Mozambique is one of those destinations that sneaks up on you. While it sometimes gets a bad rap in the news, don’t let that fool you. This southeastern African gem offers endless beaches, turquoise waters and seafood so fresh it might just whisper your name.

But what does it really cost to travel in Mozambique?
I spent just over two weeks road-tripping, chilling on beaches and eating more prawns than I should admit… all while tracking every Mozambican Metical (MZN) spent in my nifty little notes app.

This is my real, unfiltered Mozambique travel budget breakdown. That’s right, I am spilling all the numbers, tips and honest truths you need to plan your trip without hopefully blowing the bank. Whether you’re backpacking on a shoestring, road-tripping in your own car or indulging in beachfront lodges – this guide covers what to expect for a mid-range Mozambique travel budget.

What we actually spent

Keep in mind, this is was how much less money we had in our bank account as a couple. This does include some car related costs, as we had our own car.

• Total spent: roughly £1 470 / €1 700 (around 70,000 MZN)
• Trip length: 16 days
• Average per day: £91.90 / €106
• Travel style: Mid-range (mix of guesthouses + beachfront lodges, eating out + cooking)

Average per person per day: £46 / €53

Accommodation in Mozambique

Total Accommodation Cost: 28 744 MZN (approximately £334 / €386)
Average per day (for two): £23 / €26

We stayed in a mixture of camping and beachfront accommodation. But be mindful – beachfront lodges are beautiful and dreamy but your budget might be blown out the window if you’re not careful! The prices below (a range just so you know when planning) is quoted per night for two.

• Camping: 1 000 – 1 500 MZN (£12 – 17 / €13 – 20)
• Hostels: 1400 – 1900 MZN (£16 – 22 / €18 – 25)
• Beachfront mid-range Lodge: 2,500 – 4,000 MZN (£29 – 45 / €33 – 50)
• Hotel: 5 000+ MZN (£50+ / €60+)

We didn’t camp as much as we had planned to in Mozambique! We camped in a couple of locations and opted for a private room at Kite Surf Tofo (highly recommend) while in Tofo and found a lodge in Inhassoro where it would’ve been rude not to go for a private lodge on the beach. Honestly, it was worth every MZN.

Overlanding in Mozambique

Getting around is part of the adventure here. We had bought a car in South Africa and border crossed with it to explore Mozambique so our transportation section is going to look a bit different to what you would expect! I’m talking about petrol, tolls and any car associated costs!

Total Overlanding Cost: 24 000 MZN (approximately £275 / €320)
Average per day (for two): £17 / €19

• Fuel: 17 516 MZN (£200 / €231)
• Tolls: 380 MZN (£4.30 / €231)
• Mechanic: USD$ 60 (£45 / €52)
• Car related expenses: 1 890 MZN (£22 / €25)

If you’re not driving, then you’ll probably not have as high of an expenditure for this section! Public buses would be the most economical option.

Food & Drink

Since we are travelling long term and food costs can add up – our meals were a mix of eating out and cooking ourselves where we could. We had some long, long driving days and didn’t want to stop for lunch so we did a lot of snacking.

Total Food Cost: 34 700 MZN (approximately £395 / €320)
Average per day (for two): £25 / €29

Our breakdown:

• Groceries: 7 000 MZN (£80 / €92)
• Snacks: 3 500MZN (£45 / €40)
• Eating out: 21 500 (£250 / €288)
• Drinks:  3 300 MZN (£38 / €44)

Typically, what we found was that local joints cost ± £5 / € 6 per meal. Tourist restaurants are closer to £10. And beer lovers rejoice! A 550ml 2M beer costs around 100 MZN (£1.20 / €1.40).

Activities & Adventures

Mozambique’s charm is in the beaches, islands and laid-back vibes. While we spent most of our time doing free things; like strolling, relaxing on the beaches, we also did a couple of things to fully enjoy our time in Mozambique. I did splurge on going diving a couple of times in Tofo and Vilankulos, however I didn’t include my diving trip in Tofo on this tally because it’s a cost quite unique to me and it didn’t make sense to include it.

