Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Antananarivo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Antananarivo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $571 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,045 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,519 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 157% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Antananarivo is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.34 MGA 14.0K

294.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$18.75 MGA 78.6K

187.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.81 MGA 20.2K

95.84%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.29 MGA 5,424

175.19%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.06 MGA 4,432

52.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.59 MGA 2,494

88.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$0.75 MGA 3,137

316.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$1.57 MGA 6,583

194.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.12 MGA 4,710

51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.09 MGA 4,567

149.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$0.74 MGA 3,113

158.11%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.07 MGA 8,664

22.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.33 MGA 43.3K

-2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.55 MGA 19.1K

77.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.42 MGA 18.5K

162.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.31 MGA 5,510

126.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$0.59 MGA 2,492

206.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.08 MGA 4,516

86.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.00 MGA 4,189

103.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.73 MGA 3,060

190.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.00 MGA 4,212

127.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.34 MGA 1,437

311.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.69 MGA 2,905

63.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.61 MGA 10.9K

63.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$5.49 MGA 23.0K

183.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.82 MGA 3,438

114.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.28 MGA 5,347

181.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.12 MGA 491

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.92 MGA 12.2K

-52.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$1.71 MGA 7,158

-83.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$4.39 MGA 18.4K

24.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.23 MGA 5,148

5.69%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$12.0K MGA 50.4M

55.40%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$24.0K MGA 100.8M

-3.78%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$58.5 MGA 245.5K

-30.20%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$15.69 MGA 65.8K

70.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$47.42 MGA 198.9K

-36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$36.55 MGA 153.3K

42.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$6.34 MGA 26.6K

323.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.78 MGA 28.4K

-7.08%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$72.2 MGA 302.8K

503.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$11.6K MGA 48.8M

-10.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$30.63 MGA 128.4K

84.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$29.63 MGA 124.2K

49.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$77.8 MGA 326.3K

32.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$76.3 MGA 320.0K

38.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$382 MGA 1.6M

167.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$77.8 MGA 326.1K

711.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$584 MGA 2.4M

265.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$436 MGA 1.8M

185.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$699 MGA 2.9M

458.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$587 MGA 2.5M

251.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$122 MGA 509.8K

817.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-24.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $382 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 817% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $151 – 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

Mexico City vs Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 157%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $857 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $571 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $72.2 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 $571, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.