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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Moka is about 3% cheaper than Benares, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 309

$6.69 MUR 316

-2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 MUR 2,090

$43.19 MUR 2,041

2.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 MUR 314

$6.40 MUR 303

3.75%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 122

$2.64 MUR 125

-2.65%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.79

$1.01 MUR 47.64

-5.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.60

$0.57 MUR 26.90

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 MUR 102

$2.06 MUR 97.5

4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MUR 130

$2.75 MUR 130

0.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MUR 67.5

$1.52 MUR 71.9

-5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.35

$0.65 MUR 30.75

1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MUR 60.2

$1.33 MUR 62.9

-4.51%

Eggs

$2.27 MUR 107

$2.36 MUR 111

-3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 MUR 459

$9.68 MUR 457

0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 MUR 285

$6.22 MUR 294

-2.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 MUR 487

$10.48 MUR 495

-1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.9

$2.07 MUR 98.0

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 91.1

$1.99 MUR 94.0

-3.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.4

$1.45 MUR 68.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 128

$2.62 MUR 124

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.60

$1.02 MUR 48.42

0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.11

$0.95 MUR 44.88

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 MUR 39.29

$0.80 MUR 37.74

3.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MUR 22.35

$0.57 MUR 27.09

-17.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 MUR 282

$6.20 MUR 293

-3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 MUR 388

$8.29 MUR 392

-0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 84.1

$1.79 MUR 84.7

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MUR 78.6

$2.10 MUR 99.3

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 47.18

$1.04 MUR 49.23

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.16 MUR 622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 MUR 127

$4.33 MUR 205

-38.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 129

$2.69 MUR 127

1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.33 MUR 724

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MUR 65.3

$1.39 MUR 65.8

-0.72%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

-0.65%

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)

$48.75 MUR 2,303

$50.3 MUR 2,376

-3.06%

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

$18.01 MUR 851

$18.59 MUR 878

-3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.82 MUR 1,267

$32.34 MUR 1,528

-17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.30 MUR 1,148

$37.89 MUR 1,790

-35.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 293

$6.08 MUR 287

1.97%

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

$153 MUR 7,243

$151 MUR 7,149

1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,980 MUR 188.0K

$3,885 MUR 183.6K

2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MUR 3,647

$51.1 MUR 2,413

51.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.63 MUR 1,731

$43.42 MUR 2,052

-15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 MUR 4,390

$83.5 MUR 3,946

11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 MUR 2,643

$77.8 MUR 3,675

-28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.4K

$504 MUR 23.8K

2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 MUR 15.5K

$354 MUR 16.7K

-7.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MUR 44.8K

$931 MUR 44.0K

1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 MUR 33.3K

$718 MUR 33.9K

-1.70%

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 Moka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benares: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Moka versus $504 in Benares. 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 $44.00 in Moka versus $43.00 in Benares. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Moka vs $214 in Benares – 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

Moka vs Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,406 per month in Moka and $1,454 in Benares. 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 $44.00 in Moka and $43.00 in Benares. 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.