Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Maputo Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Maputo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Matola vs $1,121 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Matola vs $1,697 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Matola vs $2,273 in Maputo, rent included.

Matola is about 9% cheaper than Maputo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Matola and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Matola 24% lower, Maputo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 MZN 485

$9.25 MZN 585

-17.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.94 MZN 3,095

$48.78 MZN 3,085

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 MZN 481

$8.33 MZN 527

-8.76%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MZN 101

$2.07 MZN 131

-22.71%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.55

$0.76 MZN 47.93

-1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.58

$0.58 MZN 36.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$1.42 MZN 89.9

-16.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.59 MZN 101

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MZN 99.1

$1.59 MZN 100

-1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MZN 65.8

$1.09 MZN 68.9

-4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$1.68 MZN 106

0.60%

Eggs

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.45 MZN 155

-21.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 MZN 824

$15.25 MZN 964

-14.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MZN 334

$5.22 MZN 330

1.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 MZN 294

$5.17 MZN 327

-10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$1.92 MZN 121

2.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MZN 39.82

$0.92 MZN 58.3

-31.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MZN 84.6

$1.33 MZN 84.1

0.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 MZN 62.6

$0.91 MZN 57.7

8.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.1

$0.92 MZN 58.0

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MZN 42.60

$0.71 MZN 44.90

-5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$0.93 MZN 58.6

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.63

$0.79 MZN 49.88

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MZN 165

$2.63 MZN 166

-0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 MZN 451

$9.24 MZN 584

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.8

$0.97 MZN 61.3

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MZN 81.4

$1.43 MZN 90.2

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MZN 22.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.19 MZN 834

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.59 MZN 100

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 MZN 183

$3.01 MZN 190

-3.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,545

$24.06 MZN 1,522

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 83.1

$1.33 MZN 84.2

-1.50%

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

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

0.82%

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

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

0.62%

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

$38.50 MZN 2,435

$90.0 MZN 5,689

-57.20%

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

$14.16 MZN 895

$14.38 MZN 909

-1.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 MZN 5,031

$106 MZN 6,681

-24.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 MZN 2,488

$41.51 MZN 2,625

-5.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MZN 1,663

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MZN 485

$7.61 MZN 481

0.79%

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

$185 MZN 11.7K

$183 MZN 11.6K

0.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 MZN 3,111

$49.38 MZN 3,123

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 MZN 3,966

$62.8 MZN 3,969

-0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MZN 5,227

$82.6 MZN 5,226

0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,085

$78.5 MZN 4,964

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MZN 30.1K

$604 MZN 38.2K

-21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MZN 25.0K

$345 MZN 21.8K

14.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MZN 50.2K

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

-30.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 MZN 36.6K

$623 MZN 39.4K

-7.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 MZN 19.6K

$329 MZN 20.8K

-6.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

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

Last update for Matola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Matola versus $604 in Maputo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Maputo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Matola versus $49.00 in Maputo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $199 – making Matola the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Maputo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,024 in Matola, $1,121 in Maputo – roughly 10% apart. Maputo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Matola and $1,682 in Maputo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matola, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,024 in Matola and $1,121 in Maputo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Matola and $183 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Matola, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Maputo at $1,121. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maputo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matola – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Matola. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maputo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.