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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $387 per month in Mahajanga vs $579 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $720 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,052 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,493 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 33% cheaper than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 71% lower, Antananarivo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 MGA 8,677

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

-39.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.10 MGA 77.6K

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

-3.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

Cappuccino

$0.68 MGA 2,931

$1.29 MGA 5,534

-47.29%

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

$0.92 MGA 3,962

$1.05 MGA 4,501

-12.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MGA 3,773

$0.60 MGA 2,577

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,398

$0.80 MGA 3,428

28.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MGA 6,790

$1.60 MGA 6,850

-1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,636

$1.12 MGA 4,799

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 MGA 2,522

$1.09 MGA 4,675

-45.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.57 MGA 2,437

$0.77 MGA 3,297

-25.97%

Eggs

$1.91 MGA 8,212

$1.98 MGA 8,472

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 MGA 29.0K

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

-34.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 MGA 22.3K

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

11.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.30 MGA 14.1K

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

-26.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MGA 4,173

$1.35 MGA 5,788

-28.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MGA 2,515

$0.60 MGA 2,556

-1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,301

$1.07 MGA 4,608

-28.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MGA 2,178

$1.04 MGA 4,450

-50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,152

$0.73 MGA 3,128

-31.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 MGA 2,038

$0.99 MGA 4,239

-51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MGA 1,845

$0.35 MGA 1,488

22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MGA 2,734

$0.70 MGA 3,008

-8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 MGA 4,658

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

-58.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 MGA 40.1K

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

84.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,527

$0.87 MGA 3,739

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MGA 4,204

$1.21 MGA 5,205

-19.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 MGA 639

$0.12 MGA 514

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.05 MGA 38.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 MGA 7,089

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 MGA 4,878

$1.22 MGA 5,249

-6.56%

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

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

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

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

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

$43.84 MGA 188.0K

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

-24.44%

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

$6.78 MGA 29.1K

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 MGA 96.6K

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

-51.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.61 MGA 75.5K

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

-50.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

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

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 MGA 1.5M

$387 MGA 1.7M

-12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 MGA 475.1K

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

40.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 MGA 2.8M

$575 MGA 2.5M

15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 MGA 1.9M

$439 MGA 1.9M

3.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$688 MGA 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$574 MGA 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 MGA 522.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mahajanga: July 13, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Mahajanga versus $387 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: $133 vs $152 – 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 49%, 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 $581 per month in Mahajanga and $869 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 14% 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 $387 in Mahajanga and $579 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.