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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $571 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,045 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,519 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 127% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Antananarivo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Antananarivo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.34 MGA 14.0K

251.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.75 MGA 78.6K

121.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.81 MGA 20.2K

121.21%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.29 MGA 5,424

172.87%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.06 MGA 4,432

42.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.59 MGA 2,494

64.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.75 MGA 3,137

293.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.57 MGA 6,583

183.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.12 MGA 4,710

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.09 MGA 4,567

73.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.74 MGA 3,113

121.62%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.07 MGA 8,664

21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.33 MGA 43.3K

-19.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.55 MGA 19.1K

83.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.42 MGA 18.5K

142.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.31 MGA 5,510

98.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.59 MGA 2,492

147.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.08 MGA 4,516

75.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.00 MGA 4,189

108.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.73 MGA 3,060

143.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.00 MGA 4,212

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.34 MGA 1,437

205.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.69 MGA 2,905

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.61 MGA 10.9K

56.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.49 MGA 23.0K

87.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.82 MGA 3,438

108.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.28 MGA 5,347

101.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.12 MGA 491

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.92 MGA 12.2K

11.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.71 MGA 7,158

45.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.39 MGA 18.4K

-25.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.23 MGA 5,148

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$12.0K MGA 50.4M

151.81%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.0K MGA 100.8M

-2.53%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$58.5 MGA 245.5K

41.56%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$15.69 MGA 65.8K

41.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$47.42 MGA 198.9K

-38.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$36.55 MGA 153.3K

41.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.34 MGA 26.6K

188.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.78 MGA 28.4K

-25.22%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$72.2 MGA 302.8K

178.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$11.6K MGA 48.8M

-55.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$30.63 MGA 128.4K

20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.63 MGA 124.2K

34.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$77.8 MGA 326.3K

0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$76.3 MGA 320.0K

14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$382 MGA 1.6M

154.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$77.8 MGA 326.1K

501.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$584 MGA 2.4M

180.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$436 MGA 1.8M

180.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$699 MGA 2.9M

464.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$587 MGA 2.5M

1007.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$122 MGA 509.8K

446.12%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 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 446% 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 $151 – 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 127%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $857 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $571 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $72.2 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 $571, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.