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 $1,270 per month in Santiago vs $1,069 in Port Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,013 per month in Santiago vs $1,712 in Port Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,756 per month in Santiago vs $2,356 in Port Louis, rent included.

Santiago costs about 19% more than Port Louis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Santiago and Port Louis are more affordable than the global median – Santiago 5% lower, Port Louis 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 CLP 9,974

$6.59 MUR 312

65.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 CLP 48.4K

$44.79 MUR 2,124

18.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,576

$7.16 MUR 339

15.92%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,840

$2.56 MUR 121

21.48%

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

$1.79 CLP 1,632

$1.00 MUR 47.52

79.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,176

$0.56 MUR 26.47

130.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,909

$2.25 MUR 106

41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 4,007

$3.24 MUR 154

35.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,091

$1.63 MUR 77.2

-26.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 CLP 1,449

$0.65 MUR 30.72

144.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,986

$1.32 MUR 62.6

65.15%

Eggs

$4.14 CLP 3,775

$2.22 MUR 105

86.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,725

$11.98 MUR 568

-11.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,911

$6.06 MUR 287

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,851

$12.85 MUR 609

-16.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,829

$2.03 MUR 96.3

-1.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,491

$2.00 MUR 94.6

-18.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,945

$1.44 MUR 68.4

47.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,676

$2.66 MUR 126

-30.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,783

$1.02 MUR 48.44

91.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,529

$1.01 MUR 47.85

66.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,180

$0.81 MUR 38.24

59.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,084

$0.80 MUR 37.98

48.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 5,075

$6.68 MUR 317

-16.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,181

$8.63 MUR 409

-21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,404

$1.80 MUR 85.5

-14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,258

$2.25 MUR 107

9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 775

$1.03 MUR 48.79

-17.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 38.4K

$22.00 MUR 1,043

91.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 457

$4.37 MUR 207

-88.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,304

$2.74 MUR 130

-47.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.70 CLP 10.7K

$19.46 MUR 923

-39.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,250

$1.44 MUR 68.3

-4.86%

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

$19.6K CLP 17.9M

$36.5K MUR 1.7M

-46.14%

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

$22.6K CLP 20.6M

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-22.15%

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

$133 CLP 121.8K

$48.79 MUR 2,313

173.42%

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

$13.65 CLP 12.5K

$18.55 MUR 879

-26.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.85 CLP 19.9K

$33.17 MUR 1,573

-34.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.74 CLP 30.8K

$24.33 MUR 1,153

38.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 19.1K

$4.09 MUR 194

411.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,982

$5.92 MUR 281

10.64%

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

$436 CLP 398.1K

$152 MUR 7,227

186.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,621 CLP 7.9M

$3,933 MUR 186.5K

119.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CLP 50.2K

$86.3 MUR 4,093

-36.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 CLP 29.9K

$80.4 MUR 3,810

-59.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 69.4K

$132 MUR 6,247

-42.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 76.2K

$96.4 MUR 4,569

-13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 CLP 473.7K

$463 MUR 21.9K

12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 CLP 427.3K

$349 MUR 16.5K

34.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 923.3K

$781 MUR 37.0K

29.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 810.1K

$614 MUR 29.1K

44.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 CLP 2.6M

$4,106 MUR 194.7K

-29.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,897 CLP 2.6M

$1,078 MUR 51.1K

168.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 CLP 806.8K

$677 MUR 32.1K

30.49%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Port Louis: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Santiago versus $463 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 30% 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 $53.0 in Santiago versus $45.00 in Port Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $232 – 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 19% 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 $1,905 per month in Santiago and $1,603 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 $1,270 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 91% 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 $1,270. 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 $1,270 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.