Cost of Living in Mauritius 2026 — Complete Expat Guide

Quick snapshot

Mauritius is genuinely affordable for some categories and surprisingly expensive for others. The honest summary:

Category	vs. UK/France	vs. South Africa
Rent	Cheaper	Comparable/slightly more
Local fresh food	Much cheaper	Comparable
Imported food/wine	More expensive	Much more expensive
Domestic services	Much cheaper	Comparable
International school fees	Much cheaper	Much cheaper
Private healthcare	Cheaper	Cheaper
New cars	More expensive	Much more expensive
Electronics/appliances	More expensive	More expensive
Utilities (electricity)	Comparable	More expensive

Housing costs

Monthly rents (furnished, expat-grade)

Property	Area	Monthly (MUR)	Monthly (USD)
Studio/1-bed apartment	Quatre Bornes / Beau Bassin	16,000–25,000	355–555
2-bed furnished apartment	Grand Baie	40,000–55,000	890–1,220
2-bed furnished apartment	Flic en Flac / Tamarin	32,000–48,000	710–1,070
2-bed apartment	Moka Smart City	28,000–42,000	620–935
3-bed villa, no pool	Flic en Flac	50,000–70,000	1,110–1,555
3-bed villa with pool	Tamarin / Grand Baie	70,000–120,000	1,555–2,665
4-bed PDS villa with pool	Beau Champ / Black River	120,000–200,000	2,665–4,445

Standard lease terms: 12 months minimum, 2–3 months' deposit required. Rent is typically in MUR; some PDS estate rentals are USD-denominated.

Buying costs

If buying property (minimum USD 375,000 for foreigners in approved schemes), add 7–9% for acquisition costs: 5% registration duty, ~1% notary fees, EDB fees, and legal costs. No ongoing property tax. See our property buying guide for full cost breakdown.

Food and groceries

Local market shopping (recommended)

Every town has a weekly market (marché). Fresh fruit, vegetables, local spices, freshly caught fish (capitaine, red snapper, tuna), and locally made street food are excellent quality and very affordable.

Item	Approx. price (MUR)
Dholl puri (street food lunch)	25–50
1kg tomatoes (market)	40–70
1kg fresh tuna (market)	180–250
Bunch of bananas	30–60
Weekly fresh food shop (couple)	2,500–4,500

Supermarket shopping (imported goods)

Intermart, Jumbo Score, Winners, and Food Lovers Market carry imported products. Prices for imported goods are 30–70% higher than European retail due to import duties.

Item	Approx. price (MUR)
Bottle of South African wine (750ml)	350–700
Imported cheddar (200g)	180–350
Phoenix beer 6-pack (local)	320–400
Nescafé 200g	220–350
Weekly supermarket shop (couple, mixed)	8,000–15,000

Transport

Item	Cost
Petrol (per litre)	MUR 62–68
Used Japanese SUV (2019–2022)	MUR 450,000–900,000
New small car (Suzuki Swift)	MUR 600,000–750,000
Monthly car insurance	MUR 1,500–3,500
Taxi (Grand Baie to Port Louis, ~25km)	MUR 600–900
Taxi (Tamarin to Ebène, ~20km)	MUR 500–700
Uber/inDrive (cheaper than taxis)	MUR 350–600 same routes

💡

Most expat families own at least one car — public buses cover routes but are slow and crowded. Second-hand Japanese imports (Toyota Vitz, Honda Fit, Nissan Note) are reliable, affordable, and widely available.

Utilities and internet

Utility	Monthly cost (MUR)
Electricity (moderate AC use)	3,000–6,000
Electricity (heavy AC use)	7,000–15,000
Water	500–1,200
Fibre internet 100Mbps	1,200–1,600
Fibre internet 500Mbps	2,000–2,800
Mobile SIM with data (Emtel/MTML)	500–1,200
Housekeeper (3× half-days/week)	5,000–7,500
Full-time domestic worker (live-out)	12,000–16,000

Healthcare costs

Private health insurance is required for permit applications and strongly recommended for all residents. Public healthcare is free but waiting times and facilities are below the standard most expats expect.

Item	Approx. cost
Private health insurance (per person/month)	USD 120–350
GP consultation (private)	MUR 700–1,500
Specialist consultation (private)	MUR 1,500–4,000
Dental check-up and clean	MUR 2,000–4,500
Emergency room visit (Wellkin)	MUR 5,000–15,000+
Prescription medication	MUR 300–1,500

Education costs

State schools are free and open to all residents. International school fees are significantly cheaper than equivalent schools in the UK or Australia.

