Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toliara and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Toliara: $174 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Toliara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$174

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toliara and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toliara and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $174 per month in Toliara vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toliara $174
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $261 per month in Toliara vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toliara $261
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $349 per month in Toliara vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toliara $349
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Toliara is about 86% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Toliara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Toliara 87% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 MGA 7,855

$10.92 MX$205

-84.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$815

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

Cappuccino

$0.78 MGA 3,585

$3.81 MX$71.6

-79.53%

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

$0.67 MGA 3,082

$1.28 MX$24.10

-47.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MGA 6,505

$1.41 MX$26.43

0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.66

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.41 MGA 1,871

$1.42 MX$26.64

-71.13%

Eggs

$2.08 MGA 9,499

$2.52 MX$47.41

-17.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$137

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 21.5K

$7.70 MX$145

-39.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.94 MGA 22.6K

$12.69 MX$239

-61.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 3,120

$1.37 MX$25.71

-50.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.94

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MGA 7,685

$2.12 MX$39.90

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MGA 2,372

$1.94 MX$36.43

-73.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.44

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MGA 3,071

$1.18 MX$22.16

-43.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.80 MGA 8,253

$4.30 MX$80.7

-58.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.48 MGA 25.1K

$9.95 MX$187

-44.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MGA 2,877

$1.58 MX$29.76

-60.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.14

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

$20.7K MX$388.4K

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

$23.5K MX$441.0K

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

$84.8 MX$1,594

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

$16.30 MGA 74.6K

$23.41 MX$440

-30.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.49 MGA 153.3K

$28.66 MX$539

16.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,072

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.6

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

$207 MX$3,882

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$815

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,394

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,677

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,157

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

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 Toliara: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Toliara

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Good to know

🇲🇬 Toliara

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

11:14 11:14 AM

03:14 3:14 AM

8 h behind Toliara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

168,756

149,923

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇬 Malagasy Ariary (Ar)

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,577 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,108 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to MGA in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Toliara Playa del Carmen 14,950 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Toliara
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 591%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $261 per month in Toliara and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $174 in Toliara and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Toliara about 86% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 158% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Toliara, where all-in costs run around $174, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Toliara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $174 in Toliara to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.