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 $1,024 per month in Matola vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,519 per month in Matola vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Matola vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Matola is about 21% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 MZN 485

$11.73 MX$203

-34.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.94 MZN 3,095

$41.62 MX$720

17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 MZN 481

$10.64 MX$184

-28.57%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MZN 101

$3.52 MX$60.9

-54.55%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.55

$1.51 MX$26.12

-50.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.58

$0.97 MX$16.84

-40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MZN 75.2

$2.95 MX$51.0

-59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MZN 101

$4.45 MX$77.0

-64.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MZN 99.1

$1.38 MX$23.93

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MZN 65.8

$1.89 MX$32.72

-44.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MZN 107

$1.64 MX$28.32

3.05%

Eggs

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.51 MX$43.34

-23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 MZN 824

$8.34 MX$144

56.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MZN 334

$8.34 MX$144

-36.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 MZN 294

$10.73 MX$186

-56.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.60 MX$45.04

-24.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 MZN 39.82

$1.46 MX$25.20

-56.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MZN 84.6

$1.90 MX$32.87

-29.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 MZN 62.6

$2.08 MX$35.91

-52.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.1

$1.78 MX$30.71

-47.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MZN 42.60

$2.19 MX$37.80

-69.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MZN 62.4

$1.04 MX$17.99

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MZN 33.63

$1.08 MX$18.62

-50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 MZN 165

$4.08 MX$70.6

-36.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 MZN 451

$10.32 MX$178

-30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MZN 61.8

$1.71 MX$29.61

-42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MZN 81.4

$2.58 MX$44.54

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 MZN 101

$3.26 MX$56.4

-50.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 MZN 183

$2.49 MX$43.09

16.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 MZN 1,545

$3.25 MX$56.2

652.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 83.1

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

18.21%

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

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-15.90%

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

$38.50 MZN 2,435

$82.9 MX$1,433

-53.54%

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

$14.16 MZN 895

$22.22 MX$384

-36.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 MZN 5,031

$29.34 MX$507

171.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.34 MZN 2,488

$51.6 MX$893

-23.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MZN 485

$5.07 MX$87.6

51.28%

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

$185 MZN 11.7K

$201 MX$3,473

-7.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

11.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 MZN 3,111

$36.92 MX$639

33.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 MZN 3,966

$39.79 MX$688

57.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MZN 5,227

$78.5 MX$1,357

5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MZN 5,085

$87.1 MX$1,506

-7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MZN 30.1K

$973 MX$16.8K

-51.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MZN 25.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 MZN 50.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-51.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 MZN 36.6K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-52.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 MZN 19.6K

$664 MX$11.5K

-53.38%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Matola versus $973 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 114% 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 $49.00 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: $1,024 in Matola, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 27% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Matola and $1,945 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 $1,024 in Matola and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Matola and $201 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 $1,024, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,024 in Matola to $1,297 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.