Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahajanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahajanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $377 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,034 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 166% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Mahajanga 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.03 MGA 8,748

191.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

86.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.68 MGA 2,948

142.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.92 MGA 3,967

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.87 MGA 3,746

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.02 MGA 4,413

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.52 MGA 6,547

109.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.04 MGA 4,486

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.64 MGA 2,747

96.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.60 MGA 2,580

130.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.96 MGA 8,463

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

-32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

10.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

166.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.99 MGA 4,251

134.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.55 MGA 2,351

92.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.76 MGA 3,295

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.54 MGA 2,346

151.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.50 MGA 2,160

126.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.45 MGA 1,932

160.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.43 MGA 1,853

109.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.59 MGA 2,543

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.13 MGA 4,880

97.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

31.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.80 MGA 3,441

48.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.03 MGA 4,439

140.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.14 MGA 599

507.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

370.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.13 MGA 4,873

-12.39%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

84.75%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

43.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

5.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

45.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$330 MGA 1.4M

43.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$108 MGA 463.9K

247.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$674 MGA 2.9M

25.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$439 MGA 1.9M

63.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $330 in Mahajanga. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $133 – 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

Medellin vs Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 166% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $566 in Mahajanga. 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $377 in Mahajanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Mahajanga. 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 $377, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $377 versus $1,003 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.