Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Antananarivo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Antananarivo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Mahajanga vs $571 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $709 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,045 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,041 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,519 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 34% cheaper than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 72% lower, Antananarivo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 MGA 8,251

$3.34 MGA 14.0K

-41.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.84 MGA 74.8K

$18.75 MGA 78.6K

-4.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MGA 20.2K

Cappuccino

$0.69 MGA 2,880

$1.29 MGA 5,424

-46.51%

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

$0.86 MGA 3,596

$1.06 MGA 4,432

-18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,667

$0.59 MGA 2,494

47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,294

$0.75 MGA 3,137

36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MGA 6,588

$1.57 MGA 6,583

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MGA 4,391

$1.12 MGA 4,710

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MGA 2,497

$1.09 MGA 4,567

-44.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 MGA 2,552

$0.74 MGA 3,113

-17.57%

Eggs

$1.91 MGA 8,024

$2.07 MGA 8,664

-7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 MGA 27.3K

$10.33 MGA 43.3K

-36.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 MGA 22.3K

$4.55 MGA 19.1K

16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.32 MGA 13.9K

$4.42 MGA 18.5K

-24.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MGA 3,826

$1.31 MGA 5,510

-30.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 MGA 2,404

$0.59 MGA 2,492

-3.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MGA 3,188

$1.08 MGA 4,516

-29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,100

$1.00 MGA 4,189

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,092

$0.73 MGA 3,060

-31.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,885

$1.00 MGA 4,212

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 MGA 1,675

$0.34 MGA 1,437

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,444

$0.69 MGA 2,905

-15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 MGA 4,726

$2.61 MGA 10.9K

-56.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 MGA 39.5K

$5.49 MGA 23.0K

71.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MGA 3,298

$0.82 MGA 3,438

-3.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,309

$1.28 MGA 5,347

-19.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 MGA 527

$0.12 MGA 491

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 MGA 12.2K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 MGA 7,158

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MGA 18.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 MGA 4,579

$1.23 MGA 5,148

-11.38%

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

$12.0K MGA 50.4M

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

$24.0K MGA 100.8M

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

$43.80 MGA 183.7K

$58.5 MGA 245.5K

-25.18%

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

$6.62 MGA 27.8K

$15.69 MGA 65.8K

-57.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.07 MGA 92.5K

$47.42 MGA 198.9K

-53.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.06 MGA 75.7K

$36.55 MGA 153.3K

-50.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 MGA 26.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 MGA 28.4K

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

$72.2 MGA 302.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MGA 48.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.63 MGA 128.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.63 MGA 124.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 MGA 326.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 MGA 320.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 MGA 1.4M

$382 MGA 1.6M

-12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 MGA 457.6K

$77.8 MGA 326.1K

40.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 MGA 2.8M

$584 MGA 2.4M

14.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 MGA 1.9M

$436 MGA 1.8M

2.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$699 MGA 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 MGA 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 509.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mahajanga: June 1, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Mahajanga versus $382 in Antananarivo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mahajanga versus $19.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $132 vs $151 – making Mahajanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 51%, 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 $566 per month in Mahajanga and $857 in Antananarivo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahajanga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Antananarivo, 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 $19.00 in Antananarivo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $377 in Mahajanga and $571 in Antananarivo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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