Is Maputo safe?
Take real precautions. Muggings, phone snatching and police shakedowns are the usual problems; avoid walking at night and keep valuables out of sight.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 3/5, take real precautions.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-06-15.
- Homicide rate in Mozambique: 3.6 per 100,000 people (2011, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Mozambique: 30.0 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 119 · Ambulance 117 · Fire 198.
Safety in Maputo at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Crime | Phone and bag snatching, car break-ins, armed muggings at night, and police asking for small bribes at roadblocks. |
| At night | Take a Yango or hotel taxi door to door. Avoid walking after dark, even in the best areas. |
| Solo women | Solo women should avoid walking alone at night, dress modestly and use app taxis. Catcalling is common but usually verbal. |
| Other risks | Cyclone and flood season, roughly Dec–Mar; Malaria year-round; use repellent and prophylaxis advice; Road crashes and unlit roads |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Police stopping foreigners to demand on-the-spot fines
- Informal money changers short-changing or using fake notes
- Unofficial parking attendants demanding fees
Take care
- Walking after dark almost anywhere, including Baixa
- Costa do Sol and beaches at night: robberies
- Using phones openly in taxis or on the street
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Carry your passport or certified copy at all times
- Photographing government buildings or the military is prohibited
- Drug possession carries heavy penalties
How Maputo compares in Mozambique
Quick answers
Is Maputo safe for solo female travelers?
Solo women should avoid walking alone at night, dress modestly and use app taxis. Catcalling is common but usually verbal.
Is Maputo safe at night?
Take a Yango or hotel taxi door to door. Avoid walking after dark, even in the best areas.
What is the crime rate in Maputo?
Phone and bag snatching, car break-ins, armed muggings at night, and police asking for small bribes at roadblocks. Nationally, Mozambique records 3.6 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2011).
What number do I call in an emergency in Maputo?
Police 119 · Ambulance 117 · Fire 198.
More about Maputo
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Mozambique tourism
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.