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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Barcelona vs $671 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,548 per month in Barcelona vs $1,036 in Antananarivo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $1,402 in Antananarivo, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 270% more than Antananarivo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barcelona sits 80% above the global median, while Antananarivo is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$2.75 MGA 11.9K

569.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$20.88 MGA 90.5K

232.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$5.68 MGA 24.6K

147.36%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$1.74 MGA 7,525

78.74%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$0.84 MGA 3,622

252.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.47 MGA 2,035

314.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.07 MGA 4,641

272.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$2.33 MGA 10.1K

98.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$0.99 MGA 4,296

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.03 MGA 4,463

104.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.78 MGA 3,390

134.62%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.18 MGA 9,433

136.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$8.62 MGA 37.4K

103.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$4.65 MGA 20.1K

104.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$5.00 MGA 21.7K

298.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$1.15 MGA 4,989

175.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$0.56 MGA 2,445

294.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$1.04 MGA 4,527

150.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.87 MGA 3,748

227.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$0.62 MGA 2,670

250.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.03 MGA 4,463

104.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.37 MGA 1,589

337.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.75 MGA 3,271

17.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$1.68 MGA 7,282

326.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$5.38 MGA 23.3K

54.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.07 MGA 4,654

40.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.87 MGA 8,106

47.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$0.12 MGA 533

2516.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$3.55 MGA 15.4K

-9.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.05 MGA 8,861

-26.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$4.62 MGA 20.0K

663.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.16 MGA 5,013

50.86%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$12.4K MGA 53.9M

194.84%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$26.4K MGA 114.2M

20.19%

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

$187 €161

$76.0 MGA 329.2K

146.24%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$17.50 MGA 75.8K

-13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$59.0 MGA 255.4K

-36.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$30.18 MGA 130.7K

83.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

$7.34 MGA 31.8K

128.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$5.86 MGA 25.4K

99.83%

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

$1,011 €871

$26.31 MGA 114.0K

3741.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$15.5K MGA 67.1M

10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$30.37 MGA 131.6K

200.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$28.70 MGA 124.3K

42.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$78.6 MGA 340.5K

40.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$73.4 MGA 318.0K

71.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$333 MGA 1.4M

411.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$158 MGA 686.7K

719.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$752 MGA 3.3M

244.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$330 MGA 1.4M

484.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$679 MGA 2.9M

1038.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$596 MGA 2.6M

803.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$137 MGA 595.3K

1628.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

15.75

-79.94%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Antananarivo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,704 in Barcelona versus $333 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 1628% 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $21.00 in Antananarivo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $148 – 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

Barcelona vs Antananarivo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Barcelona is pricier by about 270%, 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 $3,724 per month in Barcelona and $1,006 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 $2,482 in Barcelona and $671 in Antananarivo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,011 per month in Barcelona and $26.31 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 $671, than in Barcelona at $2,482. 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.