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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Maputo vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Maputo vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,358 per month in Maputo vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Maputo is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Maputo sits 16% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 MZN 648

$8.02 COP 25.0K

27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.5 MZN 3,891

$47.87 COP 149.4K

28.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 MZN 451

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-27.81%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MZN 143

$3.13 COP 9,767

-27.48%

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

$0.83 MZN 52.3

$1.91 COP 5,954

-56.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MZN 42.92

$1.51 COP 4,712

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 MZN 102

$3.12 COP 9,747

-48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MZN 147

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-59.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 MZN 100

$1.44 COP 4,509

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MZN 65.2

$2.49 COP 7,759

-58.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 MZN 99.9

$1.77 COP 5,535

-10.73%

Eggs

$2.49 MZN 157

$2.96 COP 9,235

-15.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.61 MZN 1,304

$10.07 COP 31.4K

104.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 MZN 356

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-44.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.80 MZN 367

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-59.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-52.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 MZN 50.7

$1.61 COP 5,019

-50.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 103

$2.25 COP 7,007

-28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 MZN 69.1

$2.25 COP 7,028

-51.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MZN 65.4

$2.04 COP 6,375

-49.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$1.54 COP 4,790

-46.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 MZN 62.3

$1.17 COP 3,651

-16.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$1.31 COP 4,077

-29.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MZN 177

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-27.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 MZN 639

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MZN 64.5

$1.74 COP 5,439

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MZN 80.4

$2.87 COP 8,956

-55.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MZN 25.37

$1.22 COP 3,792

-67.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.29 MZN 1,473

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-71.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.31 COP 4,084

22.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MZN 72.0

$2.19 COP 6,825

-47.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.31 MZN 1,537

$8.71 COP 27.2K

179.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MZN 88.3

$1.37 COP 4,260

2.19%

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

$31.7K MZN 2.0M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

13.96%

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

$23.1K MZN 1.5M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-35.49%

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

$70.6 MZN 4,467

$177 COP 553.2K

-60.17%

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

$7.73 MZN 489

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-44.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.5 MZN 5,471

$29.72 COP 92.8K

191.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.45 MZN 2,685

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-5.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.45 MZN 1,673

$17.12 COP 53.4K

54.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 MZN 506

$6.65 COP 20.7K

20.30%

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

$129 MZN 8,176

$813 COP 2.5M

-84.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 MZN 324.9K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.81 MZN 3,150

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-44.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MZN 3,524

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 MZN 4,980

$138 COP 431.2K

-43.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 MZN 5,005

$102 COP 318.7K

-22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 MZN 35.0K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-47.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 MZN 24.2K

$663 COP 2.1M

-42.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 MZN 67.9K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 MZN 35.9K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-44.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,174 MZN 264.0K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-0.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,072 MZN 131.1K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

23.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 MZN 21.1K

$678 COP 2.1M

-50.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

128.52%

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

Last update for Maputo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $554 in Maputo versus $1,062 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 104% higher in Medellin, 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 $62.0 in Maputo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Maputo vs $305 in Medellin – so Maputo 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,145 in Maputo, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,718 per month in Maputo and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $129 per month in Maputo and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maputo, where all-in costs run around $1,145, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,145 in Maputo to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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