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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,551 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,084 in Matola, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Matola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Matola are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Matola 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.84 MZN 496

-21.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$49.99 MZN 3,160

-34.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.63 MZN 482

-3.80%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.59 MZN 100

8.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.82 MZN 51.8

28.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.53 MZN 33.81

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.15 MZN 73.0

46.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.54 MZN 97.1

105.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.60 MZN 101

-34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.10 MZN 69.4

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.61 MZN 102

-13.04%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.91 MZN 121

13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.52 MZN 855

-67.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.26 MZN 333

11.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.59 MZN 290

88.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.96 MZN 124

16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.59 MZN 36.99

88.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.39 MZN 88.2

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.93 MZN 58.6

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.92 MZN 58.1

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.68 MZN 42.79

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 MZN 58.0

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 MZN 33.55

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.63 MZN 166

-11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.94 MZN 439

78.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.96 MZN 60.7

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.22 MZN 77.1

104.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.53 MZN 96.7

-7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.98 MZN 189

-35.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$24.32 MZN 1,538

-68.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.32 MZN 83.8

-25.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

-47.76%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

35.52%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.61 MZN 2,504

104.01%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.23 MZN 900

-30.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$78.0 MZN 4,928

-68.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$39.51 MZN 2,498

-36.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.05 MZN 509

-50.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$180 MZN 11.4K

69.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,814 MZN 367.6K

4.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.24 MZN 3,113

18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$61.0 MZN 3,856

-47.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$81.4 MZN 5,143

23.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$80.4 MZN 5,080

34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$474 MZN 29.9K

0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$394 MZN 24.9K

-4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$782 MZN 49.5K

7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$581 MZN 36.7K

25.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$317 MZN 20.1K

94.47%

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 Matola: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $474 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 94% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $180 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,017 in Matola – roughly 1% apart. Medellin 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 $1,525 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,017 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $180 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 $1,017, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $1,017 in Matola to $1,031 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.