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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,093 per month in Maputo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Maputo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,291 per month in Maputo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Maputo costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Maputo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Maputo 18% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 MZN 606

$6.16 COP 20.1K

55.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.65 MZN 3,141

$32.60 COP 106.1K

52.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 MZN 542

$7.34 COP 23.9K

16.76%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MZN 135

$1.72 COP 5,600

23.84%

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

$0.77 MZN 48.48

$1.05 COP 3,420

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.41

$0.77 COP 2,515

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MZN 88.1

$1.69 COP 5,488

-17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.2

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-52.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MZN 98.8

$1.05 COP 3,423

48.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$1.30 COP 4,236

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 103

$1.40 COP 4,544

15.71%

Eggs

$2.42 MZN 153

$2.16 COP 7,047

12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 MZN 959

$4.39 COP 14.3K

245.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 MZN 337

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-9.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 MZN 327

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-40.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 MZN 123

$2.28 COP 7,426

-14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$1.11 COP 3,604

-16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 87.7

$1.53 COP 4,983

-9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 MZN 61.9

$1.35 COP 4,410

-27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MZN 61.7

$1.13 COP 3,674

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.72

$1.13 COP 3,692

-39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$0.85 COP 2,753

9.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MZN 48.06

$0.91 COP 2,975

-16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MZN 167

$2.34 COP 7,630

13.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 MZN 561

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MZN 63.9

$1.20 COP 3,909

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.6

$2.49 COP 8,104

-42.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MZN 21.34

$0.84 COP 2,728

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.25 MZN 838

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-67.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 MZN 97.4

$1.42 COP 4,623

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MZN 191

$1.92 COP 6,235

56.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 MZN 1,529

$7.66 COP 24.9K

215.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MZN 86.7

$0.99 COP 3,223

38.38%

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

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

96.66%

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

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-24.77%

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

$89.8 MZN 5,678

$80.8 COP 263.1K

11.09%

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

$14.28 MZN 903

$9.95 COP 32.4K

43.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 MZN 6,810

$24.18 COP 78.7K

345.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 MZN 2,604

$25.08 COP 81.7K

64.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.70 MZN 1,625

$19.15 COP 62.3K

34.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 MZN 482

$3.98 COP 13.0K

91.46%

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

$181 MZN 11.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

-40.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,673 MZN 358.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-6.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 MZN 3,136

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 MZN 3,897

$32.20 COP 104.8K

91.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MZN 5,167

$101 COP 327.9K

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 MZN 4,978

$108 COP 350.8K

-26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MZN 38.4K

$477 COP 1.6M

27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MZN 21.4K

$376 COP 1.2M

-10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MZN 70.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

32.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MZN 39.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-14.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 MZN 268.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

31.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 MZN 129.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

49.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 MZN 21.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

-46.23%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Maputo versus $477 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 86% 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 $50.0 in Maputo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $193 – 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: $1,093 in Maputo, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 6% apart. Maputo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in Maputo and $1,546 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 $181 per month in Maputo and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,031, than in Maputo at $1,093. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,093 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.