😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $452 in Egypt versus $195 in Madagascar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $728 in Egypt versus $335 in Madagascar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,004 in Egypt versus $475 in Madagascar.
😐Living in Egypt is roughly 132% more expensive than Madagascar on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt66% lower, Madagascar85% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.85E£204
$2.61MGA 10.8K
47.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.79E£1,049
$17.87MGA 74.1K
10.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.04E£267
$4.39MGA 18.2K
14.81%
Cappuccino
$1.45E£77.0
$1.25MGA 5,167
16.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35E£18.61
$0.89MGA 3,703
-60.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15E£7.79
$0.61MGA 2,539
-75.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.40E£74.3
$1.07MGA 4,453
30.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92E£155
$1.51MGA 6,269
93.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.86E£45.36
$1.12MGA 4,631
-23.21%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57E£30.24
$0.92MGA 3,799
-38.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.67E£35.71
$0.73MGA 3,017
-8.22%
Eggs
$1.50E£79.4
$2.00MGA 8,282
-25.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.30E£175
$9.82MGA 40.8K
-66.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.36E£231
$5.03MGA 20.9K
-13.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.84E£469
$4.21MGA 17.5K
109.98%
Apples(1kg)
$1.52E£80.8
$1.20MGA 4,965
26.67%
Banana(1kg)
$0.59E£31.43
$0.64MGA 2,675
-7.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.44E£23.48
$1.02MGA 4,230
-56.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.38E£19.94
$0.92MGA 3,805
-58.70%
Potato(1kg)
$0.47E£24.92
$0.58MGA 2,395
-18.97%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41E£21.95
$0.80MGA 3,311
-48.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.22E£11.64
$0.35MGA 1,436
-37.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20E£10.85
$0.60MGA 2,487
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.90E£101
$1.83MGA 7,600
3.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.75E£358
$5.31MGA 22.0K
27.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27E£67.4
$0.88MGA 3,659
44.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89E£100
$1.28MGA 5,311
47.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27E£14.29
$0.17MGA 693
58.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.01E£319
$8.71MGA 36.1K
-31.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.42E£22.10
$2.18MGA 9,033
-80.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31E£16.56
$2.06MGA 8,555
-84.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.31E£69.5
$4.48MGA 18.6K
-70.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.31E£16.22
$1.26MGA 5,248
-75.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6KE£1.8M
$13.4KMGA 55.6M
158.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.0KE£1.7M
$23.0KMGA 95.3M
39.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$21.09E£1,118
$46.63MGA 193.5K
-54.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.95E£369
$14.85MGA 61.6K
-53.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.96E£634
$51.9MGA 215.4K
-76.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.48E£768
$22.18MGA 92.0K
-34.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.69E£355
$6.25MGA 25.9K
7.04%
Cinema Ticket
$3.01E£160
$6.71MGA 27.9K
-55.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$86.8E£4,602
$70.3MGA 291.8K
23.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,924E£102.0K
$11.7KMGA 48.4M
-83.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.05E£1,381
$26.38MGA 109.4K
-1.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.33E£2,350
$27.04MGA 112.2K
63.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109E£5,790
$72.7MGA 301.5K
50.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.9E£2,698
$51.1MGA 211.8K
-0.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$163E£8,666
$298MGA 1.2M
-45.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$102E£5,390
$98.2MGA 407.4K
3.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$331E£17.5K
$536MGA 2.2M
-38.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$191E£10.1K
$376MGA 1.6M
-49.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$728E£38.6K
$690MGA 2.9M
5.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$445E£23.6K
$609MGA 2.5M
-26.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$137E£7,237
$132MGA 547.6K
3.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.38
17.25
-5.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Egypt: April 28, 2026
Last update for Madagascar: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $183 in Egypt, $70.0 in Madagascar. Capital cities: $209 in Cairo vs $381 in Antananarivo.
💰National salary averages: $137 in Egypt, $130 in Madagascar. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 161% higher in Egypt.
⭐Dining out costs 129% more in Egypt.
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
Egypt vs Madagascar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Madagascar?
At $509 per month in Egypt and $290 in Madagascar, there's a 75% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Madagascar is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Egypt beats Madagascar across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $800 a realistic budget in Egypt or Madagascar?
In Madagascar, $800 covers most cities easily. In Egypt, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or Madagascar?
It depends on what you're after. Madagascar wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.