Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Matola and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Matola vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,551 per month in Matola vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Matola vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Matola is about 19% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 MZN 496

$11.99 MX$210

-34.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.99 MZN 3,162

$41.78 MX$733

19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MZN 482

$10.75 MX$189

-29.02%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MZN 100

$3.50 MX$61.3

-54.57%

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

$0.82 MZN 51.8

$1.45 MX$25.41

-43.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.82

$0.88 MX$15.52

-39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MZN 73.0

$2.95 MX$51.7

-61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MZN 97.1

$4.51 MX$79.1

-65.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MZN 101

$1.43 MX$25.12

11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MZN 69.4

$1.84 MX$32.23

-40.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MZN 102

$1.57 MX$27.51

2.55%

Eggs

$1.91 MZN 121

$2.51 MX$44.06

-23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 MZN 855

$8.28 MX$145

63.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MZN 333

$8.43 MX$148

-37.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 MZN 290

$10.68 MX$187

-57.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MZN 124

$2.61 MX$45.76

-24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 MZN 37.01

$1.44 MX$25.22

-59.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MZN 88.2

$1.96 MX$34.41

-29.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.6

$2.09 MX$36.74

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MZN 58.1

$1.85 MX$32.47

-50.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.81

$2.17 MX$38.02

-68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MZN 58.0

$1.03 MX$18.09

-10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.57

$1.07 MX$18.84

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 MZN 166

$4.10 MX$72.0

-35.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 MZN 439

$10.17 MX$178

-31.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MZN 60.7

$1.68 MX$29.38

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MZN 77.1

$2.53 MX$44.31

-51.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 MZN 96.8

$3.23 MX$56.7

-52.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 MZN 189

$2.41 MX$42.19

23.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 MZN 1,538

$3.23 MX$56.6

652.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.8

$1.32 MX$23.17

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

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

16.21%

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

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-16.97%

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

$39.61 MZN 2,505

$82.0 MX$1,439

-51.70%

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

$14.23 MZN 900

$22.95 MX$403

-38.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 MZN 4,930

$30.11 MX$528

158.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.51 MZN 2,499

$52.0 MX$912

-23.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 MZN 509

$4.98 MX$87.3

61.65%

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

$180 MZN 11.4K

$197 MX$3,463

-8.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,814 MZN 367.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

8.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.24 MZN 3,114

$35.60 MX$624

38.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 MZN 3,858

$40.33 MX$707

51.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 MZN 5,146

$78.8 MX$1,381

3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,083

$88.9 MX$1,560

-9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MZN 30.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

-49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MZN 24.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-16.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 MZN 49.5K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-52.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MZN 36.8K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-52.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MZN 20.1K

$654 MX$11.5K

-51.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

11.42

113.05%

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

Last update for Matola: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Matola versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 106% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Matola vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Matola, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 24% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Matola and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Matola and $197 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Matola to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.