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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $571 per month in Antananarivo vs $377 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,045 per month in Antananarivo vs $709 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,519 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,041 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Antananarivo costs about 51% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Antananarivo and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 57% lower, Mahajanga 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.34 MGA 14.0K

$1.97 MGA 8,251

69.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 MGA 78.6K

$17.84 MGA 74.8K

5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MGA 20.2K

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,424

$0.69 MGA 2,880

86.96%

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

$1.06 MGA 4,432

$0.86 MGA 3,596

23.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,494

$0.87 MGA 3,667

-32.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 MGA 3,137

$1.02 MGA 4,294

-26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MGA 6,583

$1.57 MGA 6,588

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,710

$1.05 MGA 4,391

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,567

$0.60 MGA 2,497

81.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 MGA 3,113

$0.61 MGA 2,552

21.31%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 8,664

$1.91 MGA 8,024

8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 43.3K

$6.52 MGA 27.3K

58.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 MGA 19.1K

$5.31 MGA 22.3K

-14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 MGA 18.5K

$3.32 MGA 13.9K

33.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 MGA 5,510

$0.91 MGA 3,826

43.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MGA 2,492

$0.57 MGA 2,404

3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 MGA 4,516

$0.76 MGA 3,188

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,189

$0.50 MGA 2,100

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,060

$0.50 MGA 2,092

46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,212

$0.45 MGA 1,885

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,437

$0.40 MGA 1,675

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,905

$0.58 MGA 2,444

18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MGA 10.9K

$1.13 MGA 4,726

130.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 MGA 23.0K

$9.41 MGA 39.5K

-41.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,438

$0.79 MGA 3,298

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MGA 5,347

$1.03 MGA 4,309

24.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 491

$0.13 MGA 527

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 MGA 12.2K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 MGA 7,158

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MGA 18.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 MGA 5,148

$1.09 MGA 4,579

12.84%

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

$12.0K MGA 50.4M

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

$24.0K MGA 100.8M

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

$58.5 MGA 245.5K

$43.80 MGA 183.7K

33.65%

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

$15.69 MGA 65.8K

$6.62 MGA 27.8K

137.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 MGA 198.9K

$22.07 MGA 92.5K

114.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.55 MGA 153.3K

$18.06 MGA 75.7K

102.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 MGA 26.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 MGA 28.4K

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

$72.2 MGA 302.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MGA 48.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.63 MGA 128.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 MGA 124.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 MGA 326.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 MGA 320.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MGA 1.6M

$334 MGA 1.4M

14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.8 MGA 326.1K

$109 MGA 457.6K

-28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 MGA 2.4M

$667 MGA 2.8M

-12.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 MGA 1.8M

$445 MGA 1.9M

-2.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 MGA 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 MGA 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 509.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Antananarivo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Antananarivo versus $334 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: $151 vs $132 – 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 51%, 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 $857 per month in Antananarivo and $566 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 15% 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 $571 in Antananarivo and $377 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.