🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Port Louis versus $1,253 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,560 in Port Louis versus $2,043 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,174 in Port Louis versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Port Louis costs roughly 25% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Port Louis31% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.79MUR 272
$4.56฿151
26.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.47MUR 1,810
$32.62฿1,082
17.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.53MUR 354
$8.90฿295
-15.39%
Cappuccino
$2.68MUR 126
$2.80฿93.0
-4.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MUR 53.0
$0.88฿29.19
28.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63MUR 29.64
$0.49฿16.23
28.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.71MUR 127
$2.39฿79.2
13.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.81MUR 226
$3.71฿123
29.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55MUR 72.8
$1.79฿59.3
-13.41%
White Bread(500g)
$0.78MUR 36.83
$1.44฿47.81
-45.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.15MUR 54.3
$1.58฿52.6
-27.22%
Eggs
$2.58MUR 121
$2.13฿70.5
21.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.41MUR 254
$19.92฿661
-72.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.40MUR 301
$3.43฿114
86.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.20MUR 527
$11.33฿376
-1.15%
Apples(1kg)
$2.83MUR 133
$2.95฿97.8
-4.07%
Banana(1kg)
$2.62MUR 123
$1.72฿57.1
52.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.40MUR 66.0
$2.32฿77.1
-39.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.05MUR 143
$2.08฿69.0
46.63%
Potato(1kg)
$0.99MUR 46.79
$1.47฿48.77
-32.65%
Onion(1kg)
$0.93MUR 43.89
$1.36฿45.05
-31.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.75MUR 35.13
$1.10฿36.45
-31.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84MUR 39.41
$0.57฿19.06
47.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.55MUR 308
$4.27฿142
53.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.62MUR 405
$18.42฿611
-53.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MUR 79.7
$1.87฿62.1
-9.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32MUR 109
$2.92฿96.9
-20.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.99MUR 46.60
$2.22฿73.6
-55.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$32.44MUR 1,526
$22.90฿759
41.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.31MUR 203
$3.03฿101
42.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.21MUR 151
$1.07฿35.63
200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.36MUR 1,005
$3.93฿130
443.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34MUR 62.9
$1.49฿49.49
-10.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3KMUR 1.7M
$27.1K฿899.8K
33.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8KMUR 1.4M
$27.5K฿910.6K
12.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.96MUR 2,115
$103฿3,410
-56.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.48MUR 493
$10.99฿365
-4.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.81MUR 1,356
$17.51฿581
64.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$26.73MUR 1,258
$53.5฿1,776
-50.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.85MUR 181
$11.20฿371
-65.63%
Cinema Ticket
$6.31MUR 297
$7.48฿248
-15.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$130MUR 6,099
$557฿18.5K
-76.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,821MUR 368.0K
$11.9K฿393.2K
-34.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0MUR 3,670
$64.1฿2,125
21.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$73.7MUR 3,468
$29.07฿964
153.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$122MUR 5,727
$96.0฿3,183
26.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.6MUR 3,698
$90.3฿2,997
-13.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$489MUR 23.0K
$730฿24.2K
-33.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$274MUR 12.9K
$500฿16.6K
-45.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$777MUR 36.6K
$2,090฿69.3K
-62.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$597MUR 28.1K
$1,209฿40.1K
-50.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,098MUR 192.8K
$3,596฿119.3K
13.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,055MUR 49.6K
$2,512฿83.3K
-58.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$682MUR 32.1K
$503฿16.7K
35.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
5.57
19.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Port Louis: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Port Louis and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Port Louis pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $38.00 in Port Louis vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $273, with Port Louis 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
Port Louis vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Port Louis?
Port Louis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Port Louis or Phuket?
Average pay runs 36% higher in Port Louis, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Port Louis and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $489 in Port Louis versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $130 in Port Louis versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Port Louis and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Port Louis or in Phuket?
At $946 in Port Louis versus $1,253 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 Port Louis or Phuket 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, Port Louis or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Port Louis and Phuket 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 32% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Port Louis vs other spots: cost of living compared