Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Matola vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,551 per month in Matola vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Matola vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Matola is about 19% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Matola and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Matola 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 MZN 496

$4.55 ฿153

72.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.99 MZN 3,162

$46.18 ฿1,554

8.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MZN 482

$8.84 ฿298

-13.69%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MZN 100

$3.06 ฿103

-48.04%

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

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$0.73 ฿24.42

12.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.82

$0.40 ฿13.40

32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 73.0

$2.43 ฿81.8

-52.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MZN 97.1

$3.78 ฿127

-59.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MZN 101

$2.26 ฿76.0

-29.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$1.81 ฿60.9

-39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MZN 102

$2.25 ฿75.8

-28.44%

Eggs

$1.91 MZN 121

$2.25 ฿75.6

-15.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 MZN 855

$19.51 ฿656

-30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MZN 333

$3.65 ฿123

44.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 MZN 290

$13.05 ฿439

-64.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MZN 124

$3.23 ฿109

-39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.01

$1.62 ฿54.4

-63.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 88.2

$2.38 ฿80.2

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$2.03 ฿68.2

-54.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$1.53 ฿51.6

-39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.81

$1.50 ฿50.5

-54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$0.98 ฿32.93

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.57

$0.52 ฿17.40

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$4.44 ฿149

-40.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 MZN 439

$18.32 ฿616

-62.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.7

$1.86 ฿62.7

-48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MZN 77.1

$2.68 ฿90.2

-54.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 MZN 96.8

$3.11 ฿105

-50.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MZN 189

$1.04 ฿35.08

186.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 MZN 1,538

$14.11 ฿475

72.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.8

$1.31 ฿44.13

0.76%

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

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

24.07%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-40.85%

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

$39.61 MZN 2,505

$122 ฿4,120

-67.65%

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

$14.23 MZN 900

$13.59 ฿457

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 MZN 4,930

$18.70 ฿629

316.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.51 MZN 2,499

$60.5 ฿2,035

-34.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 MZN 509

$9.07 ฿305

-11.25%

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

$180 MZN 11.4K

$706 ฿23.8K

-74.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,814 MZN 367.8K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-63.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 MZN 3,114

$58.6 ฿1,970

-15.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 MZN 3,858

$35.36 ฿1,190

72.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 MZN 5,146

$115 ฿3,885

-29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,083

$83.7 ฿2,818

-4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MZN 30.0K

$626 ฿21.1K

-24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MZN 24.9K

$445 ฿15.0K

-11.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 MZN 49.5K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MZN 36.8K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-61.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MZN 20.1K

$500 ฿16.8K

-36.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

5.33

356.47%

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

Last update for Matola: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Matola versus $626 in Phuket. 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 58% higher in Phuket, 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Matola vs $289 in Phuket – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Matola, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 23% apart. Phuket 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 $1,875 in Phuket. 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 $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Matola and $706 in Phuket. 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 Phuket at $1,250. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Matola to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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