Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Beira

For one person, living is cheaper in Beira: $382 a month against $1,128 in Maputo, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Maputo
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Maputo Living Index

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Maputo

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$1,128

/mo nomad

Beira

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$382

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maputo and in Beira

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maputo and in Beira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,128 in Maputo versus $382 in Beira.

Maputo $1,128
Beira $382

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,739 in Maputo versus $726 in Beira.

Maputo $1,739
Beira $726

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,351 in Maputo versus $1,071 in Beira.

Maputo $2,351
Beira $1,071

Living in Maputo is roughly 195% more expensive than in Beira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maputo 16% lower, Beira 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 MZN 650

$12.50 MZN 791

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 MZN 4,026

$46.40 MZN 2,935

37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 MZN 453

Cappuccino

$2.23 MZN 141

$3.11 MZN 197

-28.30%

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

$0.89 MZN 56.3

$1.19 MZN 75.2

-25.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.00

$1.15 MZN 72.8

-36.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 MZN 99.7

$1.30 MZN 82.0

21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MZN 152

$1.99 MZN 126

21.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 MZN 100

$1.63 MZN 103

-3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$0.30 MZN 18.76

230.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.51 MZN 95.8

5.96%

Eggs

$2.43 MZN 154

$1.87 MZN 118

29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.22 MZN 1,342

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 MZN 361

$3.80 MZN 240

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.79 MZN 366

$4.59 MZN 291

26.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 MZN 128

$2.31 MZN 146

-12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 MZN 47.17

$2.32 MZN 147

-67.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$2.32 MZN 146

-27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MZN 67.8

$1.24 MZN 78.4

-13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 MZN 63.8

$1.22 MZN 77.3

-17.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MZN 46.88

$0.99 MZN 62.4

-25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.2

$2.32 MZN 147

-60.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MZN 57.9

$0.71 MZN 45.10

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MZN 183

$0.96 MZN 60.7

201.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 MZN 655

$8.33 MZN 527

24.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MZN 64.8

$1.04 MZN 65.8

-0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MZN 85.1

$3.80 MZN 240

-64.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MZN 23.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.39 MZN 1,479

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 MZN 96.1

$0.75 MZN 47.74

102.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MZN 75.1

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.82 MZN 1,570

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MZN 85.6

$1.40 MZN 88.6

-3.57%

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

$32.3K MZN 2.0M

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

$23.2K MZN 1.5M

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

$69.9 MZN 4,418

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

$7.86 MZN 497

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.1 MZN 5,638

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 MZN 2,700

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.63 MZN 1,621

Cinema Ticket

$8.01 MZN 507

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

$127 MZN 8,033

$90.1 MZN 5,699

40.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,168 MZN 326.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.94 MZN 3,158

$19.15 MZN 1,211

160.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 MZN 3,478

$38.82 MZN 2,455

41.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MZN 5,043

$38.78 MZN 2,453

105.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,086

$46.72 MZN 2,955

72.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 MZN 34.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 MZN 23.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 MZN 69.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 MZN 35.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,248 MZN 268.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,061 MZN 130.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$323 MZN 20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Maputo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Beira: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maputo

$375 33.3%

Beira

–

Groceries & Markets

Maputo

$226 20%

Beira

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maputo

$167 14.8%

Beira

–

Eating Out

Maputo

$150 13.3%

Beira

–

Clothing & Footwear

Maputo

$119 10.6%

Beira

–

Sport & Entertainment

Maputo

$59 5.2%

Beira

–

Getting Around

Maputo

$32 2.9%

Beira

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Maputo vs $46.00 in Beira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $159 per month, with Beira cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇿 Maputo

🇲🇿 Beira

🕒 Local time

22:25 10:25 PM

Same time as Maputo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,244,227 Capital

436,240

💱 Currency

Mozambican Metical MZN MT

📈 Exchange rate

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.41 EUR

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Maputo Beira 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Maputo vs Beira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maputo and Beira differ by about 195% in total monthly costs ($1,128 vs $382 including rent). Beira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,692 in Maputo and $573 in Beira 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Maputo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,128 per month in Maputo versus $382 in Beira – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $382 in Beira versus $1,128 in Maputo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Beira but tight or insufficient in Maputo. The gap between the two cities makes Beira 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.

Expats usually find Beira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Maputo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.