Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambositra and Mahajanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambositra and Mahajanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $502 per month in Ambositra vs $559 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $769 per month in Ambositra vs $829 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,035 per month in Ambositra vs $1,098 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Ambositra is about 10% cheaper than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ambositra and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Ambositra 63% lower, Mahajanga 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 MGA 12.1K

$2.10 MGA 9,015

34.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 MGA 88.1K

$18.29 MGA 78.5K

12.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 MGA 24.3K

Cappuccino

$1.66 MGA 7,123

$0.71 MGA 3,064

133.80%

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

$0.83 MGA 3,580

$0.90 MGA 3,856

-7.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MGA 2,021

$0.90 MGA 3,880

-47.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,394

$1.06 MGA 4,535

-3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MGA 9,818

$1.65 MGA 7,064

38.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,652

$1.36 MGA 5,841

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MGA 4,565

$0.83 MGA 3,582

27.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 MGA 3,411

$0.62 MGA 2,660

27.42%

Eggs

$2.05 MGA 8,807

$2.21 MGA 9,461

-7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 MGA 38.3K

$7.11 MGA 30.5K

25.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MGA 19.6K

$7.07 MGA 30.3K

-35.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.99 MGA 21.4K

$3.73 MGA 16.0K

33.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 MGA 4,823

$1.14 MGA 4,910

-1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,419

$0.63 MGA 2,687

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 MGA 4,622

$0.69 MGA 2,959

56.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MGA 3,916

$0.67 MGA 2,855

35.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,664

$0.51 MGA 2,175

21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MGA 4,106

$0.58 MGA 2,472

65.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MGA 1,529

$0.34 MGA 1,447

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MGA 3,241

$0.57 MGA 2,440

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 MGA 7,155

Wine (Bottle)

$5.34 MGA 22.9K

$9.25 MGA 39.7K

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MGA 4,375

$0.78 MGA 3,335

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MGA 8,315

$0.95 MGA 4,076

104.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MGA 1,080

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 MGA 14.7K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 MGA 8,892

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MGA 19.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MGA 5,300

$1.36 MGA 5,836

-8.82%

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

$12.4K MGA 53.3M

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

$26.1K MGA 111.9M

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

$75.4 MGA 323.7K

$45.52 MGA 195.3K

65.73%

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

$17.68 MGA 75.9K

$6.99 MGA 30.0K

152.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 MGA 248.1K

$22.76 MGA 97.7K

154.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.30 MGA 78.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MGA 27.7K

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

$25.33 MGA 108.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K MGA 65.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 MGA 126.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.88 MGA 123.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MGA 344.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 MGA 304.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 MGA 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 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 Ambositra: August 16, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Ambositra versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Groceries tell a different story – $149 in Ambositra vs $152 in Mahajanga – so Ambositra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ambositra vs Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mahajanga is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $754 per month in Ambositra and $839 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Mahajanga, 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 $21.00 in Ambositra and $18.00 in Mahajanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $502 in Ambositra and $559 in Mahajanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ambositra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ambositra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mahajanga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.