Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahajanga and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $376 in Mahajanga versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $713 in Mahajanga versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,050 in Mahajanga versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Mahajanga costs roughly 84% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahajanga is 72% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 MGA 8,196

$17.61 €15.04

-88.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.88 MGA 74.1K

$68.7 €58.7

-73.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

Cappuccino

$0.66 MGA 2,726

$2.76 €2.36

-76.09%

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

$0.88 MGA 3,626

$2.78 €2.38

-68.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MGA 3,802

$2.05 €1.75

-55.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MGA 4,265

$4.61 €3.93

-77.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MGA 6,613

$4.59 €3.92

-65.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MGA 4,334

$1.28 €1.09

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 MGA 2,462

$2.11 €1.80

-72.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.55 MGA 2,294

$1.97 €1.68

-72.08%

Eggs

$1.93 MGA 8,004

$3.44 €2.94

-43.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

$18.83 €16.08

-63.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

$9.45 €8.07

-44.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

$19.01 €16.24

-82.59%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 MGA 3,894

$2.72 €2.32

-65.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 MGA 2,228

$2.37 €2.03

-77.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MGA 3,217

$2.08 €1.77

-62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MGA 2,096

$2.76 €2.36

-81.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MGA 2,032

$1.97 €1.68

-75.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 MGA 1,853

$1.79 €1.53

-74.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MGA 1,621

$1.51 €1.29

-74.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MGA 2,588

$0.90 €0.77

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 MGA 4,728

$6.76 €5.77

-83.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

$7.55 €6.44

26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MGA 3,461

$1.44 €1.23

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MGA 4,253

$2.41 €2.06

-57.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 MGA 521

$3.03 €2.59

-95.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.86 MGA 36.7K

$28.39 €24.25

-68.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 MGA 4,665

$1.89 €1.61

-40.21%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

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

$32.4K €27.6K

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

$45.23 MGA 187.3K

$189 €161

-76.02%

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

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

$22.21 €18.96

-70.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.83 MGA 90.4K

$36.82 €31.44

-40.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.68 MGA 73.2K

$58.0 €49.52

-69.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

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

$726 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MGA 1.4M

$1,526 €1,304

-78.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 MGA 454.2K

$1,218 €1,040

-91.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 MGA 2.7M

$2,794 €2,386

-76.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 MGA 1.8M

$2,027 €1,731

-78.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

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 Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $330 in Mahajanga and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mahajanga vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $133 vs $320 per month, with Mahajanga 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

Mahajanga vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahajanga and Barcelona differ by about 523% in total monthly costs ($376 vs $2,341 including rent). Mahajanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $564 in Mahajanga and $3,512 in Barcelona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $330 in Mahajanga versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahajanga – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mahajanga runs roughly 220% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $376 in Mahajanga versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mahajanga but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Mahajanga 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, Mahajanga and Barcelona 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 Mahajanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 523% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.