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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $579 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,493 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 151% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Antananarivo is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

293.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

185.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

95.56%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.29 MGA 5,534

189.92%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.05 MGA 4,501

54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.60 MGA 2,577

93.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$0.80 MGA 3,428

303.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.60 MGA 6,850

196.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.12 MGA 4,799

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.09 MGA 4,675

152.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.77 MGA 3,297

142.86%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.98 MGA 8,472

26.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

-1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

75.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

163.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.35 MGA 5,788

122.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.60 MGA 2,556

201.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.07 MGA 4,608

86.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.04 MGA 4,450

92.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.73 MGA 3,128

184.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.99 MGA 4,239

129.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.35 MGA 1,488

317.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.70 MGA 3,008

54.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

67.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

235.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.87 MGA 3,739

98.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.21 MGA 5,205

195.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.12 MGA 514

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

-54.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.65 MGA 7,089

-83.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.22 MGA 5,249

9.84%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

60.50%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

-0.99%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

-29.87%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

71.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

-33.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

47.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

315.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

-0.46%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

501.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

-10.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

82.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

50.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$387 MGA 1.7M

159.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

690.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$575 MGA 2.5M

266.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$439 MGA 1.9M

177.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$688 MGA 3.0M

464.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$574 MGA 2.5M

254.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$122 MGA 522.4K

752.04%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City 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 752% 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: $292 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 151%, 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $579 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City 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 Mexico City at $1,456. 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.