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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $377 in Mahajanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $706 in Mahajanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $1,034 in Mahajanga.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 526% more expensive than in Mahajanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Mahajanga is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$2.03 MGA 8,748

744.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

285.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$0.68 MGA 2,948

308.82%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.92 MGA 3,967

206.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.87 MGA 3,746

125.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.02 MGA 4,413

334.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$1.52 MGA 6,547

203.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.04 MGA 4,486

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$0.64 MGA 2,747

232.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.60 MGA 2,580

231.67%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$1.96 MGA 8,463

71.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

185.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

81.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

455.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$0.99 MGA 4,251

167.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$0.55 MGA 2,351

327.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.76 MGA 3,295

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.54 MGA 2,346

405.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.50 MGA 2,160

292.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.45 MGA 1,932

302.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.43 MGA 1,853

251.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.59 MGA 2,543

50.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$1.13 MGA 4,880

500.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

-13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$0.80 MGA 3,441

71.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.03 MGA 4,439

133.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.14 MGA 599

1978.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

223.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.13 MGA 4,873

61.06%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

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

$32.5K €28.1K

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

$187 €162

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

315.38%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

229.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

63.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

230.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

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

$725 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$330 MGA 1.4M

361.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$108 MGA 463.9K

1040.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$674 MGA 2.9M

304.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$439 MGA 1.9M

351.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $330 in Mahajanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $18.00 in Mahajanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 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 526% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $377 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,539 in Barcelona and $566 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: $1,524 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 $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mahajanga runs roughly 224% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $377 in Mahajanga versus $2,359 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 526% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.