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 $667 per month in Antananarivo vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,055 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,442 per month in Antananarivo vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Antananarivo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Antananarivo 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 MGA 11.8K

$11.71 MX$199

-76.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 MGA 91.6K

$46.59 MX$791

-54.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 MGA 25.3K

$11.65 MX$198

-49.70%

Cappuccino

$1.68 MGA 7,250

$4.09 MX$69.5

-58.92%

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

$0.79 MGA 3,408

$1.37 MX$23.34

-42.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MGA 1,886

$0.83 MX$14.16

-46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 MGA 4,600

$3.35 MX$56.9

-68.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MGA 9,868

$6.91 MX$117

-67.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 MGA 4,231

$1.73 MX$29.33

-43.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MGA 4,470

$2.26 MX$38.39

-54.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,165

$1.77 MX$30.05

-58.76%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 8,933

$2.73 MX$46.41

-24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MGA 37.0K

$9.18 MX$156

-6.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 MGA 19.3K

$8.92 MX$151

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.96 MGA 21.4K

$12.60 MX$214

-60.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MGA 4,886

$3.02 MX$51.3

-62.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 MGA 2,452

$1.57 MX$26.68

-63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,515

$2.13 MX$36.10

-51.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MGA 3,862

$2.26 MX$38.46

-60.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,488

$2.00 MX$34.04

-71.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MGA 4,449

$2.06 MX$35.06

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MGA 1,537

$1.18 MX$20.04

-69.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MGA 3,051

$1.20 MX$20.45

-40.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 MGA 7,110

$4.63 MX$78.7

-64.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 MGA 23.0K

$10.69 MX$182

-50.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MGA 4,584

$1.62 MX$27.50

-34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MGA 8,288

$2.88 MX$48.93

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 531

$0.57 MX$9.74

-78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 MGA 15.1K

$5.45 MX$92.5

-35.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 MGA 8,862

$3.70 MX$62.9

-44.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 MGA 20.2K

$5.98 MX$102

-21.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 MGA 4,980

$1.55 MX$26.38

-25.81%

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

$12.2K MGA 52.6M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-45.50%

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

$26.2K MGA 113.3M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

0.97%

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

$77.5 MGA 335.4K

$89.1 MX$1,514

-13.01%

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

$17.67 MGA 76.4K

$25.04 MX$425

-29.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 MGA 256.6K

$31.50 MX$535

88.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.14 MGA 130.4K

$67.8 MX$1,151

-55.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 MGA 31.7K

$28.92 MX$491

-74.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 MGA 24.6K

$5.05 MX$85.8

12.48%

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

$25.87 MGA 111.9K

$225 MX$3,820

-88.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

261.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.09 MGA 130.2K

$47.44 MX$806

-36.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.84 MGA 124.8K

$44.98 MX$764

-35.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 MGA 342.0K

$82.0 MX$1,392

-3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MGA 310.3K

$92.1 MX$1,564

-22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 MGA 1.5M

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-68.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 MGA 673.1K

$405 MX$6,884

-61.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 MGA 3.3M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-60.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MGA 1.4M

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-74.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$673 MGA 2.9M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-83.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$593 MGA 2.6M

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-91.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$135 MGA 582.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

-82.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

11.45

37.55%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Antananarivo versus $1,069 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 456% 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 $21.00 in Antananarivo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $277 – 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 94%, 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 $1,000 per month in Antananarivo and $1,940 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 $667 in Antananarivo and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $25.87 per month in Antananarivo and $225 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 $667, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.