Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Mahajanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Mahajanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $579 per month in Antananarivo vs $387 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Antananarivo vs $720 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,052 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Antananarivo costs about 49% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Antananarivo and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 57% lower, Mahajanga 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

$2.02 MGA 8,677

64.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

$18.10 MGA 77.6K

4.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,534

$0.68 MGA 2,931

89.71%

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

$1.05 MGA 4,501

$0.92 MGA 3,962

14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,577

$0.88 MGA 3,773

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,428

$1.03 MGA 4,398

-22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,850

$1.58 MGA 6,790

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,799

$1.08 MGA 4,636

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,675

$0.59 MGA 2,522

84.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,297

$0.57 MGA 2,437

35.09%

Eggs

$1.98 MGA 8,472

$1.91 MGA 8,212

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

$6.76 MGA 29.0K

52.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

$5.21 MGA 22.3K

-9.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

$3.30 MGA 14.1K

36.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MGA 5,788

$0.97 MGA 4,173

39.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,556

$0.59 MGA 2,515

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,608

$0.77 MGA 3,301

38.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,450

$0.51 MGA 2,178

103.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,128

$0.50 MGA 2,152

46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,239

$0.48 MGA 2,038

106.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,488

$0.43 MGA 1,845

-18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MGA 3,008

$0.64 MGA 2,734

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

$1.09 MGA 4,658

138.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

$9.35 MGA 40.1K

-45.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,739

$0.82 MGA 3,527

6.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MGA 5,205

$0.98 MGA 4,204

23.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 514

$0.15 MGA 639

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.05 MGA 38.8K

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

$1.14 MGA 4,878

7.02%

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

$43.84 MGA 188.0K

32.34%

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

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

$6.78 MGA 29.1K

130.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

$22.52 MGA 96.6K

105.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

$17.61 MGA 75.5K

102.78%

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

$339 MGA 1.5M

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

$111 MGA 475.1K

-28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MGA 2.5M

$664 MGA 2.8M

-13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$452 MGA 1.9M

-2.95%

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 Mahajanga: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Antananarivo versus $339 in Mahajanga. 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 $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $133 – making Mahajanga 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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 49%, 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 $581 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $18.00 in Mahajanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $579 in Antananarivo and $387 in Mahajanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mahajanga – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mahajanga. 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.