Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $376 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $713 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Mahajanga vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 71% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mahajanga and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 72% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 MGA 8,196

$11.94 MX$208

-83.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.88 MGA 74.1K

$42.75 MX$744

-58.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$0.66 MGA 2,726

$3.62 MX$63.0

-81.77%

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

$0.88 MGA 3,626

$1.47 MX$25.54

-40.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MGA 3,802

$0.94 MX$16.41

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,265

$3.09 MX$53.8

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,613

$4.46 MX$77.6

-64.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MGA 4,334

$1.43 MX$24.80

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 MGA 2,462

$1.88 MX$32.79

-68.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,294

$1.63 MX$28.34

-66.26%

Eggs

$1.93 MGA 8,004

$2.64 MX$45.99

-26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

$8.21 MX$143

-16.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

$8.29 MX$144

-36.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

$11.10 MX$193

-70.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 MGA 3,894

$2.65 MX$46.14

-64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,228

$1.50 MX$26.11

-64.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MGA 3,217

$1.99 MX$34.59

-60.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MGA 2,096

$2.08 MX$36.13

-75.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,032

$1.79 MX$31.11

-72.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,853

$2.18 MX$37.87

-79.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,621

$1.08 MX$18.73

-63.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MGA 2,588

$1.04 MX$18.04

-40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 MGA 4,728

$3.97 MX$69.1

-71.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

$10.20 MX$178

-6.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MGA 3,461

$1.73 MX$30.04

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,253

$2.50 MX$43.46

-58.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 MGA 521

$0.52 MX$9.02

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 MGA 36.7K

$26.97 MX$469

-67.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 MGA 4,665

$1.27 MX$22.16

-11.02%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$45.23 MGA 187.3K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-44.85%

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

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

$22.45 MX$391

-70.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.83 MGA 90.4K

$29.66 MX$516

-26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.68 MGA 73.2K

$51.9 MX$903

-65.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MGA 1.4M

$963 MX$16.8K

-65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 MGA 454.2K

$465 MX$8,086

-76.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 MGA 2.7M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-58.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 MGA 1.8M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-63.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Mahajanga versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $133 vs $251 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 242% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $376 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.