Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $579 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 44% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Antananarivo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 57% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-46.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-42.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-32.56%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,534

$1.72 COP 5,600

-25.00%

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

$1.05 MGA 4,501

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,577

$0.77 COP 2,515

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,428

$1.69 COP 5,488

-52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,850

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-49.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,799

$1.05 COP 3,423

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,675

$1.30 COP 4,236

-16.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,297

$1.40 COP 4,544

-45.00%

Eggs

$1.98 MGA 8,472

$2.16 COP 7,047

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

135.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-20.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-48.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MGA 5,788

$2.28 COP 7,426

-40.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,556

$1.11 COP 3,604

-45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,608

$1.53 COP 4,983

-30.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,450

$1.35 COP 4,410

-22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,128

$1.13 COP 3,674

-35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,239

$1.13 COP 3,692

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,488

$0.85 COP 2,753

-58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MGA 3,008

$0.91 COP 2,975

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

$2.34 COP 7,630

11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,739

$1.20 COP 3,909

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MGA 5,205

$2.49 COP 8,104

-51.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 514

$0.84 COP 2,728

-85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

$1.42 COP 4,623

106.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MGA 7,089

$1.92 COP 6,235

-14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-41.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MGA 5,249

$0.99 COP 3,223

23.23%

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

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-32.92%

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

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-9.60%

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

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-28.20%

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

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

57.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

91.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

42.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-66.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

64.32%

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

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

$305 COP 993.5K

-76.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

92.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-46.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-6.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

$101 COP 327.9K

-23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

$108 COP 350.8K

-29.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MGA 1.7M

$477 COP 1.6M

-18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

-79.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MGA 2.5M

$845 COP 2.7M

-31.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$730 COP 2.4M

-39.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 MGA 3.0M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-78.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 MGA 2.5M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-58.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 522.4K

$617 COP 2.0M

-80.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Antananarivo versus $477 in Medellin. 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 406% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $193 – making Antananarivo 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $1,031 in Medellin. 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 $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Antananarivo, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Antananarivo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.