Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Maputo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Maputo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,093 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,692 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,291 in Maputo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 33% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Maputo is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$9.58 MZN 606

36.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$49.65 MZN 3,139

8.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.57 MZN 542

12.95%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.13 MZN 134

75.59%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.77 MZN 48.46

110.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.58 MZN 36.40

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.39 MZN 88.1

132.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.52 MZN 96.1

211.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.56 MZN 98.8

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.10 MZN 69.4

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.62 MZN 103

15.43%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.42 MZN 153

3.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$15.16 MZN 958

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.33 MZN 337

54.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$5.18 MZN 327

128.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.95 MZN 123

54.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.93 MZN 58.8

94.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.39 MZN 87.7

43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.98 MZN 61.9

104.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.98 MZN 61.7

112.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.68 MZN 42.70

233.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.93 MZN 58.8

56.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.76 MZN 48.04

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.65 MZN 167

64.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.86 MZN 560

91.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.01 MZN 63.9

71.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.43 MZN 90.5

150.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.34 MZN 21.33

14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$13.25 MZN 838

41.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.54 MZN 97.3

-13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$3.01 MZN 190

-90.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$24.17 MZN 1,528

-78.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.37 MZN 86.6

-2.19%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-45.26%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

18.97%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$89.8 MZN 5,675

-54.67%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$14.28 MZN 903

88.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$108 MZN 6,807

-71.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$41.17 MZN 2,603

28.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$25.70 MZN 1,625

3.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$7.62 MZN 482

-14.57%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$181 MZN 11.4K

136.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$5,673 MZN 358.6K

85.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$49.58 MZN 3,134

15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$61.6 MZN 3,895

-26.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$81.7 MZN 5,165

27.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$78.7 MZN 4,976

36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$607 MZN 38.4K

65.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$338 MZN 21.4K

84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,117 MZN 70.6K

88.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$623 MZN 39.4K

95.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$4,241 MZN 268.1K

-8.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,045 MZN 129.3K

-0.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$332 MZN 21.0K

212.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

24.33

-53.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maputo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City 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 213% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $50.0 in Maputo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $199 – making Maputo 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

Mexico City vs Maputo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,093 in Maputo – roughly 33% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City 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 Maputo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City 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 47% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maputo, where all-in costs run around $1,093, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,093 in Maputo to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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