Total Adventures Cost:  MZN (approximately £440 / €507)
Average per day (for two): £27/ €31

• Diving trip around Tofo: £48/ €55 per dive
• Snorkelling/Diving excursion to Two Mile Reef on Bazaruto Island: USD$ 260 (£190 / €220)
  ($100 for snorkellers and $160 for scuba diving)
• Gorongosa National Park fees: £29 / €33 for two
• Gorongosa Morning Game Drive: £80 / €92 for two
• Gorongosa Afternoon Game Drive: £87 / €100 for two

Bits and Bobs

• Visas for UK + Norwegian Nationals: 1240 MZN (£14 / €16) for two
• SIM card (Airalo): USD$ 32 (£24/ €27)
• Bribes: 260 ZAR (£10.50 / €12)
• Souvenirs: 7 500 MZN (£85.30 / €98) – what can I say, I love unique things.
• Laundry: 500 MZN (£5.70 / €7)

Daily Budget By Travel Style

Okay, this will definitely vary person to person, so obviously, take this with a grain of salt! These are just estimates for what I would’ve assumed you would spend depending on your travel style. I would definitely say we are more comfort/flashpackers probably because we are taking a career gap and are used to the little luxuries. But you could definitely travel on a shoestring by taking public transport and eating at the local spots.

The prices below are per person. Our daily average per person was £46 / €53 excluding the car (add £17 per person for the car)

• Shoestring Backpacker: £30 – 40/day (think shared dorms in hostels, public transport, local markets). €35 – 46/day.
• Mid Range/Flashpacker: £40 – 60/day (occasional beach lodges, boat trips, diving, safaris). €46 – 70/day.
• Luxury: £80 – 100+/day. €92 – 115+/day

So, Was It Worth It?

Mozambique isn’t necessarily the easiest or cheapest country to travel to but it was one of the more memorable ones. I had hyped it up in my head – especially with what you hear about it on the news and media. The main thing that I had in my mind was about the police checkpoints and it actually wasn’t as bad as I had made it out to be in my head once you get used to it and know to just wave. If you ask me, hell yaaaaas – it was worth it! The country isn’t overrun by tourists yet. But they are working hard on making it a must visit destination. Beaches, islands, seafood, wildlife and chilled vibes – every metical felt worth it to me!

👉 Still curious about costs? Here are the most common questions I get about travelling Mozambique:

Mozambique Budget FAQ

Is Mozambique expensive for tourists?
I wouldn’t have said it is. It depends what you decide to do with your money. If you stick to guesthouses and keep your expenses local, your wallet will be pretty happy! But since it’s still relatively off the radar for many travellers, some of the touristic things (tours, diving and such) can push the costs up. But honestly, it’s cheaper than a lot of tropical destinations.

Is it safe to travel to Mozambique?
Okay, so while we did have to pay a bribe and had too many police checkpoints, I never felt that I was ever in danger. In my personal experience, we felt safe. However, I do know of people who had issues while they were in Maputo – we purposely skipped Maputo to avoid any potential issues!

What was your itinerary?
We did the fairly common overlanders route from the South of Moz to the North. We border crossed from eSwatini and exited through Malawi. Head to this post if you want to down our complete itinerary breakdown!

What’s the cheapest way to travel around Mozambique?
Public buses would be your best bets. We’ve met a couple of different travellers who travelled through Mozambique by public transport. They all felt safe and said it was relatively easy to get to the popular spots. However, places like Gorongosa National Park was challenging so they had to leave it off their route.

How much does food cost in Mozambique?
Food is about £5 at a local joint and is about double that (£10) if you’re at a restaurant catered to tourists/foreigners. Buying food at the market is pretty affordable. In Tofo, I got an entire lobster for 900 MZN (±£10) – which I obviously put it on the braai.

• Beers: 100 MZN (£1.20 / €1.30) for a cold 550ml of 2M (local brew)
• Bread at the market: 90 MZN (£1 / €1.15)

Cash or card in Mozambique?
Cash is king. ATMs exist in bigger towns but the smaller places and local markets are cash-only. We did manage to pay a lot of things by card but always be sure that they have connection! Visa cards are more widely accepted than Mastercard.