Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $579 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Antananarivo vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 60% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Antananarivo sits 57% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

$13.07 MX$229

-74.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

$53.8 MX$943

-64.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

$9.68 MX$170

-48.86%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,534

$3.74 MX$65.6

-65.51%

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

$1.05 MGA 4,501

$1.62 MX$28.34

-35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,577

$1.16 MX$20.37

-48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,428

$3.23 MX$56.6

-75.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,850

$4.74 MX$83.1

-66.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,799

$1.65 MX$28.89

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,675

$2.75 MX$48.30

-60.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,297

$1.87 MX$32.87

-58.82%

Eggs

$1.98 MGA 8,472

$2.50 MX$43.86

-20.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

$10.20 MX$179

1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

$8.25 MX$145

-43.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

$11.82 MX$207

-62.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MGA 5,788

$3.01 MX$52.8

-55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,556

$1.81 MX$31.77

-66.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,608

$2.00 MX$35.07

-46.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,450

$2.00 MX$35.00

-48.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,128

$2.08 MX$36.56

-64.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,239

$2.27 MX$39.85

-56.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,488

$1.46 MX$25.55

-76.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MGA 3,008

$1.08 MX$18.88

-35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

$4.35 MX$76.3

-40.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

$16.99 MX$298

-70.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,739

$1.73 MX$30.40

-49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MGA 5,205

$3.58 MX$62.7

-66.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 514

$0.39 MX$6.79

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

$1.33 MX$23.25

120.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MGA 7,089

$0.28 MX$4.91

489.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

$5.25 MX$92.1

-14.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MGA 5,249

$1.34 MX$23.44

-8.96%

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

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-37.69%

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

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

1.00%

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

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

$40.69 MX$714

42.59%

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

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

$26.87 MX$471

-41.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

$30.51 MX$535

51.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

$52.8 MX$926

-32.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

$26.65 MX$467

-75.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

$6.51 MX$114

0.46%

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

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

$428 MX$7,508

-83.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

11.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-45.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

$45.50 MX$798

-33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

$104 MX$1,825

-25.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

$108 MX$1,891

-29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MGA 1.7M

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-61.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

$623 MX$10.9K

-87.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MGA 2.5M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-72.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-63.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 MGA 3.0M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-82.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 MGA 2.5M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-71.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 522.4K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-88.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

32.28%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Antananarivo versus $1,003 in Mexico City. 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 752% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $292 – 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 151%, 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 $2,185 in Mexico City. 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 $1,456 in Mexico City. 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 $428 in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City at $1,456. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.