😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Egypt versus $196 in Madagascar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $730 in Egypt versus $337 in Madagascar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,005 in Egypt versus $478 in Madagascar.
🌍Living in Egypt is roughly 132% more expensive than in Madagascar on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 66% lower, Madagascar 85% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.97E£198
$2.64MGA 11.1K
50.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.03E£999
$17.67MGA 74.4K
13.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.89E£244
$4.37MGA 18.4K
11.90%
Cappuccino
$1.45E£72.6
$1.29MGA 5,422
12.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35E£17.47
$0.96MGA 4,057
-63.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11E£5.57
$0.67MGA 2,808
-83.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.40E£70.0
$1.03MGA 4,345
35.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93E£146
$1.53MGA 6,453
91.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.84E£41.74
$1.11MGA 4,677
-24.32%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57E£28.64
$0.92MGA 3,877
-38.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.67E£33.37
$0.67MGA 2,821
-
Eggs
$1.45E£72.1
$2.05MGA 8,641
-29.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.16E£157
$9.83MGA 41.4K
-67.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.35E£217
$4.81MGA 20.2K
-9.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.86E£442
$4.28MGA 18.0K
107.01%
Apples(1kg)
$1.51E£75.5
$1.21MGA 5,108
24.79%
Banana(1kg)
$0.57E£28.37
$0.59MGA 2,490
-3.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.48E£23.80
$1.01MGA 4,247
-52.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.37E£18.50
$0.92MGA 3,876
-59.78%
Potato(1kg)
$0.48E£23.80
$0.54MGA 2,259
-11.11%
Onion(1kg)
$0.42E£20.82
$0.74MGA 3,134
-43.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.24E£12.01
$0.37MGA 1,573
-35.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.18E£9.02
$0.60MGA 2,525
-70.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.91E£95.5
$1.75MGA 7,372
9.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.82E£340
$5.22MGA 22.0K
30.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28E£63.7
$0.88MGA 3,702
45.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93E£96.4
$1.22MGA 5,154
58.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27E£13.28
$0.18MGA 748
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$5.99E£299
$8.99MGA 37.9K
-33.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.41E£20.57
$2.27MGA 9,551
-81.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29E£14.26
$2.06MGA 8,684
-85.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.29E£64.5
$4.42MGA 18.6K
-70.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.31E£15.29
$1.22MGA 5,147
-74.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9KE£1.7M
$13.3KMGA 56.1M
162.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.0KE£1.6M
$22.8KMGA 96.2M
40.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$21.27E£1,061
$47.11MGA 198.3K
-54.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.21E£360
$15.18MGA 63.9K
-52.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.59E£578
$53.4MGA 224.8K
-78.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.83E£740
$22.18MGA 93.4K
-33.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.83E£341
$6.32MGA 26.6K
8.07%
Cinema Ticket
$3.03E£151
$6.62MGA 27.9K
-54.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$84.5E£4,212
$72.1MGA 303.7K
17.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,978E£98.7K
$11.7KMGA 49.4M
-83.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.49E£1,321
$26.54MGA 111.7K
-0.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.73E£2,231
$27.57MGA 116.1K
62.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108E£5,395
$73.2MGA 308.1K
47.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.9E£2,537
$52.1MGA 219.4K
-2.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$165E£8,221
$298MGA 1.3M
-44.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$99.7E£4,971
$98.9MGA 416.5K
0.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$323E£16.1K
$540MGA 2.3M
-40.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$191E£9,540
$367MGA 1.5M
-47.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$764E£38.1K
$686MGA 2.9M
11.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$463E£23.1K
$591MGA 2.5M
-21.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Madagascar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$147E£7,310
$135MGA 568.3K
8.59%
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: June 13, 2026
Last update for Madagascar: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $183 in Egypt, $71.0 in Madagascar. Capital cities: $209 in Cairo vs $386 in Antananarivo.
💰National salary averages: $141 in Egypt, $131 in Madagascar. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 158% 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 $519 per month in Egypt and $284 in Madagascar, there's a 83% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Madagascar: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 in Madagascar?
In Madagascar, $800 covers most cities easily; in Egypt it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to 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.