Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $571 per month in Antananarivo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,045 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,519 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 34% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Antananarivo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 57% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.34 MGA 14.0K

$1.94 ฿63.6

72.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 MGA 78.6K

$18.64 ฿609

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MGA 20.2K

$7.82 ฿256

-38.49%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,424

$1.95 ฿63.9

-33.85%

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

$1.06 MGA 4,432

$0.85 ฿27.80

24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,494

$0.35 ฿11.60

68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 MGA 3,137

$2.13 ฿69.7

-64.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MGA 6,583

$3.73 ฿122

-57.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,710

$1.71 ฿56.0

-34.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,567

$1.63 ฿53.3

-33.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 MGA 3,113

$1.14 ฿37.18

-35.09%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 8,664

$1.93 ฿63.2

7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 43.3K

$16.21 ฿530

-36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 MGA 19.1K

$3.12 ฿102

45.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 MGA 18.5K

$10.90 ฿356

-59.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 MGA 5,510

$2.75 ฿90.1

-52.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MGA 2,492

$1.21 ฿39.56

-51.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 MGA 4,516

$1.62 ฿53.0

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,189

$1.59 ฿51.9

-37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,060

$1.40 ฿45.75

-47.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,212

$1.17 ฿38.20

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,437

$0.66 ฿21.62

-48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,905

$0.53 ฿17.24

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MGA 10.9K

$4.69 ฿153

-44.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 MGA 23.0K

$18.66 ฿610

-70.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,438

$1.80 ฿58.8

-54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MGA 5,347

$3.23 ฿106

-60.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 491

$0.90 ฿29.28

-86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 MGA 12.2K

$1.41 ฿45.96

107.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 MGA 7,158

$1.29 ฿42.16

32.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MGA 18.4K

$7.84 ฿256

-44.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 MGA 5,148

$1.27 ฿41.62

-3.15%

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

$12.0K MGA 50.4M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-43.49%

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

$24.0K MGA 100.8M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

8.22%

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

$58.5 MGA 245.5K

$69.1 ฿2,258

-15.25%

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

$15.69 MGA 65.8K

$14.08 ฿460

11.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 MGA 198.9K

$18.00 ฿588

163.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.55 MGA 153.3K

$41.06 ฿1,342

-10.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 MGA 26.6K

$6.96 ฿227

-8.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 MGA 28.4K

$5.92 ฿193

14.53%

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

$72.2 MGA 302.8K

$299 ฿9,775

-75.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MGA 48.8M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-22.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.63 MGA 128.4K

$54.7 ฿1,788

-44.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 MGA 124.2K

$26.77 ฿875

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 MGA 326.3K

$85.0 ฿2,778

-8.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 MGA 320.0K

$70.6 ฿2,308

8.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MGA 1.6M

$428 ฿14.0K

-10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.8 MGA 326.1K

$237 ฿7,759

-67.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 MGA 2.4M

$801 ฿26.2K

-27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 MGA 1.8M

$515 ฿16.9K

-15.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 MGA 2.9M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-64.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 MGA 2.5M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-60.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 509.8K

$617 ฿20.2K

-80.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Antananarivo versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 408% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Antananarivo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $246 – making Antananarivo 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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $857 per month in Antananarivo and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. 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 $571 in Antananarivo and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $72.2 per month in Antananarivo and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $571 in Antananarivo and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.