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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $579 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,493 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 116% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Antananarivo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

37.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

145.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

78.59%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.29 MGA 5,534

137.21%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.05 MGA 4,501

-30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.60 MGA 2,577

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$0.80 MGA 3,428

203.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.60 MGA 6,850

136.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.12 MGA 4,799

101.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.09 MGA 4,675

66.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.77 MGA 3,297

192.21%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.98 MGA 8,472

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

88.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

-22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

190.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.35 MGA 5,788

139.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.60 MGA 2,556

170.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.07 MGA 4,608

122.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.04 MGA 4,450

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.73 MGA 3,128

109.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.99 MGA 4,239

51.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.35 MGA 1,488

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.70 MGA 3,008

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

70.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

262.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.87 MGA 3,739

113.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.21 MGA 5,205

121.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.12 MGA 514

1075.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

6.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.65 MGA 7,089

-36.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

214.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.22 MGA 5,249

7.38%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

129.99%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

38.00%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

111.03%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

-13.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

-59.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

69.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

164.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

38.69%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

893.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

35.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

86.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

16.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

49.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$387 MGA 1.7M

61.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

465.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$575 MGA 2.5M

254.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$439 MGA 1.9M

240.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$688 MGA 3.0M

406.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$574 MGA 2.5M

348.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$122 MGA 522.4K

310.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-64.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $387 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 310% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $152 – 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 116%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $869 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $579 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $71.1 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 $579, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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.