Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $462 in Toamasina versus $1,190 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $753 in Toamasina versus $2,006 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,045 in Toamasina versus $2,822 in Phuket.

Living in Toamasina costs roughly 61% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Toamasina 66% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 MGA 9,776

$4.35 ฿146

-49.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.66 MGA 69.6K

$32.45 ฿1,093

-51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MGA 20.8K

$8.42 ฿283

-44.30%

Cappuccino

$1.17 MGA 5,180

$2.81 ฿94.5

-58.36%

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

$0.75 MGA 3,345

$0.87 ฿29.46

-13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,608

$0.46 ฿15.48

28.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 MGA 4,156

$2.59 ฿87.0

-64.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MGA 5,703

$3.64 ฿123

-64.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 MGA 4,629

$1.71 ฿57.5

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MGA 3,075

$1.45 ฿48.69

-52.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 MGA 4,244

$1.56 ฿52.5

-39.10%

Eggs

$1.88 MGA 8,368

$2.10 ฿70.7

-10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 MGA 53.7K

$19.53 ฿657

-38.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 MGA 29.5K

$3.40 ฿114

95.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 MGA 22.9K

$11.14 ฿375

-53.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 MGA 7,284

$2.83 ฿95.4

-42.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MGA 6,179

$1.62 ฿54.6

-14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 MGA 6,987

$2.22 ฿74.9

-29.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 MGA 2,906

$2.15 ฿72.3

-69.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,674

$1.49 ฿50.2

-59.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,492

$1.33 ฿44.65

-57.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,438

$1.07 ฿35.92

-70.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,230

$0.51 ฿17.10

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MGA 7,942

$4.38 ฿148

-59.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿632

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MGA 4,119

$1.74 ฿58.6

-46.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 5,023

$2.78 ฿93.5

-59.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MGA 1,584

$2.17 ฿73.0

-83.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿750

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 MGA 5,310

$1.43 ฿48.16

-16.78%

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

$26.3K ฿887.1K

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

$26.2K ฿882.3K

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

$96.7 ฿3,254

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

$32.37 MGA 143.9K

$11.41 ฿384

183.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 MGA 306.3K

$17.11 ฿576

302.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 MGA 99.5K

$52.8 ฿1,778

-57.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MGA 31.3K

$7.65 ฿258

-7.97%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.17 MGA 40.8K

$63.4 ฿2,135

-85.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.92 MGA 30.8K

$28.61 ฿963

-75.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 MGA 250.6K

$96.7 ฿3,256

-41.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 MGA 168.9K

$88.6 ฿2,983

-57.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 MGA 607.2K

$735 ฿24.7K

-81.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 MGA 253.6K

$458 ฿15.4K

-87.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 MGA 2.0M

$2,102 ฿70.8K

-78.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 MGA 600.8K

$1,187 ฿40.0K

-88.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$136 MGA 602.6K

$501 ฿16.9K

-72.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Toamasina: October 4, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $137 in Toamasina and $735 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 270% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $268 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toamasina is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 270% lower in Phuket. 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: $137 in Toamasina versus $735 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Toamasina – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $462 in Toamasina versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toamasina but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Toamasina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Toamasina is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Toamasina and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.