Mozambique

Eastern Africa

Africa

A very low-cost East African economy with a 5-year citizenship path, but a weak passport (~59 destinations), limited English and high personal taxes.

29
Overall score
Low · Penalty applied · 92% data coverage
Language
Portuguese
Currency
MZN
Citizenship
5 years
Personal tax
Up to 32% headline
Cost of living
Consumer price level 40 (world = 100, 2025)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
43
Access
17%
39Residence12%
54Citizenship and passport5%
43
Earning power
25%
43Salary and work12%
43Buying power13%
36
Business and wealth
20%
36Taxes7%
34Business8%
39Investment5%
39
Daily life
25%
37Quality of life18%
45Education7%
27
Rights and institutions
13%
35Freedom6%
20Rule of law7%

Healthcare collapse (24) cut the overall score from 39 to 31.

Weak rights and institutions (27) cut the overall score from 31 to 29.

Pros

  • Relative affordability score 75/100
  • Human development score 49/100
  • Business environment score 32/100

Cons

  • Passport mobility score 31/100
  • Institutional environment score 35/100
  • Tax friendliness score 36/100

Best for

Applicants prepared to use local languagesCost-conscious residentsPeople with a confirmed local employment or study route

Score profile

Access
Residence
39
Citizenship
69
Passport
30
Earning power
Salary & work
43
Buying power
43
Cost of living
86
Economy
34
Business and wealth
Taxes
36
Personal tax
42
Corporate tax
9
Business
34
Investment
39
Wealth building
45
Daily life
Safety
51
Healthcare
24
Environment
89
Infrastructure
37
Education
45
HDI
49
Rights and institutions
Freedom
35
Rule of law
20
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Limited
39
Migrant stock1.0% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.76 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Employment residenceStudy residenceFamily reunificationBusiness or investment residence where eligible
StudentAdmission, proof of funds, accommodation, insurance, and immigration approval are normally required; work rights vary.
WorkA local employer, qualifying occupation, or other work authorization is normally required; labour-market tests may apply.
Self-employedBusiness registration, tax registration, and a residence or work authorization suitable for self-employment are generally required.
PermanentEligibility depends on years and continuity of lawful residence, route, income, character, and country-specific legislation.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Good
69
Years required5 years
Dual allowedYes
LanguageLanguage, integration, character, and documentation requirements depend on the nationality law and route.
ResidenceHeadline ordinary naturalization period: 5 years. Continuous residence and absence rules may apply.
NotesThis is a statutory headline from a sourced comparison table. Confirm the current nationality law and administrative practice before relying on it.
Passport
Passport power
Limited
30
60 / 198
Mobility
#81
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free24
  • On arrival33
  • eTA3
  • Visa required138

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Limited
43
Output per worker$3,675 PPP (2024)
Unemployment6.6% (2025)
Participation78.7% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$117 · $311 PPP (2022)
Tech (IT & comms)$133 · $352 PPP (2022)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceInternet use is 21%; remote and freelance access still depends on payments, language, regulation, and immigration status.
Job marketLatest comparable unemployment rate: 6.6%. Role-specific demand varies substantially by city and sector.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Limited
43
GNI / person$1,540 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$1,202 PPP (2024)
Price level40 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality49.6 Gini (2022)
Inflation4.4% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Excellent
86
Price level40 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentModel benchmark: about $240 monthly housing share; derived from the World Bank consumer price level, not a market listing.
MonthlyModel benchmark: about $600 / month at a US$1,500 world-price baseline.
CitiesMaputo, Matola, Beira
Economy
Economic strength
Limited
34
Output & income
GDP$22.3B (2025)
GDP / person$627 (2025)
GNI / person$1,540 PPP (2025)
GDP growth2.1% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation4.4% / yr (2025)
Unemployment6.6% (2025)
Output per worker$3,675 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture25.6% of GDP (2025)
Industry22.1% of GDP (2025)
Services42.0% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
AluminiumCoal & gasAgricultureEnergy
Top exports
CoalAluminiumNatural gasCashews & prawns
TypeLow-income, resources- and agri-led
Key sectorsAluminium smelting (Mozal), Coal & emerging LNG, Agriculture
SummaryA low-income economy with vast offshore gas reserves coming online, alongside aluminium, coal and farming.
CurrencyMozambican metical

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Limited
36
PersonalResidents: 32;; Non-residents: 20.
Corporate32 (reduced rate of 10% is applicable to agricultural, livestock, aquaculture, and urban transportation activities).
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Personal tax
Personal tax
Limited
42
PersonalResidents: 32;; Non-residents: 20.
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Low
9
Corporate32 (reduced rate of 10% is applicable to agricultural, livestock, aquaculture, and urban transportation activities).
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Business
Business friendliness
Limited
34
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.76 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-0.72 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyForeign ownership is generally possible, subject to sector restrictions, licensing, local-participation rules, and beneficial-ownership checks.
Local companyLocal company forms are available; registration, tax, capital, director, address, and licensing requirements vary.
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Investment
Investing environment
Limited
39
Private credit18% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsCapital-gains treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position.
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxVerify current national and subnational net-wealth, property, inheritance, and transfer taxes.
BrokersLocal and international broker access depends on residency, exchange controls, sanctions screening, and platform onboarding.
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
45
Salary & work
Limited
43
Business
Limited
34
Investment
Limited
39
Tax friendliness
Limited
36
Cost of living
Excellent
86

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Moderate
51
Personal safety
Homicide rate3.6 per 100,000 (2011)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-1.06 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-1.76 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Low
24
Outcomes
Life expectancy63.8 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality59.4 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.17 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds0.74 per 1,000 (2021)
Health spending$143 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic and private provision coexist; eligibility, service quality, and capacity vary by location.
InsuranceInsurance and proof-of-cover requirements depend on immigration status, employer, and residence route.
Average costHealth expenditure: $143 PPP per person (2023).
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
89
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure13.7 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress1.8% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Limited
37
Digital infrastructure
Internet use20.5% (2024)
Internet resilience39 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed60 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed37 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access36.0% (2023)
Grid losses16.6% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality2.24 / 5 (2016)
Rail density4.0 km / 1,000 km² (2011)
Air connectivity360 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Moderate
45
Attainment
Expected schooling10.8 years (2023)
Mean schooling4.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment7% gross (2018)
Education spending6.0% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionFees vary by institution, programme, level, and nationality; no harmonized official tuition series is used.
Public universityCheck current public-university fee schedules and scholarship rules directly with each institution.
LanguagesPortuguese
Student workStudent employment rights vary by permit and may require separate authorization or hour limits.
HDI
Human development score
Moderate
49
HDI0.493 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy63.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling10.8 years (2023)
Mean schooling4.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$1,356 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Limited
35
Freedom in the World35 / 100 (Not free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Low
20
Rule of Law percentile20 / 100
Resources

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.