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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $435 in Toamasina versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $704 in Toamasina versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $973 in Toamasina versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Toamasina costs roughly 81% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Toamasina is 68% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 MGA 11.5K

$17.08 €14.72

-84.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.46 MGA 64.9K

$69.2 €59.7

-77.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 MGA 19.2K

$13.78 €11.87

-66.84%

Cappuccino

$1.22 MGA 5,100

$2.76 €2.37

-55.80%

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

$0.69 MGA 2,887

$2.79 €2.40

-75.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MGA 2,913

$1.99 €1.72

-65.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 MGA 3,380

$4.36 €3.76

-81.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MGA 4,575

$4.74 €4.09

-77.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MGA 3,871

$1.29 €1.11

-28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MGA 2,873

$2.05 €1.77

-66.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 MGA 2,702

$1.99 €1.71

-67.84%

Eggs

$1.85 MGA 7,742

$3.39 €2.92

-45.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MGA 43.8K

$18.81 €16.21

-44.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 MGA 28.7K

$9.36 €8.07

-26.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 MGA 21.8K

$19.12 €16.48

-72.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MGA 5,915

$2.70 €2.32

-47.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 MGA 3,596

$2.34 €2.02

-63.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MGA 5,641

$2.12 €1.83

-36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MGA 3,409

$2.85 €2.46

-71.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MGA 2,028

$1.97 €1.70

-75.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MGA 2,853

$1.80 €1.55

-62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 MGA 1,322

$1.45 €1.25

-77.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MGA 2,087

$0.86 €0.74

-41.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 MGA 7,195

$6.78 €5.84

-74.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MGA 3,733

$1.39 €1.20

-35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MGA 4,743

$2.37 €2.04

-52.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MGA 1,339

$2.92 €2.52

-89.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MGA 4,502

$1.82 €1.56

-41.21%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

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

$33.1K €28.5K

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

$189 €163

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

$19.18 MGA 80.5K

$22.80 €19.65

-15.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 MGA 283.8K

$37.59 €32.39

79.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.48 MGA 94.3K

$57.7 €49.75

-61.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MGA 28.2K

$10.82 €9.33

-37.89%

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

$728 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.63 MGA 36.2K

$88.6 €76.4

-90.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.86 MGA 28.8K

$36.85 €31.75

-81.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 MGA 228.4K

$102 €87.9

-46.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.77 MGA 158.5K

$116 €100

-67.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 MGA 548.3K

$1,569 €1,352

-91.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.4 MGA 232.3K

$1,218 €1,050

-95.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MGA 1.9M

$2,795 €2,409

-83.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 MGA 569.5K

$1,975 €1,702

-93.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$146 MGA 610.9K

$2,343 €2,019

-93.79%

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 Toamasina: June 8, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Toamasina and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 1509% 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: $15.00 in Toamasina vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $319 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

Toamasina vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toamasina and Barcelona differ by about 438% in total monthly costs ($435 vs $2,337 including rent). Toamasina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 1509% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $131 in Toamasina versus $1,569 in Barcelona. 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 $435 per month in Toamasina versus $2,337 in Barcelona – a 438% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $435 in Toamasina versus $2,337 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, Toamasina 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 Toamasina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 438% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.