Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manakara and Mahajanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Manakara: $397 a month against $537 in Mahajanga, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mahajanga outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Manakara
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Manakara Living Index

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Manakara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$397

/mo nomad

Mahajanga

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$537

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manakara and in Mahajanga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manakara and in Mahajanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $397 per month in Manakara vs $537 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Manakara $397
Mahajanga $537

A couple spends around $609 per month in Manakara vs $788 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Manakara $609
Mahajanga $788

A family of three spends $820 per month in Manakara vs $1,040 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Manakara $820
Mahajanga $1,040

Manakara is about 26% cheaper than Mahajanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manakara and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Manakara 71% lower, Mahajanga 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MGA 9,849

$1.93 MGA 8,817

11.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.51 MGA 66.2K

$17.36 MGA 79.1K

-16.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 MGA 16.4K

Cappuccino

$1.19 MGA 5,436

$0.63 MGA 2,869

88.89%

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

$0.60 MGA 2,737

$0.84 MGA 3,829

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MGA 2,408

$0.92 MGA 4,184

-42.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MGA 5,441

$1.02 MGA 4,661

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MGA 6,466

$1.57 MGA 7,181

-9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MGA 7,853

$1.30 MGA 5,949

32.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MGA 4,614

$0.86 MGA 3,928

17.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,308

$0.64 MGA 2,901

14.06%

Eggs

$2.25 MGA 10.2K

$2.15 MGA 9,791

4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 MGA 30.2K

$6.43 MGA 29.3K

2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 MGA 15.8K

$6.41 MGA 29.2K

-45.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.55 MGA 16.2K

$3.49 MGA 15.9K

1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 MGA 4,360

$1.13 MGA 5,137

-15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 MGA 3,296

$0.60 MGA 2,729

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.34 MGA 1,568

$0.64 MGA 2,931

-46.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 MGA 3,276

$0.64 MGA 2,905

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,497

$0.48 MGA 2,167

14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MGA 3,495

$0.50 MGA 2,259

54.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,457

$0.34 MGA 1,563

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MGA 2,902

$0.54 MGA 2,450

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.42 MGA 6,473

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 MGA 19.8K

$9.03 MGA 41.2K

-51.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,695

$0.74 MGA 3,371

39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MGA 5,708

$0.89 MGA 4,069

40.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 MGA 955

$0.22 MGA 1,002

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.63 MGA 162.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MGA 4,940

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 MGA 10.2K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 MGA 15.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 MGA 5,354

$1.30 MGA 5,913

-10.00%

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

$15.2K MGA 69.5M

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

$20.2K MGA 92.3M

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

$41.78 MGA 190.5K

$43.20 MGA 197.0K

-3.29%

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

$6.50 MGA 29.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 MGA 240.3K

$21.96 MGA 100.1K

139.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.37 MGA 51.9K

$17.86 MGA 81.4K

-36.34%

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

$21.87 MGA 99.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.27 MGA 74.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.10 MGA 91.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.39 MGA 207.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.17 MGA 201.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 MGA 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MGA 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MGA 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 MGA 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$114 MGA 517.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Manakara: November 3, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Manakara

$130 32.7%

Mahajanga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manakara

$94 * 23.8%

Mahajanga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manakara

$57 14.3%

Mahajanga

–

Eating Out

Manakara

$56 14.1%

Mahajanga

–

Getting Around

Manakara

$49 12.3%

Mahajanga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manakara

$11 * 2.9%

Mahajanga

–

Accommodation & Living

Manakara

- * 0%

Mahajanga

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15 in Manakara versus $17 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $130 vs $143 – making Manakara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇬 Manakara

🇲🇬 Mahajanga

🕒 Local time

15:09 3:09 PM

Same time as Manakara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,237

246,022

💱 Currency

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manakara Mahajanga 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Manakara
Mahajanga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahajanga costs about 35% more than Manakara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $595 per month in Manakara and $805 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $397 in Manakara and $537 in Mahajanga. That makes Manakara about 26% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Mahajanga, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $397 in Manakara and $537 in Mahajanga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Mahajanga has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $397 in Manakara to $537 in Mahajanga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.