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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,013 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,513 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,013 in Matola, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 64% more than Matola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Matola is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$8.02 MZN 507

48.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$63.5 MZN 4,015

-18.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$7.41 MZN 468

53.98%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.55 MZN 97.8

157.42%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.89 MZN 56.0

86.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.70 MZN 44.16

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.20 MZN 75.9

189.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.53 MZN 96.6

285.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.52 MZN 96.0

23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.00 MZN 63.1

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.60 MZN 102

35.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.83 MZN 116

58.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$13.22 MZN 836

-2.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.75 MZN 364

74.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$4.63 MZN 293

242.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.98 MZN 126

66.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$0.59 MZN 37.41

240.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.63 MZN 103

34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.04 MZN 66.0

126.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.00 MZN 63.2

105.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.82 MZN 51.7

131.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.95 MZN 60.1

69.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.53 MZN 33.52

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.76 MZN 175

97.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$7.24 MZN 458

143.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$0.96 MZN 60.9

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.21 MZN 76.8

286.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.60 MZN 101

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$1.20 MZN 75.6

-53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$24.78 MZN 1,568

-76.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.33 MZN 84.1

21.05%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$31.1K MZN 2.0M

-26.65%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$22.6K MZN 1.4M

18.14%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$38.84 MZN 2,456

67.82%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$7.69 MZN 487

291.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$76.9 MZN 4,863

-51.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$38.93 MZN 2,462

53.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.71 MZN 487

-8.69%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$127 MZN 8,020

266.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$5,198 MZN 328.8K

155.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$50.8 MZN 3,212

49.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$56.5 MZN 3,573

-0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$78.0 MZN 4,936

43.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$79.7 MZN 5,043

51.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$465 MZN 29.4K

137.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$393 MZN 24.8K

83.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$714 MZN 45.2K

254.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$557 MZN 35.2K

132.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$309 MZN 19.6K

235.52%

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 Matola: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $465 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 236% 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 $63.0 in Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $183 in Matola – so Matola 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 Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,013 in Matola – roughly 64% 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 $1,520 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,013 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $127 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 $1,013, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $1,013 in Matola to $1,660 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.