Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matola Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Matola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $991 in Matola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,516 in Matola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,040 in Matola.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 129% more expensive than in Matola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Matola is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$8.00 MZN 506

119.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$63.3 MZN 4,003

1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$7.14 MZN 452

63.17%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.60 MZN 101

103.75%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.83 MZN 52.6

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.73 MZN 46.38

128.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.18 MZN 74.8

194.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.53 MZN 96.7

133.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.53 MZN 96.6

-22.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.03 MZN 65.0

89.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.64 MZN 104

-4.88%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.84 MZN 117

117.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.05 MZN 825

1.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$5.68 MZN 360

48.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$4.71 MZN 298

287.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.00 MZN 126

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$0.60 MZN 37.93

188.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.64 MZN 104

17.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.07 MZN 67.9

146.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.99 MZN 62.7

91.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.76 MZN 47.91

177.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.92 MZN 58.2

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.56 MZN 35.43

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$2.84 MZN 179

146.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$6.89 MZN 436

-14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.91 MZN 57.3

49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.28 MZN 81.1

67.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.61 MZN 102

160.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.15 MZN 73.1

-4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$24.41 MZN 1,544

-29.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.34 MZN 85.0

67.91%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$32.2K MZN 2.0M

7.04%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$22.9K MZN 1.4M

81.77%

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

$171 €147

$39.72 MZN 2,513

330.21%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$7.72 MZN 489

146.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$78.2 MZN 4,946

-56.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$39.65 MZN 2,508

25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.96 MZN 503

26.88%

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

$699 €603

$127 MZN 8,056

448.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$5,229 MZN 330.7K

239.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$49.66 MZN 3,141

110.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$55.5 MZN 3,511

-13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$78.6 MZN 4,969

29.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$78.5 MZN 4,962

63.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$466 MZN 29.5K

256.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$396 MZN 25.0K

210.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$714 MZN 45.2K

308.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$556 MZN 35.2K

263.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$315 MZN 19.9K

414.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-84.88%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Matola: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $466 in Matola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 414% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $63.0 in Matola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $182 per month, with Matola 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

Lisbon vs Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Matola differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $991 including rent). Matola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 414% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $466 in Matola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $991 in Matola – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $991 in Matola versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Matola 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, Lisbon and Matola 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 Matola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.