Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Manakara

For one person, living is cheaper in Manakara: $397 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Manakara
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Manakara Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Manakara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Manakara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Manakara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $397 in Manakara, rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Manakara $397

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $610 in Manakara, rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Manakara $610

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $822 in Manakara, rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Manakara $822

Mexico City costs about 305% more than Manakara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Manakara is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$198

$2.23 MGA 10.2K

376.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$901

$14.74 MGA 67.5K

228.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

$3.58 MGA 16.4K

189.11%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$68.7

$1.14 MGA 5,205

223.68%

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

$1.67 MX$31.05

$0.61 MGA 2,771

173.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.58

$0.53 MGA 2,424

139.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.5

$1.18 MGA 5,424

170.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$98.9

$1.47 MGA 6,721

261.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.13

$1.78 MGA 8,161

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.6

$1.02 MGA 4,685

198.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.17

$0.67 MGA 3,057

189.55%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$53.8

$2.28 MGA 10.4K

26.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$204

$6.56 MGA 30.0K

67.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$172

$3.40 MGA 15.6K

172.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$282

$3.60 MGA 16.5K

320.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$56.8

$0.95 MGA 4,365

221.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.17

$0.72 MGA 3,304

169.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.73

$0.37 MGA 1,696

448.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.12

$0.71 MGA 3,265

225.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$37.91

$0.58 MGA 2,679

251.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.53

$0.70 MGA 3,203

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.56

$0.35 MGA 1,584

322.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.62

$0.63 MGA 2,903

101.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$98.8

$1.36 MGA 6,248

289.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$300

$4.34 MGA 19.9K

270.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.95

$1.06 MGA 4,858

86.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.2

$1.25 MGA 5,707

240.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.68

$0.21 MGA 961

47.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$368

$34.72 MGA 159.0K

-43.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.23

$1.12 MGA 5,152

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.94

$2.26 MGA 10.4K

-76.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$98.7

$3.32 MGA 15.2K

59.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.14

$1.12 MGA 5,111

34.82%

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

$21.8K MX$405.3K

$15.2K MGA 69.6M

43.11%

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

$24.0K MX$446.9K

$20.7K MGA 94.7M

16.05%

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

$63.0 MX$1,173

$42.29 MGA 193.7K

48.92%

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

$27.39 MX$510

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$664

$53.6 MGA 245.6K

-33.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,098

$11.63 MGA 53.3K

406.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$119

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

$432 MX$8,041

$22.17 MGA 101.5K

1846.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$212.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,271

$16.20 MGA 74.2K

321.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$990

$20.07 MGA 91.9K

164.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,008

$44.60 MGA 204.3K

141.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,185

$43.80 MGA 200.6K

167.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

$115 MGA 527.9K

720.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

-52.71%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Manakara: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Manakara

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Manakara

$130 32.7% 59.3% $189

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Manakara

$56 14% 72% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Manakara

$56 14.1% 64% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Manakara

$96 * 24.1% 23.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Manakara

$12 * 2.9% 83.8% $60

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Manakara

$48 12.1% 88.5% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Mexico City are about 8.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $15 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $130 – making Manakara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇲🇬 Manakara

🕒 Local time

23:27 11:27 PM

08:27 8:27 AM

9 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

44,237

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 4,580 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,099 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Manakara 16,590 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Manakara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 305%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $596 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mexico City and $22 in Manakara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 146% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manakara, where all-in costs run around $397, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Manakara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $397 in Manakara to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Manakara. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.