Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Matola Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Matola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,017 in Matola, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,551 in Matola, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,084 in Matola, rent included.

Phuket costs about 23% more than Matola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Matola are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Matola 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$7.84 MZN 496

-41.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$49.99 MZN 3,160

-7.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.63 MZN 482

15.86%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.59 MZN 100

92.45%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.82 MZN 51.8

-10.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.53 MZN 33.81

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.15 MZN 73.0

111.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.54 MZN 97.1

145.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.60 MZN 101

41.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.10 MZN 69.4

64.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.61 MZN 102

39.75%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.91 MZN 121

17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.52 MZN 855

44.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.26 MZN 333

-30.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.59 MZN 290

184.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.96 MZN 124

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.59 MZN 36.99

174.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.39 MZN 88.2

71.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.93 MZN 58.6

118.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.92 MZN 58.1

66.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.68 MZN 42.79

120.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.92 MZN 58.0

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 MZN 33.55

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.63 MZN 166

68.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.94 MZN 439

163.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.96 MZN 60.7

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.22 MZN 77.1

119.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.53 MZN 96.7

103.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.98 MZN 189

-65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$24.32 MZN 1,538

-41.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.32 MZN 83.8

-0.76%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$34.5K MZN 2.2M

-19.40%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

69.06%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$39.61 MZN 2,504

209.11%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$14.23 MZN 900

-4.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$78.0 MZN 4,928

-76.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$39.51 MZN 2,498

53.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.05 MZN 509

12.67%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$180 MZN 11.4K

291.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,814 MZN 367.6K

171.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$49.24 MZN 3,113

18.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$61.0 MZN 3,856

-42.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$81.4 MZN 5,143

41.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$80.4 MZN 5,080

4.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$474 MZN 29.9K

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$394 MZN 24.9K

13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$782 MZN 49.5K

160.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$581 MZN 36.7K

156.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$317 MZN 20.1K

57.60%

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 Matola: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $474 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 58% 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 Matola. Groceries tell a different story – $289 in Phuket vs $180 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

Phuket vs Matola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $1,017 in Matola – roughly 23% 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 $1,525 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $1,017 in Matola. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $180 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 $1,017, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Matola 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 $1,017 in Matola 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 Matola. 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.