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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $572 per month in Mahajanga vs $671 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $848 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,124 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,402 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 15% cheaper than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 59% lower, Antananarivo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 MGA 8,832

$2.75 MGA 11.9K

-25.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 MGA 81.1K

$20.88 MGA 90.5K

-10.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 MGA 24.6K

Cappuccino

$0.73 MGA 3,167

$1.74 MGA 7,525

-58.05%

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

$0.97 MGA 4,207

$0.84 MGA 3,622

15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MGA 3,936

$0.47 MGA 2,035

93.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 MGA 4,613

$1.07 MGA 4,641

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MGA 6,911

$2.33 MGA 10.1K

-31.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MGA 6,070

$0.99 MGA 4,296

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MGA 3,655

$1.03 MGA 4,463

-18.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,681

$0.78 MGA 3,390

-20.51%

Eggs

$2.26 MGA 9,775

$2.18 MGA 9,433

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 MGA 29.8K

$8.62 MGA 37.4K

-20.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 MGA 29.7K

$4.65 MGA 20.1K

47.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.77 MGA 16.3K

$5.00 MGA 21.7K

-24.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 MGA 5,155

$1.15 MGA 4,989

3.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 MGA 2,904

$0.56 MGA 2,445

19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MGA 3,109

$1.04 MGA 4,527

-30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 MGA 2,883

$0.87 MGA 3,748

-22.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MGA 2,301

$0.62 MGA 2,670

-14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MGA 2,451

$1.03 MGA 4,463

-44.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,469

$0.37 MGA 1,589

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MGA 2,430

$0.75 MGA 3,271

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 MGA 7,282

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 MGA 39.9K

$5.38 MGA 23.3K

71.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MGA 3,640

$1.07 MGA 4,654

-21.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MGA 4,120

$1.87 MGA 8,106

-49.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MGA 992

$0.12 MGA 533

91.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 MGA 15.4K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 MGA 8,861

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 MGA 20.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MGA 5,975

$1.16 MGA 5,013

18.97%

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

$12.4K MGA 53.9M

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

$26.4K MGA 114.2M

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

$46.01 MGA 199.4K

$76.0 MGA 329.2K

-39.45%

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

$7.17 MGA 31.1K

$17.50 MGA 75.8K

-59.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.57 MGA 102.1K

$59.0 MGA 255.4K

-60.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.43 MGA 79.9K

$30.18 MGA 130.7K

-38.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.34 MGA 31.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 MGA 25.4K

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

$26.31 MGA 114.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K MGA 67.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.37 MGA 131.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 MGA 124.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MGA 340.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 MGA 318.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 MGA 1.5M

$333 MGA 1.4M

4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 MGA 1.2M

$158 MGA 686.7K

74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 MGA 3.1M

$752 MGA 3.3M

-6.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MGA 2.0M

$330 MGA 1.4M

40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$679 MGA 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$596 MGA 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$137 MGA 595.3K

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Mahajanga versus $333 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 $19.00 in Mahajanga versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Mahajanga vs $148 in Antananarivo – so Antananarivo 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 Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 17%, 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 $857 per month in Mahajanga and $1,006 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Antananarivo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Mahajanga and $21.00 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 $572 in Mahajanga and $671 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.