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: $2,405 in Barcelona versus $462 in Toamasina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,477 in Barcelona versus $753 in Toamasina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,550 in Barcelona versus $1,045 in Toamasina.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 421% more expensive than in Toamasina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 79% above, Toamasina is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 €16.03

$2.20 MGA 9,776

717.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 €60.1

$15.66 MGA 69.6K

330.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.37 €11.92

$4.69 MGA 20.8K

185.07%

Cappuccino

$3.34 €2.98

$1.17 MGA 5,180

185.47%

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

$2.95 €2.63

$0.75 MGA 3,345

293.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.69

$0.59 MGA 2,608

222.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 €3.45

$0.93 MGA 4,156

317.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 €4.08

$1.28 MGA 5,703

257.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.13

$1.04 MGA 4,629

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.74

$0.69 MGA 3,075

184.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.56

$0.95 MGA 4,244

84.21%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.36

$1.88 MGA 8,368

160.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 €15.57

$12.08 MGA 53.7K

44.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 €8.08

$6.64 MGA 29.5K

36.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.18 €17.99

$5.14 MGA 22.9K

292.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.74

$1.64 MGA 7,284

87.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.81

$1.39 MGA 6,179

46.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.32

$1.57 MGA 6,987

65.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.42

$0.65 MGA 2,906

316.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.92

$0.60 MGA 2,674

258.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.97

$0.56 MGA 2,492

294.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.37

$0.32 MGA 1,438

381.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.83

$0.50 MGA 2,230

86.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 €6.32

$1.79 MGA 7,942

296.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 €6.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.33

$0.93 MGA 4,119

60.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.43

$1.13 MGA 5,023

141.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 €2.63

$0.36 MGA 1,584

719.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.91 €23.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 €2.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 €1.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.17 €30.45

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.60

$1.19 MGA 5,310

50.42%

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

$34.7K €30.9K

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

$30.3K €27.0K

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

$181 €161

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

$13.56 €12.09

$32.37 MGA 143.9K

-58.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.12 €31.30

$68.9 MGA 306.3K

-49.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 €47.38

$22.38 MGA 99.5K

137.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 €14.31

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 €10.13

$7.04 MGA 31.3K

61.51%

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

$939 €837

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 €78.6

$9.17 MGA 40.8K

861.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.77 €35.45

$6.92 MGA 30.8K

474.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €92.1

$56.4 MGA 250.6K

83.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €106

$38.00 MGA 168.9K

214.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 €1,511

$137 MGA 607.2K

1141.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,159

$57.0 MGA 253.6K

2180.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,576 €2,296

$448 MGA 2.0M

475.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 €1,730

$135 MGA 600.8K

1336.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,470 €6,658

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,195 €4,630

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,299 €2,049

$136 MGA 602.6K

1596.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 4, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $137 in Toamasina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1597% 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: $67.0 in Barcelona vs $16.00 in Toamasina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $157 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 421% in total monthly costs ($2,405 vs $462 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1597% 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: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $137 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 $67.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,405 per month in Barcelona versus $462 in Toamasina – a 421% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $462 in Toamasina versus $2,405 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 421% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.