Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mozambique and the United States

For one person, living is cheaper in Mozambique: $1,111 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mozambique
United States
🇲🇿 Mozambique
$1,111
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,734
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mozambique and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mozambique and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Mozambique vs $2,734 in the United States, rent included.

  • Mozambique $1,111
  • United States $2,734

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Mozambique vs $3,985 in the United States, rent included.

  • Mozambique $1,625
  • United States $3,985

A family of three spends $2,138 per month in Mozambique vs $5,235 in the United States, rent included.

  • Mozambique $2,138
  • United States $5,235

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in Mozambique ($27–$1,127), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Mozambique is roughly 59% lower than in the United States on average.

Mozambique sits 18% below the global median, while the United States is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.28 MZN 650
$20.03 $20.03
-48.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.15 MZN 2,919
$80.0 $80.0
-42.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.33 MZN 464
$11.80 $11.80
-37.88%
Cappuccino
$2.18 MZN 138
$5.55 $5.55
-60.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 MZN 58.6
$2.66 $2.66
-65.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 MZN 39.12
$2.17 $2.17
-71.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.54 MZN 97.5
$6.12 $6.12
-74.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 MZN 153
$7.94 $7.94
-69.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 MZN 101
$1.04 $1.04
52.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.85 MZN 53.7
$3.59 $3.59
-76.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MZN 93.4
$4.52 $4.52
-67.26%
Eggs
$2.24 MZN 141
$4.28 $4.28
-47.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.51 MZN 854
$13.22 $13.22
2.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.35 MZN 339
$12.60 $12.60
-57.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.23 MZN 331
$17.60 $17.60
-70.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 MZN 157
$5.30 $5.30
-53.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MZN 90.5
$1.69 $1.69
-15.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 MZN 134
$4.44 $4.44
-52.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 MZN 85.1
$4.77 $4.77
-71.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.25 MZN 79.0
$2.97 $2.97
-57.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 MZN 73.0
$3.15 $3.15
-63.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 MZN 56.3
$2.20 $2.20
-59.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 MZN 50.7
$2.35 $2.35
-65.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86 MZN 181
$10.98 $10.98
-73.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.02 MZN 507
$15.05 $15.05
-46.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 MZN 65.2
$2.06 $2.06
-50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 MZN 85.6
$3.79 $3.79
-64.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Mozambique
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 MZN 13.88
$1.94 $1.94
-88.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.01 MZN 1,455
$59.4 $59.4
-61.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.58 MZN 99.8
$3.58 $3.58
-55.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 MZN 101
$1.88 $1.88
-15.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.44 MZN 1,545
$29.84 $29.84
-18.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 MZN 87.1
$1.02 $1.02
35.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7K MZN 2.0M
$28.8K $28.8K
10.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K MZN 1.4M
$26.2K $26.2K
-13.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.9 MZN 4,992
$218 $218
-63.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.19 MZN 581
$62.5 $62.5
-85.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$97.7 MZN 6,177
$74.5 $74.5
31.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.01 MZN 2,594
$41.86 $41.86
-2.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.01 MZN 1,645
$22.81 $22.81
14.03%
Cinema Ticket
$7.85 MZN 496
$14.70 $14.70
-46.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$164 MZN 10.3K
$1,489 $1,489
-89.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,220 MZN 330.1K
$25.3K $25.3K
-79.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.24 MZN 2,798
$54.3 $54.3
-18.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 MZN 3,252
$42.71 $42.71
20.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.3 MZN 4,698
$94.1 $94.1
-21.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.2 MZN 4,631
$114 $114
-35.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mozambique
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$525 MZN 33.2K
$1,659 $1,659
-68.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$375 MZN 23.7K
$1,348 $1,348
-72.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MZN 60.5K
$2,682 $2,682
-64.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$492 MZN 31.1K
$2,169 $2,169
-77.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 MZN 263.7K
$3,283 $3,283
27.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,038 MZN 128.9K
$2,482 $2,482
-17.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mozambique
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$322 MZN 20.4K
$4,296 $4,296
-92.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
25
6.55
281.68%

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

Last update for Mozambique: October 26, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mozambique
$375
United States
$1.3K 259% $973
Groceries & Markets
Mozambique
$202
United States
$415 106% $214
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mozambique
$186
United States
$355 91% $169
Eating Out
Mozambique
$149
United States
$328 120% $179
Clothing & Footwear
Mozambique
$109
United States
$137 25.3% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Mozambique
$57
United States
$71 25.7% $15
Getting Around
Mozambique
$33
United States
$80 140% $47

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $504 in Mozambique vs $1,620 in the United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $547 in Maputo and $2,768 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $316 in Mozambique vs $4,549 in the United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 221% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 27% more in the United States.

Public transport is 163% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 14 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know
🇲🇿 Mozambique
🇺🇸 United States
🕒 Local time
22:00 10:00 PM
16:00 4:00 PM
6 h behind Mozambique
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
29,668,834
340,110,988
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MZN – Mozambican Metical Converter

Mozambican Metical exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.24 MZN (100 MZN = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.4 MZN (100 MZN = 1.42 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mozambique United States 14,240 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mozambique
  • United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Mozambique vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Mozambique and the United States compare in cost of living?
Mozambique is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 59% lower on average.
How do rents compare between Mozambique and the United States?
Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $504 in Mozambique.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Mozambique or the United States?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Mozambique – part of why living there is about 59% cheaper overall.
How far does $2,000 go in Mozambique compared to the United States?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Mozambique, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Mozambique and in the United States?
Mozambique is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Mozambique vs other spots: cost of living compared

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