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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $490 per month in Ambositra vs $557 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $745 per month in Ambositra vs $813 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,000 per month in Ambositra vs $1,069 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Ambositra is about 12% cheaper than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ambositra and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Ambositra 63% lower, Mahajanga 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 MGA 12.0K

$2.02 MGA 8,979

33.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.82 MGA 92.6K

$18.34 MGA 81.5K

13.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 MGA 25.7K

Cappuccino

$1.65 MGA 7,330

$0.69 MGA 3,087

139.13%

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

$0.82 MGA 3,660

$0.93 MGA 4,147

-11.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MGA 2,007

$0.90 MGA 3,991

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,519

$1.05 MGA 4,685

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MGA 9,944

$1.61 MGA 7,173

39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 MGA 4,615

$1.35 MGA 6,021

-22.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MGA 4,510

$0.87 MGA 3,879

16.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 MGA 3,217

$0.64 MGA 2,864

12.50%

Eggs

$2.01 MGA 8,948

$2.23 MGA 9,910

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MGA 37.7K

$6.91 MGA 30.7K

22.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 MGA 19.7K

$6.85 MGA 30.5K

-35.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 MGA 22.3K

$3.75 MGA 16.7K

33.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MGA 4,709

$1.12 MGA 4,963

-5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,414

$0.62 MGA 2,750

-12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,737

$0.70 MGA 3,093

52.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 MGA 3,995

$0.70 MGA 3,129

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,682

$0.53 MGA 2,370

13.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,398

$0.52 MGA 2,320

90.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MGA 1,466

$0.35 MGA 1,566

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MGA 3,023

$0.59 MGA 2,643

15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 MGA 7,222

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MGA 22.4K

$9.30 MGA 41.3K

-45.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MGA 4,606

$0.79 MGA 3,499

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MGA 8,056

$0.95 MGA 4,223

90.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MGA 1,014

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 MGA 15.0K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 MGA 8,939

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 MGA 20.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 MGA 5,023

$1.34 MGA 5,964

-15.67%

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

$11.9K MGA 53.1M

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

$25.6K MGA 113.9M

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

$76.0 MGA 337.8K

$44.71 MGA 198.8K

69.96%

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

$17.22 MGA 76.6K

$6.69 MGA 29.8K

157.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 MGA 259.1K

$22.67 MGA 100.8K

157.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.07 MGA 80.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 MGA 25.1K

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

$25.50 MGA 113.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K MGA 66.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 MGA 127.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.22 MGA 125.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 MGA 343.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MGA 311.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MGA 3.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Ambositra versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Groceries tell a different story – $144 in Ambositra vs $151 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 14%, 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 $735 per month in Ambositra and $835 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $490 in Ambositra and $557 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.