Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Mahe Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria and Mahe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,979 in Victoria versus $1,779 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Victoria versus $2,453 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Victoria versus $3,128 in Mahe.

Living in Victoria is roughly 11% more expensive than Mahe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Victoria 48% above, Mahe 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 SCR 222

$15.43 SCR 223

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.62 SCR 646

$69.8 SCR 1,010

-36.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 SCR 137

$8.22 SCR 119

14.96%

Cappuccino

$4.88 SCR 70.7

$4.38 SCR 63.4

11.42%

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

$2.64 SCR 38.27

$2.37 SCR 34.24

11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SCR 39.03

$1.81 SCR 26.20

49.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 SCR 57.6

$8.24 SCR 119

-51.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 SCR 66.9

$5.18 SCR 75.0

-10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SCR 26.65

$1.59 SCR 23.04

15.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 SCR 25.92

$1.09 SCR 15.79

64.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 SCR 39.53

$1.73 SCR 24.99

57.80%

Eggs

$3.53 SCR 51.1

$4.16 SCR 60.2

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.10 SCR 479

$15.63 SCR 226

111.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 SCR 87.2

$7.88 SCR 114

-23.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 SCR 171

$12.51 SCR 181

-5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 SCR 33.26

$2.06 SCR 29.77

11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SCR 38.33

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SCR 32.44

$2.23 SCR 32.29

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 SCR 89.6

$5.15 SCR 74.5

20.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 29.88

$0.96 SCR 13.83

114.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SCR 21.35

$0.96 SCR 13.84

53.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 SCR 19.85

$1.06 SCR 15.34

29.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SCR 21.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.14 SCR 321

$12.15 SCR 176

82.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 SCR 148

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.28 SCR 61.9

$2.11 SCR 30.56

102.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 SCR 92.7

$2.06 SCR 29.81

210.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SCR 11.63

$0.85 SCR 12.24

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.00 SCR 362

$23.89 SCR 346

4.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 SCR 102

$10.24 SCR 148

-31.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SCR 29.52

$3.21 SCR 46.39

-36.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.70 SCR 300

$10.20 SCR 148

102.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 SCR 20.42

$1.56 SCR 22.58

-9.62%

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

$26.0K SCR 375.8K

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

$34.4K SCR 498.5K

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

$134 SCR 1,943

$84.0 SCR 1,216

59.82%

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

$41.48 SCR 600

$21.09 SCR 305

96.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$155 SCR 2,241

$161 SCR 2,324

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.8 SCR 1,358

$52.5 SCR 760

78.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 SCR 224

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 SCR 73.6

$6.28 SCR 91.0

-19.11%

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

$154 SCR 2,234

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,430 SCR 122.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 SCR 925

$27.27 SCR 395

134.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.45 SCR 397

$10.82 SCR 157

153.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 SCR 1,017

$43.47 SCR 629

61.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 SCR 1,020

$55.2 SCR 799

27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 SCR 13.8K

$815 SCR 11.8K

16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 SCR 10.7K

$852 SCR 12.3K

-13.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 SCR 29.6K

$1,740 SCR 25.2K

17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 SCR 25.5K

$1,031 SCR 14.9K

71.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$484 SCR 7,004

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,246 SCR 18.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 SCR 14.3K

$897 SCR 13.0K

10.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.5

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

Last update for Victoria: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mahe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Victoria and $815 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Victoria vs $70.0 in Mahe. Groceries flip the comparison at $381 vs $243, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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

Victoria vs Mahe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahe wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Victoria. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mahe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Victoria pays 10% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Victoria versus $815 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Victoria. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,979 per month in Victoria versus $1,779 in Mahe – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,779 in Mahe versus $1,979 in Victoria, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mahe but tight or insufficient in Victoria. The gap between the two cities makes Mahe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mahe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,779 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mahe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Victoria and Mahe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mahe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Victoria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.