Cost Of Living For a Student in Matola 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: MZN
Average monthly spending for students in Matola
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Matola?
Students in Matola spend around 22,000 MZN per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 3,400 MZN or as high as 150,000 MZN. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Matola
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
| 290 MZN | 430 MZN | 1,700 MZN |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 110,000 MZN | 210,000 MZN | 280,000 MZN |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 130 MZN | 900 MZN | 6,000 MZN |
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
| 250 MZN | 340 MZN | 1,100 MZN |
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
| 220 MZN | 280 MZN | 1,500 MZN |
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 3,700 MZN | 5,500 MZN | 15,000 MZN |
1-bedroom apartment
| 5,500 MZN | 8,800 MZN | 22,000 MZN |
2-bedroom apartment
| 7,400 MZN | 11,000 MZN | 29,000 MZN |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 740,000 MZN | 1.1M MZN | 2.2M MZN |
1-bedroom apartment
| 880,000 MZN | 1.5M MZN | 5.5M MZN |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1.5M MZN | 4.4M MZN | 8.8M MZN |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 4,200 MZN | 5,300 MZN | 7,000 MZN |
Double Bed
| 2,800 MZN | 4,200 MZN | 5,300 MZN |
Single Bed
| 2,500 MZN | 3,200 MZN | 4,200 MZN |
Living Room
| 4,700 MZN | 6,000 MZN | 21,000 MZN |
Dining Table
| 2,100 MZN | 2,800 MZN | 5,300 MZN |
Sofa or Couch
| 2,800 MZN | 3,800 MZN | 8,400 MZN |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 2,800 MZN | 4,200 MZN | 8,400 MZN |
Fridge or Freezer
| 2,500 MZN | 3,800 MZN | 5,300 MZN |
Washing Machine
| 3,200 MZN | 4,700 MZN | 8,400 MZN |
Stove or Cooker
| 3,000 MZN | 3,800 MZN | 5,300 MZN |
Mobile Phone
| 3,500 MZN | 4,200 MZN | 6,000 MZN |
Laptop or Computer
| 3,800 MZN | 4,700 MZN | 8,400 MZN |
How do students spend their money in Matola?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost18%
18% of total expenses on average (13% to 24%)
| LOW | $13 810 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $84 5,400 MZN |
| HIGH | $560 36,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
Students in Matola typically spend from 13% to 24% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 18% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 5,400 MZN with expenditure ranging from 810 MZN to 36,000 MZN. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $2.1 130 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $14 900 MZN |
| HIGH | $93 6,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Matola ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 900 MZN with 130 MZN and 6,000 MZN being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $3.7 240 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $25 1,600 MZN |
| HIGH | $160 10,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 240 MZN to 10,000 MZN in a month on commuting with 1,600 MZN being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $11 670 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $70 4,500 MZN |
| HIGH | $470 30,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Matola is 4,500 MZN. The cost of groceries can range between 670 MZN to 30,000 MZN. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $3.2 200 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $21 1,300 MZN |
| HIGH | $140 9,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
Students in Matola allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 200 MZN to 9,000 MZN with 1,300 MZN being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $2.6 170 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $18 1,100 MZN |
| HIGH | $120 7,500 MZN |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 170 MZN to 7,500 MZN with 1,100 MZN being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $10 640 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $67 4,300 MZN |
| HIGH | $440 28,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 4,300 MZN per month with 640 MZN being the minimum spent amount and 28,000 MZN being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $7.9 510 MZN |
| AVERAGE | $53 3,400 MZN |
| HIGH | $350 22,000 MZN |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Matola
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Matola?
Around 58% of surveyed students think that living in Matola is affordable with proper budgeting while 42% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Matola
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options62%
Few low-cost options38%
Based on the survey, 62% of the students living in Matola have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 38% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Matola whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes58%
No42%
Based on the survey, 42% of the students living in Matola said that they don't have an emergency fund while 58% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Mozambique
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy48%
We asked student guardians and parents in Matola whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 52% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 48% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Mozambique have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 43% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 57% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance43%
Easily manages finances57%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Matola
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Matola
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,700 MZN | 5,500 MZN | 15,000 MZN |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 5,500 MZN | 8,800 MZN | 22,000 MZN |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,400 MZN | 11,000 MZN | 29,000 MZN |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 8,800 MZN | 15,000 MZN | 40,000 MZN |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 18,000 MZN | 44,000 MZN | 88,000 MZN |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 15,000 MZN | 22,000 MZN | 63,000 MZN |
House monthly rent cost
| 18,000 MZN | 44,000 MZN | 88,000 MZN |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 22,000 MZN | 55,000 MZN | 88,000 MZN |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Matola ranges between 3,700 MZN and 15,000 MZN, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 5,500 MZN to 22,000 MZN. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 7,400 MZN and 29,000 MZN per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 8,800 MZN to 40,000 MZN. The average rent of a townhouse in Matola is around 22,000 MZN while house rental costs can be as high as 44,000 MZN per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 22,000 MZN to 88,000 MZN per month.
Apartment and house prices in Matola
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 740,000 MZN | 1.1M MZN | 2.2M MZN |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 880,000 MZN | 1.5M MZN | 5.5M MZN |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 1.5M MZN | 4.4M MZN | 8.8M MZN |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 4.9M MZN | 7.4M MZN | 22M MZN |
| $77,000 | $120,000 | $350,000 |
Townhouse price
| $99,000 | $230,000 | $860,000 |
House price
| $120,000 | $690,000 | $990,000 |
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Matola can range from 740,000 MZN to 2.2M MZN depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 880,000 MZN to 5.5M MZN. A villa can cost you 49M MZN on average with prices ranging from 8.8M MZN to 74M MZN.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Matola will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 32 | x87 monthly income | 206 |
Property prices in Matola can be x87 to x206 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x87 multiples of the average monthly salary in Matola.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Matola is around 31%. This means that people pay 31% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 42% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
28% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Matola
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Matola
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 130 MZN | 900 MZN | 6,000 MZN |
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 900 MZN. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 210 MZN to 560 MZN with 420 MZN being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 280 MZN but can range between 170 MZN and 840 MZN depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Matola is around 7.7%. This means that people pay 7.7% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4.4% to 12% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Matola
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Matola
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Matola is approximatly 84 MZN with meal cost ranging from 42 MZN to 140 MZN. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 140 MZN and 430 MZN with 220 MZN being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Matola.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 290 MZN | 430 MZN | 1,700 MZN |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 290 MZN to 1,700 MZN with the average cost being 430 MZN for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Matola.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Matola is around 56 MZN. Price ranges between 35 MZN and 84 MZN depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Matola is 34 MZN. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 42 MZN and the minimum being 28 MZN depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 28 MZN on average with 21 MZN and 42 MZN being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Matola is between 48 MZN and 88 MZN depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 62 MZN.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 84 MZN. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Matola costs around 31 MZN on average with prices rangeing between 23 MZN and 44 MZN depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 8.4 MZN to 21 MZN. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 20 MZN on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Matola is around 31%. This means that students spend 31% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 22% to 37% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 670 MZN to 30,000 MZN with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
