Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Ambositra Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Ambositra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $557 per month in Mahajanga vs $490 in Ambositra, rent included.

A couple spends around $813 per month in Mahajanga vs $745 in Ambositra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,000 in Ambositra, rent included.

Mahajanga costs about 14% more than Ambositra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Ambositra are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 58% lower, Ambositra 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 MGA 8,979

$2.69 MGA 12.0K

-24.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.34 MGA 81.5K

$20.82 MGA 92.6K

-11.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 MGA 25.7K

Cappuccino

$0.69 MGA 3,087

$1.65 MGA 7,330

-58.18%

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

$0.93 MGA 4,147

$0.82 MGA 3,660

13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MGA 3,991

$0.45 MGA 2,007

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 MGA 4,685

$1.02 MGA 4,519

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MGA 7,173

$2.24 MGA 9,944

-28.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MGA 6,021

$1.04 MGA 4,615

29.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 MGA 3,879

$1.01 MGA 4,510

-13.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,864

$0.72 MGA 3,217

-11.11%

Eggs

$2.23 MGA 9,910

$2.01 MGA 8,948

10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 MGA 30.7K

$8.49 MGA 37.7K

-18.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 MGA 30.5K

$4.43 MGA 19.7K

54.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.75 MGA 16.7K

$5.02 MGA 22.3K

-25.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 MGA 4,963

$1.06 MGA 4,709

5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,750

$0.54 MGA 2,414

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 MGA 3,093

$1.07 MGA 4,737

-34.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 MGA 3,129

$0.90 MGA 3,995

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MGA 2,370

$0.60 MGA 2,682

-11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MGA 2,320

$0.99 MGA 4,398

-47.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 MGA 1,566

$0.33 MGA 1,466

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,643

$0.68 MGA 3,023

-13.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.62 MGA 7,222

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 MGA 41.3K

$5.03 MGA 22.4K

84.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MGA 3,499

$1.04 MGA 4,606

-24.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MGA 4,223

$1.81 MGA 8,056

-47.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MGA 1,014

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 MGA 15.0K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 MGA 8,939

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 MGA 20.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MGA 5,964

$1.13 MGA 5,023

18.58%

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

$11.9K MGA 53.1M

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

$25.6K MGA 113.9M

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

$44.71 MGA 198.8K

$76.0 MGA 337.8K

-41.16%

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

$6.69 MGA 29.8K

$17.22 MGA 76.6K

-61.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.67 MGA 100.8K

$58.3 MGA 259.1K

-61.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.07 MGA 80.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 MGA 25.1K

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

$25.50 MGA 113.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K MGA 66.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 MGA 127.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.22 MGA 125.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 MGA 343.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 MGA 311.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MGA 3.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 MGA 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

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

Last update for Mahajanga: October 4, 2026

Last update for Ambositra: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mahajanga versus $21.00 in Ambositra. Groceries tell a different story – $151 in Mahajanga vs $144 in Ambositra – so Ambositra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mahajanga vs Ambositra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mahajanga is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $835 per month in Mahajanga and $735 in Ambositra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Mahajanga, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mahajanga and $21.00 in Ambositra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $557 in Mahajanga and $490 in Ambositra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ambositra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ambositra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mahajanga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.