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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Matola vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,513 per month in Matola vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,013 per month in Matola vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Matola is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Matola sits 26% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 MZN 507

$8.02 COP 25.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 MZN 4,015

$47.87 COP 151.0K

32.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 MZN 468

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-25.08%

Cappuccino

$1.55 MZN 97.8

$3.13 COP 9,873

-50.48%

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

$0.89 MZN 56.0

$1.91 COP 6,019

-53.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MZN 44.16

$1.51 COP 4,763

-53.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 MZN 75.9

$3.12 COP 9,853

-61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MZN 96.6

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-73.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$1.44 COP 4,558

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MZN 63.1

$2.49 COP 7,843

-59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MZN 102

$1.77 COP 5,595

-9.60%

Eggs

$1.83 MZN 116

$2.96 COP 9,336

-38.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 MZN 836

$10.07 COP 31.8K

31.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 MZN 364

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-43.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 MZN 293

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-67.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MZN 126

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-52.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.41

$1.61 COP 5,073

-63.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MZN 103

$2.25 COP 7,083

-27.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 MZN 66.0

$2.25 COP 7,104

-53.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MZN 63.2

$2.04 COP 6,444

-50.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MZN 51.7

$1.54 COP 4,842

-46.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MZN 60.1

$1.17 COP 3,691

-18.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.52

$1.31 COP 4,121

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 MZN 175

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-29.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 MZN 458

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-48.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.9

$1.74 COP 5,498

-44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MZN 76.8

$2.87 COP 9,053

-57.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.31 COP 4,129

22.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MZN 75.6

$2.19 COP 6,899

-45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.78 MZN 1,568

$8.71 COP 27.5K

184.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MZN 84.1

$1.37 COP 4,306

-2.92%

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

$31.1K MZN 2.0M

$27.8K COP 87.8M

11.88%

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

$22.6K MZN 1.4M

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-36.70%

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

$38.84 MZN 2,456

$177 COP 559.3K

-78.09%

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

$7.69 MZN 487

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-44.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 MZN 4,863

$29.72 COP 93.8K

158.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 MZN 2,462

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 MZN 487

$6.65 COP 21.0K

15.94%

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

$127 MZN 8,020

$813 COP 2.6M

-84.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,198 MZN 328.8K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MZN 3,212

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-43.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 MZN 3,573

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 MZN 4,936

$138 COP 435.9K

-43.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 MZN 5,043

$102 COP 322.1K

-21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 MZN 29.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-56.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MZN 24.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-40.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 MZN 45.2K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-62.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 MZN 35.2K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-45.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 MZN 19.6K

$678 COP 2.1M

-54.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

128.52%

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

Last update for Matola: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Matola versus $1,062 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 119% higher in Medellin, 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 $63.0 in Matola versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Matola vs $305 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: $1,013 in Matola, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 66% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,520 per month in Matola and $2,521 in Medellin. 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 $1,013 in Matola and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $127 per month in Matola and $813 in Medellin. 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 $1,013, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 Matola to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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