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 $383 per month in Mahajanga vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $704 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,025 per month in Mahajanga vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mahajanga is about 70% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mahajanga and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mahajanga 71% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 MGA 8,196

$11.87 MX$204

-83.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$42.90 MX$736

-59.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$0.70 MGA 2,947

$3.45 MX$59.2

-79.71%

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

$0.93 MGA 3,895

$1.50 MX$25.81

-38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MGA 3,806

$0.95 MX$16.28

-4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,304

$3.03 MX$51.9

-66.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MGA 6,368

$4.61 MX$79.1

-67.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 MGA 4,433

$1.38 MX$23.61

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MGA 2,684

$1.85 MX$31.70

-65.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.56 MGA 2,344

$1.61 MX$27.65

-65.22%

Eggs

$1.94 MGA 8,125

$2.59 MX$44.51

-25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

$8.26 MX$142

-17.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

$8.37 MX$144

-35.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

$10.66 MX$183

-68.48%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MGA 4,070

$2.63 MX$45.12

-63.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,455

$1.49 MX$25.53

-61.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,236

$1.92 MX$32.94

-59.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 MGA 2,111

$2.09 MX$35.81

-76.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,063

$1.86 MX$31.88

-73.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,869

$2.26 MX$38.81

-80.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,650

$1.06 MX$18.23

-63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MGA 2,441

$1.09 MX$18.67

-46.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 MGA 4,589

$4.15 MX$71.2

-73.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

$10.39 MX$178

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MGA 3,444

$1.72 MX$29.59

-52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MGA 4,276

$2.61 MX$44.85

-60.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 MGA 601

$0.54 MX$9.30

-74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

$26.94 MX$462

-66.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MGA 4,543

$1.27 MX$21.88

-14.96%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-45.75%

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

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

$22.71 MX$390

-70.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

$29.46 MX$506

-26.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

$51.0 MX$875

-65.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 MGA 1.4M

$956 MX$16.4K

-65.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 MGA 448.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-77.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 MGA 2.8M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-59.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MGA 1.9M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-63.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $327 in Mahajanga versus $956 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: $135 vs $250 – 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 232% 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 $575 per month in Mahajanga and $1,906 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 $383 in Mahajanga and $1,271 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 $383, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $383 versus $1,271 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.