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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $572 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $848 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,124 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 193% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Mahajanga is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.04 MGA 8,832

495.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$18.71 MGA 81.1K

188.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$0.73 MGA 3,167

461.64%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.97 MGA 4,207

73.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.91 MGA 3,936

52.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.06 MGA 4,613

214.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.59 MGA 6,911

269.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.40 MGA 6,070

32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.84 MGA 3,655

277.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.62 MGA 2,681

233.87%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.26 MGA 9,775

29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.88 MGA 29.8K

82.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.85 MGA 29.7K

47.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$3.77 MGA 16.3K

326.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.19 MGA 5,155

184.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.67 MGA 2,904

210.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.72 MGA 3,109

194.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.67 MGA 2,883

259.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.53 MGA 2,301

301.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.57 MGA 2,451

252.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.34 MGA 1,469

355.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.56 MGA 2,430

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$9.20 MGA 39.9K

92.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.84 MGA 3,640

146.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$0.95 MGA 4,120

385.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.23 MGA 992

60.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.38 MGA 5,975

12.32%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$46.01 MGA 199.4K

46.51%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$7.17 MGA 31.1K

327.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$23.57 MGA 102.1K

58.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$18.43 MGA 79.9K

233.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$347 MGA 1.5M

230.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$276 MGA 1.2M

156.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$705 MGA 3.1M

265.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$464 MGA 2.0M

179.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $347 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $152 – 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 193% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $857 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 $1,677 in Mexico City and $572 in Mahajanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 127% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mahajanga, where all-in costs run around $572, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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 $572 versus $1,677 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.