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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $686 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,051 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,417 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 142% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Antananarivo is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$2.76 MGA 12.0K

331.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$20.54 MGA 89.6K

151.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.91 MGA 25.8K

93.06%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.71 MGA 7,482

133.33%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.79 MGA 3,454

110.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.43 MGA 1,894

209.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.01 MGA 4,422

243.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

147.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$0.99 MGA 4,298

89.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.03 MGA 4,481

215.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.74 MGA 3,215

191.89%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.09 MGA 9,101

38.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.73 MGA 38.1K

47.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.58 MGA 20.0K

119.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$4.99 MGA 21.8K

217.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.09 MGA 4,740

201.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$0.60 MGA 2,635

235.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.09 MGA 4,734

101.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$0.89 MGA 3,902

165.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.58 MGA 2,513

253.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.94 MGA 4,108

102.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.33 MGA 1,436

387.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.74 MGA 3,207

89.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$1.60 MGA 6,993

241.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$5.19 MGA 22.6K

240.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.07 MGA 4,658

92.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.85 MGA 8,072

152.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.15 MGA 661

126.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$3.53 MGA 15.4K

-40.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.04 MGA 8,899

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$4.73 MGA 20.6K

22.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.16 MGA 5,053

38.79%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$12.1K MGA 52.6M

89.52%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$26.3K MGA 114.9M

1.60%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$75.3 MGA 328.7K

-13.49%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$17.13 MGA 74.7K

75.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$58.8 MGA 256.7K

-36.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$30.83 MGA 134.5K

93.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$7.28 MGA 31.7K

264.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.88 MGA 25.7K

19.73%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$25.37 MGA 110.7K

1731.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$15.3K MGA 66.8M

-13.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$30.17 MGA 131.6K

151.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$27.86 MGA 121.5K

100.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$80.8 MGA 352.6K

38.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$72.0 MGA 314.0K

67.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$328 MGA 1.4M

236.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$153 MGA 665.7K

372.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$749 MGA 3.3M

237.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$331 MGA 1.4M

290.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$677 MGA 3.0M

489.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$576 MGA 2.5M

262.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$133 MGA 582.4K

677.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

15.75

-28.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City 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 677% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 142%, 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $686 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City 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 Mexico City at $1,660. 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.