$6.55

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,502

$1.28 MX$21.98

-16.41%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

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

$19.18 MGA 80.5K

$26.92 MX$462

-28.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 MGA 283.8K

$29.69 MX$510

127.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.48 MGA 94.3K

$52.3 MX$898

-57.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MGA 28.2K

$6.18 MX$106

8.74%

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

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.63 MGA 36.2K

$56.8 MX$975

-84.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

$44.83 MX$769

-84.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MGA 228.4K

$105 MX$1,794

-47.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.77 MGA 158.5K

$106 MX$1,819

-64.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 MGA 548.3K

$995 MX$17.1K

-86.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.4 MGA 232.3K

$621 MX$10.7K

-91.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MGA 1.9M

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-78.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 MGA 569.5K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-89.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$146 MGA 610.9K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-86.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Toamasina: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Toamasina and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 660% 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: $15.00 in Toamasina vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $288 per month, with Toamasina cheaper across the board.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toamasina and Mexico City differ by about 233% in total monthly costs ($435 vs $1,447 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 660% less. 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: $131 in Toamasina versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Toamasina – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $435 per month in Toamasina versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 233% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $435 in Toamasina versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toamasina but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Toamasina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.