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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $376 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $713 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,050 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 175% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mahajanga 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.98 MGA 8,209

198.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.88 MGA 74.2K

83.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.66 MGA 2,730

157.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.88 MGA 3,632

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.92 MGA 3,809

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.03 MGA 4,272

62.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.60 MGA 6,623

93.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.05 MGA 4,341

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.59 MGA 2,466

111.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.55 MGA 2,298

152.73%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.93 MGA 8,017

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

-36.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

11.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

166.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.94 MGA 3,900

138.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.54 MGA 2,232

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.78 MGA 3,222

96.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.51 MGA 2,100

168.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.49 MGA 2,035

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.45 MGA 1,856

148.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.39 MGA 1,623

117.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.62 MGA 2,592

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.14 MGA 4,736

104.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.84 MGA 3,466

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.03 MGA 4,260

130.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.13 MGA 521

507.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$8.86 MGA 36.8K

364.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.13 MGA 4,673

-16.81%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$45.23 MGA 187.6K

85.63%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

46.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$21.83 MGA 90.6K

10.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.68 MGA 73.3K

46.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$330 MGA 1.4M

47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$110 MGA 455.0K

235.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$660 MGA 2.7M

25.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$441 MGA 1.8M

62.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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: $190 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 175% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $564 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $376 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 $376, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $376 versus $1,034 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.