Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Louis and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Louis: $945 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Port Louis
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Port Louis Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Port Louis

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$945

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Louis and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port Louis and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Port Louis vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Port Louis $945
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $1,579 per month in Port Louis vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Port Louis $1,579
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $2,212 per month in Port Louis vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Port Louis $2,212
Istanbul $3,272

Port Louis is about 38% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Port Louis sits 29% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.65 MUR 267

$11.88 ₺585

-52.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.50 MUR 1,774

$55.1 ₺2,714

-31.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 MUR 341

$9.14 ₺450

-21.12%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 120

$4.24 ₺209

-39.86%

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

$1.11 MUR 52.5

$1.75 ₺86.0

-36.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 MUR 29.19

$0.54 ₺26.83

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 MUR 121

$4.69 ₺231

-45.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 MUR 229

$5.97 ₺294

-19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MUR 71.7

$1.26 ₺62.1

19.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MUR 36.74

$0.95 ₺46.81

-17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MUR 54.0

$2.31 ₺114

-50.65%

Eggs

$2.50 MUR 118

$2.47 ₺122

1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 MUR 248

$10.55 ₺520

-50.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 MUR 295

$5.60 ₺276

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 MUR 536

$21.21 ₺1,045

-46.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 128

$1.93 ₺95.1

39.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 MUR 121

$2.29 ₺113

11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 MUR 67.3

$1.28 ₺63.1

10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 MUR 142

$1.84 ₺90.8

63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 44.18

$0.67 ₺32.86

38.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MUR 44.62

$0.59 ₺29.31

59.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MUR 34.51

$1.33 ₺65.4

-45.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MUR 40.11

$0.59 ₺29.10

44.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 MUR 307

$2.36 ₺116

174.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 MUR 386

$13.47 ₺664

-39.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 MUR 76.3

$2.42 ₺119

-33.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 MUR 112

$3.54 ₺174

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 MUR 48.21

$0.83 ₺40.64

22.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.09 MUR 1,471

$66.5 ₺3,273

-53.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 MUR 200

$1.35 ₺66.6

214.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 MUR 149

$0.85 ₺42.05

271.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.17 MUR 1,001

$10.86 ₺535

94.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 66.2

$1.47 ₺72.3

-4.76%

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

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

$51.6K ₺2.5M

-30.27%

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

$31.0K MUR 1.5M

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-30.17%

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

$43.83 MUR 2,073

$89.2 ₺4,395

-50.87%

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

$10.37 MUR 490

$11.60 ₺572

-10.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.41 MUR 1,344

$16.10 ₺793

76.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.62 MUR 1,212

$77.3 ₺3,805

-66.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.88 MUR 184

$22.66 ₺1,116

-82.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 293

$8.34 ₺411

-25.66%

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

$125 MUR 5,930

$974 ₺48.0K

-87.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,687 MUR 363.7K

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-70.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MUR 3,607

$52.7 ₺2,597

44.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 MUR 3,471

$39.16 ₺1,929

87.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 MUR 5,569

$103 ₺5,083

14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 MUR 3,663

$96.6 ₺4,759

-19.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 MUR 22.0K

$994 ₺49.0K

-53.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MUR 12.7K

$629 ₺31.0K

-57.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 MUR 36.0K

$2,024 ₺99.7K

-62.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 MUR 27.8K

$1,155 ₺56.9K

-49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,109 MUR 194.4K

$3,160 ₺155.7K

30.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,047 MUR 49.6K

$1,838 ₺90.5K

-43.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$670 MUR 31.7K

$1,203 ₺59.3K

-44.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

41.09

-83.77%

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

Last update for Port Louis: October 4, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Port Louis

$269 28.5%

Istanbul

$629 41.2% 134% $361

Groceries & Markets

Port Louis

$215 22.8%

Istanbul

$264 17.3% 22.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Port Louis

$155 16.5%

Istanbul

$131 8.6% 15.4% $24

Eating Out

Port Louis

$127 13.5%

Istanbul

$218 14.3% 71.9% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Louis

$83 8.8%

Istanbul

$117 7.7% 41.5% $34

Getting Around

Port Louis

$55 5.9%

Istanbul

$75 4.9% 36.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Port Louis

$38 4%

Istanbul

$94 6.1% 147% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Port Louis versus $994 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Port Louis versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $264 – making Port Louis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇺 Port Louis

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

05:04 5:04 AM

1 h behind Port Louis

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

147,688 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 MUR = 2.11 USD

100 MUR = 1.88 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇺 Mauritian Rupee (₨)

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 47.31 MUR (100 MUR = 2.11 USD). 1 EUR = 53.06 MUR (100 MUR = 1.88 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to MUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Port Louis Istanbul 7,410 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Port Louis
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Port Louis vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Port Louis and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $125 per month in Port Louis and $974 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Louis, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Port Louis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Louis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Port Louis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.