Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $383 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Mahajanga vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 70% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mahajanga and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 71% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 MGA 8,196

$4.56 ฿149

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$46.63 ฿1,519

-62.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$0.70 MGA 2,947

$3.03 ฿98.6

-76.90%

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

$0.93 MGA 3,895

$0.69 ฿22.45

34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MGA 3,806

$0.37 ฿11.92

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,304

$2.49 ฿81.0

-58.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,368

$3.66 ฿119

-58.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 MGA 4,433

$2.18 ฿71.0

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,684

$1.90 ฿62.0

-66.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,344

$2.20 ฿71.6

-74.55%

Eggs

$1.94 MGA 8,125

$2.22 ฿72.4

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

$19.99 ฿651

-65.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

$3.66 ฿119

47.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

$13.25 ฿432

-74.64%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MGA 4,070

$3.23 ฿105

-69.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,455

$1.70 ฿55.3

-65.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,236

$2.39 ฿78.0

-67.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,111

$2.08 ฿67.7

-75.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,063

$1.59 ฿51.8

-69.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,869

$1.48 ฿48.31

-69.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,650

$1.03 ฿33.54

-62.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,441

$0.52 ฿16.83

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 MGA 4,589

$4.25 ฿138

-74.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

$18.79 ฿612

-48.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,444

$1.76 ฿57.2

-53.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MGA 4,276

$2.76 ฿89.8

-63.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 601

$1.36 ฿44.32

-89.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

$11.36 ฿370

-20.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,543

$1.34 ฿43.79

-19.40%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

$124 ฿4,025

-63.57%

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

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

$13.52 ฿440

-50.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

$18.69 ฿609

16.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$61.8 ฿2,013

-71.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MGA 1.4M

$619 ฿20.1K

-47.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 MGA 448.3K

$433 ฿14.1K

-75.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 MGA 2.8M

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-67.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MGA 1.9M

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-70.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Mahajanga: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $327 in Mahajanga versus $619 in Phuket. 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $293 – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 229% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,892 in Phuket. 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 $1,261 in Phuket. 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 $47.00 in Phuket. 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 Phuket at $1,261. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $383 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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