😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,070 in Port Louis.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,680 in Port Louis.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,290 in Port Louis.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than Port Louis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Port Louis20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$6.55MUR 306
-29.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$44.85MUR 2,099
4.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$7.04MUR 329
25.57%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.59MUR 121
15.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.02MUR 47.83
-27.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.55MUR 25.82
-32.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.17MUR 101
12.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.27MUR 153
10.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.68MUR 78.8
34.52%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.66MUR 30.91
178.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.27MUR 59.5
76.38%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.23MUR 104
4.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.02MUR 563
63.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.26MUR 293
-41.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$12.72MUR 595
2.99%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.00MUR 93.7
69.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$2.00MUR 93.4
-18.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.44MUR 67.4
67.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.64MUR 123
-23.11%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.99MUR 46.42
57.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.99MUR 46.19
51.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$0.86MUR 40.15
18.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.77MUR 35.93
-36.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$6.54MUR 306
-31.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$8.49MUR 397
122.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.78MUR 83.1
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.23MUR 104
23.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.02MUR 47.65
37.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$22.48MUR 1,052
-48.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.37MUR 204
-28.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.74MUR 128
-63.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$20.17MUR 944
-30.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.40MUR 65.4
-3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$35.3KMUR 1.7M
-23.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$28.5KMUR 1.3M
15.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$48.88MUR 2,287
155.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$18.03MUR 843
-24.74%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$33.09MUR 1,548
-44.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$23.89MUR 1,118
157.35%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$4.00MUR 187
321.00%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$5.88MUR 275
56.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$156MUR 7,301
347.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$3,900MUR 182.5K
299.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$85.0MUR 3,976
-32.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$78.9MUR 3,693
-55.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$134MUR 6,256
-15.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$93.2MUR 4,360
-7.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$465MUR 21.7K
32.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$357MUR 16.7K
24.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$783MUR 36.6K
161.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$627MUR 29.4K
137.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$4,163MUR 194.8K
-9.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,086MUR 50.8K
143.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Port Louis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$648MUR 30.3K
-19.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.67
-20.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Port Louis: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $465 in Port Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Port Louis pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Port Louis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $232 per month, with Port Louis cheaper across the board.
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
Phuket vs Port Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Port Louis cheaper than Phuket?
Port Louis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Port Louis?
On paper, Port Louis earns 24% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Port Louis?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $465 in Port Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $156 in Port Louis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Port Louis?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Port Louis?
At $1,070 in Port Louis versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Louis but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Port Louis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Port Louis more family-friendly?
For families, Port Louis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Port Louis?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Port Louis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Port Louis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.