School	Annual fees (MUR)	Annual fees (USD)
École du Centre (French/IB)	180,000–280,000	4,000–6,220
IPS (Cambridge IGCSE/A-Level)	200,000–320,000	4,445–7,110
Northfields (Cambridge)	220,000–340,000	4,890–7,555
Le Bocage International	250,000–380,000	5,555–8,445
State school	Free	Free

Dining out and entertainment

Item	Approx. cost (MUR)
Local restaurant meal (per person)	300–600
Mid-range restaurant (per person)	700–1,500
Upscale restaurant (per person)	2,000–4,500
Coffee (cappuccino, café)	120–220
Beach club entry (weekend)	300–800
Cinema ticket	280–420
Gym membership (per month)	1,500–3,500

Monthly budget examples

Budget couple (local lifestyle)

2-bed apartment, Quatre Bornes: MUR 25,000
Groceries (mixed local/supermarket): MUR 18,000
1 car (fuel + insurance): MUR 8,000
Utilities: MUR 5,000
Health insurance: MUR 9,000
Dining out (2×/week): MUR 10,000
Misc/leisure: MUR 8,000
Total: ~MUR 83,000/month (~USD 1,845)

Comfortable family of four

3-bed villa with pool, Flic en Flac: MUR 75,000
Part-time housekeeper: MUR 7,000
Groceries: MUR 28,000
2 cars (fuel + insurance): MUR 14,000
Utilities: MUR 8,000
Health insurance (family of 4): MUR 28,000
2 children, international school: MUR 45,000
Dining out + entertainment: MUR 25,000
Misc: MUR 15,000
Total: ~MUR 245,000/month (~USD 5,445)

Luxury lifestyle

PDS villa (owned) or luxury rental: MUR 150,000+
Live-in domestic staff: MUR 16,000
Premium groceries and dining: MUR 60,000
2 premium cars: MUR 20,000
Top-tier health insurance: MUR 40,000
2 children, top international schools: MUR 55,000
Leisure, golf, travel: MUR 40,000
Total: ~MUR 380,000+/month (~USD 8,445+)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average cost of living in Mauritius for expats?

A comfortable lifestyle for an expat couple — renting a 2-bed furnished villa, eating out twice a week, driving one car, and using private healthcare — typically costs MUR 130,000–200,000/month (approximately USD 2,900–4,450). A family of four with international school fees and a live-in housekeeper would typically spend MUR 250,000–400,000/month.

Is Mauritius cheaper than the UK?

For some things, significantly cheaper: domestic services, restaurants, fresh local produce, and rent in non-tourist areas. For other things, Mauritius is more expensive: imported food and wine, electronics, new cars, and school fees are all 30–80% more than in the UK. The overall cost for expats living a Western lifestyle is broadly comparable to a mid-tier UK city.

How much money do you need to retire in Mauritius?

A comfortable retirement for a couple can be achieved on USD 3,000–5,000/month (MUR 135,000–225,000). This covers a 2-bed villa rental in Flic en Flac or Tamarin, private health insurance for two, a small car, eating out regularly, and all utilities. If buying a property at USD 375,000+, remove the rental cost from the budget.

Are groceries expensive in Mauritius?

Local fresh produce (fruit, vegetables, fish, local meat) from markets is very affordable — a week's fresh market shopping for two costs MUR 2,000–4,000. Imported supermarket products (branded cereals, European cheeses, wine, packaged goods) are 30–70% more expensive than in Europe. The more you eat locally, the more you save.

How much does a villa cost to rent in Mauritius?

A furnished 3-bed villa with pool in a desirable expat area (Grand Baie, Tamarin, Flic en Flac) typically costs MUR 65,000–110,000/month (USD 1,445–2,445). A 2-bed furnished apartment in the same areas costs MUR 35,000–55,000/month. Central plateau areas (Moka, Quatre Bornes) are 20–30% cheaper for equivalent space.

What is a typical monthly electricity bill in Mauritius?

Electricity is the most variable utility cost. With air conditioning used moderately, expect MUR 3,000–5,000/month for a villa. Heavy AC use (running all night, multiple units) can push this to MUR 8,000–15,000/month. A small apartment without heavy AC: MUR 1,500–2,500/month. Mauritius uses 230V/50Hz with Type G sockets (UK standard).