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: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $389 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $587 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $784 in Manakara.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 501% more expensive than Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$2.25 MGA 9,442

659.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$14.81 MGA 62.1K

367.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$3.60 MGA 15.1K

282.78%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$1.20 MGA 5,028

130.00%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$0.58 MGA 2,418

381.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.58 MGA 2,449

243.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$1.14 MGA 4,766

282.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$1.42 MGA 5,966

233.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.80 MGA 7,540

-28.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.02 MGA 4,299

100.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.74 MGA 3,108

168.92%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$2.25 MGA 9,449

50.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$6.32 MGA 26.5K

197.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$3.36 MGA 14.1K

178.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$3.60 MGA 15.1K

431.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$0.94 MGA 3,962

187.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$0.68 MGA 2,856

244.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$0.35 MGA 1,454

505.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$0.72 MGA 3,007

295.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.55 MGA 2,298

258.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$0.77 MGA 3,241

133.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.34 MGA 1,429

326.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$0.70 MGA 2,933

22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$1.41 MGA 5,910

380.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$4.73 MGA 19.8K

67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.03 MGA 4,311

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.30 MGA 5,459

82.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$0.21 MGA 879

1290.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

$17.89 MGA 75.1K

60.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$1.10 MGA 4,595

305.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.07 MGA 8,680

-0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$3.30 MGA 13.9K

795.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.19 MGA 5,008

52.94%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$15.6K MGA 65.6M

148.49%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$20.6K MGA 86.4M

60.71%

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

$189 €163

$42.75 MGA 179.4K

342.64%

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

$22.80 €19.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$54.4 MGA 228.3K

-30.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$11.44 MGA 48.0K

404.72%

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

$22.15 MGA 92.9K

3188.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$16.74 MGA 70.3K

429.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$20.87 MGA 87.6K

76.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$45.39 MGA 190.5K

124.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$44.88 MGA 188.3K

158.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

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

$127 MGA 531.0K

1751.83%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Manakara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1752% 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 $319 vs $131 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 501% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $389 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1752% 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 $728 in Barcelona versus $22.15 in Manakara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 144% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $389 in Manakara versus $2,337 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 501% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.