Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matola Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,513 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,013 in Matola, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Matola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Matola is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$8.02 MZN 507

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$63.5 MZN 4,015

-24.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.41 MZN 468

33.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.55 MZN 97.8

101.94%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.89 MZN 56.0

114.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.70 MZN 44.16

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.20 MZN 75.9

160.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.53 MZN 96.6

275.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.52 MZN 96.0

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.00 MZN 63.1

149.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.60 MZN 102

10.62%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.83 MZN 116

61.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$13.22 MZN 836

-23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$5.75 MZN 364

76.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$4.63 MZN 293

208.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.98 MZN 126

109.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$0.59 MZN 37.41

172.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.63 MZN 103

38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.04 MZN 66.0

116.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.00 MZN 63.2

104.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.82 MZN 51.7

87.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.95 MZN 60.1

23.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.53 MZN 33.52

147.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.76 MZN 175

41.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.24 MZN 458

93.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$0.96 MZN 60.9

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.21 MZN 76.8

137.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.60 MZN 101

-18.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.20 MZN 75.6

82.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$24.78 MZN 1,568

-64.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.33 MZN 84.1

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$31.1K MZN 2.0M

-10.62%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$22.6K MZN 1.4M

57.98%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$38.84 MZN 2,456

356.49%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$7.69 MZN 487

80.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$76.9 MZN 4,863

-61.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$38.93 MZN 2,462

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$7.71 MZN 487

-13.75%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$127 MZN 8,020

541.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,198 MZN 328.8K

76.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$50.8 MZN 3,212

76.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$56.5 MZN 3,573

4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$78.0 MZN 4,936

77.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$79.7 MZN 5,043

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$465 MZN 29.4K

128.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$393 MZN 24.8K

68.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$714 MZN 45.2K

164.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$557 MZN 35.2K

84.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$309 MZN 19.6K

119.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-56.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Matola: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $465 in Matola. 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 119% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $183 in Matola – 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

Medellin vs Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,013 in Matola – roughly 66% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,520 in Matola. 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,013 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $127 in Matola. 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 $1,013, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Matola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 Matola to $1,681 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.