Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Maputo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Maputo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Maputo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Maputo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maputo is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Maputo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Maputo 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 MZN 585

$11.73 MX$203

-21.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.78 MZN 3,085

$41.62 MX$720

17.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 MZN 527

$10.64 MX$184

-21.71%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MZN 131

$3.52 MX$60.9

-41.19%

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

$0.76 MZN 47.93

$1.51 MX$26.12

-49.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.75

$0.97 MX$16.84

-40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 MZN 89.9

$2.95 MX$51.0

-51.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MZN 101

$4.45 MX$77.0

-64.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.38 MX$23.93

15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 68.9

$1.89 MX$32.72

-42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MZN 106

$1.64 MX$28.32

2.44%

Eggs

$2.45 MZN 155

$2.51 MX$43.34

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 MZN 964

$8.34 MX$144

82.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$8.34 MX$144

-37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 MZN 327

$10.73 MX$186

-51.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 121

$2.60 MX$45.04

-26.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.3

$1.46 MX$25.20

-36.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 MZN 84.1

$1.90 MX$32.87

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 MZN 57.7

$2.08 MX$35.91

-56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$1.78 MX$30.71

-48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MZN 44.90

$2.19 MX$37.80

-67.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$1.04 MX$17.99

-10.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MZN 49.88

$1.08 MX$18.62

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$4.08 MX$70.6

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 MZN 584

$10.32 MX$178

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.3

$1.71 MX$29.61

-43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.2

$2.58 MX$44.54

-44.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MZN 22.81

$0.51 MX$8.81

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.19 MZN 834

$26.46 MX$458

-50.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 100

$3.26 MX$56.4

-51.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MZN 190

$2.49 MX$43.09

20.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 MZN 1,522

$3.25 MX$56.2

640.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.2

$1.31 MX$22.61

1.53%

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

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

17.25%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-16.41%

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

$90.0 MZN 5,689

$82.9 MX$1,433

8.54%

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

$14.38 MZN 909

$22.22 MX$384

-35.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,681

$29.34 MX$507

260.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 MZN 2,625

$51.6 MX$893

-19.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MZN 1,663

$18.32 MX$317

43.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 MZN 481

$5.07 MX$87.6

50.10%

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

$183 MZN 11.6K

$201 MX$3,473

-8.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

11.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 MZN 3,123

$36.92 MX$639

33.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 MZN 3,969

$39.79 MX$688

57.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 MZN 5,226

$78.5 MX$1,357

5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MZN 4,964

$87.1 MX$1,506

-9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 MZN 38.2K

$973 MX$16.8K

-37.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MZN 21.8K

$468 MX$8,090

-26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MZN 39.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-48.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

4.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-67.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 MZN 20.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

-50.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

11.42

113.05%

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

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $604 in Maputo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 102% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Maputo vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,121 in Maputo, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 16% apart. Playa del Carmen 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Playa del Carmen, 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,121 in Maputo to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.