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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $376 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $713 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $1,050 in Mahajanga.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 523% more expensive than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Mahajanga is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

$1.98 MGA 8,196

789.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

$17.88 MGA 74.1K

284.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$0.66 MGA 2,726

318.18%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.88 MGA 3,626

215.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.92 MGA 3,802

122.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

$1.03 MGA 4,265

347.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

$1.60 MGA 6,613

186.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.05 MGA 4,334

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.80

$0.59 MGA 2,462

257.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.55 MGA 2,294

258.18%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.94

$1.93 MGA 8,004

78.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

175.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

79.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

474.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

$0.94 MGA 3,894

189.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$0.54 MGA 2,228

338.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

$0.78 MGA 3,217

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.51 MGA 2,096

441.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.49 MGA 2,032

302.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.45 MGA 1,853

297.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.39 MGA 1,621

287.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.62 MGA 2,588

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

$1.14 MGA 4,728

492.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$0.84 MGA 3,461

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.03 MGA 4,253

133.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.13 MGA 521

2230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

$8.86 MGA 36.7K

220.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.13 MGA 4,665

67.26%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

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

$32.4K €27.6K

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

$189 €161

$45.23 MGA 187.3K

316.96%

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

$22.21 €18.96

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

238.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

$21.83 MGA 90.4K

68.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

$17.68 MGA 73.2K

228.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

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

$726 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

$330 MGA 1.4M

362.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,040

$110 MGA 454.2K

1010.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

$660 MGA 2.7M

323.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,731

$441 MGA 1.8M

359.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $330 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 $320 vs $133 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 523% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $376 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $564 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $330 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.

A monthly transit pass in Mahajanga runs roughly 220% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $376 in Mahajanga versus $2,341 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 523% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.