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 $1,093 per month in Maputo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Maputo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,291 per month in Maputo vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maputo is about 13% 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 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 MZN 606

$11.99 MX$210

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.65 MZN 3,141

$41.78 MX$733

18.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 MZN 542

$10.75 MX$189

-20.28%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MZN 135

$3.50 MX$61.3

-39.14%

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

$0.77 MZN 48.48

$1.45 MX$25.41

-46.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.41

$0.88 MX$15.52

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MZN 88.1

$2.95 MX$51.7

-52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.2

$4.51 MX$79.1

-66.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MZN 98.8

$1.43 MX$25.12

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$1.84 MX$32.23

-40.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 103

$1.57 MX$27.51

3.18%

Eggs

$2.42 MZN 153

$2.51 MX$44.06

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 MZN 959

$8.28 MX$145

83.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 MZN 337

$8.43 MX$148

-36.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 MZN 327

$10.68 MX$187

-51.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 MZN 123

$2.61 MX$45.76

-25.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$1.44 MX$25.22

-35.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 87.7

$1.96 MX$34.41

-29.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 MZN 61.9

$2.09 MX$36.74

-53.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MZN 61.7

$1.85 MX$32.47

-47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.72

$2.17 MX$38.02

-68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$1.03 MX$18.09

-9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MZN 48.06

$1.07 MX$18.84

-28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MZN 167

$4.10 MX$72.0

-35.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 MZN 561

$10.17 MX$178

-12.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MZN 63.9

$1.68 MX$29.38

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.6

$2.53 MX$44.31

-43.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MZN 21.34

$0.51 MX$8.93

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.25 MZN 838

$26.04 MX$457

-49.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 MZN 97.4

$3.23 MX$56.7

-52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MZN 191

$2.41 MX$42.19

24.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.17 MZN 1,529

$3.23 MX$56.6

648.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MZN 86.7

$1.32 MX$23.17

3.79%

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

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

19.40%

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

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-15.34%

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

$89.8 MZN 5,678

$82.0 MX$1,439

9.46%

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

$14.28 MZN 903

$22.95 MX$403

-37.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 MZN 6,810

$30.11 MX$528

257.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 MZN 2,604

$52.0 MX$912

-20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.70 MZN 1,625

$18.53 MX$325

38.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 MZN 482

$4.98 MX$87.3

53.01%

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

$181 MZN 11.5K

$197 MX$3,463

-8.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,673 MZN 358.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

6.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 MZN 3,136

$35.60 MX$624

39.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 MZN 3,897

$40.33 MX$707

52.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MZN 5,167

$78.8 MX$1,381

3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 MZN 4,978

$88.9 MX$1,560

-11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MZN 38.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-35.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MZN 21.4K

$474 MX$8,314

-28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MZN 70.7K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-32.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MZN 39.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-48.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 MZN 268.2K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 MZN 129.4K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-68.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 MZN 21.0K

$654 MX$11.5K

-49.28%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Maputo versus $947 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 97% 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 $50.0 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: $1,093 in Maputo, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 15% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in Maputo and $1,884 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 $181 per month in Maputo and $197 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 $1,093, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,093 in Maputo to $1,256 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.