Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Matola versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,529 in Matola versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,043 in Matola versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Matola is 26% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 MZN 503

$17.30 €14.92

-54.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 MZN 4,030

$63.3 €54.6

0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 MZN 451

$11.39 €9.83

-37.40%

Cappuccino

$1.54 MZN 97.6

$3.19 €2.75

-51.72%

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

$0.84 MZN 53.0

$2.45 €2.11

-65.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 MZN 45.65

$1.76 €1.52

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 72.8

$3.59 €3.10

-67.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MZN 101

$3.39 €2.93

-53.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MZN 96.3

$1.24 €1.07

22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MZN 62.8

$1.98 €1.71

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.52 €1.31

5.26%

Eggs

$1.86 MZN 117

$4.04 €3.49

-53.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 MZN 829

$13.54 €11.68

-3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MZN 365

$8.39 €7.23

-31.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.70 MZN 297

$18.25 €15.74

-74.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.29 €1.97

-13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.22

$1.74 €1.50

-66.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 102

$1.86 €1.60

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 MZN 66.3

$2.63 €2.27

-60.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MZN 63.0

$1.92 €1.65

-47.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MZN 48.16

$2.09 €1.81

-63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MZN 61.0

$1.44 €1.24

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MZN 36.36

$0.84 €0.73

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 MZN 173

$6.78 €5.85

-59.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 MZN 438

$5.71 €4.93

21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$1.38 €1.19

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 MZN 78.3

$2.22 €1.91

-44.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 101

$4.17 €3.60

-61.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MZN 75.6

$1.14 €0.98

4.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 MZN 1,583

$17.68 €15.25

41.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MZN 87.7

$2.32 €2.00

-40.09%

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

$31.9K MZN 2.0M

$35.3K €30.5K

-9.62%

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

$22.7K MZN 1.4M

$41.4K €35.7K

-45.15%

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

$39.46 MZN 2,496

$170 €147

-76.83%

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

$7.97 MZN 504

$19.34 €16.68

-58.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 MZN 5,020

$33.64 €29.01

135.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 MZN 2,434

$48.10 €41.48

-19.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 MZN 499

$9.92 €8.56

-20.46%

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

$128 MZN 8,072

$717 €619

-82.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,170 MZN 327.0K

$17.5K €15.1K

-70.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 MZN 3,126

$105 €90.4

-52.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MZN 3,603

$46.95 €40.49

21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 MZN 4,954

$103 €89.2

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 MZN 5,072

$124 €107

-35.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 MZN 29.9K

$1,677 €1,446

-71.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MZN 25.1K

$1,271 €1,096

-68.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 MZN 45.2K

$2,985 €2,574

-76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 MZN 34.2K

$1,992 €1,718

-72.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,750

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,017

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 MZN 19.6K

$1,583 €1,365

-80.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

559.63%

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

Last update for Matola: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Matola and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 410% 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: $64.0 in Matola vs $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $283, with Matola cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matola and Lisbon differ by about 128% in total monthly costs ($1,014 vs $2,316 including rent). Matola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 410% lower in Lisbon. 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: $473 in Matola versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,014 per month in Matola versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,014 in Matola versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Matola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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 Lisbon 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 Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.