Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madagascar and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Madagascar: $615 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $25,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Madagascar
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Madagascar Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

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🇲🇬 Madagascar

$615

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Madagascar and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Madagascar and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $615 per month in Madagascar vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.

Madagascar $615
United States $2,734

A couple spends around $959 per month in Madagascar vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.

Madagascar $959
United States $3,985

A family of three spends $1,303 per month in Madagascar vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.

Madagascar $1,303
United States $5,235

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Madagascar ($174–$645), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Madagascar is roughly 78% lower than in the United States on average.

Madagascar sits 55% below the global median, while the United States is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 MGA 9,816

$20.03 $20.03

-89.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.92 MGA 82.0K

$80.0 $80.0

-77.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MGA 21.5K

$11.80 $11.80

-60.17%

Cappuccino

$1.31 MGA 6,013

$5.55 $5.55

-76.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 MGA 3,412

$2.66 $2.66

-71.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,645

$2.17 $2.17

-73.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 MGA 4,955

$6.12 $6.12

-82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MGA 8,178

$7.94 $7.94

-77.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 MGA 5,215

$1.04 $1.04

9.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MGA 4,580

$3.59 $3.59

-72.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 MGA 3,443

$4.52 $4.52

-83.41%

Eggs

$1.97 MGA 9,032

$4.28 $4.28

-53.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 MGA 38.5K

$13.22 $13.22

-36.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 MGA 22.1K

$12.60 $12.60

-61.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.70 MGA 21.5K

$17.60 $17.60

-73.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,768

$5.30 $5.30

-80.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,820

$1.69 $1.69

-63.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MGA 4,226

$4.44 $4.44

-79.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 MGA 3,927

$4.77 $4.77

-81.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 MGA 2,686

$2.97 $2.97

-80.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MGA 3,474

$3.15 $3.15

-75.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MGA 1,630

$2.20 $2.20

-83.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MGA 2,790

$2.35 $2.35

-74.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 MGA 6,979

$10.98 $10.98

-86.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MGA 23.0K

$15.05 $15.05

-66.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,983

$2.06 $2.06

-57.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MGA 7,258

$3.79 $3.79

-58.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 530

$1.94 $1.94

-93.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.30 MGA 79.2K

$59.4 $59.4

-70.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 MGA 14.7K

$3.58 $3.58

-10.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 MGA 10.4K

$1.88 $1.88

20.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 MGA 20.4K

$29.84 $29.84

-85.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 MGA 5,195

$1.02 $1.02

11.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.1K MGA 55.6M

$28.8K $28.8K

-57.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.1K MGA 110.4M

$26.2K $26.2K

-7.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$64.6 MGA 295.4K

$218 $218

-70.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.45 MGA 79.9K

$62.5 $62.5

-72.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 MGA 240.1K

$74.5 $74.5

-29.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 MGA 105.3K

$41.86 $41.86

-45.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 MGA 32.7K

$22.81 $22.81

-68.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 MGA 28.5K

$14.70 $14.70

-57.69%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$25.46 MGA 116.5K

$1,489 $1,489

-98.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K MGA 67.7M

$25.3K $25.3K

-41.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.33 MGA 93.0K

$54.3 $54.3

-62.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.07 MGA 114.7K

$42.71 $42.71

-41.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 MGA 307.3K

$94.1 $94.1

-28.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.30 MGA 211.9K

$114 $114

-59.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 MGA 1.3M

$1,659 $1,659

-82.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 MGA 629.5K

$1,348 $1,348

-89.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 MGA 3.1M

$2,682 $2,682

-74.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 MGA 1.4M

$2,169 $2,169

-85.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$658 MGA 3.0M

$3,283 $3,283

-79.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$560 MGA 2.6M

$2,482 $2,482

-77.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 557.7K

$4,296 $4,296

-97.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.75

6.55

201.53%

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

Last update for Madagascar: October 26, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Madagascar

$142 23.1%

United States

$415 15.2% 192% $273

Accommodation & Living

Madagascar

$138 22.4%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 880% $1.2K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madagascar

$134 21.9%

United States

$355 13% 164% $220

Clothing & Footwear

Madagascar

$71 11.6%

United States

$137 5% 91.8% $66

Eating Out

Madagascar

$61 10%

United States

$328 12% 435% $267

Sport & Entertainment

Madagascar

$35 5.8%

United States

$71 2.6% 101% $36

Getting Around

Madagascar

$32 5.3%

United States

$80 2.9% 148% $48

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $260 in Madagascar vs $1,620 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $323 in Antananarivo and $2,768 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $126 in Madagascar vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 523% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 369% more in the United States.

Public transport is 80% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 36 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇲🇬 Madagascar

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

07:28 7:28 AM

8 h behind Madagascar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,570,895

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MGA – Malagasy Ariary Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇬 Malagasy Ariary (Ar)

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,577 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,108 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to MGA in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Madagascar United States 15,210 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Madagascar
United States

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madagascar is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 78% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $260 in Madagascar.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Madagascar – part of why living there is about 78% cheaper overall.

Madagascar is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.