Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Mozambique Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Maputo's property market is included in our pack
Whether you are looking at buying an apartment to rent out to expats, NGO workers, or local professionals, understanding the numbers behind rental yields in Maputo is the first step to making a smart investment.
We wrote this article to give you a clear, honest look at what kind of returns you can realistically expect from apartment rentals in Maputo in early 2026.
We keep updating this blog post regularly so you always have access to the latest figures and market conditions.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Maputo.
Fact-checked and reviewed by our local expert
Alexia Vieira
Founder and President of Fundacion Khanimambo and Humbi Farm
What rental yields can I realistically get from an apartment in Maputo?
What's the average gross rental yield for apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average gross rental yield for apartments in Maputo sits around 6% to 7%, which is competitive compared to many other African capital cities.
The realistic range of gross rental yields in Maputo spans from about 4% at the lower end (for overpriced luxury units) to around 9% at the higher end (for well-bought mid-market apartments in emerging areas).
What makes yields vary so much in Maputo is the stark divide between "expat-grade" furnished apartments with backup power and water versus basic unfurnished units, since corporate and NGO tenants will pay significant premiums for properties that can handle the city's infrastructure challenges.
Compared to other cities in the region, Maputo's gross yields tend to match or slightly beat Johannesburg and Nairobi, while offering more stability than higher-yielding but riskier markets in East Africa.
What's the average net rental yield for apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average net rental yield for apartments in Maputo falls between 4% and 5% for a professionally managed long-term rental.
The realistic range of net rental yields that most apartment investors can expect in Maputo runs from about 2.5% (for high-cost luxury buildings with expensive service charges) up to around 6% (for efficiently run mid-market properties with lower overheads).
The single biggest expense category eating into your gross yield in Maputo is the condominium service charge, which in secure buildings with generators, water tanks, and 24/7 security can easily run 8% to 15% of your monthly rent.
By the way, you will find much more detailed data in our property pack covering the real estate market in Maputo.
What's the typical rent-to-price ratio for apartments in Maputo in 2026?
As of early 2026, the typical rent-to-price ratio for apartments in Maputo is around 0.55% per month, meaning for every 100,000 MZN of purchase price, you can expect roughly 550 MZN in monthly rent.
The realistic range of rent-to-price ratios covering most apartment transactions in Maputo runs from about 0.45% per month (in premium Polana or Sommerschield addresses) up to 0.75% per month (in well-located mid-market buildings in Costa do Sol or Coop).
Apartment categories with the highest rent-to-price ratios in Maputo tend to be compact 1-beds and 2-beds in emerging coastal areas like Costa do Sol or near-prime neighborhoods like Coop, where purchase prices have not yet caught up to strong rental demand from young professionals and relocating expats.
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How much rent can I charge for an apartment in Maputo?
What's the typical tenant budget range for apartments in Maputo right now?
The typical monthly tenant budget range in Maputo spans from about 25,000 MZN (around $390 or €340) for basic unfurnished units up to 200,000 MZN or more (around $3,130 or €2,710) for fully equipped expat-grade apartments.
Tenants targeting mid-range apartments in Maputo generally budget between 60,000 and 100,000 MZN per month (roughly $940 to $1,560, or €815 to €1,350), which gets them a decent 1-bed or compact 2-bed in a secure building with basic backup infrastructure.
Tenants seeking high-end or luxury apartments in Maputo typically budget 120,000 to 200,000+ MZN per month (roughly $1,880 to $3,130+, or €1,625 to €2,710+), expecting fully furnished units with generators, water tanks, parking, air conditioning, and often in prime neighborhoods like Polana Cimento or Sommerschield.
We have a blog article where we update the latest data about rents in Maputo here.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bed apartment in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly rent for a 1-bed apartment in Maputo's investable market is around 75,000 MZN (roughly $1,170 or €1,015).
The entry-level monthly rent for a decent 1-bed in Maputo starts around 40,000 to 55,000 MZN ($625 to $860, or €540 to €745), which typically gets you an unfurnished or part-furnished unit in a secure building, possibly in Coop or the edges of Costa do Sol, without a dedicated generator.
The mid-range monthly rent for a typical 1-bed in Maputo runs between 60,000 and 90,000 MZN ($940 to $1,410, or €815 to €1,220), and at this level you can expect a furnished apartment with air conditioning, backup water, and access to shared building security in neighborhoods like Costa do Sol or Polana.
