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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Santiago vs $1,052 in Port Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Santiago vs $1,668 in Port Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,756 per month in Santiago vs $2,284 in Port Louis, rent included.

Santiago costs about 23% more than Port Louis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santiago and Port Louis are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 3% lower, Port Louis 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 CLP 10.2K

$6.76 MUR 318

60.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 CLP 51.1K

$43.63 MUR 2,056

24.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 CLP 8,111

$7.07 MUR 333

22.35%

Cappuccino

$3.24 CLP 3,039

$2.65 MUR 125

22.26%

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

$1.79 CLP 1,678

$0.94 MUR 44.51

90.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,174

$0.61 MUR 28.62

104.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 CLP 3,039

$2.19 MUR 103

47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 CLP 3,997

$3.20 MUR 151

33.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,110

$1.69 MUR 79.6

-30.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,411

$0.66 MUR 30.95

128.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 CLP 2,061

$1.27 MUR 59.8

73.23%

Eggs

$4.21 CLP 3,945

$2.27 MUR 107

85.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 CLP 9,671

$11.66 MUR 549

-11.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 CLP 6,216

$6.23 MUR 293

6.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 CLP 10.3K

$12.63 MUR 595

-13.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CLP 1,906

$1.98 MUR 93.2

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,516

$2.01 MUR 95.0

-19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,990

$1.48 MUR 69.8

43.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,758

$2.61 MUR 123

-27.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,759

$1.03 MUR 48.50

82.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,581

$0.94 MUR 44.18

79.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,202

$0.83 MUR 39.25

54.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,112

$0.76 MUR 35.71

56.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 5,209

$6.56 MUR 309

-15.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 CLP 6,036

$8.24 MUR 388

-21.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,496

$1.71 MUR 80.5

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CLP 2,388

$2.16 MUR 102

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 CLP 848

$1.02 MUR 48.00

-10.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.03 CLP 40.3K

$21.90 MUR 1,032

96.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 447

$4.47 MUR 211

-89.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CLP 1,325

$2.62 MUR 123

-46.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 CLP 10.8K

$20.10 MUR 947

-42.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,275

$1.39 MUR 65.5

-2.16%

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

$19.3K CLP 18.1M

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

-45.38%

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

$23.0K CLP 21.6M

$28.6K MUR 1.3M

-19.51%

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

$132 CLP 123.6K

$50.3 MUR 2,370

162.35%

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

$13.39 CLP 12.6K

$18.27 MUR 861

-26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.14 CLP 20.8K

$34.22 MUR 1,613

-35.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 CLP 32.3K

$24.24 MUR 1,142

42.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.20 CLP 19.9K

$3.96 MUR 187

435.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 CLP 6,216

$5.92 MUR 279

11.99%

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

$431 CLP 403.5K

$155 MUR 7,301

177.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,563 CLP 8.0M

$3,940 MUR 185.7K

117.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.9K

$84.4 MUR 3,977

-34.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 CLP 31.4K

$79.1 MUR 3,730

-57.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CLP 72.8K

$131 MUR 6,192

-40.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 CLP 79.0K

$96.4 MUR 4,545

-12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 CLP 487.2K

$458 MUR 21.6K

13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 CLP 424.0K

$352 MUR 16.6K

28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 CLP 938.9K

$785 MUR 37.0K

27.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 CLP 852.1K

$616 MUR 29.0K

47.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,838 CLP 2.7M

$4,113 MUR 193.8K

-31.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,742 CLP 2.6M

$1,073 MUR 50.6K

155.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 CLP 749.0K

$698 MUR 32.9K

14.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

6.67

-22.34%

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

Last update for Santiago: July 21, 2026

Last update for Port Louis: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Santiago versus $458 in Port Louis. 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 14% 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 $54.0 in Santiago versus $44.00 in Port Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $229 – 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

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

Santiago costs about 23% 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 $1,941 per month in Santiago and $1,578 in Port Louis. 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 $1,294 in Santiago and $1,052 in Port Louis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $1,052, than in Santiago at $1,294. 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 $1,052 versus $1,294 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.