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: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $390 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $584 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $778 in Manakara.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 506% more expensive than in Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 77% above, Manakara is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$2.28 MGA 9,821

652.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$14.98 MGA 64.6K

354.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$3.57 MGA 15.4K

282.07%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$1.16 MGA 5,023

139.66%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$0.57 MGA 2,450

394.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.59 MGA 2,529

232.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$1.20 MGA 5,179

269.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$1.47 MGA 6,346

213.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.82 MGA 7,853

-30.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.03 MGA 4,426

106.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$0.68 MGA 2,934

192.65%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$2.26 MGA 9,738

49.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$6.66 MGA 28.7K

184.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$3.45 MGA 14.9K

176.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$3.62 MGA 15.6K

417.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$0.97 MGA 4,175

173.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$0.67 MGA 2,877

250.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.38 MGA 1,621

450.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$0.69 MGA 2,969

295.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$0.58 MGA 2,519

237.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.73 MGA 3,147

147.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$0.34 MGA 1,484

344.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.64 MGA 2,774

39.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$1.43 MGA 6,173

374.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$4.52 MGA 19.5K

75.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.02 MGA 4,408

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.24 MGA 5,367

93.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$0.21 MGA 902

1285.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$18.03 MGA 77.8K

58.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$1.09 MGA 4,689

320.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$2.13 MGA 9,205

-4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$3.23 MGA 13.9K

789.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.13 MGA 4,872

61.06%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$15.8K MGA 68.3M

148.23%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$20.3K MGA 87.4M

60.16%

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

$187 €162

$43.00 MGA 185.4K

334.02%

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

$22.29 €19.30

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$53.2 MGA 229.2K

-31.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$11.68 MGA 50.4K

392.55%

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

$22.48 MGA 96.9K

3124.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$16.24 MGA 70.0K

441.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$20.24 MGA 87.3K

81.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$45.87 MGA 197.8K

125.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$44.81 MGA 193.2K

164.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

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

$122 MGA 527.3K

1856.18%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manakara: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1856% 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: $68.0 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 506% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $390 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1856% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $22.48 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 $390 in Manakara versus $2,359 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 506% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.