Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madagascar and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Madagascar: $626 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Jump to prices
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$626
/mo nomad
Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,685
/mo nomad
🙂 Solo nomad: Madagascar is 55.7% cheaper than Buenos Aires without rent, and 62.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Madagascar is 59.1% cheaper than Buenos Aires without rent, and 65.4% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 MGA 9,997
$18.73 ARS 28.4K
-88.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.83 MGA 79.7K
$64.5 ARS 97.8K
-72.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.88 MGA 21.8K
$12.88 ARS 19.5K
-62.11%
Cappuccino
$1.41 MGA 6,296
$3.98 ARS 6,029
-64.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 MGA 3,612
$2.05 ARS 3,103
-60.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 MGA 2,859
$1.55 ARS 2,349
-58.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.11 MGA 4,961
$3.84 ARS 5,830
-71.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 MGA 8,504
$4.60 ARS 6,970
-58.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 MGA 5,108
$1.44 ARS 2,181
-20.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 MGA 4,519
$2.46 ARS 3,738
-58.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.70 MGA 3,116
$1.63 ARS 2,467
-57.06%
Eggs
$2.11 MGA 9,413
$2.89 ARS 4,385
-26.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.62 MGA 38.5K
$10.65 ARS 16.1K
-19.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 MGA 21.4K
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
-52.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.63 MGA 20.7K
$13.74 ARS 20.8K
-66.30%
Apples (1kg)
$1.10 MGA 4,926
$2.75 ARS 4,166
-60.00%
Banana (1kg)
$0.62 MGA 2,784
$2.18 ARS 3,300
-71.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 MGA 4,592
$1.45 ARS 2,205
-28.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 MGA 3,707
$1.99 ARS 3,013
-58.29%
Potato (1kg)
$0.54 MGA 2,432
$1.24 ARS 1,885
-56.45%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 MGA 3,459
$1.27 ARS 1,921
-39.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 MGA 1,566
$1.70 ARS 2,575
-79.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 MGA 3,008
$1.73 ARS 2,617
-61.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.54 MGA 6,889
$4.18 ARS 6,337
-63.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.12 MGA 22.9K
$5.80 ARS 8,790
-11.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 MGA 3,907
$2.09 ARS 3,163
-58.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 MGA 7,069
$2.77 ARS 4,198
-42.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.12 MGA 539
$0.75 ARS 1,132
-84.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.82 MGA 79.6K
$27.15 ARS 41.2K
-34.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.46 MGA 15.5K
$1.62 ARS 2,451
113.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.30 MGA 10.3K
$0.98 ARS 1,481
134.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.44 MGA 19.9K
$7.72 ARS 11.7K
-42.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 MGA 5,324
$1.36 ARS 2,058
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.6K MGA 56.2M
$28.0K ARS 42.5M
-55.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K MGA 109.1M
$34.5K ARS 52.4M
-29.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.2 MGA 291.6K
$216 ARS 326.9K
-69.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.41 MGA 77.8K
$25.61 ARS 38.8K
-32.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.9 MGA 245.5K
$31.36 ARS 47.6K
75.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.86 MGA 102.2K
$49.82 ARS 75.6K
-54.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.05 MGA 31.5K
$17.06 ARS 25.9K
-58.68%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 MGA 28.0K
$10.43 ARS 15.8K
-39.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$25.42 MGA 113.6K
$466 ARS 706.7K
-94.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K MGA 65.9M
$9,057 ARS 13.7M
62.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.93 MGA 93.5K
$122 ARS 185.2K
-82.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.13 MGA 116.8K
$97.4 ARS 147.8K
-73.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.0 MGA 308.3K
$117 ARS 177.4K
-41.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$48.01 MGA 214.6K
$140 ARS 211.9K
-65.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$289 MGA 1.3M
$763 ARS 1.2M
-62.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$138 MGA 616.9K
$505 ARS 766.1K
-72.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$704 MGA 3.1M
$1,598 ARS 2.4M
-55.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$329 MGA 1.5M
$1,185 ARS 1.8M
-72.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$652 MGA 2.9M
$2,678 ARS 4.1M
-75.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$561 MGA 2.5M
$1,858 ARS 2.8M
-69.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madagascar
Buenos Aires
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$125 MGA 556.7K
$954 ARS 1.4M
-86.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
19.75
57.25
-65.50%

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

Last update for Madagascar: October 6, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Madagascar
$144
Buenos Aires
$284 96.8% $140
Accommodation & Living
Madagascar
$138
Buenos Aires
$505 266% $367
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madagascar
$138
Buenos Aires
$273 98.1% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Madagascar
$74
Buenos Aires
$214 190% $140
Eating Out
Madagascar
$65
Buenos Aires
$279 332% $214
Sport & Entertainment
Madagascar
$35
Buenos Aires
$71 99.8% $35
Getting Around
Madagascar
$33
Buenos Aires
$37 10.1% $3.4
Good to know
🇲🇬 Madagascar
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🕒 Local time
05:26 5:26 AM
23:26 11:26 PM
6 h behind Madagascar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,570,895
2,891,082 Capital
💱 Currency
Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar
Argentine Peso ARS $
📈 Exchange rate
10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD
10,000 MGA = 1.99 EUR
10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD
10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,470 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD). 1 EUR = 5,013 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.99 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

USD to MGA in detail →
On the map
Between locations
  • Madagascar Buenos Aires 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Madagascar
  • Buenos Aires

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

Madagascar vs other spots: cost of living compared

🇲🇬 Madagascar
$626
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,785
/mo nomad
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$626
/mo nomad
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,182
/mo nomad
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$626
/mo nomad
🇮🇳 India
$380
/mo nomad
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$626
/mo nomad
🇪🇬 Egypt
$480
/mo nomad
Show more

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