Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Antananarivo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Antananarivo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $686 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,051 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,417 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 80% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Antananarivo 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.76 MGA 12.0K

59.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$20.54 MGA 89.6K

57.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$5.91 MGA 25.8K

51.10%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.71 MGA 7,482

69.59%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.79 MGA 3,454

11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.43 MGA 1,894

11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$1.01 MGA 4,422

132.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

56.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$0.99 MGA 4,298

88.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.03 MGA 4,481

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.74 MGA 3,215

109.46%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.09 MGA 9,101

0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$8.73 MGA 38.1K

124.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.58 MGA 20.0K

-25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$4.99 MGA 21.8K

128.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$1.09 MGA 4,740

173.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$0.60 MGA 2,635

180.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.09 MGA 4,734

102.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$0.89 MGA 3,902

142.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.58 MGA 2,513

162.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$0.94 MGA 4,108

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.33 MGA 1,436

242.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.74 MGA 3,207

-25.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.60 MGA 6,993

166.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$5.19 MGA 22.6K

267.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.07 MGA 4,658

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$1.85 MGA 8,072

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.15 MGA 661

1386.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.53 MGA 15.4K

-14.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$2.04 MGA 8,899

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$4.73 MGA 20.6K

-17.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.16 MGA 5,053

28.45%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$12.1K MGA 52.6M

120.56%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$26.3K MGA 114.9M

2.66%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$75.3 MGA 328.7K

36.01%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$17.13 MGA 74.7K

-33.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$58.8 MGA 256.7K

-70.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$30.83 MGA 134.5K

68.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$7.28 MGA 31.7K

52.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$5.88 MGA 25.7K

30.78%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$25.37 MGA 110.7K

2109.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$15.3K MGA 66.8M

-24.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$30.17 MGA 131.6K

108.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$27.86 MGA 121.5K

5.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$80.8 MGA 352.6K

21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$72.0 MGA 314.0K

22.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$328 MGA 1.4M

125.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$153 MGA 665.7K

216.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$749 MGA 3.3M

181.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$331 MGA 1.4M

269.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$677 MGA 3.0M

434.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$576 MGA 2.5M

351.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$133 MGA 582.4K

269.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

15.75

-64.63%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket 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 270% higher in Phuket, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 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

Phuket vs Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 80%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $686 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket 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 Phuket at $1,232. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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