🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $195 in Madagascar versus $1,717 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $336 in Madagascar versus $2,624 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $476 in Madagascar versus $3,530 in Italy.
🙂Living in Madagascar costs about 89% less than in Italy on average.
📊Madagascar (85% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.74MGA 11.5K
$17.44€15.00
-84.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.59MGA 73.8K
$79.5€68.4
-77.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.35MGA 18.2K
$11.76€10.11
-63.01%
Cappuccino
$1.28MGA 5,377
$2.00€1.72
-36.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90MGA 3,762
$3.00€2.58
-70.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62MGA 2,617
$1.35€1.16
-54.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.02MGA 4,285
$5.94€5.11
-82.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53MGA 6,429
$5.36€4.61
-71.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11MGA 4,667
$1.64€1.41
-32.32%
White Bread(500g)
$0.98MGA 4,103
$2.41€2.07
-59.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.71MGA 2,994
$2.99€2.58
-76.25%
Eggs
$2.00MGA 8,368
$3.96€3.41
-49.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.82MGA 41.2K
$16.84€14.49
-41.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.77MGA 20.0K
$12.43€10.69
-61.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.21MGA 17.6K
$20.29€17.46
-79.25%
Apples(1kg)
$1.17MGA 4,898
$2.47€2.13
-52.63%
Banana(1kg)
$0.63MGA 2,650
$2.15€1.85
-70.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.02MGA 4,280
$2.65€2.28
-61.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.88MGA 3,704
$3.40€2.92
-74.12%
Potato(1kg)
$0.53MGA 2,238
$1.92€1.65
-72.40%
Onion(1kg)
$0.75MGA 3,163
$1.81€1.56
-58.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.35MGA 1,462
$1.55€1.33
-77.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63MGA 2,662
$0.54€0.46
16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.76MGA 7,373
$6.79€5.84
-74.08%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.46MGA 22.9K
$7.18€6.18
-23.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84MGA 3,509
$1.80€1.55
-53.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28MGA 5,366
$2.42€2.08
-47.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.15MGA 622
$2.00€1.72
-92.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.08MGA 38.1K
$42.35€36.43
-78.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.25MGA 9,429
$5.94€5.11
-62.12%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.04MGA 8,535
$1.51€1.30
35.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.55MGA 19.1K
$34.04€29.28
-86.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28MGA 5,346
$2.05€1.76
-37.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.6KMGA 56.9M
$32.8K€28.2K
-58.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5KMGA 98.5M
$33.7K€29.0K
-30.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$46.66MGA 195.6K
$225€194
-79.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.15MGA 63.5K
$13.25€11.40
14.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5MGA 216.0K
$30.95€26.62
66.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.18MGA 93.0K
$55.7€47.95
-60.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35MGA 26.6K
$25.15€21.63
-74.75%
Cinema Ticket
$6.69MGA 28.1K
$10.25€8.82
-34.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$71.4MGA 299.2K
$576€495
-87.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KMGA 48.3M
$10.5K€8,998
10.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.60MGA 111.5K
$91.8€79.0
-71.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.46MGA 115.1K
$40.72€35.03
-32.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.8MGA 301.2K
$98.0€84.3
-26.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.4MGA 219.8K
$131€112
-59.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$303MGA 1.3M
$860€740
-64.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$101MGA 421.5K
$667€573
-84.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$535MGA 2.2M
$1,475€1,269
-63.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$369MGA 1.5M
$1,087€935
-66.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$686MGA 2.9M
$3,850€3,312
-82.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$589MGA 2.5M
$2,359€2,029
-75.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$130MGA 544.8K
$1,933€1,663
-93.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
17.25
4.41
291.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Madagascar: June 2, 2026
Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $71.0 in Madagascar, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $382 in Antananarivo vs $1,325 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $130 in Madagascar, $1,949 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 946% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 957% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 2100% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 1399% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.
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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Madagascar?
At $1,839 per month in Italy and $286 in Madagascar, there's a 544% 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 Italy 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 Italy or Madagascar?
In Madagascar, $800 covers most cities easily. In Italy, 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 Italy or 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.
Madagascar vs other spots: cost of living compared