Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,109 in Maputo, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Maputo despite lower rent and utilities.

55

Cost of Living Index in Maputo
Learn more

Maputo Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
Learn more

Cebu Living Index

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Maputo

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$1,109

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maputo and in Cebu

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 Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,109 in Maputo versus $934 in Cebu.

Maputo $1,109
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Maputo versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Maputo $1,720
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,331 in Maputo versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Maputo $2,331
Cebu $1,896

Living in Maputo is roughly 19% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maputo 17% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 MZN 656

$3.03 ₱190

242.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 MZN 3,995

$23.48 ₱1,473

168.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 MZN 440

$4.09 ₱256

69.93%

Cappuccino

$2.28 MZN 144

$2.52 ₱158

-9.52%

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

$0.87 MZN 55.2

$1.54 ₱96.9

-43.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.29

$0.49 ₱30.98

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.79 ₱112

-10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MZN 147

$2.26 ₱142

2.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MZN 96.1

$1.95 ₱122

-22.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MZN 63.0

$1.43 ₱89.7

-30.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MZN 106

$1.02 ₱63.8

63.73%

Eggs

$2.52 MZN 159

$2.06 ₱129

22.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.02 MZN 1,329

$9.81 ₱615

114.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 MZN 371

$4.61 ₱289

27.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.59 MZN 353

$7.70 ₱483

-27.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MZN 126

$3.31 ₱207

-39.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 MZN 50.2

$1.45 ₱90.9

-45.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MZN 108

$2.36 ₱148

-27.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 MZN 68.7

$1.54 ₱96.4

-29.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MZN 65.4

$2.36 ₱148

-56.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 MZN 47.25

$1.99 ₱125

-62.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MZN 61.0

$1.15 ₱72.1

-16.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MZN 57.4

$0.67 ₱42.15

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 MZN 179

$3.00 ₱188

-5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 MZN 639

$6.35 ₱398

59.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.7

$1.31 ₱81.9

-25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MZN 83.6

$1.73 ₱108

-23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MZN 23.45

$0.25 ₱15.78

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.65 MZN 1,496

$12.65 ₱793

86.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$0.74 ₱46.32

116.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$0.21 ₱13.11

466.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,546

$4.33 ₱271

464.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MZN 85.8

$1.33 ₱83.5

2.26%

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

$31.7K MZN 2.0M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

45.85%

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

$22.5K MZN 1.4M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

16.03%

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

$71.5 MZN 4,520

$121 ₱7,563

-40.74%

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

$7.75 MZN 490

$14.45 ₱907

-46.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.1 MZN 5,573

$28.29 ₱1,774

211.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 MZN 2,673

$32.68 ₱2,050

29.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MZN 1,679

$6.39 ₱401

315.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 MZN 499

$5.46 ₱342

44.32%

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

$129 MZN 8,158

$273 ₱17.1K

-52.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,162 MZN 326.5K

$8,156 ₱511.5K

-36.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.15 MZN 3,109

$49.57 ₱3,109

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MZN 3,496

$24.87 ₱1,560

122.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 MZN 4,881

$76.6 ₱4,804

0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 MZN 4,940

$59.3 ₱3,717

31.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MZN 33.9K

$506 ₱31.7K

6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MZN 24.2K

$309 ₱19.4K

23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MZN 67.1K

$1,052 ₱66.0K

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 MZN 35.8K

$619 ₱38.8K

-8.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,129 MZN 261.1K

$2,915 ₱182.9K

41.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 MZN 129.7K

$1,867 ₱117.1K

9.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 MZN 20.6K

$341 ₱21.4K

-4.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

247.22%

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

Last update for Maputo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maputo

$382 33.8%

Cebu

$309 33.5% 19% $73

Groceries & Markets

Maputo

$225 19.9%

Cebu

$210 22.7% 6.5% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maputo

$167 14.8%

Cebu

$163 17.7% 2.4% $4

Eating Out

Maputo

$150 13.3%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 41.2% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Maputo

$117 10.3%

Cebu

$95 10.2% 19% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Maputo

$58 5.1%

Cebu

$44 4.7% 24.9% $14

Getting Around

Maputo

$33 2.9%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 52.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Maputo and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Maputo vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $210 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇿 Maputo

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

07:18 7:18 AM

13:18 1:18 PM

6 h ahead of Maputo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,244,227 Capital

964,169

💱 Currency

Mozambican Metical MZN MT

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MZN – Mozambican Metical Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇿 Mozambican Metical (MT)

Mozambican Metical exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 63.25 MZN (100 MZN = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.94 MZN (100 MZN = 1.41 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to MZN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Maputo Cebu 10,640 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Maputo
Cebu

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Cebu. 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: $536 in Maputo versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,109 per month in Maputo versus $934 in Cebu – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 87% less than in Maputo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,109 in Maputo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Maputo. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Maputo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Maputo and Cebu 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Maputo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.