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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $706 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,034 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,143 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 72% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 MGA 8,748

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-65.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-46.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$0.68 MGA 2,948

$1.65 COP 5,207

-58.79%

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

$0.92 MGA 3,967

$1.10 COP 3,468

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,746

$0.78 COP 2,458

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,413

$1.72 COP 5,412

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,547

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-52.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 MGA 4,486

$1.10 COP 3,474

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,747

$1.26 COP 3,962

-49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,580

$1.38 COP 4,349

-56.52%

Eggs

$1.96 MGA 8,463

$2.18 COP 6,858

-10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

$4.49 COP 14.1K

47.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-62.43%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,251

$2.32 COP 7,308

-57.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,351

$1.06 COP 3,352

-48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MGA 3,295

$1.52 COP 4,774

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,346

$1.36 COP 4,270

-60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,160

$1.13 COP 3,552

-55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,932

$1.17 COP 3,689

-61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MGA 1,853

$0.90 COP 2,838

-52.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,543

$0.90 COP 2,823

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 MGA 4,880

$2.23 COP 7,034

-49.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MGA 3,441

$1.19 COP 3,743

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,439

$2.48 COP 7,815

-58.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 599

$0.85 COP 2,687

-83.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-78.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 MGA 4,873

$0.99 COP 3,118

14.14%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-45.87%

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

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-30.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-31.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MGA 1.4M

$475 COP 1.5M

-30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 MGA 463.9K

$374 COP 1.2M

-71.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MGA 2.9M

$849 COP 2.7M

-20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$719 COP 2.3M

-38.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Mahajanga versus $475 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 $193 – 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 166% 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 $566 per month in Mahajanga and $1,504 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 $377 in Mahajanga and $1,003 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 $377, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $377 versus $1,003 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.