Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Matola vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Matola vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Matola vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Matola costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 MZN 485

$5.99 COP 21.4K

28.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.94 MZN 3,095

$32.86 COP 117.4K

48.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 MZN 481

$7.09 COP 25.3K

7.19%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.71 COP 6,115

-6.43%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.55

$1.10 COP 3,924

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.58

$0.78 COP 2,781

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$1.68 COP 5,997

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MZN 101

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-47.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MZN 99.1

$1.09 COP 3,906

44.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MZN 65.8

$1.26 COP 4,508

-17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$1.38 COP 4,922

22.46%

Eggs

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.19 COP 7,827

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 MZN 824

$4.40 COP 15.7K

196.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MZN 334

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-6.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 MZN 294

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-47.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.34 COP 8,349

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MZN 39.82

$1.06 COP 3,777

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MZN 84.6

$1.50 COP 5,374

-10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 MZN 62.6

$1.38 COP 4,924

-28.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.1

$1.15 COP 4,111

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MZN 42.60

$1.16 COP 4,155

-42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$0.89 COP 3,182

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.63

$0.84 COP 2,997

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MZN 165

$2.28 COP 8,145

14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 MZN 451

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.8

$1.20 COP 4,284

-18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MZN 81.4

$2.47 COP 8,824

-47.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.47 COP 5,264

8.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 MZN 183

$1.96 COP 7,009

47.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,545

$7.74 COP 27.6K

215.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 83.1

$0.95 COP 3,409

37.89%

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

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

97.42%

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

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-25.60%

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

$38.50 MZN 2,435

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-53.19%

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

$14.16 MZN 895

$9.50 COP 33.9K

49.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 MZN 5,031

$24.23 COP 86.5K

228.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 MZN 2,488

$25.89 COP 92.4K

51.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MZN 485

$3.93 COP 14.0K

95.17%

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

$185 MZN 11.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-2.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 MZN 3,111

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-16.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 MZN 3,966

$32.35 COP 115.5K

93.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MZN 5,227

$103 COP 366.4K

-19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,085

$108 COP 387.2K

-25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MZN 30.1K

$476 COP 1.7M

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MZN 25.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MZN 50.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

-5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 MZN 36.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-19.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 MZN 19.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-39.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

13.43

81.16%

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

Last update for Matola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Matola versus $476 in Medellin. 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 65% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Matola versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Matola vs $188 in Medellin – so Matola wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,024 in Matola, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 1% apart. Matola 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 $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Matola and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Matola at $1,024. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Matola it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,024 in Matola. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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