The high-end monthly rent for a luxury 1-bed in Maputo reaches 100,000 to 140,000+ MZN ($1,560 to $2,190+, or €1,350 to €1,895+), which buys you a fully equipped unit in a prime Sommerschield or Polana Cimento address with a generator, modern finishes, and sometimes sea views.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bed apartment in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly rent for a 2-bed apartment in Maputo is around 105,000 MZN (roughly $1,640 or €1,420).
The entry-level monthly rent for a decent 2-bed in Maputo starts around 55,000 to 75,000 MZN ($860 to $1,170, or €745 to €1,015), which typically gets you an unfurnished unit in a gated compound or older secure building, often in areas like Matola or the outskirts of Coop.
The mid-range monthly rent for a typical 2-bed in Maputo runs between 80,000 and 120,000 MZN ($1,250 to $1,875, or €1,085 to €1,625), and this level gets you a furnished apartment with backup power, water tanks, and parking in neighborhoods like Costa do Sol or Triunfo.
The high-end monthly rent for a luxury 2-bed in Maputo reaches 130,000 to 180,000+ MZN ($2,030 to $2,815+, or €1,760 to €2,440+), which typically means a modern, fully furnished unit in Polana Cimento or Sommerschield with a generator, quality finishes, and often concierge or building services.
What's the average monthly rent for a 3-bed apartment in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the average monthly rent for a 3-bed apartment in Maputo is around 145,000 MZN (roughly $2,265 or €1,965).
The entry-level monthly rent for a decent 3-bed in Maputo starts around 80,000 to 110,000 MZN ($1,250 to $1,720, or €1,085 to €1,490), which typically gets you an unfurnished family-sized unit in a secure compound in suburban areas like Matola or outer Costa do Sol.
The mid-range monthly rent for a typical 3-bed in Maputo runs between 110,000 and 150,000 MZN ($1,720 to $2,345, or €1,490 to €2,030), and at this level you can expect a furnished apartment with backup infrastructure, parking, and good security in established neighborhoods like Coop or Triunfo.
The high-end monthly rent for a luxury 3-bed in Maputo reaches 160,000 to 220,000+ MZN ($2,500 to $3,440+, or €2,165 to €2,980+), which buys you a fully equipped corporate-grade apartment in prime Polana Cimento or Sommerschield with a generator, modern kitchen, multiple bathrooms, and often dedicated parking.
How fast do well-priced apartments get rented in Maputo?
A well-priced apartment in Maputo's prime neighborhoods typically finds a tenant in 2 to 6 weeks, with furnished units in secure buildings often renting within 2 to 4 weeks.
The typical vacancy rate for quality apartments in Maputo's formal rental market runs around 5% to 10% annually, though this varies significantly based on pricing and building quality.
The main factors that cause some apartments to rent faster than others in Maputo are backup infrastructure (generators and water tanks are almost non-negotiable for corporate tenants), building security, and timing your listing to match the January-February school reset or the August-September corporate relocation cycle.
And if you want to know what should be the right price, check our latest update on how much an apartment should cost in Maputo.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Mozambique versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
Which apartment type gives the best yield in Maputo?
Which is better for yield between studios, 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, 1-bed and compact 2-bed apartments in Maputo typically offer the best rental yields because they hit the sweet spot between strong rental demand and manageable purchase prices.
The typical gross rental yield ranges by apartment type in Maputo are roughly 6% to 8% for studios (best for short-term), 6.5% to 8% for 1-beds, 6% to 7.5% for 2-beds, and 5% to 7% for 3-beds, with smaller units generally outperforming on a yield basis.
The main reason 1-beds and compact 2-beds outperform in Maputo is that the rental market is heavily driven by single expats, young professionals, and small corporate households, while larger 3-beds face a thinner tenant pool and sharper rent negotiations from families who have more bargaining power.
Which features are best if you want a good yield for your apartment in Maputo?
The features that most positively impact rental yield in Maputo are 24/7 security with controlled access, a backup generator, a water tank with pump, and air conditioning in main rooms, because tenants in Maputo will pay meaningful premiums to avoid the city's infrastructure gaps.
In Maputo, mid-floor apartments in buildings with working elevators tend to rent faster than ground-floor units (security concerns) or top-floor units (heat and potential roof leaks), making floors 2 through 5 the easiest to rent.
Apartments with balconies or terraces in Maputo do command modestly higher rents, but the premium is smaller than you might expect because tenants prioritize backup power and security over outdoor space.
Building features like elevators, security personnel, and dedicated parking absolutely raise rents enough to justify higher service charges in Maputo, since the expat and corporate tenant segment essentially requires these amenities and will not consider buildings without them.
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Which neighborhoods give the best rental demand for apartments in Maputo?
