Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Manakara Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Manakara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $383 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $582 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $781 in Manakara.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 511% more expensive than Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Manakara is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

$2.27 MGA 9,395

675.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

$14.58 MGA 60.4K

371.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

$3.56 MGA 14.8K

286.24%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$1.15 MGA 4,770

140.00%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.61 MGA 2,547

355.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.59 MGA 2,430

247.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

$1.20 MGA 4,967

284.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

$1.42 MGA 5,866

223.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.75 MGA 7,244

-26.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.03 MGA 4,248

104.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.68 MGA 2,822

189.71%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.94

$2.33 MGA 9,633

47.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

$6.60 MGA 27.3K

185.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

$3.48 MGA 14.4K

171.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

$3.64 MGA 15.1K

422.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

$1.01 MGA 4,193

169.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$0.73 MGA 3,017

224.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

$0.37 MGA 1,537

462.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.68 MGA 2,808

305.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$0.53 MGA 2,209

271.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.75 MGA 3,117

138.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.32 MGA 1,310

371.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.70 MGA 2,901

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

$1.41 MGA 5,837

379.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

$4.87 MGA 20.2K

55.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.07 MGA 4,452

34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.29 MGA 5,350

86.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.23 MGA 955

1217.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

$17.61 MGA 72.9K

61.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$1.14 MGA 4,719

288.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.08 MGA 8,603

-1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

$3.36 MGA 13.9K

772.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.17 MGA 4,866

61.54%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$15.6K MGA 64.8M

147.75%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$20.8K MGA 86.2M

55.52%

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

$189 €161

$42.05 MGA 174.2K

348.49%

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

$22.21 €18.96

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

$53.2 MGA 220.4K

-30.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

$11.52 MGA 47.7K

403.39%

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

$22.46 MGA 93.0K

3134.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

$16.14 MGA 66.9K

447.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

$20.18 MGA 83.6K

83.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

$46.11 MGA 191.0K

122.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$44.31 MGA 183.6K

169.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,731

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

$126 MGA 520.8K

1812.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-85.88%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Manakara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1812% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $15.00 in Manakara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $133 per month, with Manakara 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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Manakara differ by about 511% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $383 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1812% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $22.46 in Manakara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $383 in Manakara versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manakara but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Manakara 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 Manakara 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 Manakara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 511% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.