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 $195 in Madagascar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Brazil vs $335 in Madagascar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Brazil vs $475 in Madagascar, rent included.

Brazil costs about 292% more than 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
$5.51 R$27.48
$2.61 MGA 10.8K
111.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.01 R$145
$17.87 MGA 74.1K
62.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R$30.69
$4.39 MGA 18.2K
40.09%
Cappuccino
$1.72 R$8.61
$1.25 MGA 5,167
37.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 R$5.60
$0.89 MGA 3,703
25.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 R$3.52
$0.61 MGA 2,539
16.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 R$8.77
$1.07 MGA 4,453
64.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 R$13.28
$1.51 MGA 6,269
76.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 R$4.96
$1.12 MGA 4,631
-11.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 R$7.36
$0.92 MGA 3,799
59.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.07
$0.73 MGA 3,017
67.12%
Eggs
$2.10 R$10.45
$2.00 MGA 8,282
5.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.74 R$43.60
$9.82 MGA 40.8K
-11.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.70 R$18.48
$5.03 MGA 20.9K
-26.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.43 R$37.08
$4.21 MGA 17.5K
76.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 R$10.73
$1.20 MGA 4,965
79.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 R$6.57
$0.64 MGA 2,675
106.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 R$5.70
$1.02 MGA 4,230
11.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.45 R$7.23
$0.92 MGA 3,805
57.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 R$5.88
$0.58 MGA 2,395
103.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 R$5.27
$0.80 MGA 3,311
32.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 R$3.54
$0.35 MGA 1,436
102.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 R$3.19
$0.60 MGA 2,487
6.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 R$10.90
$1.83 MGA 7,600
19.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.05 R$40.17
$5.31 MGA 22.0K
51.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 R$5.90
$0.88 MGA 3,659
34.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 R$11.20
$1.28 MGA 5,311
75.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 R$4.30
$0.17 MGA 693
405.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.78 R$208
$8.71 MGA 36.1K
379.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.10 R$5.50
$2.18 MGA 9,033
-49.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 R$4.18
$2.06 MGA 8,555
-59.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.40 R$36.95
$4.48 MGA 18.6K
65.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 R$5.39
$1.26 MGA 5,248
-14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K R$107.9K
$13.4K MGA 55.6M
61.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K R$135.8K
$23.0K MGA 95.3M
18.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.1 R$340
$46.63 MGA 193.5K
46.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.12 R$70.5
$14.85 MGA 61.6K
-4.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.25 R$96.0
$51.9 MGA 215.4K
-62.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.11 R$115
$22.18 MGA 92.0K
4.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.58 R$113
$6.25 MGA 25.9K
261.28%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 R$31.22
$6.71 MGA 27.9K
-6.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$282 R$1,409
$70.3 MGA 291.8K
301.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,250 R$36.2K
$11.7K MGA 48.4M
-37.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.23 R$246
$26.38 MGA 109.4K
86.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.14 R$210
$27.04 MGA 112.2K
55.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.1 R$375
$72.7 MGA 301.5K
3.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.0 R$309
$51.1 MGA 211.8K
21.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$326 R$1,628
$298 MGA 1.2M
9.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$226 R$1,130
$98.2 MGA 407.4K
130.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$654 R$3,265
$536 MGA 2.2M
22.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 R$2,245
$376 MGA 1.6M
19.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,947 R$9,716
$690 MGA 2.9M
182.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,317 R$6,572
$609 MGA 2.5M
116.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brazil
Madagascar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$541 R$2,700
$132 MGA 547.6K
310.02%
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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Madagascar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $305 in Brazil vs $70.0 in Madagascar. For reference, capital cities sit at $402 in Brasilia and $381 in Antananarivo.

Average salary: $498 in Brazil vs $130 in Madagascar. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 336% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 286% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 1850% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 283% 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 178% 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 178% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $800 go in Brazil vs 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 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

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