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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $376 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $713 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,050 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Phuket costs about 228% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mahajanga 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.98 MGA 8,209

133.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$17.88 MGA 74.2K

161.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.66 MGA 2,730

354.55%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.88 MGA 3,632

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.92 MGA 3,809

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.03 MGA 4,272

136.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.60 MGA 6,623

125.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.05 MGA 4,341

115.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.59 MGA 2,466

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.55 MGA 2,298

307.27%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.93 MGA 8,017

20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

187.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

-30.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

295.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$0.94 MGA 3,900

260.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.54 MGA 2,232

203.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.78 MGA 3,222

208.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.51 MGA 2,100

298.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.49 MGA 2,035

218.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.45 MGA 1,856

233.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.39 MGA 1,623

161.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.62 MGA 2,592

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.14 MGA 4,736

290.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

97.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.84 MGA 3,466

111.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.03 MGA 4,260

166.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.13 MGA 521

976.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$8.86 MGA 36.8K

29.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.13 MGA 4,673

19.47%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

$45.23 MGA 187.6K

176.32%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

106.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$21.83 MGA 90.6K

-15.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$17.68 MGA 73.3K

247.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$330 MGA 1.4M

86.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$110 MGA 455.0K

306.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$660 MGA 2.7M

210.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$441 MGA 1.8M

238.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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 228% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $564 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 $1,232 in Phuket and $376 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 $376, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $376 versus $1,232 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.