Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Antsiranana

For one person, living is cheaper in Antsiranana: $300 a month against $650 in Antananarivo, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Antananarivo
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$650
/mo nomad
Antsiranana
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$300
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Antananarivo and in Antsiranana

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

A single person spends $650 per month in Antananarivo vs $300 in Antsiranana, rent included.

  • Antananarivo $650
  • Antsiranana $300

A couple spends around $1,004 per month in Antananarivo vs $602 in Antsiranana, rent included.

  • Antananarivo $1,004
  • Antsiranana $602

A family of three spends $1,358 per month in Antananarivo vs $903 in Antsiranana, rent included.

  • Antananarivo $1,358
  • Antsiranana $903

Antananarivo costs about 117% more than Antsiranana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Antananarivo and Antsiranana are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 52% lower, Antsiranana 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.68 MGA 12.2K
$1.59 MGA 7,249
68.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.32 MGA 92.7K
$16.50 MGA 75.3K
23.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.40 MGA 24.6K
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.59 MGA 7,251
$1.13 MGA 5,176
40.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 MGA 3,647
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 MGA 2,033
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 MGA 4,488
$1.16 MGA 5,302
-15.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 MGA 10.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 MGA 4,197
$1.56 MGA 7,103
-41.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 MGA 4,700
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.75 MGA 3,435
$0.89 MGA 4,051
-15.73%
Eggs
$2.07 MGA 9,435
$3.24 MGA 14.8K
-36.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.20 MGA 37.4K
$17.54 MGA 80.0K
-53.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 MGA 19.7K
$7.63 MGA 34.8K
-43.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.78 MGA 21.8K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.08 MGA 4,924
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.57 MGA 2,580
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.04 MGA 4,749
$2.67 MGA 12.2K
-61.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.86 MGA 3,922
$1.49 MGA 6,777
-42.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.59 MGA 2,696
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 MGA 4,438
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.32 MGA 1,441
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 MGA 3,013
$0.69 MGA 3,151
-4.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.57 MGA 7,147
$1.79 MGA 8,167
-12.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.98 MGA 22.7K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 MGA 4,628
$0.62 MGA 2,846
62.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 MGA 8,410
$2.66 MGA 12.1K
-30.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.13 MGA 605
$0.21 MGA 954
-38.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.33 MGA 15.2K
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 MGA 9,126
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.34 MGA 19.8K
$6.52 MGA 29.7K
-33.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 MGA 5,140
$1.32 MGA 6,040
-14.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.8K MGA 54.0M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K MGA 112.7M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.9 MGA 332.5K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.41 MGA 74.9K
$21.77 MGA 99.3K
-24.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.0 MGA 260.1K
$57.8 MGA 263.7K
-1.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.95 MGA 132.1K
$13.29 MGA 60.6K
117.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.20 MGA 32.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.68 MGA 25.9K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$24.15 MGA 110.2K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K MGA 67.3M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.92 MGA 131.9K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.29 MGA 124.5K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.6 MGA 349.4K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.8 MGA 309.4K
$35.83 MGA 163.5K
89.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$321 MGA 1.5M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 MGA 674.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$725 MGA 3.3M
$333 MGA 1.5M
117.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 MGA 1.4M
$217 MGA 991.9K
45.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$650 MGA 3.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$557 MGA 2.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Antananarivo
Antsiranana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$132 MGA 600.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.75
0
-

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

Last update for Antananarivo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Antsiranana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Antananarivo
$148
Antsiranana
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antananarivo
$146
Antsiranana
–
Groceries & Markets
Antananarivo
$140
Antsiranana
–
Clothing & Footwear
Antananarivo
$90
Antsiranana
–
Eating Out
Antananarivo
$71
Antsiranana
–
Sport & Entertainment
Antananarivo
$40
Antsiranana
–
Getting Around
Antananarivo
$14 *
Antsiranana
–

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Antananarivo versus $16.00 in Antsiranana. Groceries tell a different story – $140 in Antananarivo vs $158 in Antsiranana – so Antananarivo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇬 Antananarivo
🇲🇬 Antsiranana
🕒 Local time
21:32 9:32 PM
21:32 9:32 PM
Same time as Antananarivo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,274,225 Capital
129,320
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Antananarivo Antsiranana 760 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Antananarivo
  • Antsiranana

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
Antananarivo vs Antsiranana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antsiranana cheaper than Antananarivo?
Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 117%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $975 per month in Antananarivo and $449 in Antsiranana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Antananarivo and in Antsiranana?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Antananarivo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Antananarivo or in Antsiranana?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Antananarivo and $16.00 in Antsiranana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,200 enough for either Antananarivo or Antsiranana?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $650 in Antananarivo and $300 in Antsiranana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Antananarivo or Antsiranana more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Antsiranana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Antsiranana. 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.

Antananarivo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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