Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Nampula

For one person, living is cheaper in Nampula: $529 a month against $995 in Matola, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Matola
🇲🇿 Mozambique
$995
/mo nomad
Nampula
🇲🇿 Mozambique
$529
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matola and in Nampula

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Matola and in Nampula actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $995 per month in Matola vs $529 in Nampula, rent included.

  • Matola $995
  • Nampula $529

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Matola vs $704 in Nampula, rent included.

  • Matola $1,520
  • Nampula $704

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Matola vs $879 in Nampula, rent included.

  • Matola $2,045
  • Nampula $879

Matola costs about 88% more than Nampula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Matola and Nampula are more affordable than the global median – Matola 26% lower, Nampula 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.60 MZN 481
$5.39 MZN 341
41.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.4 MZN 4,010
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.32 MZN 463
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.58 MZN 99.9
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MZN 52.1
$0.75 MZN 47.73
9.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 MZN 46.85
$0.37 MZN 23.69
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.15 MZN 72.9
$1.51 MZN 95.7
-23.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 MZN 96.3
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 MZN 97.4
$1.48 MZN 93.5
4.05%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 MZN 62.8
$0.48 MZN 30.58
106.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 MZN 105
$1.12 MZN 70.8
48.21%
Eggs
$1.84 MZN 117
$1.90 MZN 120
-3.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.09 MZN 828
$10.19 MZN 644
28.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 MZN 357
$3.55 MZN 224
59.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.55 MZN 288
$3.81 MZN 241
19.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 MZN 131
$3.05 MZN 193
-32.13%
Banana (1kg)
$0.59 MZN 37.08
$3.15 MZN 199
-81.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 MZN 108
$2.04 MZN 129
-16.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.07 MZN 67.9
$0.98 MZN 62.2
9.18%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 MZN 62.7
$1.47 MZN 93.2
-32.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.82 MZN 51.8
$1.77 MZN 112
-53.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.97 MZN 61.2
$0.80 MZN 50.4
21.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 MZN 33.63
$0.88 MZN 55.8
-39.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.83 MZN 179
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.98 MZN 442
$6.44 MZN 407
8.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 MZN 57.2
$2.38 MZN 151
-62.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 MZN 78.4
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Matola
Nampula
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.18 MZN 11.34
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.59 MZN 101
$1.59 MZN 100
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 MZN 75.6
$2.37 MZN 150
-49.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.67 MZN 1,560
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 MZN 89.8
$1.48 MZN 93.8
-4.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K MZN 2.0M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K MZN 1.4M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.72 MZN 2,512
$118 MZN 7,444
-66.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.80 MZN 493
$33.46 MZN 2,116
-76.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$77.3 MZN 4,891
$124 MZN 7,826
-37.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.53 MZN 2,500
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.87 MZN 498
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$130 MZN 8,234
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,052 MZN 319.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.07 MZN 3,104
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.0 MZN 3,606
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.1 MZN 4,939
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 MZN 5,019
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Matola
Nampula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$473 MZN 29.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$389 MZN 24.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$693 MZN 43.8K
$943 MZN 59.7K
-26.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 MZN 34.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Matola
Nampula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$315 MZN 19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
25
0
-

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

Last update for Matola: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nampula: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Matola
$389
Nampula
–
Groceries & Markets
Matola
$182
Nampula
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Matola
$125
Nampula
–
Clothing & Footwear
Matola
$119
Nampula
–
Eating Out
Matola
$117
Nampula
–
Sport & Entertainment
Matola
$55
Nampula
–
Getting Around
Matola
$7.6 *
Nampula
–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know
🇲🇿 Matola
🇲🇿 Nampula
🕒 Local time
09:48 9:48 AM
09:48 9:48 AM
Same time as Matola
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
675,422
477,900
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MZN – Mozambican Metical Converter

Mozambican Metical exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 63.25 MZN (100 MZN = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71.11 MZN (100 MZN = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Matola Nampula 1,400 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Matola
  • Nampula

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nampula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Matola and in Nampula compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $995 in Matola, $529 in Nampula – roughly 88% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Matola compared to Nampula?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,492 per month in Matola and $794 in Nampula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Matola or Nampula?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $995 in Matola and $529 in Nampula. That's a gap of about 88%.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Matola – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nampula, where all-in costs run around $529, than in Matola at $995. In Nampula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Matola it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Matola or Nampula?
Families tend to lean toward Nampula – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Matola and Nampula?
If budget matters most, go with Nampula. 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.

Matola vs other spots: cost of living compared

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