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 $579 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,036 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,493 per month in Antananarivo vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 54% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

$11.99 MX$210

-72.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

$41.78 MX$733

-54.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

$10.75 MX$189

-53.95%

Cappuccino

$1.29 MGA 5,534

$3.50 MX$61.3

-63.14%

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

$1.05 MGA 4,501

$1.45 MX$25.41

-27.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MGA 2,577

$0.88 MX$15.52

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 MGA 3,428

$2.95 MX$51.7

-72.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,850

$4.51 MX$79.1

-64.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 MGA 4,799

$1.43 MX$25.12

-21.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MGA 4,675

$1.84 MX$32.23

-40.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,297

$1.57 MX$27.51

-50.96%

Eggs

$1.98 MGA 8,472

$2.51 MX$44.06

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

$8.28 MX$145

24.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

$8.43 MX$148

-44.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

$10.68 MX$187

-57.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MGA 5,788

$2.61 MX$45.76

-48.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,556

$1.44 MX$25.22

-58.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 MGA 4,608

$1.96 MX$34.41

-45.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,450

$2.09 MX$36.74

-50.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,128

$1.85 MX$32.47

-60.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,239

$2.17 MX$38.02

-54.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,488

$1.03 MX$18.09

-66.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MGA 3,008

$1.07 MX$18.84

-34.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

$4.10 MX$72.0

-36.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

$10.17 MX$178

-50.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,739

$1.68 MX$29.38

-48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MGA 5,205

$2.53 MX$44.31

-52.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 514

$0.51 MX$8.93

-76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

$3.23 MX$56.7

-9.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MGA 7,089

$2.41 MX$42.19

-31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

$3.23 MX$56.6

39.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MGA 5,249

$1.32 MX$23.17

-7.58%

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

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-59.27%

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

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

1.72%

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

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-29.25%

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

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

$22.95 MX$403

-31.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

$30.11 MX$528

53.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

$52.0 MX$912

-31.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

$18.53 MX$325

-65.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

$4.98 MX$87.3

31.33%

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

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

$197 MX$3,463

-63.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

118.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

$35.60 MX$624

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

$40.33 MX$707

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-14.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MGA 1.7M

$947 MX$16.6K

-59.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-83.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MGA 2.5M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-65.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-63.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 MGA 3.0M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-83.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 MGA 2.5M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-91.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 522.4K

$654 MX$11.5K

-81.37%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Antananarivo versus $947 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 437% 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: $152 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 117%, 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 $1,884 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 $579 in Antananarivo and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $197 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 $579, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.