🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $199 in Madagascar versus $1,718 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $341 in Madagascar versus $2,621 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $483 in Madagascar versus $3,524 in Italy.
🌍Living in Madagascar costs about 88% less than in Italy on average.
📊Madagascar (85% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.70MGA 11.6K
$17.58€15.38
-84.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.96MGA 77.0K
$82.5€72.1
-78.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.48MGA 19.2K
$11.72€10.25
-61.77%
Cappuccino
$1.25MGA 5,356
$1.92€1.68
-34.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88MGA 3,780
$2.99€2.62
-70.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63MGA 2,696
$1.36€1.19
-53.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.08MGA 4,630
$5.76€5.04
-81.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59MGA 6,831
$5.22€4.57
-69.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10MGA 4,738
$1.69€1.48
-34.91%
White Bread(500g)
$0.92MGA 3,930
$2.33€2.04
-60.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.68MGA 2,922
$3.05€2.67
-77.70%
Eggs
$2.08MGA 8,914
$3.99€3.49
-47.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.00MGA 42.9K
$16.68€14.59
-40.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.77MGA 20.5K
$12.57€11.00
-62.05%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.35MGA 18.6K
$20.53€17.96
-78.81%
Apples(1kg)
$1.16MGA 4,975
$2.56€2.24
-54.69%
Banana(1kg)
$0.64MGA 2,757
$2.20€1.93
-70.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.95MGA 4,081
$2.68€2.34
-64.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.92MGA 3,935
$3.37€2.95
-72.70%
Potato(1kg)
$0.57MGA 2,466
$2.04€1.78
-72.06%
Onion(1kg)
$0.79MGA 3,384
$1.88€1.65
-57.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.35MGA 1,491
$1.47€1.29
-76.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64MGA 2,760
$0.54€0.47
18.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.74MGA 7,442
$7.00€6.12
-75.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.07MGA 21.7K
$7.09€6.20
-28.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84MGA 3,582
$1.80€1.58
-53.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22MGA 5,220
$2.51€2.19
-51.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.14MGA 612
$1.96€1.71
-92.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.09MGA 39.0K
$41.58€36.38
-78.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.19MGA 9,405
$5.80€5.08
-62.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02MGA 8,670
$1.60€1.40
26.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.47MGA 19.2K
$35.07€30.68
-87.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MGA 5,458
$2.13€1.86
-40.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.1KMGA 56.2M
$32.6K€28.5K
-59.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KMGA 99.2M
$33.8K€29.6K
-31.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$47.18MGA 202.4K
$225€197
-79.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.84MGA 63.6K
$13.14€11.50
12.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.3MGA 224.3K
$31.19€27.29
67.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.50MGA 96.5K
$57.2€50.0
-60.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34MGA 27.2K
$25.85€22.61
-75.47%
Cinema Ticket
$6.55MGA 28.1K
$10.34€9.05
-36.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$72.2MGA 309.5K
$564€493
-87.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5KMGA 49.1M
$10.3K€9,047
10.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.22MGA 116.8K
$91.9€80.4
-70.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.04MGA 116.0K
$40.54€35.47
-33.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$73.5MGA 315.3K
$98.2€85.9
-25.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.2MGA 219.5K
$132€116
-61.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$294MGA 1.3M
$855€748
-65.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$100.0MGA 428.8K
$663€580
-84.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$545MGA 2.3M
$1,522€1,332
-64.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$371MGA 1.6M
$1,089€953
-65.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$680MGA 2.9M
$3,747€3,278
-81.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$584MGA 2.5M
$2,299€2,011
-74.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Madagascar
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$126MGA 539.9K
$1,897€1,659
-93.36%
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: July 11, 2026
Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $71.0 in Madagascar, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $387 in Antananarivo vs $1,328 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $128 in Madagascar, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 945% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 825% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 2100% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 1394% 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
Madagascar vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Madagascar?
At $1,822 per month in Italy and $290 in Madagascar, there's a 529% 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.
Madagascar vs other spots: cost of living compared