Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Matola versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Matola versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,084 in Matola versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Matola costs roughly 56% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matola is 24% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 MZN 496

$17.66 €15.45

-55.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.99 MZN 3,162

$69.7 €61.0

-28.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MZN 482

$14.16 €12.39

-46.12%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MZN 100

$2.80 €2.45

-43.21%

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

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$2.81 €2.46

-70.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.82

$2.06 €1.81

-74.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 73.0

$4.60 €4.02

-75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MZN 97.1

$4.69 €4.10

-67.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.23 €1.08

30.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$2.03 €1.78

-45.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MZN 102

$1.98 €1.73

-18.69%

Eggs

$1.91 MZN 121

$3.49 €3.05

-45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 MZN 855

$18.33 €16.04

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MZN 333

$9.83 €8.60

-46.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 MZN 290

$19.13 €16.73

-76.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MZN 124

$2.73 €2.38

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.01

$2.38 €2.09

-75.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 88.2

$2.08 €1.82

-33.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$2.75 €2.41

-66.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$1.96 €1.72

-53.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.81

$1.79 €1.57

-62.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$1.48 €1.29

-37.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.57

$0.91 €0.80

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$7.13 €6.24

-63.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 MZN 439

$7.88 €6.89

-11.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.7

$1.38 €1.21

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MZN 77.1

$2.39 €2.09

-48.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 MZN 96.8

$4.36 €3.82

-64.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MZN 189

$2.13 €1.86

39.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 MZN 1,538

$29.60 €25.90

-17.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.8

$1.82 €1.59

-27.47%

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

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

$37.9K €33.1K

-8.92%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$32.4K €28.3K

-39.32%

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

$39.61 MZN 2,505

$189 €165

-79.05%

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

$14.23 MZN 900

$22.29 €19.50

-36.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 MZN 4,930

$37.16 €32.51

109.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.51 MZN 2,499

$58.0 €50.8

-31.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 MZN 509

$10.87 €9.51

-25.94%

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

$180 MZN 11.4K

$706 €618

-74.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,814 MZN 367.8K

$14.9K €13.0K

-60.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 MZN 3,114

$89.4 €78.3

-44.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 MZN 3,858

$36.60 €32.02

66.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 MZN 5,146

$104 €91.0

-21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,083

$119 €104

-32.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MZN 30.0K

$1,579 €1,381

-69.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MZN 24.9K

$1,238 €1,083

-68.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 MZN 49.5K

$2,712 €2,373

-71.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MZN 36.8K

$2,039 €1,784

-71.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MZN 20.1K

$2,364 €2,068

-86.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

3.39

617.70%

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

Last update for Matola: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Matola and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 645% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Matola vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $320 per month, with Matola cheaper across the board.

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

Matola vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matola and Barcelona differ by about 128% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $2,320 including rent). Matola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 645% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $474 in Matola versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $180 in Matola versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Matola – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,017 in Matola versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matola but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Matola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Matola and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Matola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.