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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $377 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $706 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,034 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Phuket costs about 235% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Mahajanga 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.03 MGA 8,748

120.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

158.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$0.68 MGA 2,948

336.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.92 MGA 3,967

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.87 MGA 3,746

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.02 MGA 4,413

148.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.52 MGA 6,547

146.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.04 MGA 4,486

106.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.64 MGA 2,747

184.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.60 MGA 2,580

263.33%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.96 MGA 8,463

14.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

201.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

-30.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

302.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$0.99 MGA 4,251

227.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.55 MGA 2,351

198.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.76 MGA 3,295

206.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.54 MGA 2,346

283.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.50 MGA 2,160

210.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.45 MGA 1,932

224.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.43 MGA 1,853

127.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.59 MGA 2,543

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.13 MGA 4,880

284.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

101.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.80 MGA 3,441

132.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.03 MGA 4,439

157.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.14 MGA 599

914.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

30.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.13 MGA 4,873

18.58%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,105

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

173.87%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

103.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

-17.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

248.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$330 MGA 1.4M

88.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$108 MGA 463.9K

314.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$674 MGA 2.9M

201.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$439 MGA 1.9M

240.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $330 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $133 – 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 235% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $566 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 $1,264 in Phuket and $377 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 $46.00 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 $377, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $377 versus $1,264 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.