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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $383 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $704 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $1,025 in Mahajanga.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 510% more expensive than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 74% above, Mahajanga is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$1.95 MGA 8,196

775.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

294.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$0.70 MGA 2,947

294.29%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.93 MGA 3,895

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.91 MGA 3,806

118.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.03 MGA 4,304

323.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$1.52 MGA 6,368

211.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.06 MGA 4,433

21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$0.64 MGA 2,684

220.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.56 MGA 2,344

255.36%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$1.94 MGA 8,125

74.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$6.80 MGA 28.5K

176.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$5.40 MGA 22.7K

73.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

469.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$0.97 MGA 4,070

178.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.58 MGA 2,455

303.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$0.77 MGA 3,236

175.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.50 MGA 2,111

470.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.49 MGA 2,063

302.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.45 MGA 1,869

300.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.39 MGA 1,650

271.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.58 MGA 2,441

48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$1.09 MGA 4,589

522.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$9.76 MGA 41.0K

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.82 MGA 3,444

69.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.02 MGA 4,276

132.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.14 MGA 601

1985.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$9.07 MGA 38.0K

216.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.08 MGA 4,543

68.52%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

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

$33.1K €28.5K

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

$189 €163

$45.03 MGA 188.9K

320.23%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$6.74 MGA 28.3K

238.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$21.77 MGA 91.3K

72.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$17.57 MGA 73.7K

228.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

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

$728 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$327 MGA 1.4M

379.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$107 MGA 448.3K

1040.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$670 MGA 2.8M

317.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$443 MGA 1.9M

345.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $327 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 $319 vs $135 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 510% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $383 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $575 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $327 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 216% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $383 in Mahajanga versus $2,337 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 510% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.