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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,145 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,752 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,358 in Maputo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 45% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Maputo is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$10.25 MZN 648

16.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$61.5 MZN 3,891

-16.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.14 MZN 451

59.80%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.27 MZN 143

75.77%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.83 MZN 52.3

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.68 MZN 42.92

95.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.60 MZN 102

116.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.33 MZN 147

153.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.58 MZN 100

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.03 MZN 65.2

215.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.58 MZN 99.9

36.71%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.49 MZN 157

16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$20.61 MZN 1,304

-37.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.63 MZN 356

78.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.80 MZN 367

173.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.97 MZN 124

67.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.80 MZN 50.7

151.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.62 MZN 103

35.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.09 MZN 69.1

116.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.03 MZN 65.4

99.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.82 MZN 51.8

131.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.98 MZN 62.3

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.92 MZN 58.1

52.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.81 MZN 177

94.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$10.11 MZN 639

74.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.02 MZN 64.5

101.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.27 MZN 80.4

268.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.40 MZN 25.37

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$23.29 MZN 1,473

-10.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.60 MZN 101

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.14 MZN 72.0

-50.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$24.31 MZN 1,537

-76.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.40 MZN 88.3

15.00%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$31.7K MZN 2.0M

-27.99%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.1K MZN 1.5M

15.91%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$70.6 MZN 4,467

-7.70%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$7.73 MZN 489

289.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$86.5 MZN 5,471

-57.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$42.45 MZN 2,685

40.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$26.45 MZN 1,673

0.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.00 MZN 506

-12.00%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$129 MZN 8,176

259.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$5,136 MZN 324.9K

158.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$49.81 MZN 3,150

52.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$55.7 MZN 3,524

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$78.7 MZN 4,980

42.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$79.1 MZN 5,005

52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$554 MZN 35.0K

98.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$383 MZN 24.2K

88.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,074 MZN 67.9K

135.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$568 MZN 35.9K

127.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$4,174 MZN 264.0K

-4.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,072 MZN 131.1K

0.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$333 MZN 21.1K

211.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-54.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Maputo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $554 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 212% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $62.0 in Maputo. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $224 in Maputo – so Maputo 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,145 in Maputo – roughly 45% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,718 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 $465 per month in Mexico City and $129 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $1,145, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $1,145 in Maputo to $1,660 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.