Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Madagascar Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Madagascar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Brazil vs $199 in Madagascar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Brazil vs $339 in Madagascar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,680 per month in Brazil vs $479 in Madagascar, rent included.

The cost of living in Brazil is about 284% higher than in Madagascar on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and Madagascar are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 43% lower, Madagascar 85% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.47 R$28.00
$2.71 MGA 11.7K
101.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.37 R$145
$17.45 MGA 75.3K
62.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.46 R$33.08
$4.54 MGA 19.6K
42.29%
Cappuccino
$1.76 R$9.03
$1.29 MGA 5,548
36.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 R$5.75
$0.88 MGA 3,789
27.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 R$3.37
$0.61 MGA 2,633
8.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 R$8.99
$1.02 MGA 4,416
72.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 R$13.91
$1.58 MGA 6,807
72.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 R$4.95
$1.10 MGA 4,753
-11.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 R$7.63
$0.91 MGA 3,916
63.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 R$6.02
$0.68 MGA 2,949
73.53%
Eggs
$2.11 R$10.79
$2.00 MGA 8,639
5.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.66 R$44.32
$9.68 MGA 41.7K
-10.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.83 R$19.60
$4.85 MGA 20.9K
-21.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.44 R$38.05
$4.33 MGA 18.7K
71.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 R$10.60
$1.20 MGA 5,180
72.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 R$6.75
$0.65 MGA 2,790
103.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.17 R$6.00
$0.96 MGA 4,124
21.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.43 R$7.31
$0.87 MGA 3,759
64.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 R$5.99
$0.54 MGA 2,311
116.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.05 R$5.40
$0.79 MGA 3,414
32.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 R$3.86
$0.35 MGA 1,490
114.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 R$3.29
$0.60 MGA 2,588
6.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.11 R$10.79
$1.76 MGA 7,614
19.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.94 R$40.62
$5.32 MGA 23.0K
49.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 R$6.25
$0.85 MGA 3,646
43.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 R$11.42
$1.28 MGA 5,536
74.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 R$4.39
$0.14 MGA 599
514.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.49 R$207
$9.08 MGA 39.2K
345.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 R$5.38
$2.27 MGA 9,784
-53.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.83 R$4.27
$1.97 MGA 8,510
-57.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.00 R$35.85
$4.42 MGA 19.1K
58.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 R$5.32
$1.27 MGA 5,493
-18.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K R$111.5K
$13.2K MGA 57.0M
64.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K R$139.5K
$23.1K MGA 99.7M
17.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.3 R$360
$45.93 MGA 198.2K
52.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.04 R$71.8
$15.04 MGA 64.9K
-6.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.81 R$96.3
$51.9 MGA 223.7K
-63.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.15 R$118
$22.38 MGA 96.5K
3.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.38 R$115
$6.55 MGA 28.2K
241.68%
Cinema Ticket
$6.18 R$31.60
$6.77 MGA 29.2K
-8.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$289 R$1,479
$70.3 MGA 303.2K
311.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,356 R$37.6K
$11.9K MGA 51.2M
-38.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.26 R$247
$26.85 MGA 115.9K
79.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.55 R$218
$27.64 MGA 119.2K
53.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.8 R$388
$73.0 MGA 315.0K
3.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.1 R$323
$50.9 MGA 219.7K
23.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$339 R$1,733
$298 MGA 1.3M
13.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$224 R$1,146
$101 MGA 437.1K
121.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$639 R$3,269
$534 MGA 2.3M
19.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$443 R$2,266
$371 MGA 1.6M
19.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,835 R$9,389
$683 MGA 2.9M
168.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,239 R$6,338
$580 MGA 2.5M
113.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$517 R$2,648
$131 MGA 565.2K
294.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.16
17.25
-35.30%

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

Last update for Brazil: July 27, 2026

Last update for Madagascar: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $304 in Brazil vs $71.0 in Madagascar. For reference, capital cities sit at $400 in Brasilia and $387 in Antananarivo.

Average salary: $486 in Brazil vs $132 in Madagascar. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 328% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 286% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 1850% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 268% higher in Brazil.

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
Brazil vs Madagascar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Madagascar compare in cost of living?
Madagascar is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 180% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Madagascar?
Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Madagascar?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Madagascar, contributing to the overall 180% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $800 go in Brazil compared to Madagascar?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Madagascar, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and in Madagascar?
Madagascar is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Brazil vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries