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: $475 in Toamasina versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $756 in Toamasina versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,037 in Toamasina versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Toamasina costs roughly 72% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toamasina is 65% below, Mexico City is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 MGA 9,622

$11.83 MX$200

-81.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.44 MGA 70.5K

$52.2 MX$884

-68.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MGA 19.7K

$10.87 MX$184

-57.77%

Cappuccino

$1.13 MGA 4,863

$4.03 MX$68.2

-71.96%

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

$0.74 MGA 3,173

$1.71 MX$28.99

-56.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MGA 2,611

$1.34 MX$22.70

-54.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,367

$3.39 MX$57.5

-69.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 MGA 5,641

$5.74 MX$97.3

-77.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MGA 4,410

$1.89 MX$31.99

-45.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MGA 2,916

$3.17 MX$53.8

-78.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 MGA 3,988

$2.05 MX$34.74

-54.63%

Eggs

$1.99 MGA 8,534

$3.01 MX$51.1

-33.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 MGA 53.4K

$12.61 MX$214

-1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 MGA 30.0K

$9.94 MX$169

-29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.41 MGA 23.2K

$16.00 MX$271

-66.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MGA 7,015

$3.28 MX$55.6

-50.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MGA 5,837

$2.06 MX$34.87

-33.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 MGA 7,091

$2.09 MX$35.36

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,148

$2.50 MX$42.44

-70.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 MGA 2,607

$2.05 MX$34.76

-70.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,326

$1.87 MX$31.70

-71.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,448

$1.57 MX$26.66

-78.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MGA 2,056

$1.39 MX$23.64

-65.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 MGA 7,952

$5.38 MX$91.2

-65.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,721

$2.02 MX$34.31

-56.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 MGA 5,106

$4.76 MX$80.7

-75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MGA 1,566

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 MGA 4,960

$1.54 MX$26.05

-24.68%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

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

$33.18 MGA 142.4K

$30.98 MX$525

7.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 MGA 300.3K

$36.20 MX$613

93.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.44 MGA 100.6K

$57.5 MX$975

-59.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 MGA 30.2K

$7.13 MX$121

-1.40%

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

$457 MX$7,738

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.24 MGA 39.6K

$75.8 MX$1,285

-87.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.84 MGA 29.4K

$54.1 MX$917

-87.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 MGA 244.1K

$116 MX$1,974

-51.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.25 MGA 168.4K

$122 MX$2,063

-67.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 MGA 605.8K

$1,147 MX$19.4K

-87.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 MGA 244.5K

$726 MX$12.3K

-92.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 MGA 2.0M

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 MGA 586.3K

$1,331 MX$22.6K

-89.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 MGA 586.8K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-87.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

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

Last update for Toamasina: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $141 in Toamasina and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 682% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $161 vs $344 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 254% in total monthly costs ($475 vs $1,682 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 682% lower in Mexico City. 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: $141 in Toamasina versus $1,147 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 $16.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $475 per month in Toamasina versus $1,682 in Mexico City – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $475 in Toamasina versus $1,682 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 254% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.