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 $1,017 per month in Matola vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,551 per month in Matola vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Matola vs $3,266 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 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 MZN 496

$13.07 MX$229

-40.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.99 MZN 3,162

$53.8 MX$943

-7.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MZN 482

$9.68 MX$170

-21.18%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MZN 100

$3.74 MX$65.6

-57.49%

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

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$1.62 MX$28.34

-49.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.82

$1.16 MX$20.37

-54.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 73.0

$3.23 MX$56.6

-64.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MZN 97.1

$4.74 MX$83.1

-67.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.65 MX$28.89

-3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$2.75 MX$48.30

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MZN 102

$1.87 MX$32.87

-13.90%

Eggs

$1.91 MZN 121

$2.50 MX$43.86

-23.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 MZN 855

$10.20 MX$179

32.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MZN 333

$8.25 MX$145

-36.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 MZN 290

$11.82 MX$207

-61.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MZN 124

$3.01 MX$52.8

-34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.01

$1.81 MX$31.77

-67.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 88.2

$2.00 MX$35.07

-30.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$2.00 MX$35.00

-53.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$2.08 MX$36.56

-55.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.81

$2.27 MX$39.85

-70.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$1.46 MX$25.55

-36.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.57

$1.08 MX$18.88

-50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$4.35 MX$76.3

-39.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 MZN 439

$16.99 MX$298

-59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.7

$1.73 MX$30.40

-44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MZN 77.1

$3.58 MX$62.7

-65.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 MZN 96.8

$1.33 MX$23.25

15.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MZN 189

$0.28 MX$4.91

964.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 MZN 1,538

$5.25 MX$92.1

363.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.8

$1.34 MX$23.44

-1.49%

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

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

77.79%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-17.56%

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

$39.61 MZN 2,505

$40.69 MX$714

-2.65%

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

$14.23 MZN 900

$26.87 MX$471

-47.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 MZN 4,930

$30.51 MX$535

155.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.51 MZN 2,499

$52.8 MX$926

-25.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 MZN 509

$6.51 MX$114

23.66%

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

$180 MZN 11.4K

$428 MX$7,508

-57.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,814 MZN 367.8K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-44.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 MZN 3,114

$57.3 MX$1,004

-13.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 MZN 3,858

$45.50 MX$798

34.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 MZN 5,146

$104 MX$1,825

-21.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,083

$108 MX$1,891

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MZN 30.0K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-52.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MZN 24.9K

$623 MX$10.9K

-36.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 MZN 49.5K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-62.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MZN 36.8K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-52.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MZN 20.1K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-69.44%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Matola versus $1,003 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 227% 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 $50.0 in Matola versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $292 – 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: $1,017 in Matola, $1,456 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 $1,525 per month in Matola and $2,185 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 $1,017 in Matola and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Matola and $428 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 $1,017, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $1,017 in Matola to $1,456 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.