Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Matola Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Matola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Maputo vs $1,024 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Maputo vs $1,519 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Maputo vs $2,014 in Matola, rent included.

Maputo costs about 10% more than Matola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Maputo and Matola are more affordable than the global median – Maputo 16% lower, Matola 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 MZN 585

$7.67 MZN 485

20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.78 MZN 3,085

$48.94 MZN 3,095

-0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 MZN 527

$7.60 MZN 481

9.61%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MZN 131

$1.60 MZN 101

29.37%

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

$0.76 MZN 47.93

$0.75 MZN 47.55

1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.75

$0.58 MZN 36.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 MZN 89.9

$1.19 MZN 75.2

19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MZN 101

$1.60 MZN 101

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.57 MZN 99.1

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 68.9

$1.04 MZN 65.8

4.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MZN 106

$1.69 MZN 107

-0.59%

Eggs

$2.45 MZN 155

$1.92 MZN 122

27.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 MZN 964

$13.03 MZN 824

17.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$5.28 MZN 334

-1.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 MZN 327

$4.65 MZN 294

11.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 121

$1.97 MZN 124

-2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.3

$0.63 MZN 39.82

46.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 MZN 84.1

$1.34 MZN 84.6

-0.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MZN 57.7

$0.99 MZN 62.6

-8.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$0.93 MZN 59.1

-1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MZN 44.90

$0.67 MZN 42.60

5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$0.99 MZN 62.4

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MZN 49.88

$0.53 MZN 33.63

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$2.61 MZN 165

0.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 MZN 584

$7.14 MZN 451

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.3

$0.98 MZN 61.8

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.2

$1.29 MZN 81.4

10.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MZN 22.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.19 MZN 834

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.60 MZN 101

-0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MZN 190

$2.89 MZN 183

4.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 MZN 1,522

$24.44 MZN 1,545

-1.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.2

$1.31 MZN 83.1

1.53%

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

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

-0.81%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

-0.61%

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

$90.0 MZN 5,689

$38.50 MZN 2,435

133.64%

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

$14.38 MZN 909

$14.16 MZN 895

1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,681

$79.6 MZN 5,031

32.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 MZN 2,625

$39.34 MZN 2,488

5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MZN 1,663

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 MZN 481

$7.67 MZN 485

-0.78%

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

$183 MZN 11.6K

$185 MZN 11.7K

-0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

-0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 MZN 3,123

$49.19 MZN 3,111

0.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 MZN 3,969

$62.7 MZN 3,966

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 MZN 5,226

$82.7 MZN 5,227

-0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MZN 4,964

$80.4 MZN 5,085

-2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 MZN 38.2K

$475 MZN 30.1K

27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MZN 21.8K

$396 MZN 25.0K

-12.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

$794 MZN 50.2K

43.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MZN 39.4K

$579 MZN 36.6K

7.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 MZN 20.8K

$310 MZN 19.6K

6.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

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

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Matola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $604 in Maputo versus $475 in Matola. 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 6% higher in Maputo, 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 $49.00 in Maputo versus $49.00 in Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Maputo vs $180 in Matola – so Matola 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

Maputo vs Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,121 in Maputo, $1,024 in Matola – roughly 10% apart. Maputo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,682 per month in Maputo and $1,535 in Matola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,121 in Maputo and $1,024 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in Maputo and $185 in Matola. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matola, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Maputo at $1,121. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maputo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matola – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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