Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Matola vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Matola vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Matola vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Matola is about 30% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Matola sits 24% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 MZN 485

$13.18 MX$228

-41.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.94 MZN 3,095

$53.9 MX$932

-9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 MZN 481

$9.42 MX$163

-19.32%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MZN 101

$3.55 MX$61.4

-54.93%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.55

$1.62 MX$27.98

-53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.58

$1.11 MX$19.27

-47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$3.12 MX$54.0

-61.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MZN 101

$4.63 MX$80.1

-65.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MZN 99.1

$1.70 MX$29.43

-7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MZN 65.8

$2.72 MX$47.02

-61.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$1.91 MX$33.07

-11.52%

Eggs

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.54 MX$43.86

-24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 MZN 824

$10.03 MX$174

29.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MZN 334

$8.09 MX$140

-34.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 MZN 294

$11.62 MX$201

-59.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.97 MX$51.3

-33.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MZN 39.82

$1.81 MX$31.24

-65.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MZN 84.6

$2.01 MX$34.82

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 MZN 62.6

$2.03 MX$35.20

-51.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.1

$2.12 MX$36.75

-56.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MZN 42.60

$2.27 MX$39.25

-70.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$1.40 MX$24.22

-29.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.63

$1.13 MX$19.55

-53.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MZN 165

$4.27 MX$73.9

-38.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 MZN 451

$15.56 MX$269

-54.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.8

$1.76 MX$30.39

-44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MZN 81.4

$3.60 MX$62.2

-64.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.38 MX$23.79

15.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 MZN 183

$0.28 MX$4.78

932.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,545

$5.45 MX$94.2

348.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 83.1

$1.30 MX$22.55

0.77%

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

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

91.55%

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

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-14.81%

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

$38.50 MZN 2,435

$40.86 MX$707

-5.78%

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

$14.16 MZN 895

$26.81 MX$464

-47.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 MZN 5,031

$29.96 MX$518

165.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 MZN 2,488

$52.0 MX$900

-24.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MZN 485

$6.30 MX$109

21.75%

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

$185 MZN 11.7K

$436 MX$7,544

-57.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-44.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 MZN 3,111

$56.7 MX$980

-13.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 MZN 3,966

$44.38 MX$768

41.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MZN 5,227

$103 MX$1,780

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,085

$106 MX$1,825

-23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MZN 30.1K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MZN 25.0K

$631 MX$10.9K

-37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MZN 50.2K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-62.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 MZN 36.6K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-53.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 MZN 19.6K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-72.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

11.34

114.55%

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

Last update for Matola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Matola versus $1,022 in Mexico City. 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 260% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $288 – 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,024 in Matola, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 43% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Matola and $2,201 in Mexico City. 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 $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Matola and $436 in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City at $1,467. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,024 in Matola to $1,467 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.