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 $435 per month in Toamasina vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Toamasina vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Toamasina vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toamasina is about 66% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Toamasina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Toamasina 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

$11.87 MX$204

-77.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.46 MGA 64.9K

$42.90 MX$736

-63.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MGA 19.2K

$10.65 MX$183

-57.09%

Cappuccino

$1.22 MGA 5,100

$3.45 MX$59.2

-64.64%

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

$0.69 MGA 2,887

$1.50 MX$25.81

-54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,913

$0.95 MX$16.28

-27.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 MGA 3,380

$3.03 MX$51.9

-73.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MGA 4,575

$4.61 MX$79.1

-76.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MGA 3,871

$1.38 MX$23.61

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MGA 2,873

$1.85 MX$31.70

-63.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,702

$1.61 MX$27.65

-60.25%

Eggs

$1.85 MGA 7,742

$2.59 MX$44.51

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MGA 43.8K

$8.26 MX$142

26.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 MGA 28.7K

$8.37 MX$144

-18.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 MGA 21.8K

$10.66 MX$183

-51.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MGA 5,915

$2.63 MX$45.12

-46.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 MGA 3,596

$1.49 MX$25.53

-42.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MGA 5,641

$1.92 MX$32.94

-30.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MGA 3,409

$2.09 MX$35.81

-61.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MGA 2,028

$1.86 MX$31.88

-74.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 2,853

$2.26 MX$38.81

-69.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,322

$1.06 MX$18.23

-69.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,087

$1.09 MX$18.67

-54.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 MGA 7,195

$4.15 MX$71.2

-58.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 3,733

$1.72 MX$29.59

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 4,743

$2.61 MX$44.85

-56.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,339

$0.54 MX$9.30

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,502

$1.27 MX$21.88

-15.75%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$19.18 MGA 80.5K

$22.71 MX$390

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 MGA 283.8K

$29.46 MX$506

129.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.48 MGA 94.3K

$51.0 MX$875

-55.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MGA 28.2K

$4.93 MX$84.5

36.31%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.63 MGA 36.2K

$36.90 MX$633

-76.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

$39.89 MX$685

-82.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MGA 228.4K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-31.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.77 MGA 158.5K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-57.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 MGA 548.3K

$956 MX$16.4K

-86.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.4 MGA 232.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-88.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MGA 1.9M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-72.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 MGA 569.5K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-88.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$146 MGA 610.9K

$667 MX$11.4K

-78.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Toamasina: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Toamasina versus $956 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 358% 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 $15.00 in Toamasina versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $250 – 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 192%, 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 $652 per month in Toamasina and $1,906 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 $15.00 in Toamasina and $43.00 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 $435, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.