Mozambique Currency

What is Mozambique's Currency called?

Mozambique's currency is called Metical (plural: Meticais) and banknotes are in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Meticais. 1 Metical is the equivalent of 100 Centavos. Coins are provided in denominations of 50 centavos, 1, 2, 5 and 10 meticais.

Mozambican Metical Currency Code: MZN

"Mt" or "MZN" - These are the symbols you'll see alongside (some) prices / rates in Mozambique.

Can you pay or use Rands (ZAR) in Mozambique?

Yes, the South African Rand (ZAR) is widely accepted by many local businesses and Accommodation Lodges in Mozambique (particularly in Southern Mozambique) however it's also wise to carry a sufficient amount of local Meticais for those smaller businesses who prefer or deal only with their local currency.

You will notice that most Accommodation Lodges in Mozambique quote their rates in the South African Rand currency (ZAR)

Can you pay or use US Dollars (USD) in Mozambique?

Yes, like the South African Rand (ZAR), the US Dollar (USD) is also widely accepted by many local businesses and Accommodation Lodges in Mozambique (particularly in Central Mozambique or Northern Mozambique) but as mentioned above it's also wise to carry a sufficient amount of local Meticais for those smaller businesses who prefer or deal only with their local currency.

So what's the best currency to take with me?

If you're travelling to Southern Mozambique, then South African Rands (ZAR) and a decent amount of local Meticais is the recommended currency to take with.

If you're travelling to Central or Northern Mozambique, then US Dollars (USD) and a decent amount of local Meticais is the recommended currency to take with.

Currency Conversion Services:

Travellers to Mozambique can quite easily convert the South African Rand, US dollar (only new-design), British Pound and Euro currencies into Meticais at bureaux de change and banks in main towns & cities, eg: Maputo. Do not rely on smaller towns for currency exchange services.

Changing Money at Exchange Bureaus: The best places to change money is at Casas de câmbio (exchange bureaus). Their operating hours are generally longer than that of banks and offer a much more competitive exchange rate (slightly higher or equivalent).

Changing Money at General Banks: If you are unable to reach an Exchange Bureau then you should be able to do an exchange at a BCI branch (recommended). Only account holders of Millennium BIM branches allow cash changes. Although most banks don't charge a commision levy for currency exchanges - do remember to confirm this prior.

Travellers Cheques: Mozambique does not accept Travellers Cheques for direct payment or exchange.

Credit Cards & ATMS:

Major credit cards including MasterCard and foreign Visa cards are accepted by most upmarket hotels, lodges, restaurants, retail outlets & vehicle rental services.

Visa cards can be used to draw money out of ATMs found in Mozambique's larger towns & cities however you may struggle to draw money using MasterCard at Millennium BIM and Standard Bank machines.

If you are travelling to a rural or remote location in Mozambique then keep in mind that some shops and fuel stations can only accept cash, and may not have any ATMS (or functioning ATMs) to draw money out of - therefore cash in hand is very important. Note: Diners or American Express credit cards aren't accepted by some businesses in Mozambique.

Bank Withdrawal Limits:

• General limit: Mt 3000 / USD 120
• BCI limit: Mt 5000 / USD 200
• Standard Bank limit: Mt 10,000 / USD 400

Commercial Banks:

There are 18 commercial banks in Mozambique:

• BancABC
• Banco Comercial e de Investimentos (BCI)
• Banco Mercantil e de Investimentos (BMI)
• Banco Nacional de Investimentos (BNI) (National Investment Bank)
• Banco Tchuma
• Banco Terra
• Banco Société Générale Moçambique (SGM)
• Banco Unico
• Barclays Bank
• First National Bank Mozambique
• First Capital Bank (FCB)
• Millennium BIM (BIM)
• Moza Banco
• MBC Bank Mozambique (MBC)
• Procredit Bank
• Socremo Microfinance Bank
• Standard Bank
• United Bank for Africa

Banking Hours:

This may vary depending on the bank / bank branch but operating hours are generally from:

08:00am → 15:30pm on Mondays to Fridays
08:00am → 13:30pm on Saturdays (or closed).
Sunday: Closed

Cash in Hand:

When travelling to Mozambique via vehicle, make sure you carry a sufficient amount of cash in your local currency for border fees because not all border posts accept credit cards nor have the facilities to do an electronic transaction as such. Most border posts accept currencies from the country you're entering from however kindly contact the border authorities directly to confirm.

Mozambique Exchange Rate Calculator:

Terms & Conditions:

AccommodationMozambique.co.za cannot be held liable for any change in exchange rates and information above.