Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Manakara

For one person, living is cheaper in Manakara: $397 a month against $537 in Mahajanga, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mahajanga outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Manakara
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Manakara Living Index

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Mahajanga

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$537

/mo nomad

Manakara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mahajanga and in Manakara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mahajanga and in Manakara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $537 per month in Mahajanga vs $397 in Manakara, rent included.

Mahajanga $537
Manakara $397

A couple spends around $788 per month in Mahajanga vs $609 in Manakara, rent included.

Mahajanga $788
Manakara $609

A family of three spends $1,040 per month in Mahajanga vs $820 in Manakara, rent included.

Mahajanga $1,040
Manakara $820

Mahajanga costs about 35% more than Manakara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mahajanga and Manakara are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 60% lower, Manakara 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 MGA 8,841

$2.16 MGA 9,875

-10.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.36 MGA 79.4K

$14.51 MGA 66.3K

19.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 MGA 16.5K

Cappuccino

$0.63 MGA 2,877

$1.19 MGA 5,450

-47.06%

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

$0.84 MGA 3,840

$0.60 MGA 2,744

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MGA 4,195

$0.53 MGA 2,414

73.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,674

$1.19 MGA 5,455

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MGA 7,201

$1.42 MGA 6,483

10.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MGA 5,965

$1.72 MGA 7,874

-24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 MGA 3,939

$1.01 MGA 4,626

-14.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,909

$0.73 MGA 3,317

-12.33%

Eggs

$2.15 MGA 9,817

$2.25 MGA 10.3K

-4.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 MGA 29.4K

$6.62 MGA 30.2K

-2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 MGA 29.3K

$3.47 MGA 15.9K

84.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.49 MGA 15.9K

$3.55 MGA 16.2K

-1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MGA 5,150

$0.96 MGA 4,372

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,736

$0.72 MGA 3,305

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,939

$0.34 MGA 1,572

88.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,913

$0.72 MGA 3,284

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MGA 2,173

$0.55 MGA 2,504

-12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,265

$0.77 MGA 3,504

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 MGA 1,567

$0.32 MGA 1,461

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MGA 2,456

$0.64 MGA 2,910

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.42 MGA 6,491

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 MGA 41.3K

$4.34 MGA 19.9K

108.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MGA 3,380

$1.03 MGA 4,708

-28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 4,080

$1.25 MGA 5,723

-28.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 MGA 1,005

$0.21 MGA 957

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.63 MGA 162.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MGA 4,954

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 MGA 10.2K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 MGA 15.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MGA 5,929

$1.17 MGA 5,368

11.11%

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

$15.2K MGA 69.7M

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

$20.2K MGA 92.5M

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

$43.20 MGA 197.5K

$41.78 MGA 191.0K

3.40%

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

$6.50 MGA 29.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.96 MGA 100.4K

$52.7 MGA 241.0K

-58.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.86 MGA 81.7K

$11.37 MGA 52.0K

57.08%

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

$21.87 MGA 100.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.27 MGA 74.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.10 MGA 91.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.39 MGA 207.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.17 MGA 202.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MGA 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 MGA 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$114 MGA 519.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mahajanga: November 2, 2026

Last update for Manakara: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

$130 32.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

$94 * 23.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

$57 14.3%

Eating Out

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

$56 14.1%

Getting Around

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

$49 12.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

$11 * 2.9%

Accommodation & Living

Mahajanga

–

Manakara

- * 0%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17 in Mahajanga versus $15 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $143 vs $130 – making Manakara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇬 Mahajanga

🇲🇬 Manakara

🕒 Local time

01:17 1:17 AM

Same time as Mahajanga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

246,022

44,237

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.94 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mahajanga Manakara 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mahajanga
Manakara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mahajanga costs about 35% more than Manakara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Mahajanga and $595 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $537 in Mahajanga and $397 in Manakara. That makes Manakara about 26% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Mahajanga, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $537 in Mahajanga and $397 in Manakara, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Mahajanga has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $397 in Manakara to $537 in Mahajanga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.