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 $434 per month in Toamasina vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $688 per month in Toamasina vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $943 per month in Toamasina vs $3,082 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

$11.94 MX$208

-77.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.26 MGA 63.2K

$42.75 MX$744

-64.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 MGA 18.7K

$10.59 MX$184

-57.32%

Cappuccino

$1.17 MGA 4,836

$3.62 MX$63.0

-67.68%

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

$0.72 MGA 2,986

$1.47 MX$25.54

-51.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MGA 3,062

$0.94 MX$16.41

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,302

$3.09 MX$53.8

-74.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MGA 4,650

$4.46 MX$77.6

-74.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 MGA 4,072

$1.43 MX$24.80

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MGA 2,861

$1.88 MX$32.79

-63.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 MGA 2,726

$1.63 MX$28.34

-59.51%

Eggs

$1.91 MGA 7,930

$2.64 MX$45.99

-27.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

$8.21 MX$143

29.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 MGA 28.0K

$8.29 MX$144

-18.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.23 MGA 21.6K

$11.10 MX$193

-52.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 MGA 6,021

$2.65 MX$46.14

-45.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 MGA 3,523

$1.50 MX$26.11

-43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MGA 5,666

$1.99 MX$34.59

-31.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,116

$2.08 MX$36.13

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MGA 2,146

$1.79 MX$31.11

-70.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MGA 3,067

$2.18 MX$37.87

-66.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,305

$1.08 MX$18.73

-70.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MGA 2,047

$1.04 MX$18.04

-52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 MGA 7,297

$3.97 MX$69.1

-55.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 3,674

$1.73 MX$30.04

-48.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MGA 4,655

$2.50 MX$43.46

-55.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,305

$0.52 MX$9.02

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,420

$1.27 MX$22.16

-15.75%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$19.06 MGA 79.0K

$22.45 MX$391

-15.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 MGA 272.7K

$29.66 MX$516

121.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.25 MGA 92.2K

$51.9 MX$903

-57.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 MGA 27.0K

$4.97 MX$86.5

31.39%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

$36.34 MX$632

-76.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.81 MGA 28.2K

$40.05 MX$697

-83.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MGA 225.4K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-31.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.93 MGA 157.1K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-57.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 MGA 562.3K

$963 MX$16.8K

-85.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.5 MGA 233.9K

$465 MX$8,086

-87.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MGA 1.8M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-72.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MGA 554.7K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-88.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$143 MGA 590.5K

$720 MX$12.5K

-80.21%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $136 in Toamasina versus $963 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 405% 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: $147 vs $251 – 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 196%, 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 $651 per month in Toamasina and $1,930 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 71% 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 $434, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.