Cost of Living in Mauritius 2025: What Expats Really Spend

The Honest Answer

Mauritius is not as cheap as it once was. Rising food import costs, a weakening rupee against major currencies, and strong demand from European and South African expatriates have pushed living costs up meaningfully since 2020. That said, for most Western Europeans, Australians, and South Africans, the purchasing power is still considerably better than at home — especially for accommodation, domestic help, and eating out.

Accommodation

Rental costs vary dramatically by location and quality. As a guide for 2025:

• 1-bedroom apartment, Grand Baie (expat area): MUR 35,000–55,000/month (USD 750–1,200)
• 3-bedroom villa with pool, Tamarin/Black River: MUR 80,000–150,000/month (USD 1,700–3,200)
• 2-bedroom apartment, Moka (central plateau): MUR 30,000–45,000/month (USD 650–1,000)
• PDS estate villa (premium): From MUR 200,000/month (USD 4,300+)

Food and Groceries

Local produce — vegetables, tropical fruit, fresh fish, and chicken — remains affordable. A typical weekly shop for a couple at a local market costs MUR 1,500–2,500 (USD 32–55). Supermarket shopping at Winner, Super U, or Intermart runs higher if you buy imported items. A bottle of imported wine costs MUR 600–900 (USD 13–20); local rum (New Grove, Chamarel) is MUR 250–450 per bottle.

Eating out at a local Creole restaurant costs MUR 400–700 per person including a drink. A good mid-range restaurant charges MUR 1,200–2,000 per person. Fine dining at resort hotels can reach MUR 4,000+ per head.

Transport

Owning a car is almost essential unless you live in a walkable town. A reliable second-hand car can be found from MUR 250,000 (USD 5,400). Fuel runs around MUR 58–65 per litre for petrol. Taxis for short journeys cost MUR 200–400; inDrive (rideshare) is noticeably cheaper in urban areas.

Utilities

Electricity is the big variable. Air conditioning, if used heavily, can push monthly bills to MUR 8,000–15,000 (USD 170–325). Without AC, typical household electricity runs MUR 2,500–4,500/month. Water is cheap. Fibre broadband (100Mbps) costs approximately MUR 1,200/month.

Healthcare

A GP consultation at a private clinic costs MUR 600–900 (USD 13–20). Comprehensive private health insurance for a couple typically costs USD 150–250 per month depending on the plan and ages. Dental care is broadly comparable to private UK costs or slightly lower.

Sample Monthly Budgets

• Couple, modest lifestyle: USD 2,000–2,800/month (shared apartment, local food, one car, no private school)
• Couple, comfortable lifestyle: USD 3,500–5,000/month (villa with pool, mix of eating out, one school-age child at private school)
• Family, premium lifestyle: USD 7,000–12,000/month (PDS estate, two children in international school, frequent restaurants)

What You Get For Your Money

The quality-of-life dividend is real. Year-round warmth, access to beautiful beaches and outdoor activities, a genuinely safe environment, domestic help that is affordable on a Western salary, and relatively low traffic outside peak hours all contribute to a high perceived quality of life that the numbers alone don't capture.