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: $1,024 in Matola versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,519 in Matola versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,014 in Matola versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Matola costs roughly 57% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matola is 24% below, Barcelona is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 MZN 485

$17.58 €15.12

-56.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.94 MZN 3,095

$68.4 €58.9

-28.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 MZN 481

$14.06 €12.09

-45.95%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MZN 101

$2.78 €2.39

-42.45%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.55

$2.80 €2.41

-73.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.58

$2.06 €1.78

-71.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$4.46 €3.84

-73.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MZN 101

$4.61 €3.96

-65.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MZN 99.1

$1.24 €1.07

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MZN 65.8

$2.03 €1.74

-48.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$1.92 €1.65

-11.98%

Eggs

$1.92 MZN 122

$3.31 €2.85

-41.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 MZN 824

$18.43 €15.85

-29.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MZN 334

$9.49 €8.16

-44.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 MZN 294

$19.16 €16.48

-75.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.64 €2.27

-25.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MZN 39.82

$2.45 €2.11

-74.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MZN 84.6

$2.12 €1.82

-36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 MZN 62.6

$2.85 €2.45

-65.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.1

$2.04 €1.75

-54.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MZN 42.60

$1.85 €1.59

-63.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$1.47 €1.26

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.63

$0.84 €0.73

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MZN 165

$7.14 €6.14

-63.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 MZN 451

$7.88 €6.78

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.8

$1.38 €1.19

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MZN 81.4

$2.31 €1.99

-44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$4.60 €3.95

-65.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 MZN 183

$2.07 €1.78

39.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,545

$29.18 €25.10

-16.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 83.1

$1.84 €1.58

-28.80%

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

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

$39.0K €33.6K

-8.25%

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

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

$32.7K €28.1K

-39.74%

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

$38.50 MZN 2,435

$188 €162

-79.50%

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

$14.16 MZN 895

$22.93 €19.73

-38.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 MZN 5,031

$36.71 €31.58

116.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 MZN 2,488

$57.4 €49.35

-31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MZN 485

$11.19 €9.63

-31.46%

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

$185 MZN 11.7K

$721 €620

-74.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

$15.0K €12.9K

-61.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 MZN 3,111

$86.2 €74.2

-42.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 MZN 3,966

$37.07 €31.89

69.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MZN 5,227

$102 €87.8

-18.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,085

$116 €99.7

-30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MZN 30.1K

$1,534 €1,319

-69.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MZN 25.0K

$1,220 €1,050

-67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MZN 50.2K

$2,696 €2,319

-70.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 MZN 36.6K

$2,013 €1,732

-71.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 MZN 19.6K

$2,359 €2,029

-86.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Matola and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 662% 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: $49.00 in Matola vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $318 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 131% in total monthly costs ($1,024 vs $2,367 including rent). Matola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 662% less. 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: $475 in Matola versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $185 in Matola versus $721 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 $49.00 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,024 in Matola versus $2,367 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 131% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.