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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $377 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $706 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,034 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 234% 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 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.03 MGA 8,748

477.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

137.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.68 MGA 2,948

427.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.92 MGA 3,967

64.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.87 MGA 3,746

5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.02 MGA 4,413

190.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.52 MGA 6,547

190.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.04 MGA 4,486

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.64 MGA 2,747

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.60 MGA 2,580

160.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.96 MGA 8,463

33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

58.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

222.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.99 MGA 4,251

173.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.55 MGA 2,351

174.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.76 MGA 3,295

146.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.54 MGA 2,346

305.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.50 MGA 2,160

272.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.45 MGA 1,932

395.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.43 MGA 1,853

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.59 MGA 2,543

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.13 MGA 4,880

270.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.80 MGA 3,441

107.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.03 MGA 4,439

153.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.14 MGA 599

285.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

195.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.13 MGA 4,873

15.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

80.90%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

233.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

34.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

203.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$330 MGA 1.4M

196.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$108 MGA 463.9K

337.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$674 MGA 2.9M

144.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$439 MGA 1.9M

174.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 234% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $566 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $377 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 $42.00 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 $377, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $377 versus $1,260 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.