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 $462 per month in Toamasina vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $753 per month in Toamasina vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,045 per month in Toamasina vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toamasina is about 62% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toamasina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Toamasina 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 MGA 9,776

$10.97 MX$198

-79.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.66 MGA 69.6K

$44.85 MX$811

-65.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MGA 20.8K

$11.92 MX$216

-60.65%

Cappuccino

$1.17 MGA 5,180

$3.80 MX$68.8

-69.21%

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

$0.75 MGA 3,345

$1.31 MX$23.71

-42.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,608

$0.86 MX$15.48

-31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 MGA 4,156

$3.21 MX$58.0

-71.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MGA 5,703

$5.01 MX$90.6

-74.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 MGA 4,629

$1.46 MX$26.36

-28.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MGA 3,075

$2.33 MX$42.06

-70.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 MGA 4,244

$1.44 MX$26.07

-34.03%

Eggs

$1.88 MGA 8,368

$2.46 MX$44.50

-23.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 MGA 53.7K

$7.70 MX$139

56.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 MGA 29.5K

$7.89 MX$143

-15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 MGA 22.9K

$12.80 MX$231

-59.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 MGA 7,284

$2.92 MX$52.7

-43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MGA 6,179

$1.42 MX$25.70

-2.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 MGA 6,987

$2.57 MX$46.37

-38.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 MGA 2,906

$2.14 MX$38.63

-69.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,674

$1.95 MX$35.19

-69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,492

$1.94 MX$35.00

-71.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,438

$1.15 MX$20.80

-72.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,230

$1.22 MX$22.07

-59.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MGA 7,942

$4.38 MX$79.1

-59.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MGA 4,119

$1.54 MX$27.79

-39.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 5,023

$2.72 MX$49.08

-58.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MGA 1,584

$0.52 MX$9.49

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 MGA 5,310

$1.54 MX$27.84

-22.73%

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

$21.2K MX$383.9K

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

$24.5K MX$442.6K

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

$83.6 MX$1,511

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

$32.37 MGA 143.9K

$24.03 MX$434

34.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 MGA 306.3K

$29.33 MX$530

134.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 MGA 99.5K

$64.9 MX$1,172

-65.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$532

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MGA 31.3K

$5.09 MX$91.9

38.31%

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

$208 MX$3,754

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.17 MGA 40.8K

$44.55 MX$805

-79.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.92 MGA 30.8K

$42.06 MX$760

-83.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 MGA 250.6K

$75.5 MX$1,365

-25.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 MGA 168.9K

$91.4 MX$1,652

-58.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 MGA 607.2K

$986 MX$17.8K

-86.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 MGA 253.6K

$385 MX$6,962

-85.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 MGA 2.0M

$1,713 MX$31.0K

-73.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 MGA 600.8K

$1,108 MX$20.0K

-87.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$136 MGA 602.6K

$758 MX$13.7K

-82.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Toamasina: October 4, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Toamasina versus $986 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 459% 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $260 – 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 163%, 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 $693 per month in Toamasina and $1,823 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 66% 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 $45.00 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 $462, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.