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: $434 in Toamasina versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $688 in Toamasina versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $943 in Toamasina versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Toamasina costs roughly 71% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toamasina is 68% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

$12.98 MX$227

-79.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.26 MGA 63.3K

$53.1 MX$929

-71.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 MGA 18.8K

$9.72 MX$170

-53.50%

Cappuccino

$1.17 MGA 4,844

$3.75 MX$65.6

-68.80%

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

$0.72 MGA 2,991

$1.57 MX$27.46

-54.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MGA 3,067

$1.13 MX$19.76

-34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,308

$3.18 MX$55.7

-74.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MGA 4,658

$4.66 MX$81.6

-75.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 MGA 4,078

$1.62 MX$28.37

-39.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MGA 2,866

$2.71 MX$47.36

-74.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 MGA 2,730

$1.88 MX$32.89

-64.89%

Eggs

$1.91 MGA 7,943

$2.51 MX$43.90

-23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

$10.08 MX$176

5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 MGA 28.1K

$8.29 MX$145

-18.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.23 MGA 21.7K

$11.94 MX$209

-56.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 MGA 6,031

$2.86 MX$50.1

-49.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 MGA 3,528

$1.75 MX$30.62

-51.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MGA 5,675

$2.08 MX$36.48

-34.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,121

$1.97 MX$34.46

-61.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MGA 2,149

$2.16 MX$37.79

-75.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MGA 3,072

$2.18 MX$38.16

-66.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,308

$1.39 MX$24.34

-76.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MGA 2,051

$1.12 MX$19.69

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 MGA 7,309

$4.20 MX$73.5

-58.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 3,680

$1.76 MX$30.85

-49.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MGA 4,663

$3.68 MX$64.5

-69.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,307

$0.39 MX$6.74

-17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,427

$1.35 MX$23.63

-20.74%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

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

$19.06 MGA 79.1K

$27.50 MX$481

-30.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 MGA 273.1K

$30.38 MX$532

116.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.25 MGA 92.3K

$53.4 MX$935

-58.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 MGA 27.1K

$6.27 MX$110

4.15%

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

$56.8 MX$993

-84.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.81 MGA 28.3K

$44.79 MX$784

-84.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MGA 225.8K

$103 MX$1,799

-47.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.93 MGA 157.4K

$108 MX$1,888

-64.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 MGA 563.2K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-86.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.5 MGA 234.3K

$620 MX$10.9K

-90.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MGA 1.8M

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-79.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MGA 555.7K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-89.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$143 MGA 591.4K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-86.64%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Toamasina and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 649% 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 $147 vs $286 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 242% in total monthly costs ($434 vs $1,484 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 649% 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: $136 in Toamasina versus $1,000 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 $434 per month in Toamasina versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 242% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Toamasina versus $1,484 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 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.