Just Landed in Mozambique? Your First 7 Days

Prepaid SIMs dominate and require passport registration by law. Coverage is genuinely good in Maputo and the provincial capitals but thins out fast on rural roads and gets patchy in the north. Vodacom generally has the widest reliable footprint for data, and most expats buy a SIM and load a bundle in their first day rather than waiting.

Typical cost: SIM under 100 MZN; monthly data bundles roughly 500-1,500 MZN depending on volume, with home fibre from Vodacom or TVCabo available in parts of Maputo for a few thousand meticais a month

Mozambique is heavily cash-based, with mobile money (M-Pesa on Vodacom, e-Mola on Movitel) as the everyday electronic alternative. Cards work in Maputo hotels, larger supermarkets, and upmarket restaurants but rarely elsewhere, and card machines are frequently offline. Carry small metical notes at all times and never assume a card will be accepted outside the capital.

Opening an account: Foreigners can open accounts at banks such as Standard Bank, BCI, Millennium bim, or Absa, but you typically need a DIRE residence card, a NUIT tax number, proof of address, and sometimes a local reference. Expect the process to take from several days to a few weeks, and expect to visit the branch in person more than once.

Cash: Cash is king. Markets, chapas (minibuses), taxis, street food, car guards, and most small businesses take only meticais. US dollars and South African rand are sometimes accepted informally near borders and in tourism, but usually at a poor rate, so change money at a bank or licensed exchange rather than with street dealers.

Tipping: Tipping around 10% is appreciated in restaurants where a service charge is not already added. Small tips for petrol attendants, car guards ('guardas'), porters, and helpful drivers are customary and genuinely expected as part of how many people earn.

Non-nationals intending to stay beyond a short visit must obtain a DIRE (Documento de Identificacao e Residencia para Estrangeiros), the residence card issued through the national Migration Service (Servico Nacional de Migracao). It is tied to your visa or work-permit category, and you generally cannot open a bank account, sign a formal lease, or work legally without regularising your status. Employers of work-permit holders usually initiate and shepherd the process, but the obligation to hold valid status rests with you, and you should keep every receipt and interim document.

Deadline: Apply for DIRE promptly after arrival, within the validity of your entry visa; overstaying or letting status lapse leads to fines that accrue over time and can create serious problems when you try to leave the country.

Where: Servico Nacional de Migracao (Migracao) offices in Maputo and in each provincial capital

Everyday transport is dominated by chapas (shared minibuses) and 'my love' open pickups, which are cheap but crowded, poorly maintained, and not always safe. Expats rely on private taxis and, in Maputo, on ride-hailing apps such as Yango and inDrive. Traffic and road surfaces are poor, unlit hazards are common, and driving at night outside cities is strongly discouraged.

From the airport: Maputo International Airport (MPM) is about 6 km from the city centre, roughly 15-25 minutes in normal traffic. There is no train or metro link; take a pre-arranged hotel car, order a Yango or inDrive ride once your SIM works, or agree an airport taxi fare in advance (roughly 800-1,500 MZN). For longer trips, the LAM domestic flights and long-distance coaches connect Maputo, Beira, Nampula, and Pemba.

Most expats rent through agents or word of mouth in Maputo neighbourhoods such as Sommerschield, Polana, and the Baixa, or in gated compounds further out. Listings circulate on Facebook groups and via agencies rather than large property portals, so a local contact or a relocation agent saves weeks. Furnished flats aimed at expats are usually priced in US dollars and cost far more than equivalent local housing.

Typical rent: A furnished, expat-standard one-bedroom in central Maputo runs roughly USD 800-1,800 per month; local unfurnished flats away from the prime areas cost considerably less in meticais. Prices in Polana and Sommerschield sit at the top of the range.

Deposit norm: Landlords commonly ask for two to three months' rent upfront (a deposit plus advance), often prefer or demand payment in US dollars, and may want a longer commitment. Get the terms, the inventory, and any dollar arrangement in writing, and never pay before viewing the actual unit.

Public healthcare is under-resourced and frequently short of medicines, equipment, and specialists, so expats use private clinics in Maputo and keep evacuation cover for anything serious. For major emergencies, medical evacuation to South Africa (Nelspruit is closest by road, Johannesburg for specialist care) is the norm rather than the exception, and arranging that in advance is essential.

How to access it: Use private clinics such as Clinica Cruz Azul, Clinica Especial, or the Instituto do Coracao (ICOR) in Maputo, and expect to pay upfront by cash or card and then claim from your insurer. Confirm before you need care whether your insurer offers direct billing or reimbursement, and keep the clinic's direct number saved offline rather than relying on the public ambulance line.

Insurance: Arrange international health insurance that explicitly includes medical evacuation to South Africa and repatriation; local-only cover is inadequate for a genuine emergency. Providers used by expats include international schemes with evacuation partners, and it is worth confirming the specific air-ambulance and cross-border arrangements in writing.

• Greet properly in Portuguese before getting to business; a handshake and a warm 'bom dia' or 'boa tarde' are expected, and skipping the greeting reads as rude.
• Use courtesy titles and take your time; relationships and politeness matter more than speed, and rushing officials or staff tends to backfire.
• Dress modestly away from beach resorts, and more conservatively in rural areas and the Muslim-majority north, where showing shoulders or knees can cause offence.
• Learn a few Portuguese phrases and use them; the effort is genuinely appreciated, and English is limited outside tourism and the expat bubble.
• Be patient with slow, relationship-based bureaucracy and never lose your temper in public, as visible anger is seen as a loss of dignity and rarely helps your case.
• Accept and offer hospitality graciously; sharing food and drink is a normal part of building trust, and refusing outright can seem cold.
• Ask before photographing people, especially in rural areas, and be sensitive around markets and religious settings.

• Photographing bridges, ports, airports, government buildings, military sites, or police can lead to detention or demands for a bribe; put the camera away near anything official.
• Corruption is real at street level: traffic police may stop foreigners hoping for an on-the-spot 'fine'; stay calm, ask for official documentation, and avoid handing over cash or your original passport.
• Security varies sharply by region; the far north, especially Cabo Delgado, has an active insurgency and is off-limits for settling or casual travel.
• Malaria is present nationwide and the rainy season (roughly November to April) brings flooding and, in the centre, cyclone risk, so plan health precautions and travel accordingly.
• Public infrastructure is fragile: power cuts, water interruptions, and sudden road closures happen, so keep water, cash, and a charged power bank on hand.