Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Maputo vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Maputo vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Maputo vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Maputo is about 24% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Maputo sits 16% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 MZN 585

$13.18 MX$228

-29.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.78 MZN 3,085

$53.9 MX$932

-9.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 MZN 527

$9.42 MX$163

-11.57%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MZN 131

$3.55 MX$61.4

-41.69%

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

$0.76 MZN 47.93

$1.62 MX$27.98

-53.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.75

$1.11 MX$19.27

-47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 MZN 89.9

$3.12 MX$54.0

-54.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MZN 101

$4.63 MX$80.1

-65.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.70 MX$29.43

-6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 68.9

$2.72 MX$47.02

-59.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MZN 106

$1.91 MX$33.07

-12.04%

Eggs

$2.45 MZN 155

$2.54 MX$43.86

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 MZN 964

$10.03 MX$174

52.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$8.09 MX$140

-35.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 MZN 327

$11.62 MX$201

-55.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 121

$2.97 MX$51.3

-35.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.3

$1.81 MX$31.24

-49.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 MZN 84.1

$2.01 MX$34.82

-33.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MZN 57.7

$2.03 MX$35.20

-55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$2.12 MX$36.75

-56.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MZN 44.90

$2.27 MX$39.25

-68.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$1.40 MX$24.22

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MZN 49.88

$1.13 MX$19.55

-30.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$4.27 MX$73.9

-38.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 MZN 584

$15.56 MX$269

-40.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.3

$1.76 MX$30.39

-44.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.2

$3.60 MX$62.2

-60.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MZN 22.81

$0.38 MX$6.62

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.19 MZN 834

$19.18 MX$332

-31.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.38 MX$23.79

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MZN 190

$0.28 MX$4.78

975.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 MZN 1,522

$5.45 MX$94.2

341.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.2

$1.30 MX$22.55

2.31%

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

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

89.99%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-15.33%

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

$90.0 MZN 5,689

$40.86 MX$707

120.14%

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

$14.38 MZN 909

$26.81 MX$464

-46.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,681

$29.96 MX$518

252.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 MZN 2,625

$52.0 MX$900

-20.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MZN 1,663

$26.84 MX$464

-2.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 MZN 481

$6.30 MX$109

20.79%

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

$183 MZN 11.6K

$436 MX$7,544

-58.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-44.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 MZN 3,123

$56.7 MX$980

-12.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 MZN 3,969

$44.38 MX$768

41.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 MZN 5,226

$103 MX$1,780

-19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MZN 4,964

$106 MX$1,825

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 MZN 38.2K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MZN 21.8K

$631 MX$10.9K

-45.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MZN 39.4K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-49.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

6.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

1.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 MZN 20.8K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-70.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

11.34

114.55%

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

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $604 in Maputo versus $1,022 in Mexico City. 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 238% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $288 – making Maputo 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,121 in Maputo, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 31% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,682 per month in Maputo and $2,201 in Mexico City. 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 $183 per month in Maputo and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Mexico City, 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 $1,121, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,121 in Maputo to $1,467 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.