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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $380 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $708 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,036 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 282% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Mahajanga is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$1.99 MGA 8,345

551.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$17.91 MGA 75.1K

192.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$0.69 MGA 2,910

443.48%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.86 MGA 3,615

81.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.87 MGA 3,666

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$0.98 MGA 4,098

230.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$1.51 MGA 6,325

224.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.06 MGA 4,446

60.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$0.59 MGA 2,471

352.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$0.59 MGA 2,482

220.34%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.90 MGA 7,978

32.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$6.57 MGA 27.6K

52.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$5.29 MGA 22.2K

61.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$3.38 MGA 14.2K

253.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$1.00 MGA 4,196

197.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$0.55 MGA 2,294

225.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$0.73 MGA 3,056

173.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$0.54 MGA 2,279

262.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.46 MGA 1,941

369.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$0.44 MGA 1,864

415.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.39 MGA 1,655

258.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.63 MGA 2,648

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$1.10 MGA 4,596

281.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$9.33 MGA 39.2K

77.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$0.78 MGA 3,254

115.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.02 MGA 4,259

251.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.12 MGA 510

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$8.95 MGA 37.5K

114.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.14 MGA 4,782

13.16%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

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

$39.86 MX$686

$43.57 MGA 182.8K

-8.52%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$6.68 MGA 28.0K

316.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$22.54 MGA 94.5K

32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$17.64 MGA 74.0K

194.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

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

$433 MX$7,443

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$332 MGA 1.4M

198.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$110 MGA 463.2K

458.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$663 MGA 2.8M

214.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$445 MGA 1.9M

182.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $332 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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

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

Mexico City costs about 282% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $569 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 $1,448 in Mexico City and $380 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 $52.0 in Mexico City 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 $380, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $380 versus $1,448 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.