Cost of Living Comparison Between Madagascar and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Madagascar and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $199 in Madagascar versus $455 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $341 in Madagascar versus $730 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $483 in Madagascar versus $1,004 in Egypt.

Living in Madagascar costs about 56% less than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Madagascar 85% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.70 MGA 11.6K
$3.89 E£197
-30.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.96 MGA 77.0K
$19.99 E£1,010
-10.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.48 MGA 19.2K
$4.89 E£247
-8.38%
Cappuccino
$1.25 MGA 5,356
$1.42 E£71.6
-11.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MGA 3,780
$0.33 E£16.56
166.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 MGA 2,696
$0.14 E£6.86
350.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.08 MGA 4,630
$1.37 E£69.1
-21.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 MGA 6,831
$2.99 E£151
-46.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 MGA 4,738
$0.85 E£42.93
29.41%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 MGA 3,930
$0.63 E£31.69
46.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.68 MGA 2,922
$0.66 E£33.43
3.03%
Eggs
$2.08 MGA 8,914
$1.45 E£73.4
43.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.00 MGA 42.9K
$3.15 E£159
217.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.77 MGA 20.5K
$4.33 E£219
10.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.35 MGA 18.6K
$8.42 E£425
-48.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.16 MGA 4,975
$1.45 E£73.2
-20.00%
Banana (1kg)
$0.64 MGA 2,757
$0.57 E£28.77
12.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.95 MGA 4,081
$0.48 E£24.14
97.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.92 MGA 3,935
$0.41 E£20.52
124.39%
Potato (1kg)
$0.57 MGA 2,466
$0.48 E£24.29
18.75%
Onion (1kg)
$0.79 MGA 3,384
$0.44 E£22.46
79.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 MGA 1,491
$0.24 E£12.12
45.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 MGA 2,760
$0.19 E£9.65
236.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.74 MGA 7,442
$1.99 E£100
-12.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.07 MGA 21.7K
$6.79 E£343
-25.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 MGA 3,582
$1.30 E£65.7
-35.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 MGA 5,220
$1.87 E£94.3
-34.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.14 MGA 612
$0.29 E£14.83
-51.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.09 MGA 39.0K
$6.17 E£311
47.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.19 MGA 9,405
$0.39 E£19.52
461.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 MGA 8,670
$0.31 E£15.74
551.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.47 MGA 19.2K
$1.25 E£63.2
257.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MGA 5,458
$0.31 E£15.57
309.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.1K MGA 56.2M
$34.3K E£1.7M
-61.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K MGA 99.2M
$30.9K E£1.6M
-25.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$47.18 MGA 202.4K
$21.05 E£1,063
124.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.84 MGA 63.6K
$7.02 E£354
111.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.3 MGA 224.3K
$11.61 E£586
350.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.50 MGA 96.5K
$14.78 E£746
52.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 MGA 27.2K
$6.97 E£352
-9.04%
Cinema Ticket
$6.55 MGA 28.1K
$2.89 E£146
126.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$72.2 MGA 309.5K
$86.0 E£4,344
-16.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K MGA 49.1M
$1,931 E£97.5K
493.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.22 MGA 116.8K
$26.03 E£1,315
4.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.04 MGA 116.0K
$43.67 E£2,205
-38.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.5 MGA 315.3K
$107 E£5,417
-31.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.2 MGA 219.5K
$51.4 E£2,594
-0.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$294 MGA 1.3M
$163 E£8,208
80.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$100.0 MGA 428.8K
$102 E£5,138
-1.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$545 MGA 2.3M
$319 E£16.1K
70.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$371 MGA 1.6M
$189 E£9,533
96.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$680 MGA 2.9M
$773 E£39.0K
-12.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$584 MGA 2.5M
$449 E£22.7K
29.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madagascar
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$126 MGA 539.9K
$155 E£7,813
-18.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.25
16.38
5.31%

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

Last update for Madagascar: July 11, 2026

Last update for Egypt: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $71.0 in Madagascar, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $387 in Antananarivo vs $207 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $128 in Madagascar, $142 in Egypt. 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 100% more in Egypt.

Salaries are 11% higher in Egypt, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Madagascar.

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 Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Madagascar?
At $511 per month in Egypt and $290 in Madagascar, there's a 77% 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.

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