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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $383 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $704 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,025 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 232% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mahajanga 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.95 MGA 8,196

508.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

144.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.70 MGA 2,947

392.86%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.93 MGA 3,895

61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.91 MGA 3,806

4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.03 MGA 4,304

194.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.52 MGA 6,368

203.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.06 MGA 4,433

30.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.64 MGA 2,684

189.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.56 MGA 2,344

187.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.94 MGA 8,125

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

21.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

55.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

217.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.97 MGA 4,070

171.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.58 MGA 2,455

156.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.77 MGA 3,236

149.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.50 MGA 2,111

318.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.49 MGA 2,063

279.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.45 MGA 1,869

402.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.39 MGA 1,650

171.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.58 MGA 2,441

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.09 MGA 4,589

280.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.82 MGA 3,444

109.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.02 MGA 4,276

155.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.14 MGA 601

285.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

197.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.08 MGA 4,543

17.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

84.32%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

236.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

35.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

190.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$327 MGA 1.4M

192.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$107 MGA 448.3K

346.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$670 MGA 2.8M

145.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$443 MGA 1.9M

176.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $327 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $135 – 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 232% more than Mahajanga, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $575 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $383 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen 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 $383, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $383 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Mahajanga. 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.