Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Toamasina and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $475 per month in Toamasina vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $756 per month in Toamasina vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,037 per month in Toamasina vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toamasina is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toamasina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Toamasina 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 MGA 9,622

$13.02 MX$221

-82.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.44 MGA 70.5K

$46.25 MX$784

-64.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MGA 19.7K

$12.59 MX$213

-63.54%

Cappuccino

$1.13 MGA 4,863

$4.00 MX$67.9

-71.75%

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

$0.74 MGA 3,173

$1.42 MX$24.08

-47.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MGA 2,611

$0.81 MX$13.73

-24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,367

$3.05 MX$51.7

-66.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 MGA 5,641

$6.82 MX$116

-80.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MGA 4,410

$1.71 MX$29.04

-39.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MGA 2,916

$2.22 MX$37.62

-69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 MGA 3,988

$1.72 MX$29.13

-45.93%

Eggs

$1.99 MGA 8,534

$2.71 MX$45.99

-26.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 MGA 53.4K

$9.37 MX$159

32.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 MGA 30.0K

$8.86 MX$150

-20.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.41 MGA 23.2K

$12.78 MX$217

-57.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MGA 7,015

$3.13 MX$53.0

-47.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MGA 5,837

$1.55 MX$26.24

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 MGA 7,091

$2.15 MX$36.51

-23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,148

$2.35 MX$39.89

-68.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 MGA 2,607

$2.02 MX$34.23

-69.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,326

$1.99 MX$33.67

-72.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,448

$1.24 MX$21.09

-72.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MGA 2,056

$1.19 MX$20.21

-59.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 MGA 7,952

$4.65 MX$78.8

-60.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,721

$1.58 MX$26.82

-44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 MGA 5,106

$2.92 MX$49.48

-59.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MGA 1,566

$0.56 MX$9.53

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 MGA 4,960

$1.55 MX$26.27

-25.16%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

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

$33.18 MGA 142.4K

$23.30 MX$395

42.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 MGA 300.3K

$31.72 MX$538

120.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.44 MGA 100.6K

$68.8 MX$1,165

-65.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 MGA 30.2K

$5.06 MX$85.7

38.93%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.24 MGA 39.6K

$46.21 MX$783

-80.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.84 MGA 29.4K

$44.43 MX$753

-84.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 MGA 244.1K

$95.5 MX$1,618

-40.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.25 MGA 168.4K

$92.5 MX$1,568

-57.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 MGA 605.8K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-86.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 MGA 244.5K

$393 MX$6,663

-85.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 MGA 2.0M

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 MGA 586.3K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-89.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 MGA 586.8K

$747 MX$12.7K

-81.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Toamasina: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Toamasina versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 446% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $16.00 in Toamasina versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $161 vs $277 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 180%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $712 per month in Toamasina and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. 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 72% more in Playa del Carmen, 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 $16.00 in Toamasina and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $475, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Toamasina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.