Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahajanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mahajanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $383 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $704 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,025 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Phuket costs about 229% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mahajanga 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.95 MGA 8,196

133.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

165.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$0.70 MGA 2,947

332.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.93 MGA 3,895

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.91 MGA 3,806

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.03 MGA 4,304

141.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.52 MGA 6,368

140.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.06 MGA 4,433

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.64 MGA 2,684

196.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.56 MGA 2,344

292.86%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.94 MGA 8,125

14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

193.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

-32.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

294.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.97 MGA 4,070

232.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.58 MGA 2,455

193.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.77 MGA 3,236

210.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.50 MGA 2,111

316.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.49 MGA 2,063

224.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.45 MGA 1,869

228.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.39 MGA 1,650

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.58 MGA 2,441

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.09 MGA 4,589

289.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

92.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.82 MGA 3,444

114.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.02 MGA 4,276

170.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.14 MGA 601

871.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

25.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.08 MGA 4,543

24.07%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

174.46%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

100.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

-14.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

251.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$327 MGA 1.4M

89.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$107 MGA 448.3K

304.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$670 MGA 2.8M

207.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$443 MGA 1.9M

240.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $327 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $135 – 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

Phuket vs Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 229% 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $575 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $383 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 $47.00 in Phuket 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 $383, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $383 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mahajanga. 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.