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: $1,013 in Matola versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,513 in Matola versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,013 in Matola versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Matola costs roughly 59% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matola is 26% below, Barcelona is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 MZN 507

$18.74 €16.32

-57.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 MZN 4,015

$69.5 €60.5

-8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 MZN 468

$13.77 €11.99

-46.19%

Cappuccino

$1.55 MZN 97.8

$3.10 €2.70

-50.00%

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

$0.89 MZN 56.0

$2.83 €2.47

-68.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MZN 44.16

$1.88 €1.64

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 MZN 75.9

$3.98 €3.47

-69.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MZN 96.6

$4.53 €3.95

-66.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$1.27 €1.11

19.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MZN 63.1

$2.16 €1.88

-53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MZN 102

$1.76 €1.53

-9.09%

Eggs

$1.83 MZN 116

$5.13 €4.47

-64.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 MZN 836

$17.88 €15.58

-26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 MZN 364

$9.65 €8.41

-40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 MZN 293

$20.15 €17.55

-77.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MZN 126

$3.25 €2.83

-39.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.41

$2.23 €1.94

-73.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MZN 103

$2.60 €2.27

-37.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MZN 66.0

$2.76 €2.40

-62.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MZN 63.2

$2.21 €1.93

-54.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MZN 51.7

$2.12 €1.85

-61.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MZN 60.1

$1.55 €1.35

-38.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.52

$0.95 €0.83

-44.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 MZN 175

$7.34 €6.40

-62.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 MZN 458

$8.05 €7.01

-10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.9

$1.54 €1.35

-37.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MZN 76.8

$2.79 €2.43

-56.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$3.27 €2.85

-51.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MZN 75.6

$1.48 €1.29

-18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.78 MZN 1,568

$34.27 €29.86

-27.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.1

$1.73 €1.51

-23.12%

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

$31.1K MZN 2.0M

$36.4K €31.7K

-14.37%

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

$22.6K MZN 1.4M

$30.5K €26.6K

-25.86%

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

$38.84 MZN 2,456

$187 €163

-79.24%

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

$7.69 MZN 487

$15.14 €13.19

-49.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 MZN 4,863

$37.69 €32.83

103.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 MZN 2,462

$55.9 €48.73

-30.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 MZN 487

$11.41 €9.94

-32.43%

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

$127 MZN 8,020

$997 €868

-87.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,198 MZN 328.8K

$16.5K €14.4K

-68.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MZN 3,212

$92.6 €80.7

-45.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 MZN 3,573

$41.22 €35.91

37.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 MZN 4,936

$111 €96.9

-29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 MZN 5,043

$125 €109

-36.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 MZN 29.4K

$1,707 €1,487

-72.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MZN 24.8K

$1,286 €1,120

-69.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 MZN 45.2K

$2,565 €2,235

-72.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 MZN 35.2K

$1,942 €1,692

-71.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 MZN 19.6K

$2,348 €2,046

-86.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

691.14%

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

Last update for Matola: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $465 in Matola and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 660% 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: $63.0 in Matola vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $336 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 144% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $2,476 including rent). Matola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 660% 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: $465 in Matola versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $127 in Matola versus $997 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 $63.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Matola versus $2,476 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 144% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.