Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Antananarivo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Antananarivo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $579 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,493 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 117% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.32 MGA 14.2K

261.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$18.84 MGA 80.8K

121.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.95 MGA 21.2K

117.17%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.29 MGA 5,534

171.32%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.05 MGA 4,501

38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.60 MGA 2,577

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.80 MGA 3,428

268.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.60 MGA 6,850

181.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.12 MGA 4,799

27.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.09 MGA 4,675

68.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.77 MGA 3,297

103.90%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.98 MGA 8,472

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.33 MGA 44.3K

-19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.69 MGA 20.1K

79.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$4.49 MGA 19.3K

137.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.35 MGA 5,788

93.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.60 MGA 2,556

140.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.07 MGA 4,608

83.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.04 MGA 4,450

100.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.73 MGA 3,128

153.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.99 MGA 4,239

119.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.35 MGA 1,488

194.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.70 MGA 3,008

52.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.60 MGA 11.1K

57.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.06 MGA 21.7K

100.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.87 MGA 3,739

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.21 MGA 5,205

109.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.12 MGA 514

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.93 MGA 12.6K

10.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.65 MGA 7,089

46.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$4.49 MGA 19.2K

-28.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.22 MGA 5,249

8.20%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$12.1K MGA 51.9M

145.54%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.1K MGA 103.2M

-1.69%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$58.0 MGA 248.8K

41.35%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$15.65 MGA 67.1K

46.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$46.19 MGA 198.1K

-34.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$35.71 MGA 153.1K

45.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$6.41 MGA 27.5K

189.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.54 MGA 28.1K

-23.85%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$71.1 MGA 305.1K

177.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$11.7K MGA 50.1M

-54.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$31.34 MGA 134.4K

13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$30.26 MGA 129.8K

33.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$77.1 MGA 330.8K

2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$75.9 MGA 325.5K

17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$387 MGA 1.7M

144.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$78.8 MGA 337.9K

501.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$575 MGA 2.5M

185.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$439 MGA 1.9M

175.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$688 MGA 3.0M

489.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$574 MGA 2.5M

1027.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$122 MGA 522.4K

436.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen 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 437% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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

Playa del Carmen vs Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $579 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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.

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