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: $2,434 in Barcelona versus $475 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,473 in Barcelona versus $756 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,512 in Barcelona versus $1,037 in Toamasina.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 413% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 78% above, Toamasina is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.80 €16.09

$2.24 MGA 9,622

739.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.4

$16.44 MGA 70.5K

322.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.05

$4.59 MGA 19.7K

206.75%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.66

$1.13 MGA 4,863

176.11%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$0.74 MGA 3,173

293.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.60

$0.61 MGA 2,611

206.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.42

$1.02 MGA 4,367

292.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 €3.97

$1.31 MGA 5,641

254.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.03 MGA 4,410

15.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.82

$0.68 MGA 2,916

213.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 €1.57

$0.93 MGA 3,988

97.85%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.39

$1.99 MGA 8,534

157.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 €14.02

$12.46 MGA 53.4K

31.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 €8.31

$7.00 MGA 30.0K

38.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.65 €16.81

$5.41 MGA 23.2K

263.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 €2.68

$1.63 MGA 7,015

92.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.36 MGA 5,837

60.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.11

$1.65 MGA 7,091

49.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.37

$0.73 MGA 3,148

279.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$0.61 MGA 2,607

247.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

$0.54 MGA 2,326

312.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.27

$0.34 MGA 1,448

338.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.48 MGA 2,056

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 €6.21

$1.85 MGA 7,952

292.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 €7.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$0.87 MGA 3,721

77.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.30

$1.19 MGA 5,106

125.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 €2.63

$0.36 MGA 1,566

752.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 €22.18

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 €2.86

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 €1.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.98 €29.92

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.16 MGA 4,960

50.00%

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

$36.5K €31.2K

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

$31.5K €27.0K

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

$183 €156

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

$15.70 €13.43

$33.18 MGA 142.4K

-52.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.73 €31.42

$70.0 MGA 300.3K

-47.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 €45.76

$23.44 MGA 100.6K

128.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 €14.65

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 €9.85

$7.03 MGA 30.2K

63.73%

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

$952 €815

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 €70.5

$9.24 MGA 39.6K

792.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 €34.62

$6.84 MGA 29.4K

491.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €92.2

$56.9 MGA 244.1K

89.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €107

$39.25 MGA 168.4K

219.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 €1,426

$141 MGA 605.8K

1081.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 €1,101

$57.0 MGA 244.5K

2160.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,663 €2,278

$466 MGA 2.0M

471.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,628

$137 MGA 586.3K

1293.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,513 €6,427

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,178 €4,429

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,451 €2,096

$137 MGA 586.8K

1691.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.12

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 17, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,668 in Barcelona and $141 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1692% 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 $16.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $161 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 413% in total monthly costs ($2,434 vs $475 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1692% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,668 in Barcelona versus $141 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 $16.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,434 per month in Barcelona versus $475 in Toamasina – a 413% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $475 in Toamasina versus $2,434 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 413% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.