Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Manakara Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Manakara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $383 per month in Mahajanga vs $389 in Manakara, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Mahajanga vs $587 in Manakara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Mahajanga vs $784 in Manakara, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 1% cheaper than Manakara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 MGA 8,196

$2.25 MGA 9,442

-13.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$14.81 MGA 62.1K

18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.60 MGA 15.1K

Cappuccino

$0.70 MGA 2,947

$1.20 MGA 5,028

-41.67%

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

$0.93 MGA 3,895

$0.58 MGA 2,418

60.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MGA 3,806

$0.58 MGA 2,449

56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,304

$1.14 MGA 4,766

-9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,368

$1.42 MGA 5,966

7.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 MGA 4,433

$1.80 MGA 7,540

-41.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,684

$1.02 MGA 4,299

-37.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,344

$0.74 MGA 3,108

-24.32%

Eggs

$1.94 MGA 8,125

$2.25 MGA 9,449

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

$6.32 MGA 26.5K

7.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

60.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

$3.60 MGA 15.1K

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MGA 4,070

$0.94 MGA 3,962

3.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,455

$0.68 MGA 2,856

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,236

$0.35 MGA 1,454

120.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,111

$0.72 MGA 3,007

-30.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,063

$0.55 MGA 2,298

-10.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,869

$0.77 MGA 3,241

-41.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,650

$0.34 MGA 1,429

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,441

$0.70 MGA 2,933

-17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 MGA 4,589

$1.41 MGA 5,910

-22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

$4.73 MGA 19.8K

106.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,444

$1.03 MGA 4,311

-20.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MGA 4,276

$1.30 MGA 5,459

-21.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 601

$0.21 MGA 879

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

$17.89 MGA 75.1K

-49.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MGA 4,595

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 MGA 8,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 MGA 13.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,543

$1.19 MGA 5,008

-9.24%

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

$15.6K MGA 65.6M

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

$20.6K MGA 86.4M

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

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

$42.75 MGA 179.4K

5.33%

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

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

$54.4 MGA 228.3K

-60.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$11.44 MGA 48.0K

53.58%

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

$22.15 MGA 92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.74 MGA 70.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.87 MGA 87.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.39 MGA 190.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.88 MGA 188.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MGA 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 MGA 448.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 MGA 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MGA 1.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$127 MGA 531.0K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Manakara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mahajanga versus $15.00 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $131 – making Manakara 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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manakara costs about 2% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $575 per month in Mahajanga and $584 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $383 in Mahajanga and $389 in Manakara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mahajanga and $15.00 in Manakara. 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 $383 in Mahajanga and $389 in Manakara, 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, Manakara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.