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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Port Louis vs $1,252 in Santiago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,686 per month in Port Louis vs $2,027 in Santiago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Port Louis vs $2,803 in Santiago, rent included.

Port Louis is about 15% cheaper than Santiago, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Port Louis and Santiago are more affordable than the global median – Port Louis 20% lower, Santiago 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 MUR 305

$10.66 CLP 9,519

-38.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.77 MUR 2,082

$53.2 CLP 47.5K

-15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 MUR 329

$8.38 CLP 7,487

-15.63%

Cappuccino

$2.56 MUR 119

$3.16 CLP 2,824

-18.99%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.12

$1.72 CLP 1,538

-40.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.47

$1.30 CLP 1,160

-54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MUR 104

$3.14 CLP 2,809

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 MUR 152

$4.35 CLP 3,885

-24.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MUR 75.2

$1.23 CLP 1,097

31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 30.93

$1.58 CLP 1,411

-58.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MUR 61.1

$2.17 CLP 1,940

-39.63%

Eggs

$2.30 MUR 107

$4.19 CLP 3,740

-45.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 MUR 558

$10.39 CLP 9,275

15.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 MUR 291

$6.82 CLP 6,095

-8.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 MUR 578

$11.01 CLP 9,833

12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 92.4

$2.02 CLP 1,804

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 89.6

$1.62 CLP 1,450

19.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 67.4

$2.14 CLP 1,911

-32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 123

$1.87 CLP 1,673

41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.15

$1.93 CLP 1,723

-46.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 MUR 44.43

$1.60 CLP 1,433

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 MUR 38.72

$1.35 CLP 1,205

-38.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MUR 36.99

$1.18 CLP 1,049

-32.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 MUR 314

$5.57 CLP 4,972

21.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.45 MUR 393

$6.77 CLP 6,044

24.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 MUR 84.2

$1.60 CLP 1,425

13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MUR 103

$2.48 CLP 2,218

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 MUR 47.28

$0.90 CLP 807

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.37 MUR 1,041

$42.51 CLP 38.0K

-47.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MUR 199

$0.51 CLP 457

741.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 MUR 125

$1.47 CLP 1,317

82.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.88 MUR 925

$11.49 CLP 10.3K

73.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 64.6

$1.44 CLP 1,285

-3.47%

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

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

82.32%

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

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

$22.5K CLP 20.1M

25.51%

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

$48.52 MUR 2,257

$129 CLP 115.5K

-62.50%

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

$18.34 MUR 853

$13.34 CLP 11.9K

37.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.28 MUR 1,548

$21.91 CLP 19.6K

51.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.29 MUR 1,130

$33.94 CLP 30.3K

-28.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.14 MUR 193

$20.93 CLP 18.7K

-80.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 MUR 277

$6.48 CLP 5,789

-8.02%

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

$156 MUR 7,251

$435 CLP 388.9K

-64.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,025 MUR 187.2K

$8,583 CLP 7.7M

-53.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 MUR 4,022

$54.6 CLP 48.7K

58.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.2 MUR 3,729

$32.28 CLP 28.8K

148.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,054

$76.0 CLP 67.9K

71.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 MUR 4,447

$83.1 CLP 74.2K

15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 MUR 21.4K

$517 CLP 462.0K

-11.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MUR 16.2K

$455 CLP 406.6K

-23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 MUR 37.2K

$986 CLP 880.2K

-18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MUR 29.3K

$893 CLP 797.7K

-29.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,237 MUR 197.1K

$2,785 CLP 2.5M

52.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 MUR 49.5K

$3,020 CLP 2.7M

-64.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 MUR 30.7K

$834 CLP 744.6K

-20.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.18

28.76%

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

Last update for Port Louis: April 19, 2026

Last update for Santiago: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Port Louis versus $517 in Santiago. 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 26% higher in Santiago, 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 $45 in Port Louis versus $53 in Santiago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $245 – making Port Louis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago costs about 17% more than Port Louis, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,604 per month in Port Louis and $1,878 in Santiago. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,069 in Port Louis and $1,252 in Santiago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Port Louis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Louis, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Santiago at $1,252. In Port Louis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santiago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Louis costs $1,069 versus $1,252 in Santiago. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Santiago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.