Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mahajanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahajanga: $538 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Mahajanga, Madagascar
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Mahajanga
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$538
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Mahajanga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Mahajanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $538 in Mahajanga, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Mahajanga $538

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $792 in Mahajanga, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Mahajanga $792

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,045 in Mahajanga, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Mahajanga $1,045

Tbilisi costs about 136% more than Mahajanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Mahajanga are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Mahajanga 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$2.02 MGA 9,238
475.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$17.69 MGA 81.0K
113.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$0.64 MGA 2,927
457.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$0.90 MGA 4,108
20.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$0.84 MGA 3,850
-33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$0.97 MGA 4,431
170.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$1.57 MGA 7,197
93.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.34 MGA 6,128
61.94%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$0.81 MGA 3,726
-1.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$0.60 MGA 2,740
190.00%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$2.06 MGA 9,446
37.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$6.55 MGA 30.0K
42.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$6.55 MGA 30.0K
-0.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$3.46 MGA 15.9K
274.28%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$1.07 MGA 4,898
57.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$0.63 MGA 2,866
193.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$0.68 MGA 3,110
189.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$0.68 MGA 3,134
255.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$0.52 MGA 2,366
57.69%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$0.54 MGA 2,463
37.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$0.32 MGA 1,450
318.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$0.57 MGA 2,598
35.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$8.85 MGA 40.5K
-13.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$0.76 MGA 3,462
123.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$0.90 MGA 4,128
166.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.24 MGA 1,104
66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.33 MGA 6,110
9.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$43.81 MGA 200.5K
102.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$6.56 MGA 30.0K
100.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$21.87 MGA 100.1K
-10.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$17.71 MGA 81.0K
261.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$325 MGA 1.5M
113.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$265 MGA 1.2M
70.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$661 MGA 3.0M
104.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$436 MGA 2.0M
108.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Mahajanga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
0
-

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Mahajanga
–
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Mahajanga
–
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Mahajanga
–
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Mahajanga
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Mahajanga
–
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Mahajanga
–
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Mahajanga
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $325 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 $38 in Tbilisi versus $18 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $144 – making Mahajanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇲🇬 Mahajanga
🕒 Local time
21:36 9:36 PM
20:36 8:36 PM
1 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
246,022
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,577 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.18 USD). 1 EUR = 5,108 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.96 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Mahajanga 6,390 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Mahajanga

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tbilisi vs Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Mahajanga?
Tbilisi costs about 136% more than Mahajanga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tbilisi and in Mahajanga?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $808 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tbilisi or Mahajanga?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahajanga, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $325 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi compared to Mahajanga?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,269 in Tbilisi and $538 in Mahajanga. That makes Mahajanga about 58% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Mahajanga?
Groceries cost about 62% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Tbilisi or in Mahajanga?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Mahajanga, where all-in costs run around $538, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Tbilisi or Mahajanga?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $538 in Mahajanga to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Tbilisi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?