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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,145 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,752 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,358 in Maputo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 8% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Maputo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.25 MZN 648

-56.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$61.5 MZN 3,891

-47.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.14 MZN 451

25.07%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.27 MZN 143

27.75%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.83 MZN 52.3

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.68 MZN 42.92

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.60 MZN 102

46.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.33 MZN 147

59.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.58 MZN 100

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.03 MZN 65.2

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.58 MZN 99.9

-1.90%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.49 MZN 157

-15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$20.61 MZN 1,304

-4.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.63 MZN 356

-39.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$5.80 MZN 367

96.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.97 MZN 124

51.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.80 MZN 50.7

110.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.62 MZN 103

36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.09 MZN 69.1

98.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.03 MZN 65.4

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.82 MZN 51.8

63.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.98 MZN 62.3

15.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.92 MZN 58.1

-40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.81 MZN 177

51.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.11 MZN 639

88.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.02 MZN 64.5

74.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.27 MZN 80.4

118.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.40 MZN 25.37

457.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$23.29 MZN 1,473

-2.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.60 MZN 101

89.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.14 MZN 72.0

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$24.31 MZN 1,537

-84.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.40 MZN 88.3

6.43%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$31.7K MZN 2.0M

-16.20%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$23.1K MZN 1.5M

17.12%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$70.6 MZN 4,467

45.10%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$7.73 MZN 489

46.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$86.5 MZN 5,471

-79.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$42.45 MZN 2,685

22.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$26.45 MZN 1,673

-58.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.00 MZN 506

-3.87%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$129 MZN 8,176

333.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,136 MZN 324.9K

124.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$49.81 MZN 3,150

26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$55.7 MZN 3,524

-47.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$78.7 MZN 4,980

24.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$79.1 MZN 5,005

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$554 MZN 35.0K

33.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$383 MZN 24.2K

26.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,074 MZN 67.9K

96.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$568 MZN 35.9K

115.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$4,174 MZN 264.0K

-13.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$2,072 MZN 131.1K

25.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$333 MZN 21.1K

48.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-77.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Maputo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $554 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 48% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $62.0 in Maputo. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $224 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: $1,232 in Phuket, $1,145 in Maputo – roughly 8% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,718 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 $561 per month in Phuket and $129 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $1,145, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $1,145 in Maputo to $1,232 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.