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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,093 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,692 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,291 in Maputo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 14% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Maputo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.58 MZN 606

-52.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$49.65 MZN 3,139

-6.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.57 MZN 542

3.15%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.13 MZN 134

43.66%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.77 MZN 48.46

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.58 MZN 36.40

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.39 MZN 88.1

74.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.52 MZN 96.1

148.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.56 MZN 98.8

44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.10 MZN 69.4

64.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.62 MZN 103

38.89%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.42 MZN 153

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$15.16 MZN 958

28.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.33 MZN 337

-31.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.18 MZN 327

151.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.95 MZN 123

65.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.93 MZN 58.8

74.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.39 MZN 87.7

71.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.98 MZN 61.9

107.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.98 MZN 61.7

56.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.68 MZN 42.70

120.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.93 MZN 58.8

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.76 MZN 48.04

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.65 MZN 167

67.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.86 MZN 560

106.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.01 MZN 63.9

84.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.43 MZN 90.5

87.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.34 MZN 21.33

314.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$13.25 MZN 838

-11.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.54 MZN 97.3

101.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$3.01 MZN 190

-65.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$24.17 MZN 1,528

-41.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.37 MZN 86.6

-4.38%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-21.55%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

65.82%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$89.8 MZN 5,675

36.39%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$14.28 MZN 903

-4.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$108 MZN 6,807

-82.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$41.17 MZN 2,603

46.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$25.70 MZN 1,625

-33.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.62 MZN 482

19.03%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$181 MZN 11.4K

290.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,673 MZN 358.6K

178.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$49.58 MZN 3,134

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$61.6 MZN 3,895

-42.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$81.7 MZN 5,165

41.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$78.7 MZN 4,976

6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$607 MZN 38.4K

2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$338 MZN 21.4K

31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,117 MZN 70.6K

82.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$623 MZN 39.4K

139.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$4,241 MZN 268.1K

-17.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,045 MZN 129.3K

25.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$332 MZN 21.0K

50.71%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maputo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $607 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 51% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $50.0 in Maputo. Groceries tell a different story – $289 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,093 in Maputo – roughly 14% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,640 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $181 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $1,093, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $1,093 in Maputo to $1,250 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.