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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $706 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,034 per month in Mahajanga vs $3,248 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 72% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 MGA 8,748

$4.48 ฿150

-54.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-61.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$0.68 MGA 2,948

$2.97 ฿99.0

-77.10%

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

$0.92 MGA 3,967

$0.69 ฿22.90

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MGA 3,746

$0.39 ฿13.04

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MGA 4,413

$2.53 ฿84.4

-59.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,547

$3.75 ฿125

-59.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 MGA 4,486

$2.15 ฿71.6

-51.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,747

$1.82 ฿60.6

-64.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 MGA 2,580

$2.18 ฿72.9

-72.48%

Eggs

$1.96 MGA 8,463

$2.25 ฿75.0

-12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

$20.00 ฿667

-66.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

$3.63 ฿121

44.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

$13.56 ฿452

-75.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 MGA 4,251

$3.24 ฿108

-69.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,351

$1.64 ฿54.6

-66.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MGA 3,295

$2.33 ฿77.8

-67.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,346

$2.07 ฿69.1

-73.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,160

$1.55 ฿51.6

-67.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,932

$1.46 ฿48.54

-69.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MGA 1,853

$0.98 ฿32.86

-56.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,543

$0.48 ฿16.09

22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 MGA 4,880

$4.35 ฿145

-74.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

$18.57 ฿620

-50.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MGA 3,441

$1.86 ฿61.9

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,439

$2.65 ฿88.6

-61.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 599

$1.42 ฿47.28

-90.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

$11.57 ฿386

-23.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 MGA 4,873

$1.34 ฿44.84

-15.67%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

$123 ฿4,105

-63.49%

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

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

$13.77 ฿459

-50.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

$18.33 ฿611

21.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-71.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MGA 1.4M

$621 ฿20.7K

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 MGA 463.9K

$446 ฿14.9K

-75.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MGA 2.9M

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-66.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MGA 1.9M

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-70.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Mahajanga versus $621 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $133 vs $291 – 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 235% 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 $566 per month in Mahajanga and $1,896 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 $377 in Mahajanga and $1,264 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 $46.00 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 $377, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $377 versus $1,264 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.