😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,796 in Italy versus $313 in Madagascar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Italy versus $491 in Madagascar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Italy versus $668 in Madagascar.
🌍Living in Italy is roughly 474% more expensive than in Madagascar on average.
📊Italy (30% above) and Madagascar (77% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.24€18.31
$2.24MGA 9,725
848.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8€69.7
$17.49MGA 75.8K
362.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41€9.84
$4.78MGA 20.7K
138.70%
Cappuccino
$2.08€1.79
$1.36MGA 5,892
52.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05€2.63
$0.81MGA 3,497
276.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38€1.19
$0.65MGA 2,836
112.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.79€4.99
$1.14MGA 4,931
407.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75€4.96
$1.78MGA 7,720
223.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70€1.46
$1.18MGA 5,108
44.07%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41€2.08
$0.98MGA 4,257
145.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.01€2.59
$0.77MGA 3,339
290.91%
Eggs
$4.32€3.72
$2.13MGA 9,249
102.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.93€15.45
$8.84MGA 38.3K
102.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.67€10.92
$5.25MGA 22.7K
141.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.57€17.73
$4.83MGA 20.9K
325.88%
Apples(1kg)
$2.62€2.26
$1.21MGA 5,250
116.53%
Banana(1kg)
$2.15€1.85
$0.67MGA 2,894
220.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.80€2.41
$0.99MGA 4,307
182.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.32€2.87
$0.90MGA 3,880
268.89%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10€1.81
$0.57MGA 2,463
268.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89€1.63
$0.79MGA 3,425
139.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55€1.33
$0.34MGA 1,493
355.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56€0.48
$0.65MGA 2,807
-13.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16€6.17
$1.68MGA 7,263
326.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.35€6.33
$5.12MGA 22.2K
43.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.55
$0.92MGA 3,991
95.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41€2.07
$1.65MGA 7,153
46.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.93€1.66
$0.14MGA 603
1278.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.24€39.00
$19.02MGA 82.4K
137.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.74€4.95
$3.59MGA 15.5K
59.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.70€1.47
$2.40MGA 10.4K
-29.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.25€30.38
$4.76MGA 20.6K
640.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.04€1.76
$1.19MGA 5,141
71.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K€32.3K
$13.2KMGA 57.1M
184.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K€31.9K
$24.9KMGA 107.8M
48.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$231€199
$68.5MGA 296.6K
237.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34€10.64
$17.99MGA 77.9K
-31.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.17€26.87
$56.1MGA 242.9K
-44.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.2€47.62
$24.07MGA 104.3K
129.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.91€21.47
$7.56MGA 32.7K
229.50%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13€9.59
$6.46MGA 28.0K
72.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€490
$26.47MGA 114.7K
2046.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.5K€10.8K
$15.5KMGA 67.1M
-19.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.0€80.1
$21.11MGA 91.5K
340.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.82€34.32
$27.23MGA 118.0K
46.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104€89.8
$72.2MGA 312.6K
44.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135€116
$49.68MGA 215.3K
171.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$852€734
$308MGA 1.3M
176.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$645€556
$144MGA 621.8K
349.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,449€1,249
$722MGA 3.1M
100.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,084€935
$342MGA 1.5M
217.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,813€3,287
$699MGA 3.0M
445.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,357€2,032
$598MGA 2.6M
294.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Madagascar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,933€1,666
$131MGA 567.7K
1375.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.57
19.75
-81.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026
Last update for Madagascar: September 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $755 in Italy, $63.0 in Madagascar. Capital cities: $1,247 in Rome vs $333 in Antananarivo.
💰National salary averages: $1,964 in Italy, $132 in Madagascar. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 1098% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 660% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 1333% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 1388% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
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
Italy vs Madagascar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Madagascar?
At $1,889 per month in Italy and $336 in Madagascar, there's a 463% 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 Italy 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 Italy or in Madagascar?
In Madagascar, $800 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy or to Madagascar?
It depends on what you're after: Madagascar wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.