Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Maputo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Maputo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Maputo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Maputo costs about 11% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 MZN 585

$5.99 COP 21.4K

54.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.78 MZN 3,086

$32.86 COP 117.2K

48.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 MZN 527

$7.09 COP 25.3K

17.49%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MZN 131

$1.71 COP 6,105

21.05%

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

$0.76 MZN 47.93

$1.10 COP 3,918

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.76

$0.78 COP 2,776

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 MZN 89.9

$1.68 COP 5,987

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MZN 101

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-48.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.09 COP 3,899

45.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 68.9

$1.26 COP 4,500

-13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MZN 106

$1.38 COP 4,914

21.74%

Eggs

$2.45 MZN 155

$2.19 COP 7,813

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 MZN 964

$4.40 COP 15.7K

246.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-7.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 MZN 327

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-41.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 121

$2.34 COP 8,334

-17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.3

$1.06 COP 3,771

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 MZN 84.1

$1.50 COP 5,365

-11.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MZN 57.7

$1.38 COP 4,915

-34.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$1.15 COP 4,104

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MZN 44.90

$1.16 COP 4,148

-38.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$0.89 COP 3,176

4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MZN 49.88

$0.84 COP 2,992

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$2.28 COP 8,131

15.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 MZN 584

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.3

$1.20 COP 4,276

-19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.2

$2.47 COP 8,809

-42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MZN 22.81

$0.86 COP 3,051

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.19 MZN 834

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-68.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.47 COP 5,255

8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MZN 190

$1.96 COP 6,997

53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 MZN 1,522

$7.74 COP 27.6K

210.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.2

$0.95 COP 3,403

40.00%

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

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

95.82%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-26.06%

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

$90.0 MZN 5,689

$82.3 COP 293.2K

9.36%

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

$14.38 MZN 909

$9.50 COP 33.9K

51.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,682

$24.23 COP 86.4K

336.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 MZN 2,626

$25.89 COP 92.3K

60.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MZN 1,663

$19.00 COP 67.7K

38.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 MZN 481

$3.93 COP 14.0K

93.64%

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

$183 MZN 11.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-40.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-2.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 MZN 3,123

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 MZN 3,969

$32.35 COP 115.3K

93.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 MZN 5,227

$103 COP 365.7K

-19.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MZN 4,965

$108 COP 386.5K

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 MZN 38.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MZN 21.8K

$379 COP 1.4M

-8.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

35.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MZN 39.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-13.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

48.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

72.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 MZN 20.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

-35.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

13.43

81.16%

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

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $604 in Maputo versus $476 in Medellin. 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 55% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Maputo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,121 in Maputo, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 11% 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 $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in Maputo and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Maputo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Maputo at $1,121. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maputo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,121 in Maputo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. 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.