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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Matola vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,551 per month in Matola vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Matola vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Matola is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Matola and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Matola 24% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 MZN 496

$6.16 COP 20.1K

27.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.99 MZN 3,162

$32.60 COP 106.1K

53.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MZN 482

$7.34 COP 23.9K

3.95%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MZN 100

$1.72 COP 5,600

-7.56%

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

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$1.05 COP 3,420

-21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.82

$0.77 COP 2,515

-31.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 73.0

$1.69 COP 5,488

-31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MZN 97.1

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-51.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.05 COP 3,423

52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$1.30 COP 4,236

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MZN 102

$1.40 COP 4,544

15.00%

Eggs

$1.91 MZN 121

$2.16 COP 7,047

-11.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 MZN 855

$4.39 COP 14.3K

207.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MZN 333

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 MZN 290

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-46.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MZN 124

$2.28 COP 7,426

-14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.01

$1.11 COP 3,604

-46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 88.2

$1.53 COP 4,983

-9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$1.35 COP 4,410

-31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$1.13 COP 3,674

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.81

$1.13 COP 3,692

-39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$0.85 COP 2,753

8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.57

$0.91 COP 2,975

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$2.34 COP 7,630

12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 MZN 439

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.7

$1.20 COP 3,909

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MZN 77.1

$2.49 COP 8,104

-51.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 MZN 96.8

$1.42 COP 4,623

7.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MZN 189

$1.92 COP 6,235

55.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 MZN 1,538

$7.66 COP 24.9K

217.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.8

$0.99 COP 3,223

33.33%

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

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

91.41%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-26.21%

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

$39.61 MZN 2,505

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-50.98%

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

$14.23 MZN 900

$9.95 COP 32.4K

43.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 MZN 4,930

$24.18 COP 78.7K

222.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.51 MZN 2,499

$25.08 COP 81.7K

57.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 MZN 509

$3.98 COP 13.0K

102.26%

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

$180 MZN 11.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

-40.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,814 MZN 367.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-4.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 MZN 3,114

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 MZN 3,858

$32.20 COP 104.8K

89.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 MZN 5,146

$101 COP 327.9K

-19.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,083

$108 COP 350.8K

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MZN 30.0K

$477 COP 1.6M

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MZN 24.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 MZN 49.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

-7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MZN 36.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-20.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MZN 20.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

-48.58%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Matola versus $477 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 94% 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 $50.0 in Matola versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Matola vs $193 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: $1,017 in Matola, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 1% apart. Medellin 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 $1,546 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 $1,017 in Matola and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Matola and $305 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 $1,017, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $1,017 in Matola to $1,031 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.