Cost of Living Comparison Between Manakara and Antananarivo Cost of Living Comparison Between Manakara and Antananarivo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $421 per month in Manakara vs $686 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $646 per month in Manakara vs $1,051 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $870 per month in Manakara vs $1,417 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Manakara is about 39% cheaper than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manakara and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Manakara 69% lower, Antananarivo 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 MGA 9,954

$2.76 MGA 12.0K

-17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.11 MGA 65.9K

$20.54 MGA 89.6K

-26.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 MGA 16.6K

$5.91 MGA 25.8K

-35.70%

Cappuccino

$1.27 MGA 5,537

$1.71 MGA 7,482

-25.73%

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

$0.65 MGA 2,820

$0.79 MGA 3,454

-17.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MGA 2,592

$0.43 MGA 1,894

37.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 MGA 5,454

$1.01 MGA 4,422

23.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MGA 6,488

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

-37.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MGA 7,983

$0.99 MGA 4,298

84.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MGA 4,646

$1.03 MGA 4,481

2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,347

$0.74 MGA 3,215

4.05%

Eggs

$2.42 MGA 10.5K

$2.09 MGA 9,101

15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 MGA 29.0K

$8.73 MGA 38.1K

-23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 MGA 15.4K

$4.58 MGA 20.0K

-23.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.77 MGA 16.4K

$4.99 MGA 21.8K

-24.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 MGA 4,564

$1.09 MGA 4,740

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 MGA 3,049

$0.60 MGA 2,635

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.39 MGA 1,717

$1.09 MGA 4,734

-64.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 MGA 3,064

$0.89 MGA 3,902

-21.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MGA 2,697

$0.58 MGA 2,513

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MGA 3,458

$0.94 MGA 4,108

-15.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 MGA 1,593

$0.33 MGA 1,436

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MGA 2,943

$0.74 MGA 3,207

-9.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.47 MGA 6,427

$1.60 MGA 6,993

-8.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 MGA 19.6K

$5.19 MGA 22.6K

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MGA 4,709

$1.07 MGA 4,658

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MGA 5,652

$1.85 MGA 8,072

-29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 MGA 1,048

$0.15 MGA 661

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.60 MGA 164.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MGA 5,009

$3.53 MGA 15.4K

-67.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 MGA 10.2K

$2.04 MGA 8,899

14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 MGA 14.8K

$4.73 MGA 20.6K

-28.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MGA 5,416

$1.16 MGA 5,053

6.90%

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

$16.0K MGA 69.9M

$12.1K MGA 52.6M

33.01%

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

$21.0K MGA 91.8M

$26.3K MGA 114.9M

-20.10%

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

$44.25 MGA 193.0K

$75.3 MGA 328.7K

-41.27%

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

$17.13 MGA 74.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 MGA 245.5K

$58.8 MGA 256.7K

-4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.24 MGA 53.4K

$30.83 MGA 134.5K

-60.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.28 MGA 31.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MGA 25.7K

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

$23.00 MGA 100.3K

$25.37 MGA 110.7K

-9.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K MGA 66.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.85 MGA 73.5K

$30.17 MGA 131.6K

-44.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.24 MGA 92.7K

$27.86 MGA 121.5K

-23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.16 MGA 205.8K

$80.8 MGA 352.6K

-41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.70 MGA 208.1K

$72.0 MGA 314.0K

-33.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 MGA 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 MGA 665.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 MGA 3.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 MGA 1.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$677 MGA 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 MGA 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$124 MGA 539.9K

$133 MGA 582.4K

-7.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

52.38%

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

Last update for Manakara: September 12, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 8% higher in Antananarivo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Manakara versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $147 – making Manakara 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

Manakara vs Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Antananarivo is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $631 per month in Manakara and $1,028 in Antananarivo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $421 in Manakara and $686 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $23.00 per month in Manakara and $25.37 in Antananarivo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $421 in Manakara and $686 in Antananarivo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manakara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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