Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $571 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,045 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,519 per month in Antananarivo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 56% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Antananarivo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.34 MGA 14.0K

$11.73 MX$203

-71.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 MGA 78.6K

$41.62 MX$721

-54.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MGA 20.2K

$10.64 MX$184

-54.79%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,424

$3.52 MX$61.0

-63.35%

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

$1.06 MGA 4,432

$1.51 MX$26.17

-29.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,494

$0.97 MX$16.87

-39.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 MGA 3,137

$2.95 MX$51.1

-74.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MGA 6,583

$4.45 MX$77.2

-64.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,710

$1.38 MX$23.97

-18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,567

$1.89 MX$32.78

-42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 MGA 3,113

$1.64 MX$28.37

-54.88%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 8,664

$2.51 MX$43.42

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 43.3K

$8.34 MX$145

23.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 MGA 19.1K

$8.34 MX$145

-45.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 MGA 18.5K

$10.73 MX$186

-58.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 MGA 5,510

$2.60 MX$45.12

-49.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MGA 2,492

$1.46 MX$25.25

-59.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 MGA 4,516

$1.90 MX$32.94

-43.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,189

$2.08 MX$35.98

-51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,060

$1.78 MX$30.77

-58.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MGA 4,212

$2.19 MX$37.87

-54.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,437

$1.04 MX$18.02

-67.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,905

$1.08 MX$18.66

-36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MGA 10.9K

$4.08 MX$70.7

-36.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 MGA 23.0K

$10.32 MX$179

-46.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,438

$1.71 MX$29.67

-52.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MGA 5,347

$2.58 MX$44.63

-50.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 491

$0.51 MX$8.83

-76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 MGA 12.2K

$3.26 MX$56.5

-10.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 MGA 7,158

$2.49 MX$43.17

-31.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MGA 18.4K

$3.25 MX$56.3

35.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 MGA 5,148

$1.31 MX$22.65

-6.11%

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

$12.0K MGA 50.4M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-60.29%

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

$24.0K MGA 100.8M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

2.60%

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

$58.5 MGA 245.5K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-29.36%

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

$15.69 MGA 65.8K

$22.22 MX$385

-29.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 MGA 198.9K

$29.34 MX$508

61.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.55 MGA 153.3K

$51.6 MX$895

-29.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 MGA 26.6K

$18.32 MX$317

-65.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 MGA 28.4K

$5.07 MX$87.8

33.73%

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

$72.2 MGA 302.8K

$201 MX$3,480

-64.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MGA 48.8M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

123.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.63 MGA 128.4K

$36.92 MX$640

-17.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 MGA 124.2K

$39.79 MX$689

-25.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 MGA 326.3K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 MGA 320.0K

$87.1 MX$1,509

-12.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MGA 1.6M

$973 MX$16.9K

-60.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.8 MGA 326.1K

$468 MX$8,105

-83.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 MGA 2.4M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 MGA 1.8M

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-64.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 MGA 2.9M

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-82.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 MGA 2.5M

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-90.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 509.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

-81.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

31.35%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Antananarivo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 446% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $249 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 127%, 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 $857 per month in Antananarivo and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $571 in Antananarivo and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $72.2 per month in Antananarivo and $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $571, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.