Mozambique · Visit or make it home

Maputo

Maputo is a city in Mozambique. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Maputo — Maputo seen from southeast - October 2006 (cropped)

Get to know Maputo

A sense of the place

Maputo is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. Located near the southern end of the country, it is within 120 kilometres of the borders with Eswatini and South Africa. The city has a population of 1,088,449 distributed over a land area of 347.69 km2 . The Maputo metropolitan area includes the neighbouring city of Matola, and has a total population of 2,717,437. Maputo is a port city, with an economy centered on commerce. It is noted for its vibrant cultural scene and distinctive, eclectic architecture. Maputo was named Lourenço Marques (Portuguese: [loˈɾẽsu ˈmaɾkɨʃ]) until 1976. Maputo is situated on a large natural bay on the Indian Ocean, near where the rivers Tembe, Mbuluzi, Matola and Infulene converge. The city consists of seven administrative divisions, which are each subdivided into quarters or bairros. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province, but is administered as a self-contained, separate province since 1998. Maputo City is the geographically smallest and most densely populated province in Mozambique.

Weather through the year

When to visit Maputo

Temperature

February has the warmest monthly average (26.4°C); July is coolest (19.2°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

January averages about 153 mm of rain, compared with 14 mm in August. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

May, June, July, August combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in January, February, March, December. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C26.326.425.823.721.619.719.220.622.523.724.826.0
Rain, mm15399956420181614285198122

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Maputo

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Maputo

What is the average rent in Maputo?

A verified average rent for Maputo is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Maputo

What is the average salary in Maputo?

212.5 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2022. It describes Mozambique, not average salary in Maputo. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2022 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Maputo with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Maputo, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Maputo in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Maputo at a glance

Mozambique: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Maputo. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 9 national indicators
What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours; Education system (national). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Maputo with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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