Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambatolampy and Mahajanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambatolampy: $466 a month against $538 in Mahajanga, rent and utilities included – about $860 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mahajanga outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Ambatolampy
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Ambatolampy Living Index

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Ambatolampy

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$466

/mo nomad

Mahajanga

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$538

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ambatolampy and in Mahajanga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $466 in Ambatolampy versus $538 in Mahajanga.

Ambatolampy $466
Mahajanga $538

Estimated couple costs with rent: $689 in Ambatolampy versus $792 in Mahajanga.

Ambatolampy $689
Mahajanga $792

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $912 in Ambatolampy versus $1,045 in Mahajanga.

Ambatolampy $912
Mahajanga $1,045

Living in Ambatolampy costs roughly 13% less than in Mahajanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambatolampy 66% lower, Mahajanga 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 MGA 11.9K

$2.02 MGA 9,238

28.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.84 MGA 45.0K

$17.69 MGA 81.0K

-44.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 MGA 25.8K

Cappuccino

$1.58 MGA 7,247

$0.64 MGA 2,927

146.88%

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

$0.75 MGA 3,424

$0.90 MGA 4,108

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MGA 2,053

$0.84 MGA 3,850

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 MGA 4,317

$0.97 MGA 4,431

-3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MGA 9,775

$1.57 MGA 7,197

36.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MGA 3,889

$1.34 MGA 6,128

-36.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MGA 4,478

$0.81 MGA 3,726

20.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 MGA 3,222

$0.60 MGA 2,740

16.67%

Eggs

$1.95 MGA 8,925

$2.06 MGA 9,446

-5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 MGA 38.8K

$6.55 MGA 30.0K

29.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 MGA 20.1K

$6.55 MGA 30.0K

-32.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.86 MGA 22.2K

$3.46 MGA 15.9K

40.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MGA 4,716

$1.07 MGA 4,898

-3.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,582

$0.63 MGA 2,866

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 MGA 4,694

$0.68 MGA 3,110

51.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 MGA 3,735

$0.68 MGA 3,134

20.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,484

$0.52 MGA 2,366

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MGA 4,144

$0.54 MGA 2,463

68.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 MGA 1,437

$0.32 MGA 1,450

-3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MGA 3,255

$0.57 MGA 2,598

24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 MGA 7,168

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 MGA 22.1K

$8.85 MGA 40.5K

-45.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MGA 4,601

$0.76 MGA 3,462

32.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 MGA 8,327

$0.90 MGA 4,128

102.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 MGA 1,104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 MGA 15.3K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 MGA 8,871

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 MGA 20.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 MGA 3,806

$1.33 MGA 6,110

-37.59%

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

$11.7K MGA 53.7M

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

$25.3K MGA 116.0M

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

$71.4 MGA 327.0K

$43.81 MGA 200.5K

63.07%

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

$16.52 MGA 75.6K

$6.56 MGA 30.0K

151.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 MGA 250.3K

$21.87 MGA 100.1K

150.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.71 MGA 81.0K

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 MGA 24.6K

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

$23.91 MGA 109.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K MGA 66.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.41 MGA 130.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.96 MGA 123.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MGA 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 MGA 313.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 MGA 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 MGA 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

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

Last update for Ambatolampy: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambatolampy

$143 30.6%

Mahajanga

–

Groceries & Markets

Ambatolampy

$139 29.9%

Mahajanga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ambatolampy

$90 19.3%

Mahajanga

–

Eating Out

Ambatolampy

$70 15.1%

Mahajanga

–

Getting Around

Ambatolampy

$13 * 2.8%

Mahajanga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ambatolampy

$11 * 2.3%

Mahajanga

–

Accommodation & Living

Ambatolampy

- * 0%

Mahajanga

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $10 in Ambatolampy vs $18 in Mahajanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $144 per month, with Ambatolampy cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇬 Ambatolampy

🇲🇬 Mahajanga

🕒 Local time

12:09 12:09 PM

Same time as Ambatolampy

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,291

246,022

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Ambatolampy Mahajanga 420 km

From you

Ambatolampy
Mahajanga

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

Ambatolampy vs Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambatolampy wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Mahajanga. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ambatolampy the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $699 in Ambatolampy and $808 in Mahajanga 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.

All in, you’ll spend $466 per month in Ambatolampy versus $538 in Mahajanga – Ambatolampy is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Mahajanga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ambatolampy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.