Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maputo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maputo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,121 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,697 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,273 in Maputo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 13% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Maputo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.25 MZN 585

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$48.78 MZN 3,085

-6.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.33 MZN 527

1.20%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.07 MZN 131

41.55%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.76 MZN 47.93

-9.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.58 MZN 36.75

-36.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.42 MZN 89.9

69.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.59 MZN 101

133.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.59 MZN 100

40.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.09 MZN 68.9

67.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.68 MZN 106

29.17%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.45 MZN 155

-9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$15.25 MZN 964

29.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.22 MZN 330

-30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.17 MZN 327

161.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.92 MZN 121

70.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.92 MZN 58.3

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.33 MZN 84.1

81.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.91 MZN 57.7

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.92 MZN 58.0

66.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.71 MZN 44.90

108.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.93 MZN 58.6

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.79 MZN 49.88

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.63 MZN 166

67.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.24 MZN 584

109.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.97 MZN 61.3

83.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.43 MZN 90.2

89.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.36 MZN 22.81

280.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$13.19 MZN 834

-13.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.59 MZN 100

89.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$3.01 MZN 190

-67.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$24.06 MZN 1,522

-41.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.33 MZN 84.2

2.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-20.57%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

68.00%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$90.0 MZN 5,689

35.30%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$14.38 MZN 909

-5.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$106 MZN 6,681

-82.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$41.51 MZN 2,625

45.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$26.30 MZN 1,663

-34.83%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.61 MZN 481

14.19%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$183 MZN 11.6K

278.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

170.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.38 MZN 3,123

20.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$62.8 MZN 3,969

-44.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$82.6 MZN 5,226

38.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$78.5 MZN 4,964

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$604 MZN 38.2K

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$345 MZN 21.8K

26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

83.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$623 MZN 39.4K

142.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

-9.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

25.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$329 MZN 20.8K

54.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

24.33

-78.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $604 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 54% higher in Phuket, 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $49.00 in Maputo. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $199 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

Phuket vs Maputo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $1,121 in Maputo – roughly 13% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,682 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 $693 per month in Phuket and $183 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Phuket, 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 $1,121, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,121 in Maputo to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Maputo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.