Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antsiranana

For one person, living is cheaper in Antsiranana: $300 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Antsiranana

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$300

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Antsiranana

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Antsiranana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $300 in Antsiranana, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Antsiranana $300

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $602 in Antsiranana, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Antsiranana $602

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $903 in Antsiranana, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Antsiranana $903

Chiang Mai costs about 213% more than Antsiranana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Antsiranana are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Antsiranana 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.59 MGA 7,249

42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$16.50 MGA 75.3K

16.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.13 MGA 5,176

52.21%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.16 MGA 5,302

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.56 MGA 7,103

31.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.89 MGA 4,051

43.82%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$3.24 MGA 14.8K

-30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$17.54 MGA 80.0K

-3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$7.63 MGA 34.8K

-64.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.67 MGA 12.2K

-39.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.49 MGA 6,777

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.69 MGA 3,151

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$1.79 MGA 8,167

141.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.62 MGA 2,846

162.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.66 MGA 12.1K

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.21 MGA 954

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$6.52 MGA 29.7K

-63.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.32 MGA 6,040

9.85%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

$21.77 MGA 99.3K

-43.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$57.8 MGA 263.7K

-65.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$13.29 MGA 60.6K

185.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$35.83 MGA 163.5K

105.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$333 MGA 1.5M

174.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$217 MGA 991.9K

154.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Antsiranana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Antsiranana

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Antsiranana

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Antsiranana

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Antsiranana

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Antsiranana

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Antsiranana

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Antsiranana

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Antsiranana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $158 – making Antsiranana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇬 Antsiranana

🕒 Local time

04:15 4:15 AM

00:15 12:15 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

129,320

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Antsiranana 6,450 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Antsiranana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Chiang Mai vs Antsiranana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $938 in Chiang Mai, $300 in Antsiranana – roughly 213% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $449 in Antsiranana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $16.00 in Antsiranana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $300 in Antsiranana. That's a gap of about 213%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Antsiranana, where all-in costs run around $300, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Antsiranana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $300 in Antsiranana to $938 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Antsiranana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.