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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,121 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,697 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,273 in Maputo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 31% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Maputo is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$9.25 MZN 585

42.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$48.78 MZN 3,085

10.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.33 MZN 527

13.09%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.07 MZN 131

71.50%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.76 MZN 47.93

113.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.58 MZN 36.75

91.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.42 MZN 89.9

119.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.59 MZN 101

191.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.59 MZN 100

6.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.09 MZN 68.9

149.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.68 MZN 106

13.69%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.45 MZN 155

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$15.25 MZN 964

-34.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.22 MZN 330

54.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$5.17 MZN 327

124.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.92 MZN 121

54.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$0.92 MZN 58.3

96.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.33 MZN 84.1

51.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.91 MZN 57.7

123.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.92 MZN 58.0

130.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.71 MZN 44.90

219.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.93 MZN 58.6

50.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.79 MZN 49.88

43.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.63 MZN 166

62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$9.24 MZN 584

68.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.97 MZN 61.3

81.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.43 MZN 90.2

151.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.36 MZN 22.81

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$13.19 MZN 834

45.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.59 MZN 100

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$3.01 MZN 190

-90.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$24.06 MZN 1,522

-77.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.33 MZN 84.2

-2.26%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-47.37%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

18.10%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$90.0 MZN 5,689

-54.57%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$14.38 MZN 909

86.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$106 MZN 6,681

-71.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$41.51 MZN 2,625

25.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$26.30 MZN 1,663

2.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.61 MZN 481

-17.21%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$183 MZN 11.6K

138.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

79.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$49.38 MZN 3,123

14.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$62.8 MZN 3,969

-29.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$82.6 MZN 5,226

24.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$78.5 MZN 4,964

34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$604 MZN 38.2K

69.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$345 MZN 21.8K

82.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

87.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$623 MZN 39.4K

99.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

-5.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

-1.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$329 MZN 20.8K

238.45%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City 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 238% 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 $49.00 in Maputo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,121 in Maputo – roughly 31% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City 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 Maputo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City 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 45% 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 $1,121, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $1,121 in Maputo to $1,467 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.