Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $383 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 62% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 71% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 MGA 8,196

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-67.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-47.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$0.70 MGA 2,947

$1.63 COP 5,687

-57.06%

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

$0.93 MGA 3,895

$1.09 COP 3,821

-14.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MGA 3,806

$0.73 COP 2,548

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,304

$1.74 COP 6,065

-40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,368

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-52.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 MGA 4,433

$1.05 COP 3,662

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,684

$1.29 COP 4,515

-50.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,344

$1.32 COP 4,617

-57.58%

Eggs

$1.94 MGA 8,125

$2.27 COP 7,927

-14.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

56.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-60.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MGA 4,070

$2.25 COP 7,844

-56.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,455

$1.07 COP 3,733

-45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,236

$1.52 COP 5,322

-49.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,111

$1.42 COP 4,964

-64.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,063

$1.17 COP 4,084

-58.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,869

$1.17 COP 4,077

-61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,650

$0.89 COP 3,096

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,441

$0.90 COP 3,146

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 MGA 4,589

$2.25 COP 7,837

-51.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,444

$1.14 COP 3,977

-28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MGA 4,276

$2.38 COP 8,301

-57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 601

$0.84 COP 2,916

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-78.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,543

$1.01 COP 3,509

6.93%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-46.19%

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

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-28.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-30.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MGA 1.4M

$482 COP 1.7M

-32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 MGA 448.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

-71.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 MGA 2.8M

$837 COP 2.9M

-20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MGA 1.9M

$723 COP 2.5M

-38.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Mahajanga: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $327 in Mahajanga versus $482 in Medellin. 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $190 – 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 165% 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 $1,525 in Medellin. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $383 in Mahajanga and $1,017 in Medellin. 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 $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mahajanga, where all-in costs run around $383, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $383 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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