Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Antananarivo and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $667 per month in Antananarivo vs $2,495 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,055 per month in Antananarivo vs $3,550 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,442 per month in Antananarivo vs $4,605 in Barcelona, rent included.

Antananarivo is about 73% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Antananarivo sits 51% below the global median, while Barcelona is 82% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 MGA 11.8K

$18.39 €15.87

-85.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 MGA 91.6K

$69.2 €59.7

-69.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 MGA 25.3K

$14.13 €12.19

-58.53%

Cappuccino

$1.68 MGA 7,250

$3.13 €2.70

-46.33%

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

$0.79 MGA 3,408

$3.02 €2.60

-73.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MGA 1,886

$1.96 €1.69

-77.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 MGA 4,600

$4.00 €3.45

-73.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MGA 9,868

$4.76 €4.11

-52.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 MGA 4,231

$1.25 €1.08

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MGA 4,470

$2.16 €1.87

-52.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 MGA 3,165

$1.69 €1.45

-56.80%

Eggs

$2.07 MGA 8,933

$4.93 €4.26

-58.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MGA 37.0K

$17.88 €15.43

-52.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 MGA 19.3K

$9.61 €8.29

-53.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.96 MGA 21.4K

$19.34 €16.69

-74.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 MGA 4,886

$3.24 €2.79

-65.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 MGA 2,452

$2.18 €1.88

-73.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 MGA 4,515

$2.67 €2.30

-61.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MGA 3,862

$2.77 €2.39

-67.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MGA 2,488

$2.21 €1.91

-73.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MGA 4,449

$2.19 €1.89

-52.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MGA 1,537

$1.52 €1.31

-76.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MGA 3,051

$0.92 €0.80

-22.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.64 MGA 7,110

$7.12 €6.14

-76.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 MGA 23.0K

$8.14 €7.02

-34.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MGA 4,584

$1.50 €1.29

-29.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MGA 8,288

$2.78 €2.40

-30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 MGA 531

$3.15 €2.72

-96.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 MGA 15.1K

$3.25 €2.80

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 MGA 8,862

$1.50 €1.30

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 MGA 20.2K

$34.89 €30.11

-86.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 MGA 4,980

$1.75 €1.51

-34.29%

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

$12.2K MGA 52.6M

$36.7K €31.6K

-66.81%

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

$26.2K MGA 113.3M

$30.9K €26.7K

-15.31%

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

$77.5 MGA 335.4K

$188 €162

-58.68%

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

$17.67 MGA 76.4K

$15.44 €13.32

14.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 MGA 256.6K

$37.80 €32.61

56.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.14 MGA 130.4K

$57.2 €49.34

-47.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 MGA 31.7K

$16.80 €14.49

-56.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 MGA 24.6K

$11.58 €9.99

-50.95%

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

$25.87 MGA 111.9K

$1,003 €865

-97.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K MGA 65.9M

$17.0K €14.7K

-10.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.09 MGA 130.2K

$89.2 €77.0

-66.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.84 MGA 124.8K

$40.87 €35.27

-29.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 MGA 342.0K

$110 €94.9

-28.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 MGA 310.3K

$123 €106

-41.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 MGA 1.5M

$1,673 €1,444

-79.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 MGA 673.1K

$1,331 €1,149

-88.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 MGA 3.3M

$2,596 €2,240

-70.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 MGA 1.4M

$1,950 €1,683

-83.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$673 MGA 2.9M

$7,573 €6,535

-91.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$593 MGA 2.6M

$5,370 €4,634

-88.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$135 MGA 582.1K

$2,402 €2,073

-94.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

3.16

398.42%

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

Last update for Antananarivo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $338 in Antananarivo versus $1,673 in Barcelona. 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 1685% higher in Barcelona, 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 $21.00 in Antananarivo versus $69.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $145 vs $332 – 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

Antananarivo vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 274%, 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 $1,000 per month in Antananarivo and $3,743 in Barcelona. 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 $667 in Antananarivo and $2,495 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $25.87 per month in Antananarivo and $1,003 in Barcelona. 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 $667, than in Barcelona at $2,495. In Antananarivo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Antananarivo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.