Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Louis and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Louis and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,066 in Port Louis versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,713 in Port Louis versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,359 in Port Louis versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Port Louis costs roughly 15% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Port Louis 20% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.73 MUR 316
$4.55 ฿153
47.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.60 MUR 2,049
$46.18 ฿1,550
-5.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.11 MUR 334
$8.84 ฿297
-19.57%
Cappuccino
$2.55 MUR 120
$3.06 ฿103
-16.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MUR 44.79
$0.73 ฿24.36
30.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 MUR 27.88
$0.40 ฿13.37
47.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 MUR 103
$2.43 ฿81.6
-9.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 MUR 151
$3.78 ฿127
-15.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 MUR 79.6
$2.26 ฿75.8
-25.22%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 MUR 32.85
$1.81 ฿60.8
-61.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 MUR 60.0
$2.25 ฿75.7
-43.11%
Eggs
$2.25 MUR 106
$2.25 ฿75.4
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.87 MUR 558
$19.51 ฿655
-39.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.22 MUR 293
$3.65 ฿122
70.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.47 MUR 586
$13.05 ฿438
-4.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 MUR 94.1
$3.23 ฿109
-38.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 MUR 94.7
$1.62 ฿54.3
24.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 MUR 70.7
$2.38 ฿80.0
-36.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.62 MUR 123
$2.03 ฿68.0
29.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 MUR 48.48
$1.53 ฿51.5
-32.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 MUR 43.64
$1.50 ฿50.4
-38.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 MUR 39.54
$0.98 ฿32.85
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 MUR 34.83
$0.52 ฿17.36
42.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.55 MUR 308
$4.44 ฿149
47.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.35 MUR 392
$18.32 ฿615
-54.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MUR 81.5
$1.86 ฿62.6
-6.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 MUR 101
$2.68 ฿90.0
-19.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 MUR 47.59
$1.41 ฿47.37
-28.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.36 MUR 1,051
$11.70 ฿393
91.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 MUR 212
$3.11 ฿104
45.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.71 MUR 127
$1.04 ฿35.00
160.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.86 MUR 934
$14.11 ฿474
40.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MUR 67.8
$1.31 ฿44.02
9.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K MUR 1.7M
$27.8K ฿933.8K
27.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.2K MUR 1.4M
$33.2K ฿1.1M
-12.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.83 MUR 2,295
$122 ฿4,110
-60.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.07 MUR 849
$13.59 ฿456
32.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.95 MUR 1,596
$18.70 ฿628
81.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.52 MUR 1,153
$60.5 ฿2,031
-59.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.93 MUR 185
$16.98 ฿570
-76.86%
Cinema Ticket
$6.12 MUR 288
$9.07 ฿305
-32.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$152 MUR 7,139
$706 ฿23.7K
-78.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,892 MUR 182.9K
$15.8K ฿530.5K
-75.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.8 MUR 4,080
$58.6 ฿1,965
48.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$80.8 MUR 3,798
$35.36 ฿1,187
128.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 MUR 6,092
$115 ฿3,876
12.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 MUR 4,498
$83.7 ฿2,811
14.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$473 MUR 22.2K
$626 ฿21.0K
-24.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 MUR 16.3K
$445 ฿14.9K
-22.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$779 MUR 36.6K
$2,040 ฿68.5K
-61.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$614 MUR 28.9K
$1,492 ฿50.1K
-58.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,136 MUR 194.4K
$3,483 ฿116.9K
18.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,064 MUR 50.0K
$2,577 ฿86.5K
-58.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Louis
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$688 MUR 32.3K
$500 ฿16.8K
37.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
5.33
25.14%

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

Last update for Port Louis: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $473 in Port Louis and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Louis pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Port Louis vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $289 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
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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Port Louis or Phuket?
Average pay runs 38% 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: $473 in Port Louis versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $152 in Port Louis versus $706 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 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 living in Port Louis or in Phuket?
At $1,066 in Port Louis versus $1,250 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 17% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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