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: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $421 in Manakara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $646 in Manakara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $870 in Manakara.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 488% more expensive than in Manakara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 81% above, Manakara is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$2.28 MGA 9,954

721.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$15.11 MGA 65.9K

359.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$3.80 MGA 16.6K

262.37%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.27 MGA 5,537

144.09%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$0.65 MGA 2,820

335.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$0.59 MGA 2,592

218.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$1.25 MGA 5,454

218.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$1.49 MGA 6,488

204.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.83 MGA 7,983

-30.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$1.06 MGA 4,646

103.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$0.77 MGA 3,347

128.57%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$2.42 MGA 10.5K

111.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$6.65 MGA 29.0K

168.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$3.52 MGA 15.4K

174.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$3.77 MGA 16.4K

434.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$1.05 MGA 4,564

209.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$0.70 MGA 3,049

218.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$0.39 MGA 1,717

566.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.70 MGA 3,064

294.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$0.62 MGA 2,697

256.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.79 MGA 3,458

168.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$0.37 MGA 1,593

318.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.67 MGA 2,943

41.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$1.47 MGA 6,427

399.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$4.50 MGA 19.6K

78.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.08 MGA 4,709

42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$1.30 MGA 5,652

114.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.24 MGA 1,048

1195.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

$37.60 MGA 164.0K

-31.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.15 MGA 5,009

184.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.34 MGA 10.2K

-36.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

$3.38 MGA 14.8K

913.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.24 MGA 5,416

39.52%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$16.0K MGA 69.9M

126.87%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$21.0K MGA 91.8M

45.18%

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

$187 €163

$44.25 MGA 193.0K

322.78%

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

$15.14 €13.19

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$56.3 MGA 245.5K

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$12.24 MGA 53.4K

357.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

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

$997 €868

$23.00 MGA 100.3K

4233.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$16.85 MGA 73.5K

449.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$21.24 MGA 92.7K

94.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$47.16 MGA 205.8K

135.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$47.70 MGA 208.1K

162.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$124 MGA 539.9K

1797.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-86.83%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manakara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 1798% 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 $336 vs $135 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 488% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $421 including rent). Manakara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1798% 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 $997 in Barcelona versus $23.00 in Manakara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 149% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $421 in Manakara versus $2,476 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 488% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.