Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antsiranana Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Antsiranana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $290 in Antsiranana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $592 in Antsiranana, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Antsiranana, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 196% more than Antsiranana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Antsiranana are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Antsiranana 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$1.52 MGA 6,535

28.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$15.56 MGA 66.7K

17.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.08 MGA 4,640

87.04%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.16 MGA 4,993

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.55 MGA 6,627

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.87 MGA 3,719

36.78%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.23 MGA 13.8K

-39.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$17.11 MGA 73.4K

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.65 MGA 32.8K

-60.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.16 MGA 4,972

45.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.50 MGA 6,427

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.65 MGA 2,780

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.76 MGA 7,559

163.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.61 MGA 2,629

204.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.62 MGA 11.2K

25.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.23 MGA 986

282.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.62 MGA 28.4K

24.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.28 MGA 5,473

-4.69%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

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

$14.04 ฿472

$22.45 MGA 96.3K

-37.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$58.2 MGA 249.6K

-69.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$13.34 MGA 57.2K

215.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$35.50 MGA 152.3K

98.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$340 MGA 1.5M

142.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$219 MGA 939.9K

133.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antsiranana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Antsiranana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $150 – making Antsiranana 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $290 in Antsiranana – roughly 196% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $436 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 $18.00 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $290 in Antsiranana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $290 in Antsiranana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $290 in Antsiranana to $861 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.