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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $686 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,051 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,417 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Antananarivo 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.76 MGA 12.0K

320.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$20.54 MGA 89.3K

129.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.91 MGA 25.7K

101.02%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.71 MGA 7,455

132.75%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.79 MGA 3,442

81.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.43 MGA 1,887

90.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.01 MGA 4,406

215.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.38 MGA 10.4K

185.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.99 MGA 4,282

69.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.03 MGA 4,464

113.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.74 MGA 3,203

131.08%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.09 MGA 9,067

31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.73 MGA 37.9K

9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.58 MGA 19.9K

96.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.99 MGA 21.7K

156.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.09 MGA 4,723

165.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.60 MGA 2,625

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.09 MGA 4,716

97.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.89 MGA 3,888

153.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.58 MGA 2,504

241.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.94 MGA 4,093

111.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.33 MGA 1,431

272.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.74 MGA 3,195

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.60 MGA 6,967

184.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.19 MGA 22.6K

99.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.07 MGA 4,641

51.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.85 MGA 8,042

55.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.15 MGA 659

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.53 MGA 15.3K

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.04 MGA 8,866

82.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$4.73 MGA 20.5K

21.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.16 MGA 5,034

32.76%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$12.1K MGA 52.4M

87.09%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.3K MGA 114.4M

-1.04%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$75.3 MGA 327.5K

21.29%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$17.13 MGA 74.5K

47.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$58.8 MGA 255.8K

-46.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$30.83 MGA 134.0K

117.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.28 MGA 31.6K

299.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.88 MGA 25.6K

-17.35%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$25.37 MGA 110.3K

781.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$15.3K MGA 66.6M

-72.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$30.17 MGA 131.1K

56.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$27.86 MGA 121.1K

58.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$80.8 MGA 351.2K

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$72.0 MGA 312.8K

28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$328 MGA 1.4M

223.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$153 MGA 663.3K

155.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$749 MGA 3.3M

186.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$331 MGA 1.4M

283.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$677 MGA 2.9M

491.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$576 MGA 2.5M

1028.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$133 MGA 580.2K

468.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

15.75

-27.30%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $328 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 468% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $147 – 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 85%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,028 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $686 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $25.37 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 $686, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.