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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,017 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,551 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,084 in Matola, rent included.

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

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Matola is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$7.84 MZN 496

66.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$49.99 MZN 3,160

7.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.63 MZN 482

26.87%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.59 MZN 100

135.22%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.82 MZN 51.8

97.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.53 MZN 33.81

118.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.15 MZN 73.0

180.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.54 MZN 97.1

207.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.60 MZN 101

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.10 MZN 69.4

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.61 MZN 102

16.15%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.91 MZN 121

30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$13.52 MZN 855

-24.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.26 MZN 333

56.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$4.59 MZN 290

157.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.96 MZN 124

53.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.59 MZN 36.99

206.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.39 MZN 88.2

43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.93 MZN 58.6

115.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.92 MZN 58.1

126.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.68 MZN 42.79

233.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.92 MZN 58.0

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.53 MZN 33.55

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.63 MZN 166

65.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$6.94 MZN 439

144.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.96 MZN 60.7

80.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.22 MZN 77.1

193.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.53 MZN 96.7

-13.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$2.98 MZN 189

-90.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$24.32 MZN 1,538

-78.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.32 MZN 83.8

1.52%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

-43.75%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

21.30%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$39.61 MZN 2,504

2.73%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$14.23 MZN 900

88.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$78.0 MZN 4,928

-60.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$39.51 MZN 2,498

33.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$8.05 MZN 509

-19.13%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$180 MZN 11.4K

137.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$5,814 MZN 367.6K

80.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$49.24 MZN 3,113

16.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$61.0 MZN 3,856

-25.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$81.4 MZN 5,143

27.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$80.4 MZN 5,080

34.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$474 MZN 29.9K

111.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$394 MZN 24.9K

58.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$782 MZN 49.5K

169.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$581 MZN 36.7K

109.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$317 MZN 20.1K

227.20%

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 Matola: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City 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 227% 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 Matola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,017 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $1,017 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City 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 Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $1,017 in Matola to $1,456 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.