Cost of Living Comparison Between Benares and Moka Cost of Living Comparison Between Benares and Moka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $970 per month in Benares vs $938 in Moka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,570 per month in Benares vs $1,584 in Moka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Benares vs $2,230 in Moka, rent included.

Benares costs about 3% more than Moka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Benares and Moka are more affordable than the global median – Benares 28% lower, Moka 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 MUR 316

$6.55 MUR 309

2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 MUR 2,041

$44.24 MUR 2,090

-2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 MUR 303

$6.64 MUR 314

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MUR 125

$2.57 MUR 122

2.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 MUR 47.64

$0.95 MUR 44.79

6.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.90

$0.61 MUR 28.60

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 MUR 97.5

$2.16 MUR 102

-4.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MUR 130

$2.76 MUR 130

-0.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MUR 71.9

$1.43 MUR 67.5

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MUR 30.75

$0.66 MUR 31.35

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.9

$1.27 MUR 60.2

4.72%

Eggs

$2.36 MUR 111

$2.27 MUR 107

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 MUR 457

$9.72 MUR 459

-0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 MUR 294

$6.04 MUR 285

2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.48 MUR 495

$10.31 MUR 487

1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 MUR 98.0

$1.99 MUR 93.9

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 94.0

$1.93 MUR 91.1

3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.5

$1.45 MUR 68.4

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 MUR 124

$2.70 MUR 128

-2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.42

$1.03 MUR 48.60

-0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.88

$1.00 MUR 47.11

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.74

$0.83 MUR 39.29

-3.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 27.09

$0.47 MUR 22.35

21.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.20 MUR 293

$5.97 MUR 282

3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 MUR 392

$8.21 MUR 388

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MUR 84.7

$1.78 MUR 84.1

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MUR 99.3

$1.66 MUR 78.6

26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 49.23

$1.00 MUR 47.18

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.16 MUR 622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MUR 205

$2.68 MUR 127

61.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 MUR 127

$2.72 MUR 129

-1.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.33 MUR 724

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 65.8

$1.38 MUR 65.3

0.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

0.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

0.10%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$50.3 MUR 2,376

$48.75 MUR 2,303

3.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.59 MUR 878

$18.01 MUR 851

3.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.34 MUR 1,528

$26.82 MUR 1,267

20.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.89 MUR 1,790

$24.30 MUR 1,148

55.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 MUR 287

$6.20 MUR 293

-1.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$151 MUR 7,149

$153 MUR 7,243

-1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,885 MUR 183.6K

$3,980 MUR 188.0K

-2.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 MUR 2,413

$77.2 MUR 3,647

-33.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 MUR 2,052

$36.63 MUR 1,731

18.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 MUR 3,946

$92.9 MUR 4,390

-10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 MUR 3,675

$55.9 MUR 2,643

39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 MUR 23.8K

$516 MUR 24.4K

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 MUR 16.7K

$327 MUR 15.5K

8.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 MUR 44.0K

$948 MUR 44.8K

-1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 MUR 33.9K

$705 MUR 33.3K

1.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 MUR 15.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Benares: June 2, 2026

Last update for Moka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $504 in Benares versus $516 in Moka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Benares versus $44.00 in Moka. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Benares vs $209 in Moka – so Moka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Benares vs Moka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $970 in Benares, $938 in Moka – roughly 3% apart. Benares costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,454 per month in Benares and $1,406 in Moka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Benares and $44.00 in Moka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Benares, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moka, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Benares at $970. In Moka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benares it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $938 in Moka to $970 in Benares. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Moka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benares makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.