Which neighborhoods have the highest rental demand for apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the neighborhoods with the highest rental demand for apartments in Maputo are Polana Cimento, Sommerschield, Coop, Baixa (the CBD), Costa do Sol, and Triunfo, which together concentrate most of the city's embassy, NGO, and corporate tenant activity.
The main demand driver making these Maputo neighborhoods attractive is proximity to international organizations, embassies, and corporate offices combined with access to "secure building" stock that has backup power, water, and 24/7 security, which is what the expat and professional tenant pool requires.
The typical time-to-rent in these high-demand Maputo neighborhoods is 2 to 4 weeks for a well-priced furnished unit, with vacancy rates staying relatively low at around 5% to 8% annually for quality properties.
One emerging neighborhood gaining rental demand momentum in Maputo is Triunfo and outer Costa do Sol, where new secure developments are attracting tenants priced out of central Polana and Sommerschield while still offering coastal access and modern infrastructure.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Maputo.
Which neighborhoods have the highest yields for apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the neighborhoods with the highest rental yields for apartments in Maputo are Costa do Sol, Triunfo, and Coop, where strong rental demand meets more reasonable purchase prices compared to ultra-prime addresses.
The typical gross rental yield range in these top-yielding Maputo neighborhoods is 7% to 9%, compared to 5% to 6.5% in the most expensive Polana Cimento and Sommerschield areas.
The main reason these neighborhoods offer higher yields in Maputo is that purchase prices have not fully caught up to rental demand, so investors buying well in Costa do Sol or Coop can capture the same corporate tenant pool that rents in Polana without paying Polana prices.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Mozambique. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
Should I do long-term rental or short-term rental in Maputo?
Is short-term rental legal for apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, short-term rental is legal in Maputo but it is regulated under the tourism framework, meaning you need to register as "alojamento local" (local accommodation) to operate properly.
The main legal requirements for operating a short-term rental apartment in Maputo include registering with the Ministry of Tourism under Decree 74/2022, meeting basic safety and hospitality standards, and potentially paying tourism-related taxes on your rental income.
For Airbnb-style rentals in Maputo, you should register through the government's online tourism system (eSGT) and ensure your property meets the basic criteria for "alojamento local" classification, which is the official category for short-stay accommodation outside of traditional hotels.
By the way, we also have a blog article detailing whether owning an Airbnb rental is profitable in Maputo.
What's the gross yield difference short-term vs long-term in Maputo in 2026?
As of early 2026, a well-run short-term rental in a prime Maputo location can achieve gross yields 2 to 4 percentage points higher than a comparable long-term rental, though the net advantage is smaller after accounting for higher operating costs.
The typical gross yield range for short-term rentals in Maputo is around 9% to 12% for well-located small units, compared to 6% to 7% for long-term rentals, but short-term involves significantly more operational effort.
The main additional costs that reduce the net yield advantage of short-term rentals in Maputo include platform fees (typically 3% to 15%), cleaning between guests, higher management fees (often 15% to 25% versus 8% to 12% for long-term), more frequent furnishing refresh, and higher utility consumption.
A short-term rental in Maputo generally needs to achieve at least 45% to 50% occupancy to outperform a comparable long-term rental on a net basis, and AirDNA data shows Maputo averaging around 45% occupancy with an average daily rate near $61.
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What costs will eat into my net yield for an apartment in Maputo?
What are building service charges as a % of rent in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the typical building service charge (condominium fee) for apartments in Maputo runs around 10% to 12% of monthly rent, which translates to roughly 6,000 to 15,000 MZN ($95 to $235, or €80 to €205) depending on the building.
The realistic range of building service charges in Maputo spans from about 8% of rent for basic buildings up to 15% or more for premium complexes with full backup infrastructure, and in absolute terms this can range from 5,000 MZN to 25,000 MZN ($80 to $390, or €70 to €340) per month.
Services that justify higher-than-average condominium fees in Maputo are primarily generator fuel and maintenance (a major expense given unreliable grid power), water tank systems, 24/7 security guards, elevator maintenance, and swimming pool upkeep, which together can push fees well above basic building costs.
What annual maintenance budget should I assume for an apartment in Maputo right now?
A practical annual maintenance budget for an apartment in Maputo is around 1% to 1.5% of the property value, which for a typical $150,000 apartment means roughly 95,000 to 145,000 MZN per year ($1,500 to $2,250, or €1,300 to €1,950).
The realistic range of annual maintenance costs in Maputo varies from about 0.8% of property value for newer well-built apartments up to 2% or more for older buildings or coastal-exposed properties, meaning anywhere from 75,000 MZN to 190,000 MZN ($1,175 to $2,970, or €1,020 to €2,575) annually for a mid-range unit.
