Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mahajanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Mahajanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $566 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $841 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $1,116 in Mahajanga.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 337% more expensive than in Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Mahajanga is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$2.12 MGA 9,256

783.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$18.29 MGA 79.8K

279.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$0.70 MGA 3,066

342.86%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.96 MGA 4,192

194.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.91 MGA 3,974

106.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.02 MGA 4,458

290.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$1.60 MGA 6,985

183.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.42 MGA 6,209

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$0.84 MGA 3,680

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.67 MGA 2,902

162.69%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.20 MGA 9,595

133.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$6.75 MGA 29.5K

164.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$6.79 MGA 29.6K

42.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$3.64 MGA 15.9K

453.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.13 MGA 4,937

187.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$0.62 MGA 2,694

259.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$0.70 MGA 3,066

271.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.71 MGA 3,109

288.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.54 MGA 2,375

309.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.56 MGA 2,447

278.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.36 MGA 1,584

330.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.57 MGA 2,477

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$9.22 MGA 40.2K

-12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$0.80 MGA 3,474

92.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$0.90 MGA 3,912

210.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.25 MGA 1,091

1144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.42 MGA 6,212

21.83%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

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

$30.5K €26.6K

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

$187 €163

$46.40 MGA 202.4K

303.19%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$7.01 MGA 30.6K

115.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$22.85 MGA 99.7K

64.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$18.54 MGA 80.9K

201.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

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

$997 €868

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$351 MGA 1.5M

385.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$283 MGA 1.2M

353.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$703 MGA 3.1M

264.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$455 MGA 2.0M

326.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $351 in Mahajanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Mahajanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $150 per month, with Mahajanga cheaper across the board.

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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Mahajanga differ by about 337% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $566 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,714 in Barcelona and $849 in Mahajanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $351 in Mahajanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahajanga – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $566 in Mahajanga – a 337% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $566 in Mahajanga versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mahajanga but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mahajanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Mahajanga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mahajanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 337% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.