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 $1,252 per month in Santiago vs $1,069 in Port Louis, rent included.

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

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

Santiago costs about 17% more than Port Louis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 CLP 9,519

$6.56 MUR 305

62.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 CLP 47.5K

$44.77 MUR 2,082

18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.38 CLP 7,487

$7.07 MUR 329

18.53%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,824

$2.56 MUR 119

23.44%

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

$1.72 CLP 1,538

$1.03 MUR 48.12

66.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CLP 1,160

$0.59 MUR 27.47

120.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 CLP 2,809

$2.24 MUR 104

40.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CLP 3,885

$3.28 MUR 152

32.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,097

$1.62 MUR 75.2

-24.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,411

$0.66 MUR 30.93

139.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 CLP 1,940

$1.31 MUR 61.1

65.65%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,740

$2.30 MUR 107

82.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 CLP 9,275

$11.99 MUR 558

-13.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 CLP 6,095

$6.27 MUR 291

8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 CLP 9,833

$12.43 MUR 578

-11.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 CLP 1,804

$1.99 MUR 92.4

1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,450

$1.93 MUR 89.6

-16.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 CLP 1,911

$1.45 MUR 67.4

47.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,673

$2.64 MUR 123

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,723

$1.04 MUR 48.15

85.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,433

$0.96 MUR 44.43

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,205

$0.83 MUR 38.72

62.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,049

$0.80 MUR 36.99

47.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 CLP 4,972

$6.76 MUR 314

-17.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,044

$8.45 MUR 393

-19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,425

$1.81 MUR 84.2

-11.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,218

$2.22 MUR 103

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 CLP 807

$1.02 MUR 47.28

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.51 CLP 38.0K

$22.37 MUR 1,041

90.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 457

$4.29 MUR 199

-88.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CLP 1,317

$2.68 MUR 125

-45.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 CLP 10.3K

$19.88 MUR 925

-42.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,285

$1.39 MUR 64.6

3.60%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

-45.15%

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

$22.5K CLP 20.1M

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-20.33%

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

$129 CLP 115.5K

$48.52 MUR 2,257

166.63%

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

$13.34 CLP 11.9K

$18.34 MUR 853

-27.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 CLP 19.6K

$33.28 MUR 1,548

-34.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.94 CLP 30.3K

$24.29 MUR 1,130

39.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 CLP 18.7K

$4.14 MUR 193

405.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 CLP 5,789

$5.96 MUR 277

8.72%

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

$435 CLP 388.9K

$156 MUR 7,251

179.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,583 CLP 7.7M

$4,025 MUR 187.2K

113.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 CLP 48.7K

$86.5 MUR 4,022

-36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.28 CLP 28.8K

$80.2 MUR 3,729

-59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 67.9K

$130 MUR 6,054

-41.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.2K

$95.6 MUR 4,447

-13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 CLP 462.0K

$459 MUR 21.4K

12.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 CLP 406.6K

$348 MUR 16.2K

30.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 CLP 880.2K

$800 MUR 37.2K

23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 CLP 797.7K

$630 MUR 29.3K

41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 CLP 2.5M

$4,237 MUR 197.1K

-34.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,020 CLP 2.7M

$1,064 MUR 49.5K

183.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 CLP 744.6K

$660 MUR 30.7K

26.41%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Port Louis: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $517 in Santiago versus $459 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 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 $53 in Santiago versus $45 in Port Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $231 – 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 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 $1,878 per month in Santiago and $1,604 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 $1,252 in Santiago and $1,069 in Port Louis. 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.