Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Antananarivo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Antananarivo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $579 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,493 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Antananarivo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

85.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

73.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

48.28%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.29 MGA 5,534

33.33%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.05 MGA 4,501

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.60 MGA 2,577

28.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$0.80 MGA 3,428

111.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.60 MGA 6,850

98.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.12 MGA 4,799

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.09 MGA 4,675

19.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.77 MGA 3,297

81.82%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.98 MGA 8,472

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

-57.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

25.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

92.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.35 MGA 5,788

68.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.60 MGA 2,556

85.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.07 MGA 4,608

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.04 MGA 4,450

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.73 MGA 3,128

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.99 MGA 4,239

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.35 MGA 1,488

142.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.70 MGA 3,008

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

-10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

144.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.87 MGA 3,739

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.21 MGA 5,205

105.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.12 MGA 514

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

-51.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.65 MGA 7,089

16.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

70.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.22 MGA 5,249

-18.85%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

49.08%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

10.62%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

39.28%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

-36.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

-47.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

-29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

198.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

-39.14%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

329.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

-48.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

85.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

6.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

30.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

41.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$387 MGA 1.7M

23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

377.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$575 MGA 2.5M

46.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$439 MGA 1.9M

66.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$688 MGA 3.0M

367.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$574 MGA 2.5M

139.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$122 MGA 522.4K

406.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $387 in Antananarivo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 406% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $152 – making Antananarivo 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

Medellin vs Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $869 in Antananarivo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antananarivo, 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $579 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $71.1 in Antananarivo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Antananarivo, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Antananarivo – 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 Antananarivo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.