Overview
Mozambique is in South Eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania. The climate is tropical to subtropical. The official language is Portuguese. Portuguese is only spoken by approximately 30% of the population. English is widely spoken in business circles and by service staff in the best hotels. However, many taxi drivers and other Mozambicans whom visitors will encounter are unlikely to understand English or other foreign languages. Most of the population speaks various forms of Bantu languages. The main religions are Christianity, indigenous beliefs and Islam. The economy of Mozambique has developed since the end of the Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992), but the country is still one of the world's poorest and most underdeveloped. Mozambique's life expectancy and infant mortality rates are both among the worst ranked in the world due to the excessive malaria carrying mosquitoes. In Mozambique wealth is measured by their family associations, not material possessions. Expatriate business dress is typically both business formal and more casual allowing for the warm climate. Business is generally conducted in Portuguese or English. The security risk for expatriates in Mozambique is medium. Risks include petty crime, violent crime, carjacking, and muggings. The currency of Mozambique is the Mozambique New Metical (MZN). Travellers’ cheques are not commonly accepted. US Dollars and South African Rand are the main exchange currencies. Credit cards are accepted in the larger urban areas. Medical facilities are generally poor, especially in the north. Complex, serious medical cases generally require evacuation. There is a high prevalence of HIV. The population of Mozambique is 28.8 Million (2018 est.), while the inflation rate (CPI) is 3.78% for Mozambique as at January 2019. Xpatulator Hypothetical Tax for Mozambique is based on the current personal income tax rates which are progressive up to 32%.
Cost Of Living
The cost of living for expatriates / professional migrants in Mozambique as at 1 January 2019 is very high in comparison to other places in the world. In Mozambique, the cost of each basket, based on local prices, compared to the international average, is categorized follows (Exact cost of living percentages only available in personalised reports): 1) Alcohol (where available) & Tobacco: Very Low 2) Clothing: High 3) Communication: Very High 4) Education: Very High 5) Furniture & Appliances: Very High 6) Groceries: Low 7) Healthcare: Very Low 8) Household Accommodation: Very High 9) Miscellaneous: Average 10) Personal Care: Very High 11) Recreation & Culture: Very High 12) Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels: Average 13) Transport: Very High Mozambique is for example -12.9% cheaper than USA for groceries, 39.1% more expensive for household costs than UK, and 174.9% more expensive for transport costs than India.Mozambique is ranked as a extreme hardship location. The hardship premium for Mozambique for an expat from Australia, is for example 30%, i.e. host location (Mozambique) premium of 40% minus home (Australia) location premium of 10%.Want to know more about cost of living, hardship (quality of living) or expat salary in Mozambique? Register subscribe to your home location and Mozambique and run your personalised reports.