Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Antananarivo: $648 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Antananarivo
Learn more

Antananarivo Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
Learn more

Buenos Aires Living Index

Jump to prices

Antananarivo

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$648

/mo nomad

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,685

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Antananarivo and in Buenos Aires

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 Buenos Aires actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $648 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent included.

Antananarivo $648
Buenos Aires $1,685

A couple spends around $1,009 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,742 in Buenos Aires, rent included.

Antananarivo $1,009
Buenos Aires $2,742

A family of three spends $1,370 per month in Antananarivo vs $3,799 in Buenos Aires, rent included.

Antananarivo $1,370
Buenos Aires $3,799

Antananarivo is about 62% cheaper than Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Antananarivo sits 52% below the global median, while Buenos Aires is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.68 MGA 12.0K

$18.73 ARS 28.4K

-85.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.36 MGA 91.0K

$64.5 ARS 97.8K

-68.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 MGA 24.5K

$12.88 ARS 19.5K

-57.45%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MGA 7,154

$3.98 ARS 6,029

-59.80%

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

$0.82 MGA 3,653

$2.05 ARS 3,103

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MGA 1,999

$1.55 ARS 2,349

-70.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 MGA 4,392

$3.84 ARS 5,830

-74.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MGA 10.3K

$4.60 ARS 6,970

-49.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 MGA 4,497

$1.44 ARS 2,181

-29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MGA 4,471

$2.46 ARS 3,738

-59.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 MGA 3,377

$1.63 ARS 2,467

-53.37%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 9,268

$2.89 ARS 4,385

-28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 MGA 38.7K

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

-18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 MGA 20.0K

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

-55.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 MGA 22.1K

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

-63.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 MGA 4,946

$2.75 ARS 4,166

-59.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,598

$2.18 ARS 3,300

-73.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,660

$1.45 ARS 2,205

-28.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MGA 3,615

$1.99 ARS 3,013

-59.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,700

$1.24 ARS 1,885

-51.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,418

$1.27 ARS 1,921

-22.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,532

$1.70 ARS 2,575

-80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MGA 3,217

$1.73 ARS 2,617

-58.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 MGA 6,933

$4.18 ARS 6,337

-62.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 MGA 22.9K

$5.80 ARS 8,790

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MGA 4,390

$2.09 ARS 3,163

-53.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MGA 8,055

$2.77 ARS 4,198

-35.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 MGA 667

$0.75 ARS 1,132

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.15 ARS 41.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 MGA 14.9K

$1.62 ARS 2,451

105.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 MGA 9,179

$0.98 ARS 1,481

109.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 MGA 19.7K

$7.72 ARS 11.7K

-42.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 MGA 5,263

$1.36 ARS 2,058

-13.24%

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

$11.9K MGA 53.4M

$28.0K ARS 42.5M

-57.36%

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

$25.1K MGA 112.2M

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

-27.31%

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

$72.8 MGA 325.6K

$216 ARS 326.9K

-66.22%

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

$17.01 MGA 76.0K

$25.61 ARS 38.8K

-33.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 MGA 253.0K

$31.36 ARS 47.6K

80.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.33 MGA 131.1K

$49.82 ARS 75.6K

-41.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.15 MGA 31.9K

$17.06 ARS 25.9K

-58.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 MGA 25.1K

$10.43 ARS 15.8K

-46.21%

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

$25.35 MGA 113.3K

$466 ARS 706.7K

-94.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K MGA 66.3M

$9,057 ARS 13.7M

63.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.23 MGA 130.7K

$122 ARS 185.2K

-76.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.19 MGA 121.5K

$97.4 ARS 147.8K

-72.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 MGA 349.1K

$117 ARS 177.4K

-33.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 MGA 305.4K

$140 ARS 211.9K

-51.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MGA 1.5M

$763 ARS 1.2M

-57.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MGA 678.6K

$505 ARS 766.1K

-69.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 MGA 3.3M

$1,598 ARS 2.4M

-54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 MGA 1.4M

$1,185 ARS 1.8M

-73.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$670 MGA 3.0M

$2,678 ARS 4.1M

-75.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$561 MGA 2.5M

$1,858 ARS 2.8M

-69.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 MGA 579.1K

$954 ARS 1.4M

-86.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

57.25

-72.49%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Antananarivo

$152 23%

Buenos Aires

$505 30.4% 233% $353

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Antananarivo

$146 22.2%

Buenos Aires

$273 16.4% 86.1% $126

Groceries & Markets

Antananarivo

$144 21.9%

Buenos Aires

$284 17.1% 96.8% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Antananarivo

$91 13.8%

Buenos Aires

$214 12.9% 135% $123

Eating Out

Antananarivo

$72 10.9%

Buenos Aires

$279 16.8% 289% $207

Sport & Entertainment

Antananarivo

$41 6.1%

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3% 74.3% $30

Getting Around

Antananarivo

$14 * 2.2%

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2% 158% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $327 in Antananarivo versus $763 in Buenos Aires. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 637% higher in Buenos Aires, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Antananarivo versus $64.0 in Buenos Aires. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $284 – making Antananarivo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇬 Antananarivo

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🕒 Local time

15:14 3:14 PM

09:14 9:14 AM

6 h behind Antananarivo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,274,225 Capital

2,891,082 Capital

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD

10,000 MGA = 2 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇬 Malagasy Ariary (Ar)

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,470 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD). 1 EUR = 5,009 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

USD to MGA in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Antananarivo Buenos Aires 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Antananarivo
Buenos Aires

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 Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Buenos Aires is pricier by about 160%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $972 per month in Antananarivo and $2,528 in Buenos Aires. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $648 in Antananarivo and $1,685 in Buenos Aires. That's a gap of about 160%.

Kindergarten costs $25.35 per month in Antananarivo and $466 in Buenos Aires. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Antananarivo, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Buenos Aires at $1,685. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenos Aires it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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