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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $559 per month in Mahajanga vs $502 in Ambositra, rent included.

A couple spends around $829 per month in Mahajanga vs $769 in Ambositra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,098 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,035 in Ambositra, rent included.

Mahajanga costs about 11% more than Ambositra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Ambositra are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 59% lower, Ambositra 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MGA 9,015

$2.82 MGA 12.1K

-25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 MGA 78.5K

$20.53 MGA 88.1K

-10.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 MGA 24.3K

Cappuccino

$0.71 MGA 3,064

$1.66 MGA 7,123

-57.23%

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

$0.90 MGA 3,856

$0.83 MGA 3,580

8.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MGA 3,880

$0.47 MGA 2,021

91.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 MGA 4,535

$1.02 MGA 4,394

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 MGA 7,064

$2.29 MGA 9,818

-27.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MGA 5,841

$1.08 MGA 4,652

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 MGA 3,582

$1.06 MGA 4,565

-21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,660

$0.79 MGA 3,411

-21.52%

Eggs

$2.21 MGA 9,461

$2.05 MGA 8,807

7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MGA 30.5K

$8.93 MGA 38.3K

-20.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 MGA 30.3K

$4.56 MGA 19.6K

55.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.73 MGA 16.0K

$4.99 MGA 21.4K

-25.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MGA 4,910

$1.12 MGA 4,823

1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MGA 2,687

$0.56 MGA 2,419

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 MGA 2,959

$1.08 MGA 4,622

-36.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 MGA 2,855

$0.91 MGA 3,916

-26.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 MGA 2,175

$0.62 MGA 2,664

-17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,472

$0.96 MGA 4,106

-39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,447

$0.36 MGA 1,529

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MGA 2,440

$0.76 MGA 3,241

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 MGA 7,155

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 MGA 39.7K

$5.34 MGA 22.9K

73.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MGA 3,335

$1.02 MGA 4,375

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MGA 4,076

$1.94 MGA 8,315

-51.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MGA 1,080

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 MGA 14.7K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 MGA 8,892

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MGA 19.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MGA 5,836

$1.24 MGA 5,300

9.68%

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

$12.4K MGA 53.3M

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

$26.1K MGA 111.9M

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

$45.52 MGA 195.3K

$75.4 MGA 323.7K

-39.66%

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

$6.99 MGA 30.0K

$17.68 MGA 75.9K

-60.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.76 MGA 97.7K

$57.8 MGA 248.1K

-60.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.30 MGA 78.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MGA 27.7K

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

$25.33 MGA 108.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K MGA 65.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 MGA 126.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.88 MGA 123.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MGA 344.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 MGA 304.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 MGA 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ambositra: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mahajanga versus $21.00 in Ambositra. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Mahajanga vs $149 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 11%, 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 $839 per month in Mahajanga and $754 in Ambositra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $559 in Mahajanga and $502 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.