The most common maintenance expenses apartment owners face in Maputo are air conditioning servicing and repairs (humidity and salt air accelerate wear), repainting more frequently than in temperate climates, plumbing issues related to water pressure and tank systems, and occasional generator-related repairs if you have a dedicated unit.
What property taxes should I expect for an apartment in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the main annual property tax for apartments in Maputo is IPRA (Imposto Predial Autárquico), which is commonly around 0.4% of the property's patrimonial value for residential use, translating to roughly 40,000 to 100,000 MZN ($625 to $1,565, or €540 to €1,355) for a mid-range apartment.
The realistic range of property taxes in Maputo depends on the officially assessed patrimonial value (which is often lower than market value), and can run from about 25,000 MZN ($390 or €340) for modest properties up to 150,000 MZN or more ($2,345 or €2,030) for high-value prime apartments.
Property taxes in Maputo are calculated by applying the municipal rate (0.4% for residential, 0.7% for commercial or other uses) to the taxable patrimonial value, which is determined by the municipality and may not reflect current market prices.
Newly built residential properties in Maputo can be exempt from IPRA for up to five years if you apply to the municipality, which can meaningfully improve your net yield during the initial holding period.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Maputo.
How much does landlord insurance cost for an apartment in Maputo in 2026?
As of early 2026, the typical annual landlord insurance cost for an apartment in Maputo runs around 0.15% to 0.35% of the insured property value, which for a $150,000 apartment means roughly 14,500 to 33,500 MZN per year ($225 to $525, or €195 to €455).
The realistic range of annual landlord insurance costs in Maputo depends on the coverage level and property value, spanning from about 10,000 MZN ($155 or €135) for basic fire-only cover on a modest unit up to 65,000 MZN or more ($1,015 or €880) for comprehensive cover including flood and theft on a high-value apartment.
What's the typical property management fee for apartments in Maputo as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the typical property management fee for long-term rentals in Maputo is around 8% to 10% of monthly rent, which for a 100,000 MZN/month apartment means roughly 8,000 to 10,000 MZN ($125 to $155, or €110 to €135) per month.
The realistic range of property management fees in Maputo runs from about 8% of rent for basic tenant-finding and rent-collection services up to 12% or more for full-service management including maintenance coordination, and short-term rental management can run 15% to 25% of revenue.
Services typically included in standard property management fees in Maputo are tenant sourcing and vetting, lease administration, rent collection, basic maintenance coordination, and communication with the condominium administration, though major repairs and legal issues usually incur additional charges.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Mozambique compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Maputo, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can, and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Banco de Moçambique | Official central bank with the definitive exchange rate series | We used it to convert USD-priced rentals into meticais and keep yield math consistent. We anchored all currency conversions to the January 2026 benchmark rate. |
| CASA SAPO | Large property portal with thousands of Maputo listings | We extracted real asking rents and prices for the same neighborhoods to compute rent-to-price ratios. We used listing pairs to triangulate gross yield estimates. |
| Property24 Mozambique | Major regional portal widely used by agencies and relocations | We cross-checked rent levels especially for expat and corporate stock. We used listing examples that include service charge clues to estimate costs. |
| AirDNA | Major short-term rental data provider with consistent global methodology | We used it to estimate realistic STR occupancy, daily rates, and revenue in Maputo. We quantified the yield uplift versus long-term renting. |
| TTA Advogados | Well-known law firm with structured legal tax summaries | We used it to translate the tax code into investor-readable numbers like IPRA rates. We triangulated tax burdens when estimating net yields. |
| Código Tributário Autárquico | Official legal text defining municipal taxes including IPRA | We used it to validate which taxes exist and how they are structured in law. We avoided relying on hearsay for tax terminology. |
| Conselho Municipal de Maputo | Official city authority administering local taxes and fees | We used it to ground the property taxes section in how Maputo actually collects local tributes. We cross-checked IPRA administration procedures. |
| UN-Habitat Maputo City Profile | UN agency for cities and housing with reliable structural context | We used it to explain what's unique about Maputo's housing supply and formal rental market. We framed neighborhood-level demand drivers. |
| Numbeo | Transparent user-contributed benchmark for rent and price data | We used it only as a sanity check band for rents and price-per-sqm. We made sure our portal-based estimates were not wildly off. |
| Hollard Mozambique | Leading insurer in Mozambique with local product offerings | We used it to confirm that building insurance is available locally. We set a realistic cost range for landlord cover. |
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