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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,051 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,417 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 145% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Antananarivo is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.76 MGA 12.0K

190.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$20.54 MGA 89.3K

133.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.91 MGA 25.7K

67.34%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.71 MGA 7,455

83.04%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.79 MGA 3,442

141.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.43 MGA 1,887

251.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.01 MGA 4,406

208.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

141.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.99 MGA 4,282

45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.03 MGA 4,464

141.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.74 MGA 3,203

139.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.09 MGA 9,067

41.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.73 MGA 37.9K

15.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.58 MGA 19.9K

120.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$4.99 MGA 21.7K

186.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.09 MGA 4,723

279.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.60 MGA 2,625

168.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.09 MGA 4,716

106.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.89 MGA 3,888

152.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.58 MGA 2,504

251.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.94 MGA 4,093

63.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.33 MGA 1,431

254.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.74 MGA 3,195

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.60 MGA 6,967

143.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.19 MGA 22.6K

169.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.07 MGA 4,641

62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.85 MGA 8,042

55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.15 MGA 659

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.53 MGA 15.3K

-62.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.04 MGA 8,866

7.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$4.73 MGA 20.5K

84.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.16 MGA 5,034

18.10%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$12.1K MGA 52.4M

130.96%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$26.3K MGA 114.4M

35.86%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$75.3 MGA 327.5K

135.33%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.13 MGA 74.5K

-18.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$58.8 MGA 255.8K

-49.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$30.83 MGA 134.0K

45.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$7.28 MGA 31.6K

135.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.88 MGA 25.6K

13.10%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$25.37 MGA 110.3K

3104.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$15.3K MGA 66.6M

-40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$30.17 MGA 131.1K

196.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$27.86 MGA 121.1K

111.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$80.8 MGA 351.2K

71.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$72.0 MGA 312.8K

41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$328 MGA 1.4M

223.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$153 MGA 663.3K

334.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$749 MGA 3.3M

152.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$331 MGA 1.4M

209.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$677 MGA 2.9M

518.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$576 MGA 2.5M

190.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$133 MGA 580.2K

407.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

15.75

-30.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $328 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 408% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $147 – 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 145%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,028 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $686 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $25.37 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 $686, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.