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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $376 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $713 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 64% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mahajanga and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 72% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 MGA 8,209

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-66.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.88 MGA 74.2K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-45.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$0.66 MGA 2,730

$1.70 COP 6,140

-61.18%

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

$0.88 MGA 3,632

$1.10 COP 3,966

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MGA 3,809

$0.72 COP 2,605

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,272

$1.67 COP 6,022

-38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,623

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-48.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MGA 4,341

$1.06 COP 3,809

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 MGA 2,466

$1.25 COP 4,497

-52.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,298

$1.39 COP 5,022

-60.43%

Eggs

$1.93 MGA 8,017

$2.26 COP 8,168

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

57.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-9.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-62.51%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 MGA 3,900

$2.24 COP 8,099

-58.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,232

$1.08 COP 3,882

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MGA 3,222

$1.53 COP 5,522

-49.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MGA 2,100

$1.37 COP 4,950

-62.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,035

$1.13 COP 4,078

-56.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,856

$1.12 COP 4,036

-59.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,623

$0.85 COP 3,057

-54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MGA 2,592

$0.91 COP 3,281

-31.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 MGA 4,736

$2.33 COP 8,414

-51.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-13.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MGA 3,466

$1.19 COP 4,309

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,260

$2.37 COP 8,553

-56.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 MGA 521

$0.79 COP 2,838

-83.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 MGA 36.8K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-78.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 MGA 4,673

$0.94 COP 3,385

20.21%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$45.23 MGA 187.6K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-46.13%

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

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-31.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.83 MGA 90.6K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-9.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.68 MGA 73.3K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-31.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MGA 1.4M

$487 COP 1.8M

-32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 MGA 455.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

-70.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 MGA 2.7M

$826 COP 3.0M

-20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 MGA 1.8M

$716 COP 2.6M

-38.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Mahajanga versus $487 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: $133 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 175% 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 $564 per month in Mahajanga and $1,550 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 $376 in Mahajanga and $1,034 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 $376, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $376 versus $1,034 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.