Cost of Living Comparison Between Toliara and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Toliara and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $176 in Toliara versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $267 in Toliara versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $357 in Toliara versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Toliara costs roughly 88% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toliara is 87% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 MGA 7,801

$13.07 MX$229

-86.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

Cappuccino

$0.80 MGA 3,414

$3.74 MX$65.6

-78.61%

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

$0.64 MGA 2,732

$1.62 MX$28.34

-60.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MGA 5,801

$1.65 MX$28.89

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.38 MGA 1,625

$1.87 MX$32.87

-79.68%

Eggs

$2.15 MGA 9,230

$2.50 MX$43.86

-14.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 MGA 19.7K

$8.25 MX$145

-44.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 MGA 20.3K

$11.82 MX$207

-59.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 MGA 2,828

$1.81 MX$31.77

-63.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MGA 7,170

$2.00 MX$35.00

-16.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,094

$2.08 MX$36.56

-76.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MGA 2,937

$1.08 MX$18.88

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 MGA 7,711

$4.35 MX$76.3

-58.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 MGA 24.9K

$16.99 MX$298

-65.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MGA 2,764

$1.73 MX$30.40

-63.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$16.52 MGA 70.8K

$26.87 MX$471

-38.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.66 MGA 144.3K

$30.51 MX$535

10.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Toliara: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

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

Toliara vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toliara and Mexico City differ by about 729% in total monthly costs ($176 vs $1,456 including rent). Toliara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $264 in Toliara and $2,185 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 199% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $176 per month in Toliara versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 729% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $176 in Toliara versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Toliara but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Toliara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Toliara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 729% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.