Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Maputo Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Maputo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,136 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,735 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,333 in Maputo, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 26% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Maputo is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$10.03 MZN 635

25.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$62.8 MZN 3,974

-26.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$7.19 MZN 455

4.45%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.18 MZN 138

14.22%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$0.87 MZN 55.3

44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$0.70 MZN 44.19

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$1.53 MZN 96.7

35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$2.37 MZN 150

16.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.54 MZN 97.3

-11.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$0.99 MZN 62.8

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.66 MZN 105

10.24%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$2.42 MZN 153

10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$20.49 MZN 1,296

-54.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$5.82 MZN 368

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$5.62 MZN 355

62.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$2.00 MZN 126

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$0.81 MZN 51.5

140.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$1.62 MZN 102

12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.03 MZN 65.1

106.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.00 MZN 63.2

79.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$0.80 MZN 50.6

133.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$0.98 MZN 61.9

54.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$0.91 MZN 57.6

47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$2.84 MZN 180

19.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$10.31 MZN 652

-41.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$0.99 MZN 62.3

87.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$1.27 MZN 80.6

92.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$0.37 MZN 23.60

475.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

$23.18 MZN 1,466

304.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$1.59 MZN 101

-43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$1.18 MZN 74.7

-20.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$24.99 MZN 1,581

-39.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.38 MZN 87.6

11.59%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$31.2K MZN 2.0M

16.70%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$22.8K MZN 1.4M

44.13%

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

$222 R 3,552

$69.0 MZN 4,365

221.84%

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

$38.73 R 619

$7.69 MZN 486

403.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$88.7 MZN 5,607

-55.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$42.58 MZN 2,693

-10.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

$26.37 MZN 1,668

-33.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$8.00 MZN 506

-0.12%

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

$248 R 3,964

$128 MZN 8,085

93.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$5,173 MZN 327.2K

11.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$49.81 MZN 3,150

20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$55.1 MZN 3,488

-12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$79.2 MZN 5,008

38.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$78.4 MZN 4,959

40.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$534 MZN 33.8K

2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$378 MZN 23.9K

17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$1,064 MZN 67.3K

4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$577 MZN 36.5K

62.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$4,167 MZN 263.6K

-75.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$2,043 MZN 129.2K

-62.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$332 MZN 21.0K

438.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

-56.36%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Maputo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $534 in Maputo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 439% higher in Johannesburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $63.0 in Maputo. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Johannesburg vs $223 in Maputo – so Maputo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Johannesburg vs Maputo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 26% more than Maputo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,152 per month in Johannesburg and $1,704 in Maputo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maputo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg and $63.0 in Maputo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,136 in Maputo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maputo, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maputo costs $1,136 versus $1,435 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maputo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johannesburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.