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 $579 per month in Antananarivo vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 33% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

$1.96 ฿65.7

69.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

$18.35 ฿616

2.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

$7.48 ฿251

-33.82%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,534

$2.02 ฿67.7

-36.14%

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

$1.05 MGA 4,501

$0.85 ฿28.45

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,577

$0.36 ฿11.94

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,428

$2.14 ฿71.7

-62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,850

$3.59 ฿121

-55.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,799

$1.65 ฿55.4

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,675

$1.57 ฿52.6

-30.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,297

$1.19 ฿39.95

-35.29%

Eggs

$1.98 MGA 8,472

$1.94 ฿65.0

2.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

$16.19 ฿544

-36.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

$2.99 ฿100

56.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

$10.94 ฿367

-58.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MGA 5,788

$2.71 ฿91.0

-50.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,556

$1.17 ฿39.18

-48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,608

$1.69 ฿56.6

-36.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,450

$1.60 ฿53.9

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,128

$1.38 ฿46.45

-47.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,239

$1.20 ฿40.38

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,488

$0.67 ฿22.46

-47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MGA 3,008

$0.56 ฿18.70

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

$4.64 ฿156

-43.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

$17.62 ฿591

-71.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,739

$1.86 ฿62.4

-53.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MGA 5,205

$3.30 ฿111

-63.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 514

$0.88 ฿29.63

-86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

$1.36 ฿45.82

115.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MGA 7,089

$1.34 ฿44.90

23.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

$8.21 ฿276

-45.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MGA 5,249

$1.22 ฿41.11

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

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-43.36%

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

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

6.84%

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

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

$70.7 ฿2,372

-17.90%

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

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

$14.04 ฿471

11.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

$17.49 ฿587

164.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

$42.15 ฿1,415

-15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

$6.88 ฿231

-6.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

$5.92 ฿199

10.47%

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

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

-76.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-21.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

$55.8 ฿1,872

-43.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

$26.11 ฿877

15.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

$83.0 ฿2,787

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

$70.5 ฿2,365

7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MGA 1.7M

$432 ฿14.5K

-10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

$239 ฿8,020

-67.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MGA 2.5M

$822 ฿27.6K

-30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$512 ฿17.2K

-14.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 MGA 3.0M

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-64.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 MGA 2.5M

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-60.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 522.4K

$579 ฿19.4K

-78.98%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Antananarivo versus $432 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 376% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Antananarivo vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Antananarivo 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

Antananarivo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 49%, 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 $869 per month in Antananarivo and $1,292 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 $579 in Antananarivo and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $71.1 per month in Antananarivo and $309 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 $579 in Antananarivo and $861 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.