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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,024 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,519 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,014 in Matola, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 43% more than Matola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Matola is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.67 MZN 485

71.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$48.94 MZN 3,095

10.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.60 MZN 481

23.95%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.60 MZN 101

121.87%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.75 MZN 47.55

116.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.58 MZN 36.58

91.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.19 MZN 75.2

162.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.60 MZN 101

189.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.57 MZN 99.1

8.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.04 MZN 65.8

161.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.69 MZN 107

13.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.92 MZN 122

32.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$13.03 MZN 824

-23.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.28 MZN 334

53.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.65 MZN 294

149.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.97 MZN 124

50.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$0.63 MZN 39.82

187.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.34 MZN 84.6

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.99 MZN 62.6

105.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.93 MZN 59.1

127.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.67 MZN 42.60

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.99 MZN 62.4

41.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.53 MZN 33.63

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.61 MZN 165

63.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.14 MZN 451

117.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.98 MZN 61.8

79.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.29 MZN 81.4

179.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.60 MZN 101

-13.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.89 MZN 183

-90.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$24.44 MZN 1,545

-77.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.31 MZN 83.1

-0.76%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$35.8K MZN 2.3M

-47.79%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$19.7K MZN 1.2M

17.38%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$38.50 MZN 2,435

6.13%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$14.16 MZN 895

89.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$79.6 MZN 5,031

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$39.34 MZN 2,488

32.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.67 MZN 485

-17.86%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$185 MZN 11.7K

135.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$5,823 MZN 368.2K

78.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$49.19 MZN 3,111

15.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$62.7 MZN 3,966

-29.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$82.7 MZN 5,227

24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$80.4 MZN 5,085

31.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$475 MZN 30.1K

115.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$396 MZN 25.0K

59.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$794 MZN 50.2K

169.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$579 MZN 36.6K

114.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$310 MZN 19.6K

260.23%

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 Matola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $475 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 260% 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 Matola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $180 – making Matola 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 Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,024 in Matola – roughly 43% 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 $1,535 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,024 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $185 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 $1,024, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Matola 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 $1,024 in Matola to $1,467 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.