Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Toamasina Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Toamasina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $434 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $688 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $943 in Toamasina.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 439% more expensive than Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Toamasina is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$2.72 MGA 11.3K

547.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$15.26 MGA 63.3K

350.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$4.52 MGA 18.8K

204.20%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$1.17 MGA 4,844

135.90%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$0.72 MGA 2,991

286.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.74 MGA 3,067

177.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$0.80 MGA 3,308

476.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$1.12 MGA 4,658

309.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.98 MGA 4,078

30.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$0.69 MGA 2,866

205.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.66 MGA 2,730

198.48%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$1.91 MGA 7,943

80.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$10.64 MGA 44.1K

76.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$6.76 MGA 28.1K

39.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$5.23 MGA 21.7K

263.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.45 MGA 6,031

87.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$0.85 MGA 3,528

178.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.37 MGA 5,675

51.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$0.75 MGA 3,121

268.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.52 MGA 2,149

278.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$0.74 MGA 3,072

141.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.32 MGA 1,308

371.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.49 MGA 2,051

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$1.76 MGA 7,309

284.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$0.89 MGA 3,680

61.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.12 MGA 4,663

115.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$0.32 MGA 1,307

846.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$1.07 MGA 4,427

76.64%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

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

$32.4K €27.7K

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

$189 €161

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

$22.21 €19.01

$19.06 MGA 79.1K

16.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$65.8 MGA 273.1K

-44.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$22.25 MGA 92.3K

160.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$6.53 MGA 27.1K

69.22%

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

$726 €622

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$8.63 MGA 35.8K

923.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$6.81 MGA 28.3K

443.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$54.4 MGA 225.8K

88.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$37.93 MGA 157.4K

214.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$136 MGA 563.2K

1024.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$56.5 MGA 234.3K

2057.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$445 MGA 1.8M

527.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$134 MGA 555.7K

1413.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$143 MGA 591.4K

1586.52%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $136 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1587% 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 Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $147 per month, with Toamasina 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 Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Toamasina differ by about 439% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $434 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 1587% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $136 in Toamasina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Toamasina – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,341 per month in Barcelona versus $434 in Toamasina – a 439% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Toamasina versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toamasina but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Toamasina 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 Toamasina 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 Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 439% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.