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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $667 per month in Antananarivo vs $564 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,055 per month in Antananarivo vs $843 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,442 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,123 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Antananarivo costs about 18% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Antananarivo and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 51% lower, Mahajanga 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 MGA 11.8K

$2.04 MGA 8,832

34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 MGA 91.6K

$18.28 MGA 79.1K

15.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 MGA 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.68 MGA 7,250

$0.72 MGA 3,105

133.33%

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

$0.79 MGA 3,408

$0.94 MGA 4,073

-15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MGA 1,886

$0.91 MGA 3,917

-51.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 MGA 4,600

$1.03 MGA 4,453

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MGA 9,868

$1.59 MGA 6,862

43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 MGA 4,231

$1.38 MGA 5,966

-28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MGA 4,470

$0.85 MGA 3,669

21.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,165

$0.61 MGA 2,644

19.67%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 8,933

$2.22 MGA 9,584

-6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MGA 37.0K

$7.15 MGA 30.9K

19.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 MGA 19.3K

$7.11 MGA 30.8K

-37.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.96 MGA 21.4K

$3.81 MGA 16.5K

30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MGA 4,886

$1.19 MGA 5,152

-5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 MGA 2,452

$0.66 MGA 2,845

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,515

$0.73 MGA 3,149

42.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MGA 3,862

$0.72 MGA 3,132

23.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,488

$0.53 MGA 2,305

9.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MGA 4,449

$0.53 MGA 2,313

94.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MGA 1,537

$0.36 MGA 1,566

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MGA 3,051

$0.56 MGA 2,435

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 MGA 7,110

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 MGA 23.0K

$9.04 MGA 39.1K

-41.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MGA 4,584

$0.78 MGA 3,359

35.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MGA 8,288

$0.91 MGA 3,926

110.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 531

$0.25 MGA 1,085

-52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 MGA 15.1K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 MGA 8,862

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 MGA 20.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 MGA 4,980

$1.42 MGA 6,156

-19.01%

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

$12.2K MGA 52.6M

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

$26.2K MGA 113.3M

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

$77.5 MGA 335.4K

$46.86 MGA 202.7K

65.45%

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

$17.67 MGA 76.4K

$6.92 MGA 30.0K

155.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 MGA 256.6K

$23.11 MGA 100.0K

156.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.14 MGA 130.4K

$18.50 MGA 80.0K

62.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 MGA 31.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 MGA 24.6K

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

$25.87 MGA 111.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.09 MGA 130.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.84 MGA 124.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 MGA 342.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MGA 310.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 MGA 1.5M

$346 MGA 1.5M

-2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 MGA 673.1K

$276 MGA 1.2M

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 MGA 3.3M

$689 MGA 3.0M

12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MGA 1.4M

$467 MGA 2.0M

-29.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$673 MGA 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$593 MGA 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$135 MGA 582.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

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

Last update for Antananarivo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Antananarivo versus $346 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 $21.00 in Antananarivo versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Groceries tell a different story – $145 in Antananarivo vs $153 in Mahajanga – 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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,000 per month in Antananarivo and $846 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Antananarivo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 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 $667 in Antananarivo and $564 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.