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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Matola vs $1,093 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,551 per month in Matola vs $1,692 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Matola vs $2,291 in Maputo, rent included.

Matola is about 7% cheaper than Maputo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Matola and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Matola 24% lower, Maputo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 MZN 496

$9.58 MZN 606

-18.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.99 MZN 3,162

$49.65 MZN 3,141

0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MZN 482

$8.57 MZN 542

-10.97%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MZN 100

$2.13 MZN 135

-25.35%

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

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$0.77 MZN 48.48

6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.82

$0.58 MZN 36.41

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 73.0

$1.39 MZN 88.1

-17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MZN 97.1

$1.52 MZN 96.2

1.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.56 MZN 98.8

2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MZN 102

$1.62 MZN 103

-0.62%

Eggs

$1.91 MZN 121

$2.42 MZN 153

-21.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 MZN 855

$15.16 MZN 959

-10.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MZN 333

$5.33 MZN 337

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 MZN 290

$5.18 MZN 327

-11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MZN 124

$1.95 MZN 123

0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.01

$0.93 MZN 58.8

-36.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 88.2

$1.39 MZN 87.7

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$0.98 MZN 61.9

-5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$0.98 MZN 61.7

-6.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.81

$0.68 MZN 42.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$0.93 MZN 58.8

-1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.57

$0.76 MZN 48.06

-30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$2.65 MZN 167

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 MZN 439

$8.86 MZN 561

-21.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.7

$1.01 MZN 63.9

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MZN 77.1

$1.43 MZN 90.6

-14.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MZN 21.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.25 MZN 838

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 MZN 96.8

$1.54 MZN 97.4

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MZN 189

$3.01 MZN 191

-1.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 MZN 1,538

$24.17 MZN 1,529

0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.8

$1.37 MZN 86.7

-3.65%

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

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-2.67%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

-1.92%

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

$39.61 MZN 2,505

$89.8 MZN 5,678

-55.88%

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

$14.23 MZN 900

$14.28 MZN 903

-0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 MZN 4,930

$108 MZN 6,810

-27.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.51 MZN 2,499

$41.17 MZN 2,604

-4.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.70 MZN 1,625

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 MZN 509

$7.62 MZN 482

5.64%

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

$180 MZN 11.4K

$181 MZN 11.5K

-0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,814 MZN 367.8K

$5,673 MZN 358.8K

2.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 MZN 3,114

$49.58 MZN 3,136

-0.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 MZN 3,858

$61.6 MZN 3,897

-0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 MZN 5,146

$81.7 MZN 5,167

-0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,083

$78.7 MZN 4,978

2.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MZN 30.0K

$607 MZN 38.4K

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MZN 24.9K

$338 MZN 21.4K

16.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 MZN 49.5K

$1,117 MZN 70.7K

-29.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MZN 36.8K

$623 MZN 39.4K

-6.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 MZN 268.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 MZN 129.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MZN 20.1K

$332 MZN 21.0K

-4.37%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maputo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Matola versus $607 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 5% 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 $50.0 in Matola versus $50.0 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: $1,017 in Matola, $1,093 in Maputo – roughly 8% apart. Maputo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Matola and $1,640 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 $1,017 in Matola and $1,093 in Maputo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Matola and $181 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 $1,017, than in Maputo at $1,093. 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.