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: $1,024 in Matola versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,519 in Matola versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,014 in Matola versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Matola costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matola is 24% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 MZN 485

$15.91 €13.69

-51.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.94 MZN 3,095

$64.8 €55.7

-24.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 MZN 481

$10.51 €9.04

-27.69%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MZN 101

$2.87 €2.47

-44.25%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.55

$2.24 €1.93

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.58

$1.50 €1.29

-61.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$3.49 €3.00

-65.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MZN 101

$3.88 €3.34

-58.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MZN 99.1

$1.14 €0.98

37.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MZN 65.8

$1.75 €1.51

-40.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$1.76 €1.51

-3.98%

Eggs

$1.92 MZN 122

$3.22 €2.77

-40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 MZN 824

$13.49 €11.61

-3.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MZN 334

$7.91 €6.81

-33.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 MZN 294

$15.87 €13.65

-70.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.31 €1.99

-14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MZN 39.82

$1.70 €1.46

-62.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MZN 84.6

$2.01 €1.73

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 MZN 62.6

$2.46 €2.12

-59.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.1

$1.84 €1.59

-49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MZN 42.60

$2.00 €1.72

-66.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$1.93 €1.66

-48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.63

$0.79 €0.68

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MZN 165

$6.61 €5.68

-60.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 MZN 451

$5.72 €4.92

24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.8

$1.37 €1.17

-28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MZN 81.4

$2.97 €2.56

-56.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$4.29 €3.69

-62.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 MZN 183

$0.82 €0.70

252.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,545

$18.30 €15.74

33.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 83.1

$2.06 €1.78

-36.41%

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

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

$34.3K €29.5K

4.42%

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

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

$39.3K €33.8K

-49.85%

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

$38.50 MZN 2,435

$148 €127

-73.96%

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

$14.16 MZN 895

$20.52 €17.65

-30.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 MZN 5,031

$39.61 €34.08

100.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 MZN 2,488

$47.85 €41.16

-17.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MZN 485

$9.18 €7.90

-16.45%

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

$185 MZN 11.7K

$614 €528

-69.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

$16.0K €13.8K

-63.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 MZN 3,111

$105 €90.0

-53.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 MZN 3,966

$42.06 €36.18

49.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MZN 5,227

$94.0 €80.8

-12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,085

$120 €103

-32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MZN 30.1K

$1,628 €1,400

-70.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MZN 25.0K

$1,255 €1,080

-68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MZN 50.2K

$3,030 €2,607

-73.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 MZN 36.6K

$2,020 €1,738

-71.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 MZN 19.6K

$1,603 €1,379

-80.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

3.81

538.58%

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

Last update for Matola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Matola and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 418% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $269 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Matola and Lisbon differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($1,024 vs $2,210 including rent). Matola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 418% 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 $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,024 per month in Matola versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,024 in Matola versus $2,210 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 116% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.