Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maputo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maputo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,093 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,291 in Maputo, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Maputo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Maputo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.58 MZN 606

-35.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$49.65 MZN 3,139

-34.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.57 MZN 542

-14.35%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.13 MZN 134

-19.25%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 MZN 48.46

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.58 MZN 36.40

32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.39 MZN 88.1

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.52 MZN 96.1

108.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.56 MZN 98.8

-32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.10 MZN 69.4

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.62 MZN 103

-13.58%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.42 MZN 153

-10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.16 MZN 958

-71.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.33 MZN 337

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.18 MZN 327

66.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.95 MZN 123

16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.93 MZN 58.8

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.39 MZN 87.7

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.98 MZN 61.9

37.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.98 MZN 61.7

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.68 MZN 42.70

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.93 MZN 58.8

-8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.76 MZN 48.04

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.65 MZN 167

-11.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.86 MZN 560

39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.01 MZN 63.9

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.43 MZN 90.5

74.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.34 MZN 21.33

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$13.25 MZN 838

206.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.54 MZN 97.3

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.01 MZN 190

-36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$24.17 MZN 1,528

-68.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.37 MZN 86.6

-27.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-49.15%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

32.92%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$89.8 MZN 5,675

-9.98%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.28 MZN 903

-30.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$108 MZN 6,807

-77.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$41.17 MZN 2,603

-39.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$25.70 MZN 1,625

-25.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.62 MZN 482

-47.77%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$181 MZN 11.4K

68.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,673 MZN 358.6K

6.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.58 MZN 3,134

17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$61.6 MZN 3,895

-47.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$81.7 MZN 5,165

23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$78.7 MZN 4,976

36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$607 MZN 38.4K

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$338 MZN 21.4K

11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,117 MZN 70.6K

-24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$623 MZN 39.4K

17.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,241 MZN 268.1K

-24.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,045 MZN 129.3K

-32.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$332 MZN 21.0K

85.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

24.33

-44.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maputo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $607 in Maputo. 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 86% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Maputo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $199 – making Medellin 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

Medellin vs Maputo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,093 in Maputo – roughly 6% apart. Maputo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,640 in Maputo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $181 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Maputo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Maputo at $1,093. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maputo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,093 in Maputo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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