Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Antsirabe Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Antsirabe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $579 per month in Antananarivo vs $305 in Antsirabe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Antananarivo vs $496 in Antsirabe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Antananarivo vs $686 in Antsirabe, rent included.

Antananarivo costs about 90% more than Antsirabe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Antananarivo and Antsirabe are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 57% lower, Antsirabe 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

$1.01 MGA 4,347

228.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

$14.53 MGA 62.3K

29.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

$4.51 MGA 19.4K

9.76%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,534

$1.32 MGA 5,653

-2.27%

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

$1.05 MGA 4,501

$0.85 MGA 3,665

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,577

$0.58 MGA 2,473

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,428

$1.53 MGA 6,559

-47.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,850

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,799

$0.38 MGA 1,634

194.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,675

$0.46 MGA 1,952

136.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,297

$0.59 MGA 2,523

30.51%

Eggs

$1.98 MGA 8,472

$0.84 MGA 3,590

135.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

$7.82 MGA 33.5K

32.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

$3.67 MGA 15.7K

27.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

$3.95 MGA 16.9K

13.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MGA 5,788

$0.70 MGA 3,011

92.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,556

$0.28 MGA 1,208

114.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,608

$0.65 MGA 2,779

64.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,450

$0.32 MGA 1,360

225.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,128

$0.21 MGA 897

247.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,239

$0.46 MGA 1,959

115.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,488

$0.09 MGA 398

288.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MGA 3,008

$0.45 MGA 1,949

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

$5.14 MGA 22.1K

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,739

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MGA 5,205

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 514

$0.09 MGA 392

33.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MGA 7,089

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MGA 5,249

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

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

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

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

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

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

$37.61 MGA 161.3K

54.27%

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

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

$62.8 MGA 269.3K

-26.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

$16.34 MGA 70.1K

118.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

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

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MGA 1.7M

$67.9 MGA 291.1K

470.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

$44.23 MGA 189.7K

78.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MGA 2.5M

$218 MGA 934.7K

163.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$158 MGA 676.7K

178.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 MGA 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 MGA 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 522.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Antsirabe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Antananarivo versus $67.9 in Antsirabe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Antananarivo versus $15.00 in Antsirabe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $95.0 – making Antsirabe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Antananarivo vs Antsirabe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 90%, 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 $869 per month in Antananarivo and $458 in Antsirabe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antsirabe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% more in Antananarivo, 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 $19.00 in Antananarivo and $15.00 in Antsirabe. 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 $579 in Antananarivo and $305 in Antsirabe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Antsirabe – 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 Antsirabe. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Antananarivo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.