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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $376 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $713 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,050 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 295% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Mahajanga is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$1.98 MGA 8,209

555.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$17.88 MGA 74.2K

196.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$0.66 MGA 2,730

468.18%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.88 MGA 3,632

78.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.92 MGA 3,809

22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.03 MGA 4,272

208.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.60 MGA 6,623

191.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.05 MGA 4,341

54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.59 MGA 2,466

359.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.55 MGA 2,298

241.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.93 MGA 8,017

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

47.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

57.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

260.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.94 MGA 3,900

204.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.54 MGA 2,232

224.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.78 MGA 3,222

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.51 MGA 2,100

286.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.49 MGA 2,035

340.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.45 MGA 1,856

384.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.39 MGA 1,623

256.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.62 MGA 2,592

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.14 MGA 4,736

268.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

48.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.84 MGA 3,466

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.03 MGA 4,260

257.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.13 MGA 521

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$8.86 MGA 36.8K

110.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.13 MGA 4,673

19.47%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

$45.23 MGA 187.6K

-9.75%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

318.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$21.83 MGA 90.6K

39.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$17.68 MGA 73.3K

202.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$330 MGA 1.4M

202.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$110 MGA 455.0K

465.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$660 MGA 2.7M

223.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$441 MGA 1.8M

179.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 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 295% 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City 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 $1,484 in Mexico City 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 $53.0 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 $376, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $376 versus $1,484 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.