Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Victoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahe and Victoria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Mahe versus $1,979 in Victoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,453 in Mahe versus $3,159 in Victoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,128 in Mahe versus $4,338 in Victoria.

Living in Mahe costs roughly 10% less than in Victoria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 33% above, Victoria 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.43 SCR 223

$15.34 SCR 222

0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 SCR 1,010

$44.62 SCR 646

56.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SCR 119

$9.45 SCR 137

-13.02%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SCR 63.4

$4.88 SCR 70.7

-10.25%

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

$2.37 SCR 34.24

$2.64 SCR 38.27

-10.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SCR 26.20

$2.70 SCR 39.03

-32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 SCR 119

$3.98 SCR 57.6

107.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 SCR 75.0

$4.62 SCR 66.9

12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SCR 23.04

$1.84 SCR 26.65

-13.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SCR 15.79

$1.79 SCR 25.92

-39.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 SCR 24.99

$2.73 SCR 39.53

-36.63%

Eggs

$4.16 SCR 60.2

$3.53 SCR 51.1

17.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 SCR 226

$33.10 SCR 479

-52.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SCR 114

$6.02 SCR 87.2

30.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 SCR 181

$11.83 SCR 171

5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 29.77

$2.30 SCR 33.26

-10.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SCR 38.33

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SCR 32.29

$2.24 SCR 32.44

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 SCR 74.5

$6.19 SCR 89.6

-16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.83

$2.06 SCR 29.88

-53.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.84

$1.47 SCR 21.35

-34.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SCR 15.34

$1.37 SCR 19.85

-22.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SCR 21.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 SCR 176

$22.14 SCR 321

-45.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 SCR 148

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SCR 30.56

$4.28 SCR 61.9

-50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SCR 29.81

$6.40 SCR 92.7

-67.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 SCR 12.24

$0.80 SCR 11.63

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 SCR 346

$25.00 SCR 362

-4.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 SCR 148

$7.06 SCR 102

45.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 SCR 46.39

$2.04 SCR 29.52

57.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 SCR 148

$20.70 SCR 300

-50.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 SCR 22.58

$1.41 SCR 20.42

10.64%

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

$26.0K SCR 375.8K

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

$34.4K SCR 498.5K

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

$84.0 SCR 1,216

$134 SCR 1,943

-37.43%

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

$21.09 SCR 305

$41.48 SCR 600

-49.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 SCR 2,324

$155 SCR 2,241

3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 SCR 760

$93.8 SCR 1,358

-44.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 SCR 224

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 SCR 91.0

$5.08 SCR 73.6

23.62%

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

$154 SCR 2,234

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,430 SCR 122.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.27 SCR 395

$63.9 SCR 925

-57.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.82 SCR 157

$27.45 SCR 397

-60.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.47 SCR 629

$70.2 SCR 1,017

-38.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 SCR 799

$70.5 SCR 1,020

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 SCR 11.8K

$952 SCR 13.8K

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SCR 12.3K

$738 SCR 10.7K

15.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 SCR 25.2K

$2,042 SCR 29.6K

-14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SCR 14.9K

$1,763 SCR 25.5K

-41.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$484 SCR 7,004

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,246 SCR 18.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 SCR 13.0K

$991 SCR 14.3K

-9.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

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

Last update for Mahe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Victoria: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $815 in Mahe and $952 in Victoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Mahe vs $45.00 in Victoria. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $381, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mahe vs Victoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahe wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Victoria. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mahe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Victoria earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $815 in Mahe versus $952 in Victoria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Victoria. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,779 per month in Mahe versus $1,979 in Victoria – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,779 in Mahe versus $1,979 in Victoria, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mahe but tight or insufficient in Victoria. The gap between the two cities makes Mahe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mahe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,779 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mahe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mahe and Victoria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mahe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Victoria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.