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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,121 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,697 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,273 in Maputo, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Maputo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Maputo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.25 MZN 585

-35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$48.78 MZN 3,086

-32.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.33 MZN 527

-14.89%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.07 MZN 131

-17.39%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.76 MZN 47.93

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.58 MZN 36.76

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.42 MZN 89.9

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.59 MZN 101

93.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.59 MZN 100

-31.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.09 MZN 68.9

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.68 MZN 106

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.45 MZN 155

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$15.25 MZN 964

-71.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.22 MZN 330

7.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$5.17 MZN 327

71.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.92 MZN 121

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.92 MZN 58.3

15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.33 MZN 84.1

12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.91 MZN 57.7

51.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.92 MZN 58.0

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.71 MZN 44.90

63.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.93 MZN 58.6

-4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.79 MZN 49.88

6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.63 MZN 166

-13.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.24 MZN 584

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.97 MZN 61.3

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.43 MZN 90.2

72.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.36 MZN 22.81

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$13.19 MZN 834

213.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.59 MZN 100

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.01 MZN 190

-34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$24.06 MZN 1,522

-67.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.33 MZN 84.2

-28.57%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-48.93%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

35.24%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$90.0 MZN 5,689

-8.56%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$14.38 MZN 909

-33.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$106 MZN 6,682

-77.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$41.51 MZN 2,626

-37.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$26.30 MZN 1,663

-27.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.61 MZN 481

-48.36%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$183 MZN 11.6K

69.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

2.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$49.38 MZN 3,123

18.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$62.8 MZN 3,969

-48.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$82.6 MZN 5,227

24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$78.5 MZN 4,965

38.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$604 MZN 38.2K

-21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$345 MZN 21.8K

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

-26.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$623 MZN 39.4K

16.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

-32.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

-42.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$329 MZN 20.8K

55.34%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $604 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 55% 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 $49.00 in Maputo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,121 in Maputo – roughly 11% apart. Maputo costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,682 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 $309 per month in Medellin and $183 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,013, than in Maputo at $1,121. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,121 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.