Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Manakara Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Manakara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $686 per month in Antananarivo vs $421 in Manakara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,051 per month in Antananarivo vs $646 in Manakara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,417 per month in Antananarivo vs $870 in Manakara, rent included.

Antananarivo costs about 63% more than Manakara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Antananarivo and Manakara are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 50% lower, Manakara 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MGA 12.0K

$2.28 MGA 9,954

21.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.54 MGA 89.6K

$15.11 MGA 65.9K

35.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 MGA 25.8K

$3.80 MGA 16.6K

55.53%

Cappuccino

$1.71 MGA 7,482

$1.27 MGA 5,537

34.65%

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

$0.79 MGA 3,454

$0.65 MGA 2,820

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MGA 1,894

$0.59 MGA 2,592

-27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 MGA 4,422

$1.25 MGA 5,454

-19.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

$1.49 MGA 6,488

59.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 MGA 4,298

$1.83 MGA 7,983

-45.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MGA 4,481

$1.06 MGA 4,646

-2.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 MGA 3,215

$0.77 MGA 3,347

-3.90%

Eggs

$2.09 MGA 9,101

$2.42 MGA 10.5K

-13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MGA 38.1K

$6.65 MGA 29.0K

31.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MGA 20.0K

$3.52 MGA 15.4K

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.99 MGA 21.8K

$3.77 MGA 16.4K

32.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 MGA 4,740

$1.05 MGA 4,564

3.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,635

$0.70 MGA 3,049

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 MGA 4,734

$0.39 MGA 1,717

179.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MGA 3,902

$0.70 MGA 3,064

27.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,513

$0.62 MGA 2,697

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MGA 4,108

$0.79 MGA 3,458

18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MGA 1,436

$0.37 MGA 1,593

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MGA 3,207

$0.67 MGA 2,943

10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.60 MGA 6,993

$1.47 MGA 6,427

8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 MGA 22.6K

$4.50 MGA 19.6K

15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MGA 4,658

$1.08 MGA 4,709

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MGA 8,072

$1.30 MGA 5,652

42.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 MGA 661

$0.24 MGA 1,048

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.60 MGA 164.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 MGA 15.4K

$1.15 MGA 5,009

206.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 MGA 8,899

$2.34 MGA 10.2K

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 MGA 20.6K

$3.38 MGA 14.8K

39.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 MGA 5,053

$1.24 MGA 5,416

-6.45%

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

$12.1K MGA 52.6M

$16.0K MGA 69.9M

-24.82%

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

$26.3K MGA 114.9M

$21.0K MGA 91.8M

25.16%

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

$75.3 MGA 328.7K

$44.25 MGA 193.0K

70.26%

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

$17.13 MGA 74.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 MGA 256.7K

$56.3 MGA 245.5K

4.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.83 MGA 134.5K

$12.24 MGA 53.4K

151.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.28 MGA 31.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MGA 25.7K

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

$25.37 MGA 110.7K

$23.00 MGA 100.3K

10.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K MGA 66.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.17 MGA 131.6K

$16.85 MGA 73.5K

79.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.86 MGA 121.5K

$21.24 MGA 92.7K

31.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 MGA 352.6K

$47.16 MGA 205.8K

71.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 MGA 314.0K

$47.70 MGA 208.1K

50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 MGA 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 MGA 665.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 MGA 3.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 MGA 1.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$677 MGA 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 MGA 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$133 MGA 582.4K

$124 MGA 539.9K

7.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

-34.38%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manakara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 8% higher in Antananarivo, 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 $21.00 in Antananarivo versus $15.00 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $135 – making Manakara 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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,028 per month in Antananarivo and $631 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $686 in Antananarivo and $421 in Manakara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $25.37 per month in Antananarivo and $23.00 in Manakara. 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 $686 in Antananarivo and $421 in Manakara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manakara – 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 Manakara. 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.